Shloka 3
Chapter 61: Karṇa’s martial assurances and Bhīṣma’s strategic rebuttal in the Kuru assembly
महापराधे हाापि यन्न तेन महर्षिणाहं गुरुणा च शप्तः । शक्तः प्रदग्धुं हपि तिग्मतेजा: ससागरामप्यवनिं महर्षि:
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | mahāparādhe hy api yan na tena maharṣiṇāhaṃ guruṇā ca śaptaḥ | śaktaḥ pradagdhuṃ hy api tigmatejāḥ sa-sāgarām apy avanīṃ maharṣiḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Even though I had committed a grave offense, the fact that that great seer—my revered teacher—did not curse me is a profound act of grace toward me. For that mighty sage, blazing with fierce spiritual power, could have burned the entire earth along with its oceans.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint and compassion: even when a disciple errs gravely, a true guru may choose mercy over punishment. It also underscores the responsibility that accompanies spiritual power—great ascetic energy is not meant for impulsive destruction but for disciplined, dharmic control.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reflects on having committed a serious offense and acknowledges that his revered teacher, a powerful maharṣi, refrained from cursing him. He emphasizes how immense the sage’s power is—capable of burning the earth and oceans—thereby portraying the teacher’s restraint as a significant act of grace.