Atonement to eliminate the harmful effects of sins

Generally, it can be said that performing any act prohibited or considered condemnable by our scriptures is a sin. Sins make an individual wretched, they bring about his downfall. None can escape the consequences of sins. Only if one repents for the sins he has committed & undergoes related punishment as advised by Dharma, can he be absolved of the sins. Facing punishment as advised by Dharma is known as ‘atonement’. Other sects believe that confession, donation and repentance absolve individuals of their sins. However, Hindu Dharma has gone far beyond these three ways of overcoming sins, and has listed out various sins. Depending on the intensity of each sin, Hindu Dharma has advised various atonements. To be able to stay in a state of Sat-Chit-Ānand by crossing over the bondage of joy-sorrow generated from demerit-merit oriented karmās, karma has to be such that it does not generate any consequence. Some methods to eliminate the harmful effects of sins and what should be done to avoid the effects of karma have been elaborated in this Holy text.