2 The Nectar of Instruction

PURPORT
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.1.9-10) Pariksit Maharaja

placed a number of intelligent questions before Sukadeva
Gosvami. One of these questions was: ““Why do people un-
dergo atonement if they cannot control their senses?”’ For
instance, a thief may know perfectly well that he may be ar-
rested for his stealing, and he may actually even see a thief
arrested by the police, yet he continues to steal. Experience
is gathered by hearing and seeing. One who is less intelligent
gathers experience by seeing, and one who is more
intelligent gathers experience by hearing. When an intelli-
gent person hears from the lawbooks and Sastras, or scrip-
tures, that stealing is not good and hears that a thief is
punished when arrested, he refrains from theft. A less intel-
ligent person may first have to be arrested and punished for
stealing to learn to stop stealing. However, a rascal, a foolish
man, may have the experience of both hearing and seeing
and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal.
Even if such a person atones and is punished by the govern-
ment, he will again commit theft as soon as he comes out of
jail. If punishment in jail is considered atonement, what is
the benefit of such atonement? Thus Pariksit Maharaja
inquired:

drsta-Srutabhyam yat papam
janann apy adtmano *hitam

karoti bhityo vivasah
prayascittam atho katham

kvacin nivartate *bhadrat
kvacic carati tat punah
