Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 18
Lord Viṣṇu Instructs Pṛthu: Forgiveness, Ātmā-Deha Viveka, and the Bhakti Ideal of Kingship
स्पृशन्तं पादयो: प्रेम्णा व्रीडितं स्वेन कर्मणा । शतक्रतुं परिष्वज्य विद्वेषं विससर्ज ह ॥ १८ ॥
spṛśantaṁ pādayoḥ premṇā vrīḍitaṁ svena karmaṇā śata-kratuṁ pariṣvajya vidveṣaṁ visasarja ha
As King Indra was standing by, he became ashamed of his own activities and fell down before King Pṛthu to touch his lotus feet. But Pṛthu Mahārāja immediately embraced him in great ecstasy and gave up all envy against him for his having stolen the horse meant for the sacrifice.
There are many cases in which a person becomes an offender to the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava and later becomes repentant. Here also we find that although the King of heaven, Indra, was so powerful that he accompanied Lord Viṣṇu, he felt himself a great offender for stealing Pṛthu Mahārāja’s horse that was meant for sacrifice. An offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava is never excused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many instances illustrating this fact. Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was offended by Durvāsā Muni, a great sage and mystic yogī, and Durvāsā also had to fall down at the lotus feet of Ambarīṣa Mahārāja.
FAQs
This verse shows Pṛthu Mahārāja abandoning enmity even after being wronged, teaching that true dharma includes forgiveness when the offender shows sincere remorse.
Indra approached in humility, touching Pṛthu’s feet with love and shame for his actions; seeing this repentance, Pṛthu responded with compassion and ended the hostility.
When someone genuinely acknowledges wrongdoing, respond with steadiness and forgiveness rather than prolonged resentment—this protects one’s own heart and supports dharmic relationships.