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Can one who has sinned be a saint? (part 3)

Submitted by jswami on June 24, 2006 - 9:58am.

Sometimes people think that once a person has performed sinful acts, especially acts that are grievously sinful, he must be regarded as a sinner forever. This notion runs contrary to Vaishnava philosophy.

The Brihad-vishnu Purana says:

namno hi yavati saktih
papa-nirharane hareh
tavat kartum na saknoti
patakam pataki narah

“Simply by chanting one holy name of Hari, a sinful man can counteract the reactions to more sins than he is able to commit.”

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