Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 9
Dhruva Uses the Nārāyaṇāstra; Manu Checks His Wrath and Teaches Dharma
नन्वेकस्यापराधेन प्रसङ्गाद् बहवो हता: । भ्रातुर्वधाभितप्तेन त्वयाङ्ग भ्रातृवत्सल ॥ ९ ॥
nanv ekasyāparādhena prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ bhrātur vadhābhitaptena tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala
Mahal kong anak, napatunayan na na ikaw ay labis na mapagmahal sa iyong kapatid at labis na nagdadalamhati sa kanyang pagkakapatay ng mga Yaksha, ngunit isipin mo: dahil sa kasalanan ng isang Yaksha, pinatay mo ang marami pang iba na walang kasalanan.
FAQs
This verse highlights the injustice and karmic danger of collective retaliation—many can suffer due to one offender, so a devotee is urged to act with discernment and compassion rather than rage.
Dhruva reflects on how his grief over Uttama’s death led to excessive violence against the Yakshas, acknowledging that many were killed merely as a consequence of one person’s offense.
Avoid punishing groups for an individual’s mistake, pause when acting from grief or anger, and choose measured responses grounded in dharma and empathy.