So atonement is concerned, here it is said, prayascittani cirnani narayana-paranmukham. You can have some atonement, but if you are bereft of Krsna consciousness, so this purification will not be complete. How? Rajendra sura-kumbham ivapagah. According to Vedic civilization, a pot in which wine was kept, it is impure forever. It is impure forever. You cannot use for any other purpose. It is so abominable. If you think that "This bottle contained wine. Now wine is finished. Wash it, then it becomes pure," then according to Vedic civilization wine is so impure that even the pot in which wine was kept, it will never become pure. These examples outsider cannot understand, but it is said in the sastra.
Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.18, Honolulu, May 18, 1976