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The History of the Life of Ajāmila
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returns to confess them again. This is the practice of a professional sinner. Parikṣit Mahārāja's observations indicate that even five thousand years ago it was the practice of criminals to atone for their crimes but then commit the same crimes again, as if forced to do so. Therefore, owing to his practical experience, Parikṣit Mahārāja saw that the process of repeatedly sinning and atoning is pointless. Regardless of how many times he is punished, one who is attached to sense enjoyment will commit sinful acts again and again until he is trained to refrain from enjoying his senses. The word  vivaśa  is used herein, indicating that even one who does not want to commit sinful acts will be forced to do so by habit. Parikṣit Mahārāja therefore considered the process of atonement to have little value for saving one from sinful acts. In the following verse he further explains his rejection of this process.
TEXT 10
कविभिवर्ततेऽमद्रात्कचिच्चरति तत्पुनः । प्रायश्चित्तमथोऽपार्थ मन्ये कुञ्जरशौचवत् ॥१०॥
kvacin nivartate 'bhadrāt   kvacic carati tat punaḥ   prāyaścittam atho 'pārtham   manye kuñjara-śaucavat
kvacit —sometimes;  nivartate —ceases;  abhadrāt —from sinful activity;  kvacit —sometimes;  carati —commits;  tat —that (sinful activity);  punaḥ —again;  prāyaścittam —the process of atonement;  atho —therefore;  apārtham —useless;  manye —I consider;  kuñjara-śaucavat —exactly like the bathing of an elephant.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land.