Shloka 13
नृशंस-लक्षणनिर्णयः | Determining the Marks of Cruel Conduct
Nṛśaṃsa
तस्मात् क्षमेत बालाय जडान्धबधिराय च | बलाधिकाय राजेन्द्र तद् दृष्टं त्वयि शत्रुहन्
tasmāt kṣamet bālāya jaḍāndhabadhirāya ca | balādhikāya rājendra tad dṛṣṭaṃ tvayi śatruhan ||
Karena itu, wahai Rajendra, penumpas musuh, hendaknya seseorang berlapang dada bahkan terhadap anak kecil, orang yang tumpul pikirannya, yang buta, yang tuli, dan bahkan terhadap orang yang lebih kuat daripada dirinya. Watak pemaaf seperti itu tampak bersemayam dalam dirimu; maka maafkanlah juga perilaku mereka yang merugikan.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches kṣamā—deliberate forbearance. One should forgive even when wronged by those who lack full responsibility (a child, the dull, the blind, the deaf) or when retaliation is imprudent (someone stronger). Forgiveness is presented as a royal virtue and a mark of inner strength.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs the king on dharma after the war. Here he urges the ruler to cultivate and display forgiveness, noting that this forgiving disposition is already evident in the king’s character.