Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45
अकामतः कृते पापे प्रायश्चित्तं विदुर्बुधाः । कामकारकृतेऽप्याहुरेके श्रुतिनिदर्शनात्
akāmataḥ kṛte pāpe prāyaścittaṃ vidurbudhāḥ | kāmakārakṛte'pyāhureke śrutinidarśanāt
অজান্তে কৃত পাপের জন্য প্রায়শ্চিত্ত বিধেয়—এ কথা জ্ঞানীরা জানেন। আর কেউ কেউ শ্রুতির ইঙ্গিত অনুসারে ইচ্ছাকৃত কর্মের ক্ষেত্রেও প্রায়শ্চিত্তের কথা বলেন।
Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A dharma-sabhā setting: learned brāhmaṇas debate prāyaścitta, with palm-leaf texts and a pilgrim seeking guidance; in the background, the sea-coast of Prabhāsa and a distant Somnātha shrine silhouette.
FAQs
Dharma weighs intention, yet scriptural traditions also debate and sometimes allow remedial paths even for intentional wrongdoing.
The discussion is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, where dharma-teachings support the sanctity of pilgrimage and reform.
Prāyaścitta is affirmed for unintentional sins, and is argued by some authorities to apply even to intentional acts based on śruti.