SB 6.1.18
prayascittani cirnani
narayana-paranmukham
na nispunanti rajendra
sura-kumbham ivapagah
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
My dear King, as a pot containing liquor cannot be purified even if washed in the waters of many rivers, nondevotees cannot be purified by processes of atonement even if they perform them very well.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
To take advantage of the methods of atonement, one must be at least somewhat devoted; otherwise there is no chance of one’s being purified. It is clear from this verse that even those who take advantage of karma-kanda and jñana-kanda, but are not at least slightly devoted cannot be purified simply by following these other paths. The word prayascittani is plural in number to indicate both karma-kanda and jñana-kanda. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, karma-kanda, jñana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura compares the paths of karma-kanda and jñana-kanda to pots of poison. Liquor and poison are in the same category. According to this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, a person who has heard a good deal about the path of devotional service, but who is not attached to it, who is not Krsna conscious, is like a pot of liquor. Such a person cannot be purified without at least a slight touch of devotional service.