30 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 1

prayascittani cirnani
narayana-paranmukham
na nispunanti rdjendra

sura-kumbham ivapagah

prayascittani—processes of atonement; cirndni—very nicely per-
formed; ndrayana-paranmukham—a nondevotee; na nispunanti—can-
not purify; rajendra—O King; surd-kumbham—a pot containing liquor;
iva—like; dpa-gah—the waters of the rivers.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, as a pot containing liquor cannot be purified even
if washed in the waters of many rivers, nondevotees cannot be
purified by processes of atonement even if they perform them very
well.

PURPORT

To take advantage of the methods of atonement, one must be at least
somewhat devoted; otherwise there is no chance of one’s being purified.
It is clear from this verse that even those who take advantage of karma-
kanda and jnana-kanda, but are not at least slightly devoted cannot be
purified simply by following these other paths. The word prdyascittani is
plural in number to indicate both karma-kanda and jrdna-kanda.
Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, karma-kdanda, jndna-kanda,
kevala visera bhanda. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura compares the paths
of karma-kdnda and jfidna-kdnda to pots of poison. Liquor and poison
are in the same category. According to this verse from Srimad-
Bhagavatam, a person who has heard a good deal about the path of devo-
tional service, but who is not attached to it, who is not Krsna conscious, is
like a pot of liquor. Such a person cannot be purified without at least a
slight touch of devotional service.

TEXT 19

aSeeaa: = HTyafaaai-
faafard aaoratt afte |
