SB 9.15.40
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 40
- kṣamayā rocate lakṣmīr
- brāhmī saurī yathā prabhā
- kṣamiṇām āśu bhagavāṁs
- tuṣyate harir īśvaraḥ
SYNONYMS
kṣamayā — simply by forgiving; rocate — becomes pleasing; lakṣmīḥ — the goddess of fortune; brāhmī — in connection with brahminical qualifications; saurī — the sun-god; yathā — as; prabhā — the sunshine; kṣamiṇām — unto the brāhmaṇas, who are so forgiving; āśu — very soon; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tuṣyate — becomes pleased; hariḥ — the Lord; īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller.
TRANSLATION
The duty of a brāhmaṇa is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.
PURPORT
Different personalities become beautiful by possessing different qualities. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that the cuckoo bird, although very black, is beautiful because of its sweet voice. Similarly, a woman becomes beautiful by her chastity and faithfulness to her husband, and an ugly person becomes beautiful when he becomes a learned scholar. In the same way, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras become beautiful by their qualities. Brāhmaṇas are beautiful when they are forgiving, kṣatriyas when they are heroic and never retreat from fighting, vaiśyas when they enrich cultural activities and protect cows, and śūdras when they are faithful in the discharge of duties pleasing to their masters. Thus everyone becomes beautiful by his special qualities. And the special quality of the brāhmaṇa, as described here, is forgiveness.