Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.28
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3.28.1
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
प्रह्लादस्य च संवादं बलेर्वैरोचनस्य च ॥ ३.२८.१ ॥
Here too they cite this ancient tale, the dialogue of Prahlāda and Bali, son of Virocana.
3.28.2
असुरेन्द्रं महाप्राज्ञं धर्माणामागतागमम् ।
बलिः पप्रच्छ दैत्येनद्रं प्रह्लादं पितरं पितुः ॥ ३.२८.२ ॥
Bali asked Prahlāda, lord of the asuras, the very wise one versed in the duties, lord of the daityas, his father's father.
3.28.3
क्षमा स्विच्छ्रेयसी तात उताहो तेज इत्युत ।
एतन्मे संशयं तात यथावद्ब्रूहि पृच्छते ॥ ३.२८.३ ॥
'Dear father, is forbearance better, or is vigour? Or which of the two brings welfare? Truly explain this doubt of mine; I ask.'
3.28.4
श्रेयो यदत्र धर्मज्ञ ब्रूहि मे तदसंशयम् ।
करिष्यामि हि तत्सर्वं यथावदनुशासनम् ॥ ३.२८.४ ॥
Knower of dharma, tell me without doubt what is good in this. I will carry out all that instruction exactly.
3.28.5
तस्मै प्रोवाच तत्सर्वमेवं पृष्टः पितामहः ।
सर्वनिश्चयवित्प्राज्ञः संशयं परिपृच्छते ॥ ३.२८.५ ॥
Thus asked, the grandfather declared all of that to him. The wise one, knower of every certainty, fully grasping the doubt of the one inquiring, answered.
3.28.6
न श्रेयः सततं तेजो न नित्यं श्रेयसी क्षमा ।
इति तात विजानीहि द्वयमेतदसंशयम् ॥ ३.२८.६ ॥
'Dear one, vigour is not always good, and forbearance is not always better. Understand these two, without doubt.'
3.28.7
यो नित्यं क्षमते तात बहून्दोषान्स विन्दति ।
भृत्याः परिभवन्त्येनमुदासीनास्तथाऽरयः ॥ ३.२८.७ ॥
He who always forbears, dear son, incurs many faults; servants disparage him, and the indifferent and enemies do likewise.
3.28.8
सर्वभूतानि चाप्यस् न नमन्ते कदाचन ।
तस्मान्नित्यं क्षमा तात पण्डितैरपि वर्जिता ॥ ३.२८.८ ॥
All beings never bow down at all; therefore, dear son, even the wise always shun forbearance.
3.28.9
अवज्ञाय हितं भृत्या भजन्ते बहुदोषताम् ।
आदातुं चास्य वित्तानि प्रार्थयन्तेऽल्पचेतसः ॥ ३.२८.९ ॥
Disregarding the benefit, servants take on many faults; the small-minded desire to seize his wealth.
3.28.10
यानं वस्त्राण्यलंकाराञ्शयनान्यासनानि च ।
भोजनान्यथ पानानि सर्वोपकरणानि च ॥ ३.२८.१० ॥
Vehicles, garments, ornaments, beds and seats, food and drink, and all equipment.
3.28.11
आददीरन्नधिकृता यथाकाममचेतसः ।
प्रदिष्टानि च देयानि न दद्युर्भर्तृशासनात् ॥ ३.२८.११ ॥
Those put in charge, unthinking, take as they please, and do not give what is ordered to be given, even by the master's command.
3.28.12
न चैनं भर्तृपूजाभिः पूजयन्ति कदाचन ।
अव्रज्ञानं हि लोकेऽस्मिन्मरणादपि गर्हितम् ॥ ३.२८.१२ ॥
Nor do they ever honor him with the honors due a master; in this world, disrespect is more reproachable even than death.
3.28.13
क्षमिणं तादृशं तांत ब्रुवन्ति कटुकान्यपि ।
प्रेष्याः पुत्राश्च भृत्याश्च तथोदासीनवृत्तयः ॥ ३.२८.१३ ॥
Such a patient man, dear child, people speak harsh words to; servants, sons and hired men also take on an indifferent conduct.
3.28.14
अप्यस्य दारानिच्छन्ति परिभूय क्षमावतः ।
दाराश्चास्य प्रवर्तन्ते यथाकाममचेतसः ॥ ३.२८.१४ ॥
Having humbled the patient man, people even desire his wives, and his wives behave as they please, unthinking.
3.28.15
तथा च नित्यमुदिता यदि नाल्पमपीश्वरात् ।
अकृतोपद्रवः कश्चिन्महानपि न पूज्यते। ॥ ३.२८.१५ ॥
Likewise, even a great man who is always cheerful, who gets not even a little from his lord and causes no harm, is not honoured.
3.28.16
पूजयन्ति नरा नागान्न तार्क्ष्यं नामघातिनम् ।
एते चान्ये च बहवो नित्यं दोषाः क्षमावताम्। ॥ ३.२८.१६ ॥
People honour the serpents, but not Tārkṣya (Garuḍa), the destroyer of names. These and many other faults always belong to the patient.
3.28.17
अथ वैरोचने दोषानिमान्विद्ध्यक्षमांवताम् ।
अथ वैरोचने दोषानिमान्विद्ध्यक्षमावताम् ॥ ३.२८.१७ ॥
Now, son of Virocana, know these faults to belong to the impatient. Now, son of Virocana, know these faults to belong to the impatient.
3.28.18
अस्थाने यदि वा स्थाने सततं रजसावृतः ।
क्रुद्धो दण्डान्प्रणयति विविधान्स्वेन तेजसा ॥ ३.२८.१८ ॥
Whether without cause or with cause, the one constantly covered by passion, angry, metes out various punishments by his own splendour.
3.28.19
मित्रैः सह विरोधं च प्राप्नुते तेजसाऽऽवृतः ।
आप्नोति द्वेष्यतां चैव लोकात्स्वजनतस्तथा ॥ ३.२८.१९ ॥
Wrapped in fiery power, he meets enmity even from friends, and becomes hated by the people and by his own kinsmen as well.
3.28.20
सोऽवमानादर्थहानिमुपालम्भमनादरम् ।
संतापद्वेषमोहांश्च शत्रूंश्च लभते नरः ॥ ३.२८.२० ॥
Through disrespect, that man obtains loss of wealth, reproach, disregard, distress, hatred, delusion, and enemies.
3.28.21
क्रोधाद्दण्डान्मनुष्येषु विविधान्पुरुषोऽनयात् ।
भ्रश्यते शीघ्रमैश्वर्यात्प्राणेभ्यः स्वजनादपि ॥ ३.२८.२१ ॥
A man who, in anger, inflicts various punishments upon men through injustice, quickly falls from sovereignty, from life, and even from his own kinsmen.
3.28.22
योपकर्तॄश्च हर्तॄश्च तेजसैवोपगच्छति ।
तस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्पाद्वेश्मगतादिव ॥ ३.२८.२२ ॥
He who approaches both his benefactors and his plunderers with fiery power alone; therefore the world is frightened of him, as of a snake that has entered the house.
3.28.23
यस्मादुद्विजतेलोकः कथं तस्य भवो भवेत् ।
अन्तरं तस्य दृष्ट्वैव लोको विकुरुते ध्रुवम् ॥ ३.२८.२३ ॥
Since the world is frightened of him, how could his prosperity endure? The moment they see his weakness, the people surely turn against him.
3.28.24
तस्मान्नात्युत्सृजेत्तेजो न च नित्यं मृदुर्भवेत् ।
कालेकाले तु संप्राप्ते मृदुस्तीक्ष्णोपि वा भवेत् ॥ ३.२८.२४ ॥
Therefore one should not release fiery power excessively, nor always remain gentle; when the time comes, one should be gentle or else sharp.
3.28.25
काले मृदुर्यो भवति काले भवति दारुणः ।
स वै सुखमवाप्नोति लोकेऽमुष्मिन्निहैव च ॥ ३.२८.२५ ॥
He who is gentle at the proper time and harsh at the proper time obtains happiness in this world and in that one.
3.28.26
क्षमाकालांस्तु वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे विस्तरेण तान् ।
ये ते नित्यमसंत्याज्या यथा प्राहुर्मनीषिणः ॥ ३.२८.२६ ॥
I will speak of the times for forbearance; listen to them from me in detail, those which must never be abandoned, as the wise have declared.
3.28.27
पूर्वोपकारी यस्ते स्यादपराधे गरीयसि ।
उपकारेण तत्तस्य क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनः ॥ ३.२८.२७ ॥
If one who earlier did you a kindness commits a grave offense, that offender must be forgiven on account of his kindness to you.
3.28.28
अबुद्धिमाश्रितानां तु क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनाम् ।
न हि सर्वत्र पाण्डित्वं सुलभं पुरुषेण वै ॥ ३.२८.२८ ॥
Offenders who have resorted to foolishness must be forgiven, for wisdom is not easily attained by a man everywhere.
3.28.29
अथ चेद्बुद्धिजं कृत्वा ब्रूयुस्ते तदबुद्धिजम् ।
पापान्स्वल्पेऽपि तान्हन्यादपराधे तथाऽनृजून् ॥ ३.२८.२९ ॥
But if they, having acted with intelligence, then claim it was done in folly, one should punish even slight offenses by the wicked and the crooked.
3.28.30
सर्वस्यैकोपराधस्ते क्षन्तव्यः प्राणिनो भवेत् ।
द्वितीये सति वध्यस्तु स्वल्पेऽप्यपकृते भवेत् ॥ ३.२८.३० ॥
A living being's single offense must be forgiven; but if it happens a second time, even for a slight wrong, he may deserve to be slain.
3.28.31
अजानता भवेत्कश्चिदपराधः कृतो यदि ।
क्षन्तव्यमेव तस्याहुः सुपरीक्ष्य परीक्षया ॥ ३.२८.३१ ॥
If some offense is committed by one who does not know, they say it is indeed to be forgiven, after careful examination.
3.28.32
मृदुना दारुणं हन्ति मृदुना हन्त्यदारुणम् ।
नासाध्यं मृदुना किंचित्तस्मात्तीव्रतरं मृदु ॥ ३.२८.३२ ॥
By gentleness one slays the harsh, and by gentleness one slays the gentle; nothing is unattainable by gentleness, therefore gentleness is the sharpest of all.
3.28.33
देशकालौ तु संप्रेक्ष्य बलाबलमथात्मनः ।
अन्वीक्ष्यकारणं चैव कार्यं तेजः क्षमापि वा ॥ ३.२८.३३ ॥
Having carefully considered place and time, and weighed one's own strength and weakness, and having also investigated the cause, one should act—either with vigor or with forbearance.
3.28.34
नादेशकाले किंचित्स्याद्देशकालौ प्रतीक्षताम् ।
तथा लोकभयाच्चैव क्षन्तव्यमपराधितम् ॥ ३.२८.३४ ॥
Nothing should be done at an unsuitable place and time; one should wait for the right place and time. Likewise, from fear of people, the offender should be forgiven.
3.28.35
एत एवंविधाः कालाः क्षमायाः परिकीर्तिताः ।
अतोऽन्यथाऽनुवर्तत्सु तेजसः काल उच्यते ॥ ३.२८.३५ ॥
Such are the times declared for forbearance; for those who act otherwise, the time for vigor is said to come.
3.28.36
तदहं तेजसः कालं तव मन्ये नराधिप ।
धार्तराष्ट्रेषु लुब्धेषु सततं चापकारिषु ॥ ३.२८.३६ ॥
Therefore, lord of men, I consider this the time for you to show your vigor—against the greedy sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who have constantly done you harm.
3.28.37
न हि कश्चित्क्षमाकालो विद्यतेऽद्य कुरून्प्रति ।
तेजसश्चागते काले तेज उत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥ ३.२८.३७ ॥
Today there is no time for forbearance toward the Kurus. When the time of fierceness has come, you ought to release your fierceness.
3.28.38
मृदुर्भवत्यवज्ञातस्तीक्ष्णादुद्विजते जनः ।
काले प्राप्ते द्वयं चैतद्यो वेद स महीपतिः ॥ ३.२८.३८ ॥
The gentle man is despised; people recoil from the harsh. When the proper time has come, he who knows both of these is the lord of the earth.