द्रौपद्युवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। प्रह्लादस्य च संवादं बलेर्वैरोचनस्य च।।।।
Draupadi said : On this is cited as an example the ancient history relating to the conversation between Prahlada and Vali the son of Virochana.
असुरेन्द्रं महाप्राज्ञंधर्माणामागतागमम्। बलिः पप्रच्छ दैत्येन्द्र प्रह्लादं पितरं पितुः॥
One day, Bali accosted his grandfather Prahlada, the king of Asuras and Danava, endued with great wisdom and well-versed in duties (saying).
बलिरुवाच क्षमा स्विच्छ्रेयसी तात उताहो तेज इत्युत। एतन्मे संशयं तात यथावद् ब्रूहि पृच्छते॥
Vali said : Does forgiveness lead to well-being, O father or prowess or energy? I have great doubt in this; father, tell me who am asking you.
श्रेयो यदत्रधर्मज्ञ ब्रूहि मे तदसंशयम्। करिष्यामि हि तत् सर्वं यथावदनुशासनम्॥
Tell me, without any doubt, O you conversant with duties, whatever leads to wellbeing. I shall obey duly all your commands.
तस्मै प्रोवाच पृष्टः पितामहः। सर्वनिश्चयवित् प्राज्ञः संशयं परिपृच्छते॥
Draupadi said : Being thus accosted the wise grandfather, conversant with all truths, replied at length for the removal of his doubts.
तत् सर्वमेवं प्रह्लाद उवाच न श्रेयः सततं तेजो न नित्यं श्रेयसी क्षमा। इति तात विजानीहि द्वयमेतदसंशयम्॥
Prahlada said: Do you learn, my son, these two truths without any doubt neither does prowess always lead to well-being nor does forgiveness.
यो नित्यं क्षमते तथा बहून् दोषान् स विन्दति। भृत्याः परिभवन्त्येनमुदासीनास्तथारयः॥ सर्वभूतानि चाप्यस्य न नमन्ति कदाचन। तस्मान्नित्यं क्षमा तात पण्डितैरपि वर्जिता।।।
He who forgives always, O my son, suffers many evils-servants, strangers and enemies always disregard him. No one does ever bow to him; perpetual forgiveness therefore, O my son, is avoided by the learned.
अवज्ञाय हि तं भृत्या भजन्ते बहुदोषताम्। आदातुं चास्य वित्तानि प्रार्थयन्तेऽल्पचेतसः॥
Disregarding him his servants contract many vicious habits; all those evil-minded men try to deprive him of his wealth.
यानं वस्त्राण्यलंकाराञ्छयनान्यासनानि च। भोजनान्यथ पानानि सर्वोपकरणानि च॥ आददीरनधिकृता यथाकाममचेतसः। प्रदिष्टानि च देयानि न दद्युभर्तृशासनात्॥ न चैनं भर्तृपूजाभिः पूजयन्ति कथंचन। अवज्ञानं हि लोकेऽस्मिन् मरणादपि गर्हितम्॥१२
Those vicious servants also appropriate to themselves nis conveyances, clothes ornaments, dress, beds, seats, food, drink and other articles of use. They do not at the behest of their master, give to others things they are commanded to do, Nor do they treat their master with that respect which is his due. Disregard in this world is worse than death.
क्षमिणं तादृशं तात ब्रुवन्ति कटुकान्यपि। प्रेष्याः पुत्राश्च भृत्याश्च तथोदासीनवृत्तयः॥
O my child, sons, servants attendants and even strangers use harsh words to such a forgiving person.
अथास्य दारानिच्छन्ति परिभूय क्षमावतः। दाराश्चास्य प्रवर्तन्ते यथाकाममचेतसः॥
Disregarding him even they wish to have the wife of a forgiving person and his wife too does whatever she likes.
तथा च नित्यमुदिता यदि नाल्पमपीश्वरात्। दण्डमर्हन्ति दुष्यन्ति दुष्टाश्चाप्यपकुर्वते॥
The pleasure-loving servants, if a slight punishment is not meted out to them, contract all sorts of vices and the wicked always injure such a master.
एते चान्ये च बहवो नित्यं दोषाः क्षमावताम्। अथ वैरोचने दोषानिमान् विद्वयक्षमावताम॥
These and various other evils attend always upon the forgiving. Listen, O son of Virochana, to (other) evils that beset a person that never forgives.
अस्थाने यदि वा स्थाने सततं रजसाऽऽवृतः। क्रुद्धो दण्डान् प्रणयति विविधान् स्वेन तेजसा॥ मित्रैः सह विरोधं प्राप्नुते तेजसाऽऽवृतः। आप्नोति द्वेष्यतां चैव लोकात् स्वजनतस्तथा॥
If an angry person, always beset by the quality of darkness, inflicts punishments, by this own energy, upon deserving and nondeserving persons, he is alienated from his friends and hated by outsiders as well as his own relations.
सोऽवमानादर्थहानिमुपालम्भमनादरम्। संतापद्वेषमोहांश्च शत्रूश्च लभते नरः॥
Such a man who insults others is subject to loss of wealth, disregard, misery and hatred and creates enemies.
क्रोधाद् दण्डान्मनुष्येषु विविधान् पुरुषोऽनयात्। भ्रश्यते शीघ्रमैश्वर्यात् प्राणेभ्यः स्वजनादपि॥
A man, in anger, inflicts various punishments upon people and is soon deprived of his wealth, life and even kinsmen.
योपकर्तश्च हर्तश्च तेजसैवोपगच्छति। तस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्पाद् वेश्मगतादिव॥
People are afraid of him who abuses his power equally upon his benefactor and enemy, as the inmates of a house are of a snake.
यस्मादुद्विजते लोकः कथं तस्य भवो भवेत्। अन्तरं तस्य दृष्टैव लोको विकुरुतेध्रुवम्॥
How can good betide him of whom the people are afraid-forsooth do the people injure him as soon as they find a hole.
तस्मान्नात्युत्सृजेत् तेजो न च नित्यं मृदुर्भवेत्। काले काले तु सम्प्राप्ते मृदुस्तीक्ष्णोऽपि वा भवेत्।२३।।
Therefore people should not be always angry or mild; they should exhibit their anger or mildness in proper hours.
काले मृदुर्यो भवति काले भवति दारुणः। स वै सुखमवाप्नोति लोकेऽमुष्मिन्निहैव च॥
He, who is forgiving in proper hour and angry when the occasion arises, attains to happiness both in this world and in the next.
क्षमाकालांस्तु वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे विस्तरेण तान्। ये ते नित्यमसंत्याज्या यथा प्राहुर्मनीषिणः॥
Hear, I shall now describe to you the hours of forgiveness as pointed out by the learned and which should always be followed.
पूर्वोपकारी यस्ते स्यादपराधे गरीयसि। उपकारेण तत् तस्य क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनः॥
If your former benefactor commits a heinous offence you should forgive him considering his former benefaction.
अबुद्धिमाश्रितानां तु क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनाम्। न हि सर्वत्र पाण्डित्यं सुलभं पुरुषेण वै॥
Those that commit an offence out of ignorance or foolishness should be forgiven-for people cannot always easily attain to learning.
अथ चेद् बुद्धिजं कृत्वा ब्रूयुस्ते तदबुद्धिजम्। पापान् स्वल्पेऽपि तान् हन्यादपराधे तथानृजून्॥
Those crooked men, who having committed an offence wittingly plead ignorance should be punished even if their offence by trifling.
सर्वस्यैकोऽपराधस्ते क्षन्तव्यः प्राणिनो भवेत्। द्वितीये सति वध्यस्तु स्वल्पेऽप्यपकृते भवेत्॥
The first offence of all men should be forgiven; when they commit the second, however insignificant it might be they should be punished.
अजानता भवेत् कश्चिदपराधः कृतो यदि। क्षन्तव्यमेव तस्याहुः सुपरीक्ष्य परीक्षया॥
If a person unknowingly commits an offence-he should be pardoned, it is said, after having made a proper enquiry.
मृदुना दारुणं हन्ति मृदुना हन्त्यदारुणम्। नासाध्यं मृदुना किंचित् तस्मात् तीव्रतरं मृदु॥
Strength might be vanquished by forgiveness, weakness might be vanquished by forgiveness; there is nothing which forgiveness cannot accomplish, therefore forgiveness is truly fiercer.
देशकालौ तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य बलाबलमथात्पनः। नादेशकाले किंचित् स्याद् देशकालौ प्रतीक्षताम् तथा लोकभयाच्चैव क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनः॥
Considering his own strength or weakness one should act with reference to time or place; nothing is successful that is not taken in hand with reference to time or place; therefore wait for place or time; sometimes, offenders should be forgiven for fear of people.
एत एवंविधाः कालाः क्षमायाः परिकीर्तिताः। अतोऽन्यथानुवर्तत्सु तेजसः काल उच्यते॥
These have been described as the proper hours of forgiveness; and at other times besides these one should exhibit his prowess.
तदहं तेजसः कालं तव मन्ये नराधिप। धार्तराष्ट्रेषु लुब्धेषु सततं चापकारिषु॥
I therefore consider, O king, this to be the time when you should display your might to the avaricious sons of Dhritarashtra who always injure others.
न हि कश्चित् क्षमाकालो विद्यतेऽद्य कुरून् प्रति। तेजसश्चागते काले तेज उत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि॥
This is not the time for showing forgiveness towards the Kurus; when the hour for showing might arrives, it behoves you to display it.
मृदुर्भवत्यवज्ञातस्तीक्ष्णादुद्विजते जनः। काले प्राप्ते द्वयं चैतद् यो वेद स महीपतिः॥
The humble and forgiving person is always neglected; while those that are powerful assail others; he is the king who takes recourse to both in proper time.