Shloka 9
नन्वेकस्यापराधेन प्रसङ्गाद् बहवो हता: । भ्रातुर्वधाभितप्तेन त्वयाङ्ग भ्रातृवत्सल ॥ ९ ॥
nanv ekasyāparādhena prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ bhrātur vadhābhitaptena tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala
My dear son, it has been proved that you are very much affectionate towards your brother and are greatly aggrieved at his being killed by the Yakṣas, but just consider: for one Yakṣa’s offense, you have killed many others, who are innocent.
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.