Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 6
Dhruva Uses the Nārāyaṇāstra; Manu Checks His Wrath and Teaches Dharma
तान् हन्यमानानभिवीक्ष्य गुह्यका- ननागसश्चित्ररथेन भूरिश: । औत्तानपादिं कृपया पितामहो मनुर्जगादोपगत: सहर्षिभि: ॥ ६ ॥
tān hanyamānān abhivīkṣya guhyakān anāgasaś citra-rathena bhūriśaḥ auttānapādiṁ kṛpayā pitāmaho manur jagādopagataḥ saharṣibhiḥ
Khi Svayambhuva Manu thấy cháu trai mình là Dhruva Maharaja đang giết hại quá nhiều Yaksha vốn không phải là những kẻ phạm tội, vì lòng từ bi to lớn, ngài đã cùng các đại hiền triết đến gặp Dhruva để ban cho chàng những lời giáo huấn tốt đẹp.
Dhruva Mahārāja attacked Alakāpurī, the city of the Yakṣas, because his brother was killed by one of them. Actually only one of the citizens, not all of them, was guilty of killing his brother, Uttama. Dhruva Mahārāja, of course, took a very serious step when his brother was killed by the Yakṣas. War was declared, and the fighting was going on. This sometimes happens in present days also — for one man’s fault a whole state is sometimes attacked. This kind of wholesale attack is not approved by Manu, the father and lawgiver of the human race. He therefore wanted to stop his grandson Dhruva from continuing to kill the Yakṣa citizens who were not offenders.
FAQs
This verse highlights that the Yakṣas being killed were anāgasaḥ—innocent—implying that dharma rejects violence that targets those not responsible, and compassion must check revenge.
Manu saw Dhruva’s forces slaughtering innocent Yakṣas and, out of compassion and responsibility as the grandsire, came with sages (and Citraratha) to counsel Dhruva toward righteous restraint.
When hurt or angry, avoid collective blame—pause, verify responsibility, and act proportionately; let compassion and wise counsel prevent retaliatory harm to the uninvolved.