Shloka 8
Draupadī’s Lament and the Question of Kṣatriya Forbearance (द्रौपद्याः शोकप्रलापः क्षमानिर्णयश्च)
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
sarvabhūtāni cāpy asya na namanti kadācana | tasmān nityaṃ kṣamā tāta paṇḍitair api varjitā ||
Prahlāda disse: “Nenhum ser jamais se inclina diante de alguém assim. Por isso, meu filho, a tolerância constante é evitada até pelos sábios; quem perdoa sempre se expõe a muitas faltas—servos, inimigos e até os indiferentes passam a desprezá-lo, e ninguém se porta diante dele com a devida humildade.”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.