Shloka 38
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
बेटा! तुम्हें सदा और सब ओर क्षमाशील ही नहीं बने रहना चाहिये; क्योंकि क्षमाशील हाथीके समान कोमल स्वभाववाला राजा दूसरोंको भयभीत न कर सकनेके कारण अधर्मके प्रसारमें ही सहायक होता है ।।
bāla! tvaṃ sadā sarvataḥ kṣamāśīlo naiva bhavitum arhasi; yataḥ kṣamāśīlaḥ hastīva komala-svabhāvo rājā anyān bhīṣayituṃ aśakyaḥ san adharmasya prasāre eva sahāyakaḥ bhavati. bārhaspatye ca śāstre ca śloko nigaditaḥ purā; asminn arthe mahārāja tan me nigadataḥ śṛṇu.
毗湿摩说道：“孩子啊，你不应在任何时候、任何处境都一味宽恕。因为天性柔和、如同忍让之象的君王，不能令作恶者生畏；既不能约束众人，反而会助长不义（adharma）的蔓延。确实，就此要旨，《婆罗诃斯帕提耶》（Bārhaspatya）论典中传诵着一首古偈。大王啊，且听我诵来。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Forgiveness is a virtue, but a ruler must not practice it indiscriminately; excessive forbearance can embolden wrongdoing and thereby assist the spread of adharma. Effective kingship requires the capacity to deter and restrain.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and warns him against constant, universal forgiveness. He then introduces an old supporting verse from the Bārhaspatya tradition to reinforce the point.