Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 9
Dhruva Uses the Nārāyaṇāstra; Manu Checks His Wrath and Teaches Dharma
नन्वेकस्यापराधेन प्रसङ्गाद् बहवो हता: । भ्रातुर्वधाभितप्तेन त्वयाङ्ग भ्रातृवत्सल ॥ ९ ॥
nanv ekasyāparādhena prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ bhrātur vadhābhitaptena tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala
Mein lieber Sohn, es hat sich erwiesen, dass du deinem Bruder sehr zugetan bist und sehr betrübt darüber bist, dass er von den Yakshas getötet wurde, aber bedenke nur: Wegen des Vergehens eines Yaksha hast du viele andere getötet, die unschuldig sind.
FAQs
This verse highlights the injustice and karmic danger of collective retaliation—many can suffer due to one offender, so a devotee is urged to act with discernment and compassion rather than rage.
Dhruva reflects on how his grief over Uttama’s death led to excessive violence against the Yakshas, acknowledging that many were killed merely as a consequence of one person’s offense.
Avoid punishing groups for an individual’s mistake, pause when acting from grief or anger, and choose measured responses grounded in dharma and empathy.