Shloka 29
Draupadī’s Lament and the Question of Kṣatriya Forbearance (द्रौपद्याः शोकप्रलापः क्षमानिर्णयश्च)
सर्वस्यैको5परा धस्ते क्षन्तव्य: प्राणिनो भवेत् । द्वितीये सति वध्यस्तु स्वल्पेडप्यपकृते भवेत्,सभी प्राणियोंका एक अपराध तो तुम्हें क्षमा ही कर देना चाहिये। यदि उससे फिर दुबारा अपराध बन जाय तो थोड़े-से अपराधके लिये भी उसे दण्ड देना आवश्यक है
sarvasyāiko 'parādhas te kṣantavyaḥ prāṇino bhavet | dvitīye sati vadhyas tu svalpe 'py apakṛte bhavet ||
Prahlāda said: “For every living being, you should forgive one offence. But if the same person commits an offence again, then even for a small wrongdoing he becomes liable to punishment.”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a balanced ethic of governance and personal conduct: extend initial forgiveness to allow for human error, but respond firmly to repeated wrongdoing so that compassion does not become permissiveness and social order (dharma) is protected.
Prahlāda is giving counsel in a didactic context, articulating a principle of moral and judicial response—first pardon, then discipline if the offence is repeated—framing how a responsible authority should deal with faults among living beings.