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In every scripture there is a process of atonement. Just like in Christian religion, at the time of death, if somebody admits that, "I have committed this kind of sin," it is supposed that he is forgiven

Expressions researched:
"In every scripture there is a process of atonement. Just like in Christian religion, at the time of death, if somebody admits that" |"I have committed this kind of sin" |"it is supposed that he is forgiven"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

In every scripture there is a process of atonement. Just like in Christian religion, at the time of death, if somebody admits that, "I have committed this kind of sin," it is supposed that he is forgiven.

The twelve authorities are Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva and Kumāra, Manu and Lord Kapila, Bhīṣma and Prahlāda, Janaka and Yamarāja and this Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is speaking the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vaiyāsaki. Vaiyāsaki means "the son of Vyāsadeva." And they have got their disciplic succession. And if we receive that knowledge from disciplic succession, then we can get perfect knowledge. That is the process of Vedic way.

Vedic way is to receive knowledge from the authority, not to manufacture knowledge by mental speculation. Manufacturing . . . your manufacturing process is very poor, because you are imperfect. At least your senses, by which you will produce knowledge . . . sense, there are senses to acquire knowledge. Just like by hearing I have acquired knowledge, and by speaking I am distributing knowledge. So these are all sense activities.

But our senses are imperfect, therefore we cannot manufacture knowledge. We have to receive knowledge from the authority. Just like we receive knowledge from our father, mother, "This is this." The child learns, "This is lamp." The father tells, "My dear boy, this is called lamp," and the boy understands, "This is lamp." The mother says: "My dear boy, this is your father," and the boy accepts, "This is my father." He doesn't make any research "Who is my father?" because mother is the authority.

Similarly, perfect knowledge is from the authority. Perfect knowledge is not by speculation. Speculation . . . how much speculation you can do? What is the worth of your speculation? Because you are imperfect. Your senses are imperfect. You have got cheating within your heart; you commit mistake, you are illusioned. So how you can give perfect knowledge? This is our tendency. Nobody will say that, "I am fool number one." Everyone will say that, "I am very much learned," although he is fool number one. This is cheating.

(break) So this cheating propensity is there in everyone—even

(break) or any other dealing, even within husband and wife. The husband thinking, "Oh, I have bluffed my wife in this way," and the wife is thinking, "Oh, I have bluffed my husband in this way." So the cheating process is there in me, in you, everywhere, because we are imperfect. Therefore it is not possible to get perfect knowledge from an imperfect man. We receive, therefore, knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, who is neither imperfect nor a man. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the process.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit is asking from the authority how these persons who are suffering in the hellish condition of life can be reclaimed. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is replying:

na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāṁhasaḥ
krtasya kuryān manokta-pāṇibhiḥ
dhruvaṁ sa pretya narakān upaiti
ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ
(SB 6.1.7)

"My dear King, one cannot get rid of the reaction of one's sinful activities unless he undergoes the counter-affecting means." In every scripture there is a process of atonement. Just like in Christian religion, at the time of death, if somebody admits that, "I have committed this kind of sin," it is supposed that he is forgiven.

Similarly, in Muslim scripture there is also similar injunction, and in Hindu scripture there are many such injunctions. And as far as possible, they are followed by different followers. So the same thing is confirmed here, "My dear King, if somebody does not atone for his sinful activities . . ."

Sinful activities function in three ways. Here it is stated. What is that? Mana-ukti-pāṇibhiḥ. Mana-ukti-pāṇibhiḥ: by mind, by activities of the mind; and by activities of our words; and by activities of our senses. By three ways we can commit sinful activities. If I think that I shall kill you or I shall do some harm withn my mind, that is also a sin.

Page Title:In every scripture there is a process of atonement. Just like in Christian religion, at the time of death, if somebody admits that, "I have committed this kind of sin," it is supposed that he is forgiven
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2023-04-14, 08:03:08
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1