Shloka 23
मायासभायां दुर्योधनस्य अवमान-प्रसङ्गः
Duryodhana’s Humiliation in the Hall of Māyā
शिशुपालस्यथापराधान् क्षमेथास्त्वं महाबल । मत्कृते यदुशार्दूल विद्धयेनं मे वरं प्रभो,“महाबली यदुकुलतिलक श्रीकृष्ण! तुम मेरे लिये शिशुपालके सब अपराध क्षमा कर देना। प्रभो! यही मेरा मनोवांछित वर समझो”
śiśupālasyātha aparādhān kṣamethās tvaṃ mahābala | matkṛte yaduśārdūla viddhy enaṃ me varaṃ prabho ||
«O Kṛṣṇa von großer Kraft, Tiger unter den Yadus: um meinetwillen vergib alle Verfehlungen Śiśupālas. O Herr, wisse: dies ist der Segen, den ich am meisten begehre.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical power of kṣamā (forgiveness) and the dharmic ideal of restraint: even when wronged, a great person may choose mercy, and elders may intercede to prevent escalation and preserve social harmony.
Bhīṣma addresses Kṛṣṇa and asks him to pardon Śiśupāla’s repeated offenses, explicitly making forgiveness the boon he seeks for himself—an act of intercession aimed at averting immediate retribution.