Shloka 56
Adhyāya 208: Aṅgirasī-kanyāḥ
Enumeration of Aṅgiras’ daughters and attribute-names
पापं चेत् पुरुष: कृत्वा कल्याणमभिपद्यते । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो महाभ्रेणेव चन्द्रमा:,यदि मनुष्य पाप करके भी कल्याणकारी कर्ममें लग जाता है, तो वह महामेघसे मुत्ह हुए चन्द्रमाकी भाँति सब पापोंसे मुक्त हो जाता है
pāpaṃ cet puruṣaḥ kṛtvā kalyāṇam abhipadyate | mucyate sarvapāpebhyo mahābhreṇeva candramā ||
The hunter said: “If a man, even after committing sin, turns himself toward what is wholesome and righteous, he is released from all sins—like the moon freed from the covering of a great cloud.”
व्याध उवाच
Educational Q&A
Past wrongdoing does not permanently bind a person if he genuinely turns toward kalyāṇa—wholesome, dharmic conduct. Ethical reorientation and sustained good action can cleanse the effects of sin, illustrated by the moon becoming clear when a great cloud passes away.
In the Vyādha’s discourse (the hunter’s instruction), he emphasizes practical dharma: even someone with a sinful past can attain purity by adopting righteous conduct. The verse functions as moral counsel, encouraging reform rather than despair.