03.029
Core: Draupadi’s advice on how to balance forgiveness, and time has come not to forgive Kauravas.
draupadyuvāca॥
Draupadī said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। prahlādasya ca saṃvādaṃ baler vairocanasya ca ॥3-29-1॥
Here too, they recount this ancient story: the conversation between Prahlāda and Bali, the son of Virocana. (3-29-1)
asurendraṃ mahāprājñaṃ dharmāṇām āgatāgamam। baliḥ papraccha daityendraṃ prahlādaṃ pitaraṃ pituḥ ॥3-29-2॥
Bali, the lord of the asuras, who was greatly wise and versed in the traditions of dharma, asked Prahlāda, the lord of the daityas and his grandfather. (3-29-2)
kṣamā svicchreyasī tāta utāho teja ityuta। etanme saṃśayaṃ tāta yathāvadbrūhi pṛcchate ॥3-29-3॥
O father, is forbearance indeed better, or is energy? This is my doubt, O father; please properly explain it to me who asks. (3-29-3)
śreyo yad atra dharmajña brūhi me tad asaṁśayam। kariṣyāmi hi tat sarvaṁ yathāvat anuśāsanam ॥3-29-4॥
O knower of dharma, tell me without doubt what is better here; I shall indeed do all that as properly instructed. (3-29-4)
tasmai provāca tatsarvam evaṃ pṛṣṭaḥ pitāmahaḥ। sarvaniścayavitprājñaḥ saṃśayaṃ paripṛcchate ॥3-29-5॥
The grandsire, wise and knower of all certainty, having been asked thus, spoke all that to him who was asking the doubt. (3-29-5)
prahlāda uvāca॥
Prahlada said.
na śreyaḥ satataṃ tejo na nityaṃ śreyasī kṣamā। iti tāta vijānīhi dvayam etad asaṃśayam ॥3-29-6॥
Neither energy is always superior, nor is forbearance always more excellent; thus, O dear one, know both of these to be so without doubt. (3-29-6)
yo nityaṃ kṣamate tāta bahūndoṣāns vindati। bhṛtyāḥ paribhavantyenamudāsīnāstathaiva ca ॥3-29-7॥
O father, he who always forgives many faults finds that his servants disregard him, and so do the indifferent ones. (3-29-7)
sarvabhūtāni cāpy asya na namante kadācana। tasmān nityaṃ kṣamā tāta paṇḍitair apavāditā ॥3-29-8॥
All beings never bow to him at any time; therefore, dear one, forgiveness is always declared by the wise. (3-29-8)
avajñāya hi taṁ bhṛtyā bhajante bahudoṣatām। ādātuṁ cāsya vittāni prārthayante'lpacetasaḥ ॥3-29-9॥
Indeed, having disregarded him, the servants associate with a state full of faults; and those of little intelligence desire to take his wealth. (3-29-9)
yānaṃ vastrāṇy alaṅkārāñ śayanāny āsanāni ca। bhojanāny atha pānāni sarvopakaraṇāni ca ॥3-29-10॥
Vehicles, garments, ornaments, beds, seats, as well as foods, drinks, and all implements. (3-29-10)
ādadīrannadhikṛtā yathākāmamacetasaḥ। pradiṣṭāni ca deyāni na dadyurbhartṛśāsanāt ॥3-29-11॥
The appointed officials, acting thoughtlessly, would take whatever they wished; and the things that were supposed to be given, they would not give as per the master's orders. (3-29-11)
na ca enaṃ bhartṛpūjābhiḥ pūjayanti kadācana। avajñānaṃ hi loke'smin maraṇād api garhitam ॥3-29-12॥
Nor do they ever honour him with acts of respect for the husband. For in this world, disrespect is considered even more blameworthy than death. (3-29-12)
kṣamiṇaṃ tādṛśaṃ tāta bruvanti kaṭukāny api। preṣyāḥ putrāś ca bhṛtyāś ca tathodāsīnavṛttayaḥ ॥3-29-13॥
O father, even a person as forbearing as this is spoken to with harsh words by servants, sons, dependents, and those who behave indifferently. (3-29-13)
apy asya dārān icchanti paribhūya kṣamāvataḥ। dārāś ca asya pravartante yathākāmam acetasaḥ ॥3-29-14॥
Even his wives do not desire him, disregarding the patient one; and his wives behave as they please, like those without sense. (3-29-14)
tathā ca nityamuditā yadi svalpam apīśvarāt। daṇḍam arhanti duṣyanti duṣṭāś cāpy apakurvate ॥3-29-15॥
Thus, even if always joyful, if the wicked deserve even a little punishment from the lord, they become corrupted and also do wrong. (3-29-15)
ete cānye ca bahavo nityaṃ doṣāḥ kṣamāvatām। atha vairocane doṣānimānvidhyakṣamāvatām ॥3-29-16॥
These and many other faults are always found in the patient; now, O son of Virocana, know these faults of the impatient. (3-29-16)
asthāne yadi vā sthāne satataṃ rajasāvṛtaḥ। kruddho daṇḍān praṇayati vividhān svena tejasā ॥3-29-17॥
One who is always covered by passion, whether in the wrong place or the right, inflicts various punishments in anger by his own power. (3-29-17)
mitraiḥ saha virodhaṃ ca prāpnute tejasāvṛtaḥ। prāpnoti dveṣyatāṃ caiva lokātsvajanatastathā ॥3-29-18॥
When one is enveloped by brilliance, he comes into opposition even with friends and becomes hated both by people in general and by his own kin. (3-29-18)
so'vamānād arthahānim upālambham anādarām। santāpa-dveṣa-lobhāṁś ca śatrūṁś ca labhate naraḥ ॥3-29-19॥
A man, due to disrespect, incurs loss of wealth, reproach, disregard, affliction, hatred, greed, and also gains enemies. (3-29-19)
krodhāddaṇḍān manuṣyeṣu vividhān puruṣo nayan। bhraśyate śīghram aiśvaryāt prāṇebhyaḥ svajanād api ॥3-29-20॥
A man, inflicting various punishments among men out of anger, quickly falls from sovereignty, even more than from his own life or kinsmen. (3-29-20)
yo'pakartṝṁś ca kartṝṁś ca tejasai vāpagacchati। tasmād udvijate lokaḥ sarpād veśmagatād iva ॥3-29-21॥
He who, by his very brilliance, approaches both wrongdoers and doers of good—people shrink away from him just as they would from a serpent that has entered the house. (3-29-21)
yasmādudvijate lokaḥ kathaṁ tasya bhavo bhavet। antaraṁ hyasya dṛṣṭvaiva loko vikurute dhruvam ॥ tasmānnātyutsṛjettejo na ca nityaṁ mṛdurbhavet ॥3-29-22॥
If people are agitated by someone, how can his existence be proper? Indeed, merely perceiving his difference, people are certainly disturbed. Therefore, one should not abandon energy excessively, nor should one always be gentle. (3-29-22)
kāle mṛdur yo bhavati kāle bhavati dāruṇaḥ। sa vai sukham avāpnoti loke'muṣminnihaiva ca ॥3-29-23॥
He who is gentle at the right time and harsh at the right time, he indeed attains happiness in this world and the next. (3-29-23)
kṣamākālāṃstu vakṣyāmi śṛṇu me vistareṇa tān। ye te nityamasantyājyā yathā prāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ ॥3-29-24॥
But I will explain to you, in detail, the times of forbearance; listen to me. These are those which, as the wise have said, are never to be abandoned. (3-29-24)
pūrvopakārī yastu syādaparādhe'garīyasi। upakāreṇa tattasya kṣantavyamaparādhinaḥ ॥3-29-25॥
If someone who has previously done a favor commits a greater offence, that offence of the benefactor should be forgiven because of the earlier favor. (3-29-25)
abuddhimāśritānāṃ ca kṣantavyamaparādhinām। na hi sarvatra pāṇḍityaṃ sulabhaṃ puruṣeṇa vai ॥3-29-26॥
Forgiveness should be given to those who act out of ignorance and to offenders, for indeed, wisdom is not easily found in everyone. (3-29-26)
atha ced-buddhijaṃ kṛtvā brūyus te tad-abuddhijam। pāpān svalpe'pi tān hanyād aparādhe tathā-nṛjūn ॥3-29-27॥
Now, if they, having regarded something as arising from understanding, say to you that it is not so, then even for a small offense, those sinful and unrighteous ones should be punished for their transgression. (3-29-27)
sarvasyaiko'parādhaste kṣantavyaḥ prāṇino bhavet। dvitīye sati vadhyastu svalpe'pyapakṛte bhavet ॥3-29-28॥
A single offense by anyone should be forgiven, but if a second occurs, even if it is a minor wrongdoing, the person deserves to be punished with death. (3-29-28)
ajānātā bhavet kaścid aparādhaḥ kṛto yadi। kṣantavyam eva tasya āhuḥ suparīkṣya parīkṣayā ॥3-29-29॥
If someone unknowingly commits an offense, it is said that it should indeed be forgiven after thoroughly examining the matter. (3-29-29)
mṛdunā mārdavaṃ hanti mṛdunā hanti dāruṇam। nāsādhyaṃ mṛdunā kiñcit tasmāt tīkṣṇataro mṛduḥ ॥3-29-30॥
Gentleness overcomes gentleness; gentleness overcomes harshness; nothing is impossible for the gentle; therefore, gentleness is more powerful than sharpness. (3-29-30)
deśakālau tu samprekṣya balābalam athātmanaḥ। nādeśakāle kiñcit syād deśaḥ kālaḥ pratīkṣyate ॥3-29-31॥
But having considered place and time, as well as one's own strength and weakness, nothing should be done at an improper place or time; one should wait for the proper place and time. (3-29-31)
tathā lokabhayāccaiva kṣantavyamaparādhinaḥ ॥3-29-31॥
Likewise, out of fear of public opinion, the offenders should indeed be forgiven. (3-29-31)
eta evaṃvidhāḥ kālāḥ kṣamāyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ। ato'nyathānuvartatsu tejasah kāla ucyate ॥3-29-32॥
These are the kinds of times described for forbearance. Therefore, when things proceed otherwise, it is called the time of energy. (3-29-32)
draupadyuvāca॥
Draupadī said.
tadahaṃ tejasah kālaṃ tava manye narādhipa। dhārtarāṣṭreṣu lubdheṣu satataṃ cāpakāriṣu ॥3-29-33॥
O king, I consider that time, which is your energy, is always present among the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, among the greedy, and among the wrongdoers. (3-29-33)
na hi kaścit kṣamākālo vidyate'dya kurūn prati। tejaś ca āgate kāle teja utsraṣṭum arhasi ॥3-29-34॥
Indeed, there is no time for delay today regarding the Kurus. When the time has come, you ought to release your energy. (3-29-34)
mṛdur bhavaty avajñātas tīkṣṇād udvijate janaḥ। kāle prāpte dvayaṃ hy etad yo veda sa mahīpatiḥ॥3-29-35॥
A gentle person is disregarded, while people shrink from the harsh; but when the right time comes, he who knows both of these is a true king. (3-29-35)
