Sacred Concord

Mbh 13.162.10c

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

If one sneezes, one should be blessed by those present. All that are ill or afflicted with disease, should be blessed. The extension of their lives should be prayed for.[624] One should never address an eminent person familiarly (by using the word Twam). Under even the great difficulties one should never do this. To address such a person as Twam and to slay him are equal, persons of learning are degraded by such a style of address. Unto those that are inferior, or equal, or unto disciples, such a word can be used. The heart of the sinful man always proclaims the sins he has committed. Those men who have deliberately committed sins meet with destruction by seeking to conceal them from the good. Indeed, they that are confirmed sinners seek to conceal their sinful acts from others.[625] Such persons think that their sins are witnessed by neither men nor the deities. The sinful man, overwhelmed by his sins, takes birth in a miserable order of being. The sins of such a man continually grow, even as the interest the usurer charge (on the loans he grants) increase from day to day. If, having committed a sin, one seeks to have it covered by righteousness, that sin becomes destroyed and leads to righteousness instead of other sins.[626] If a quantity of water be poured upon salt, the latter immediately dissolves away. Even so when expiation is performed, sin dissolves away. For these reasons one should never conceal a sin. Concealed, it is certain to increase. Having committed a sin, one should confess it in the presence of those that are good. They would destroy it immediately. If one does not enjoy in good time what one has stored with hope, the consequence is that the stored wealth finds another owner after the death of him who has stored it. The wise have said that the mind of every creature is the true test of Righteousness. Hence, all creatures in the world have an innate tendency to achieve Righteousness. One should achieve Righteousness alone or single-handed.
Mbh 13.162.10c · Mahabharata · ANUSASANA PARVA

Themes in this passage

SinDharmaJusticeDeathHealingHopeKarmaLoneliness

Sin in other traditions

The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.

If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
Leviticus 4:3 · Bible · Leviticus
They said: O our father! Ask forgiveness of our sins for us, for lo! we were sinful.
Quran 12:97 · Quran · Joseph
If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in sin: pain is the outcome of evil.
Dhp 9.117 · Dhammapada · Evil
“May heaven,” answered Ulysses, “requite to them the wickedness with which they deal high-handedly in another man’s house without any sense of shame.”
Odyssey 20.15 · Odyssey · 20

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