Brihaspati answered If, having committed sin through foolishness, one performs meritorious acts understanding their nature, he succeeds, by such righteousness, in cleansing himself from sin even as a piece of dirty cloth is washed clean by some saline substance.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच कृत्वा पापं पूर्वमबुद्धिपूर्व पुण्यानि चेत्कुरुते बुद्धिपूर्वम्। स तत्पापं नुदते कर्मशीलो वासो यथा मलिनं क्षारयुक्तम्॥