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 ||
شاستر میں بتائے ہوئے طریقے کے مطابق کفّارہ ادا کیا جائے تو گناہ دور کیا جا سکتا ہے؛ مگر یہ قاعدہ صرف اسی کے لیے مقرر ہے جو آستک ہو اور ایمان و عقیدت کے ساتھ عمل کرے۔
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.