Shloka 44
Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)
भक्ष्याभक्ष्येषु चान्येषु वाच्यावाच्ये तथैव च । अज्ञानज्ञानयो राजन् विहितान्यनुजानतः,राजन! भक्ष्य, अभक्ष्य, वाच्य और अवाच्य तथा जान-बूझकर और बिना जाने किये हुए पापोंके लिये ये प्रायश्चित्त कहे गये हैं। विज्ञ पुरुषको समझकर इनका अनुष्ठान करना चहिये
bhakṣyābhakṣyeṣu cānyeṣu vācyāvācye tathaiva ca | ajñānajñānayo rājan vihitāny anujānataḥ ||
Vyāsa said: “O King, these expiatory rites have been prescribed for transgressions connected with what may or may not be eaten, what may or may not be spoken, and likewise for sins committed knowingly and unknowingly. A discerning person should undertake them with clear understanding and due authorization, in accordance with rule.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Expiations are graded and prescribed for different kinds of lapses—dietary, verbal, and moral—taking into account whether the act was done knowingly or unknowingly; therefore one should perform prāyaścitta with understanding and in accordance with authorized scriptural procedure.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa addresses the king and summarizes that the previously described prāyaścittas apply broadly to violations of food and speech rules, as well as to sins committed with or without awareness, emphasizing disciplined, duly sanctioned observance.