Talk:Reducing Bad Karm and Adding Good Karm:Lessening Evil Karm:Atonements and Expiation

By Vishal Agarwal

Remorse, confession and a resolve to not repeat the evil act is not always sufficient, especially if others have been adversely affected by the deed. If we cause harm, we need to make amends.

If an evil act was committed in ignorance, the performance of expiatory acts serves two purposes according to Yājñavalkya Smṛti 3.226 – First, expiation nullifies the negative results of evil. Second, evil acts make one ineligible for normal social activities, but expiation restores that ability. After expiation, one is accepted back into society and can resume his normal duties.

By not performing the duties commanded by scriptures, by doing prohibited things, and by being led astray by uncontrolled senses, a person can become downfallen. It is the duty of such a person to perform a prāyaścitta, because doing so brings joy to his own conscience and also to his community. Yājñavalkya Smṛti 3.219–220

Conversely, ignoring possibilities of atonements and expiations leaves us tainted with demerit:

They who always indulge in sinful deeds and do not perform prāyaścitta, nor repent for their actions, plunge into frightening and miserable hells. Yājñavalkya Smṛti 3.221 There is a difference of opinion whether prāyaścitta can be performed only for evil actions done in ignorance, or whether it can be performed also for evil acts committed with full understanding. We cite some differing opinions in this matter below:

A pāpa unintentionally committed is expiated by the recitation of Vedic scriptures, but that which men in their foolishness commit intentionally, by various special penances. Manusmṛti 11.46

Each person should see the good and bad results that arise after death from good or bad deeds done by him while he is alive. And therefore, he should always do good deeds physically, mentally, and verbally. Manusmṛti 11.231

If a person wants to free himself from the taint of a pāpa that he committed intentionally or unintentionally, he should not repeat that sinful action again. If he repeats his mistake, then he must also perform twice the prāyaścitta the second time to atone for repeated pāpa. Manusmṛti 11.232

He who having either unintentionally or intentionally committed a reprehensible deed, desires to be freed from the guilt of it, must not commit it a second time. Manusmṛti 11.233

Whatever pāpa a person commits physically, mentally or verbally, that he can incinerate through the practice of austerities. Manusmṛti 11.241

Just as a strong and blazing fire incinerates even moist trees, so does a knower of the Vedas destroy the taints of pāpas resulting from doing prohibited deeds. Manusmṛti 12.101

However, leaning on the strength of the Vedas, one should not perform sinful actions because Vedic learning burns the tainting pāpa resulting only from those prohibited deeds that are done in ignorance or out of carelessness, not that which results from intentional performance of sinful actions. (Extra verse noted by Kullūka Bhaṭṭa after Manusmṛti 12.101)

A pāpa that is committed in ignorance is neutralized by prāyaścitta. Pāpas committed intentionally do not get neutralized by prāyaścitta, but at least the world is satisfied with the sinner (‘he has atoned for his pāpas’). Yājñavalkya Smṛti 3.226

Some people mistakenly believe that a mechanical performance of a physical prāyaścitta nullifies their pāpas. But unless their atonement is accompanied by mental remorse, repentance and a resolve to discontinue their evil ways, the prāyaścitta is of no use:

Sage Vyāsa said – One can get purified of the results of his pāpas by performing austerities, by doing good deeds and through giving charity, but only if he is not inclined to repeating the same pāpas in the future. Mahābhārata 12.35.1

• Prāyaścitta Prakāśa*, a manual of atonements, emphasizes that mental remorse and regret is not an alternative to performing physical expiations. Rather, the first is a necessary pre-requisite to advance to the latter. *Yama Smṛti* too clarifies that mental remorse and a resolve to desist from repeating the evil action are parts of the physical acts of expiation and atonement, and therefore all the three are essential to purify oneself of the evil act committed.