Only sincere chanting of Krishna's names cleanses the heart; mechanical atonement remains eternally fruitless.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.10 — June 23, 1975, Los Angeles 750623SB-LOS ANGELES [21:41 Minutes] SB-06.01.10_750623SB-LOS ANGELES Santoṣa: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] kvacin nivartate' bhadrāt kvacic carati tat punaḥ prāyaścittam atho 'pārthaṁ manye kuñjara-śaucavat [SB 6.1.10] [break] [00:57] Translation: "Sometimes one who is very alert not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. If one atones for the sins after committing them but then repeatedly commits the same sins, his atonement is a useless process. Indeed, it is like the bathing of an elephant, for the elephant fully cleanses itself but then throws dust all over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land." Prabhupāda: kvacin nivartate' bhadrāt kvacic carati tat punaḥ prāyaścittam atho 'pārthaṁ manye kuñjara-śaucavat [SB 6.1.10] Parīkṣit Mahārāja is devotee. He knows what are these material activities.
Punaḥ punaś carvita carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30]. This word is used here, punaḥ. Punaḥ means "again and again." Carvita-carvaṇānām. matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30] This was the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja, that gṛha-vratānām... Those who have concluded that "We shall live in this material world and become happy here by adjustment," they are called gṛha-vratānām.
Or those who have concluded that "We shall live very happily in family life," and trying to be happy, and failure, and again trying, and again trying... This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Just like a father engages his son in the same way, the same family life, same business life, same working day and night. But he does not think that "I was a married man.
I got children. I have got business. I have got car. Whether I have become happy?" That he does not conclude, that "Again I am engaging my son in the same business?
So why shall I be unhappy if my son has joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?" No. He wants, "Please come home and again be doing the same thing. Which I have done and I am frustrated, you do the same thing and be frustrated." [laughter] This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Nobody will advise.
His son will become hippie—he will tolerate: "This is modern fashion." And if he joins Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is unhappy, because he wants that "My son also be doing the same thing." That is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. The world is going like that. They are chewing the chewed. We are teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement that "What you will gain by this material way of life?
Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then you will get the greatest benefit." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. The all troubles which we are suffering, that is due to our accepting this material body. That they do not know. They do not know except this material body anything.