Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
क्वचिन्निवर्ततेऽभद्रात्क्वचिच्चरति तत्पुनः । प्रायश्चित्तमथोऽपार्थं मन्ये कुञ्जरशौचवत्
kvacinnivartate'bhadrātkvaciccarati tatpunaḥ | prāyaścittamatho'pārthaṃ manye kuñjaraśaucavat
SB 6.1.10