Shloka 8

Draupadī’s Lament and the Question of Kṣatriya Forbearance (द्रौपद्याः शोकप्रलापः क्षमानिर्णयश्च)

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतानि चाप्यस्य न नमन्ति कदाचन । तस्मान्नित्यं क्षमा तात पण्डितैरपि वर्जिता,वत्स! जो सदा क्षमा ही करता है, उसे अनेक दोष प्राप्त होते हैं। उसके भृत्य, शत्रु तथा उदासीन व्यक्ति सभी उसका तिरस्कार करते हैं। कोई भी प्राणी कभी उसके सामने विनयपूर्ण बर्ताव नहीं करते, अतः तात! सदा क्षमा करना दिद्वानोंके लिये भी वर्जित है

Transliteration

sarvabhūtāni cāpy asya na namanti kadācana | tasmān nityaṃ kṣamā tāta paṇḍitair api varjitā ||

Translation

Prahlāda said: “No beings ever bow to such a person. Therefore, dear child, constant forbearance is avoided even by the wise; one who always forgives becomes open to many faults—servants, enemies, and even indifferent people come to despise him, and none behave toward him with due humility.”

Word by Word

[{'term''sarvabhūtāni', 'definition': 'all beings

all creatures'}, {'term''ca api', 'definition': 'and also

moreover'}, {'term''asya', 'definition': 'of him

of such a person'}, {'term''na namanti', 'definition': 'do not bow

do not show respect'}, {'term''kadācana', 'definition': 'ever

at any time'}, {'term''tasmāt', 'definition': 'therefore

for that reason'}, {'term''nityam', 'definition': 'always

constantly'}, {'term''kṣamā', 'definition': 'forbearance

patience'}, {'term''tāta', 'definition': 'dear child

son (address of affection)'}, {'term''paṇḍitaiḥ', 'definition': 'by the learned

by the wise'}, {'term''api', 'definition': 'even'}, {'term': 'varjitā', 'definition': 'avoided

Speaker

प्रह्माद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Prahlāda

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that indiscriminate, constant forgiveness can invite contempt and misconduct from others; wisdom lies in measured forbearance—knowing when to forgive and when to uphold discipline and self-respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Prahlāda is instructing a younger listener (addressed as “tāta”) in practical ethics: he explains that a person who never asserts boundaries and always pardons wrongdoing loses social respect, so even the wise do not recommend perpetual, unconditional forgiveness.