Shloka 54
कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्
स्त्रियो ऽनुकम्प्याः साधूनां मूढा दीनाश् च जन्तवः यतस् ततो ऽस्य दीनस्य क्षम्यतां क्षमतां वर
striyo 'nukampyāḥ sādhūnāṃ mūḍhā dīnāś ca jantavaḥ yatas tato 'sya dīnasya kṣamyatāṃ kṣamatāṃ vara
Người hiền thánh luôn thương xót phụ nữ; và mọi loài bị mê lầm, khốn khổ cũng đáng được từ bi. Vì thế—dù nguyên do thế nào—xin tha thứ cho kẻ đáng thương này. Bậc cao quý, xin hoan hỷ nhẫn nhịn.
A supplicant within the dynastic narrative (as reported by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya); the verse is voiced as a plea for mercy to a superior (vara).
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: He receives supplication and tempers justice with compassion, teaching righteous conduct toward the vulnerable.
Leela: Dharma-upadesa
Dharma Restored: Compassionate righteousness (dayā) and restraint in punishment.
Concept: The righteous extend compassion to the vulnerable and deluded, and forgiveness is urged when it serves dharma.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice compassionate discernment: protect others from harm while seeking rehabilitation over vengeance.
Vishishtadvaita: Embeds dayā as a divine attribute mirrored in sādhus; grace operates through compassionate intercession (śaraṇāgati-like mood).
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse frames compassion as a defining mark of the righteous—extending mercy toward the deluded and distressed, and urging forgiveness even when fault exists.
Through narrative speech, forbearance is presented as a higher strength: the noble are asked to restrain anger and forgive those weakened by ignorance and suffering.
While Vishnu is not named here, the ethic aligns with Vaishnava dharma: the universe is sustained by order and grace, and rulers/saints mirror that sustaining mercy through forgiveness and restraint.