Shloka 36

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां प्रणम्य वदतां प्रियम् क्षान्तम् एव मयेत्य् आह बलो बलवतां वरः

Transliteration

bhīṣmadroṇakṛpādīnāṃ praṇamya vadatāṃ priyam kṣāntam eva mayety āha balo balavatāṃ varaḥ

Translation

Having bowed to Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa and the other venerable elders, and hearing their kindly words, Balarāma—best among the strong—said, “Let it be forgiven by me alone; I deem it endured and absolved.”

Word by Word

• भीष्म-द्रोण-कृप-आदीनाम्: of Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa and others
• भीष्म-द्रोण-कृप-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, etc.)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• वदताम्: of those speaking
• वदताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle) का षष्ठी बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• प्रियम्: pleasant (words)
• प्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (प्रियं वचनम्)

• क्षान्तम्: forgiven
• क्षान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √क्षम् (धातु) ; क्षान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (क्षान्तम् = forgiven)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument in passive/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√आह् (धातु: ‘to say’, defective)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बलः: Bala (Balarāma)
• बलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (Balarāma)

• बलवताम्: of the strong
• बलवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; (of the strong)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Balarama (Bala/Balabhadra)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True strength culminates in humility before elders and the power to forgive.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor wise counsel, bow to legitimate authority, and choose forgiveness to end cycles of retaliation.

Vishishtadvaita: Embodies the sattvic governance ideal: power is subordinated to dharma, reflecting the Lord’s benevolent rule over beings.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Kṣamā (forbearance) as royal and elderly virtue

Key Kings: Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Balarama
• Bhishma
• Drona
• Kripa
• Kuru elders

FAQs

What is the significance of forgiveness (kṣamā) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse presents kṣamā as a dharmic act that restores order after conflict—true strength is shown by restraint and pardon, not retaliation.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame power and sovereignty through Balarama here?

By calling him “best among the strong” while he chooses pardon, the text teaches that legitimate sovereignty is grounded in dharma and self-mastery.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s order in this context?

Even in a war-torn setting, the narrative implies a Vishnu-governed moral cosmos: elders are honored, dharma is reaffirmed, and harmony is re-established through righteous conduct.