Since the path of karma is only a common path, the great sins as considered by the people are only errors done in contravention to ceremonial rites and customs but not crimes against righteousness. The gods mentioned in the epics and puranas appear to be concerned only with the observance of customary rites by the devotees but not their righteous living. But some exceptional social behaviors aren't found in the sacred books but in the moral books and in unwritten ethnic practices. Therefore it is customary to treat these exceptional behaviors as deficiencies rather than a sin. Though humans used to do acts that deserve punishment, they are not treated as sins or as crimes against God.
Every human action is said to be divinely motivated.
This wrong teaching is also found in Mahabharata though it contains some good teachings too. For example, in the 12th part, it is said that just as the blame related to cutting a tree falls not on the ax but on the man who handled it, the effect of errors that are committed by individual souls shall rest on none other than the God Himself. In the same manner, Vivekananda while addressing a religious conference at Chicago emphasized that there was no greater sin than to call man a sinner. Common people appeal against the offenses of others and admit themselves as sinners. The popular Hindu devotees like Manickavasaka and Ramanuja had admitted that they were sinners.