Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 2
Lord Viṣṇu Instructs Pṛthu: Forgiveness, Ātmā-Deha Viveka, and the Bhakti Ideal of Kingship
श्रीभगवानुवाच एष तेऽकार्षीद्भङ्गं हयमेधशतस्य ह । क्षमापयत आत्मानममुष्य क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥ २ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca eṣa te ’kārṣīd bhaṅgaṁ haya-medha-śatasya ha kṣamāpayata ātmānam amuṣya kṣantum arhasi
主は仰せになった。愛しきプṛトゥ王よ、天界の王インドラは、あなたの百の祭祀の遂行を乱した。いま彼は私と共に来て赦しを求めている。ゆえに彼を赦しなさい。
In this verse the word ātmānam is very significant. It is a custom among yogīs and jñānīs to address one another (or even an ordinary man) as one’s self, for a transcendentalist never accepts a living being to be the body. Since the individual self is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the self and the Superself are qualitatively nondifferent. As the next verse will explain, the body is only a superficial covering, and consequently an advanced transcendentalist will not make a distinction between one self and another.
FAQs
In this verse, the Lord instructs the king to pardon the offender, showing that forgiveness is a divine quality and an essential part of righteous leadership.
Because maintaining dharma and saintly character is higher than retaliation; the Lord directs Pṛthu to accept an apology and uphold compassion even when wronged.
When your work is obstructed or your plans are harmed, seek resolution through accountability and apology, and choose forgiveness over vengeance to preserve inner peace and integrity.