It is a very common occurrence that so long our clothes are spotless and clean, we take special care while sitting here and there, and once the clothes get stained we become careless. This phenomenon also occurs in other walks of life. To highlight the same Sanskrit has following words to explain :
यथा हि मलिनैः वस्त्रैः यत्र कुत्र उपविश्यते |
व्रततः चलितोपि एवं दोषं व्रतं न रक्षति.||
Yathaa hi malinaih vastraih yatra kutra upavishyate,
vratatah chalitopi evam dosham vratam na rakshati
Yatha hi = just as, like.
Malinaih = soiled, dirty,stained.
Vastraih = clothes.
Yatra Kutra = here and there.
Upvishyate = sits.
vrata = a vow or a commitment to observe certain rules for spiritual upliftment or for a noble cause. Fasting done on certain religious occasions is also called a 'vrata' .
Vratath chalitopi = a break or discontinuation of a 'vrata' accidentally or willingly.
Evam = also.
Dosham = defect or shortcoming.
Rakshati = protects, adheres to.
It states : Just as a person wearing soiled clothes carelessly sits here and there without bothering about the cleanliness of the clothes, similarly a person who follows certain rules or commitment for his spiritual upliftment or for a noble cause, is not able to adhere to them strictly once the rules or commitment gets broken or some defect or shortcoming occurs, even if accidentally.
A person is careful in observing the rules in the beginning and once they get broken even accidentally, he becomes careless in observing them or stops doing so. This is especially in the matter of honesty and other virtues.
@queenart