Shloka 46
Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)
शकक््यते विधिना पापं यथोक्तेन व्यपोहितुम् । आस्तिके श्रद्धधाने च विधिरेष विधीयते
śakyate vidhinā pāpaṁ yathoktena vyapohitum | āstike śraddadhāne ca vidhireṣa vidhīyate ||
ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೋಕ್ತ ವಿಧಿಯನ್ನು ಯಥಾವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಾಯಶ್ಚಿತ್ತ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ಪಾಪವನ್ನು ದೂರ ಮಾಡಬಹುದು; ಆದರೆ ಈ ನಿಯಮವು ಆಸ್ತಿಕನಾದ, ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯುಳ್ಳ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಷ್ಟೇ ವಿಧಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದೆ.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Scriptural expiation can remove sin, but it is effective and applicable only for a believer who performs it with genuine faith; inner assent and trust are treated as prerequisites for the prescribed remedy.
In Vyāsa’s instruction within Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, he clarifies the conditions under which prāyaścitta (atonement) works: the method is as taught in śāstra, yet it is intended for the āstika and the śraddadhāna—those who accept and faithfully follow the injunctions.