Shloka 23
Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)
अनृतेनोपवर्ती चेत् प्रतिरोद्धा गुरोस्तथा । उपाहत्य प्रियं तस्मै तस्मात् पापात् प्रमुच्यते
anṛtenopavartī cet pratiroddhā guros tathā | upāhatya priyaṁ tasmai tasmāt pāpāt pramucyate ||
ویاس نے کہا—جو جھوٹ کے سہارے روزی کماتا ہو، یا جس نے استاد کو روکا اور اس کی توہین کی ہو، اگر وہ استاد کو کوئی پسندیدہ چیز دے کر اسے راضی کر لے تو وہ اس گناہ سے چھوٹ جاتا ہے۔
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wrongdoing such as living by falsehood or offending one’s teacher can be mitigated through prāyaścitta that repairs the harm—specifically, by sincerely pleasing the guru with a valued offering, restoring respect and right relationship.
In the didactic discourse of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states a rule of expiation: a person guilty of deceitful livelihood or of obstructing/insulting the guru can be freed from that sin by making amends—giving the guru something pleasing and thereby obtaining the guru’s satisfaction.