Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by people in general and because he hears from scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish conditions in the next life for committing sinful acts. Nevertheless, in spite of such knowledge, one is forced to commit sins again and again, even after performing acts of atonement. Therefore, what is the value of such atonement?
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
राजोवाच । दृष्टश्रुताभ्यां यत्पापं जानन्नप्यात्मनोऽहितम् । करोति भूयो विवशः प्रायश्चित्तमथो कथम्
rājovāca | dṛṣṭaśrutābhyāṃ yatpāpaṃ jānannapyātmano'hitam | karoti bhūyo vivaśaḥ prāyaścittamatho katham
SB 6.1.9