Mahabharata · 1.171.3–4
॥
Devanāgarī
यो हि कारणतः क्रोधं संजातं क्षन्तुम् अर्हति ॥
नालं स मनुजः सम्यक् त्रिवर्गं परिरक्षितुम् ॥
अशिष्टानां नियन्ता हि शिष्टानां परिरक्षता ॥
स्थाने रोषः प्रयुक्तः स्यान् नृपैः स्वर्गजिगीषुभिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yo hi kāraṇataḥ krodhaṃ saṃjātaṃ kṣantum arhati ||
nālaṃ sa manujaḥ samyak trivargaṃ parirakṣitum ||
aśiṣṭānāṃ niyantā hi śiṣṭānāṃ parirakṣatā ||
sthāne roṣaḥ prayuktaḥ syān nṛpaiḥ svargajigīṣubhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यः हि कारणतः क्रोधं संजातं क्षन्तुम् अर्हतिyaḥ hi kāraṇataḥ krodhaṃ saṃjātaṃ kṣantum arhatifor one who [is ready to] forgive anger arisen from a [just] cause,
न अलं सः मनुजः सम्यक् त्रिवर्गं परिरक्षितुम्na alaṃ saḥ manujaḥ samyak trivargaṃ parirakṣitumthat person is not able to properly protect the three [aims of life];
अशिष्टानां नियन्ता हि शिष्टानां परिरक्षताaśiṣṭānāṃ niyantā hi śiṣṭānāṃ parirakṣatāfor as the restraint of the wicked and the protection of the righteous,
स्थाने रोषः प्रयुक्तः स्यात् नृपैः स्वर्गजिगीषुभिःsthāne roṣaḥ prayuktaḥ syāt nṛpaiḥ svargajigīṣubhiḥanger applied in its place would be [fitting] for kings who seek heaven;
योyooriginal form "yo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नालंnālaṃoriginal form "nālaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्यान्syānoriginal form "syān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"For one who is ready to forgive anger arisen from a just cause is not able to properly protect the three aims of life. For anger applied in its place -- as the restraint of the wicked and the protection of the righteous -- would be fitting for kings who seek heaven."
Version
09dd76e745ed · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:37:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the rightness of righteous indignation is proclaimed. The distinction is telling: anger is not only a vice but also an instrument of justice -- "the restraint of the wicked and the protection of the righteous"; punishing the evildoer is the defense of the good. Here is revealed the dharma of punishing authority (danda): a ruler who does not grow angry at evil would fail to protect the dharma, artha, and kama of his subjects. But the scripture at once also shows the measure: anger is righteous "in its place" -- against the evildoer, not against all; and further on the ancestors will show how to restrain anger that has overstepped its measure. Thus the scripture distinguishes punishment of evil from destruction of the innocent.