Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.11.9
नन्वेकस्यापराधेन प्रसङ्गाद् बहवो हता: ।
भ्रातुर्वधाभितप्तेन त्वयाङ्ग भ्रातृवत्सल ॥ ९ ॥
nanv ekasyāparādhena
[nanv ekasyaaparaadhena]
prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ
[prasangaad bahavo hataah]
bhrātur vadhābhitaptena
[bhraatur vadhaabhitaptena]
tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala
[tvayaanga bhraatri-vatsala]
Word-for-word
nanu
—
certainly
ekasya
—
of one (Yakṣa)
aparādhena
—
with the offense
prasaṅgāt
—
because of their association
bahavaḥ
—
many
hatāḥ
—
have been killed
bhrātuḥ
—
of your brother
vadha
—
by the death
abhitaptena
—
being aggrieved
tvayā
—
by you
aṅga
—
my dear son
bhrātṛ-vatsala
—
affectionate to your brother.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nanv ekasyāparādhena
nanu
certainly
ekasya
of one (Yakṣa)
aparādhena
with the offense
prasaṅgād bahavo hatāḥ
prasaṅgāt
because of their association
bahavaḥ
many
hatāḥ
have been killed
bhrātur vadhābhitaptena
bhrātuḥ
of your brother
vadha
by the death
abhitaptena
being aggrieved
tvayāṅga bhrātṛ-vatsala
tvayā
by you
aṅga
my dear son
bhrātṛ-vatsala
affectionate to your brother.
My dear son, it has been proved that you are very much affectionate towards your brother and are greatly aggrieved at his being killed by the Yakṣas, but just consider: for one Yakṣa’s offense, you have killed many others, who are innocent.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O son, affectionate to your brother! Aggrieved by the death of your brother, you have killed many Yakṣas for the offense of one Yakṣa, just because of their connection.
It is a fact that one Yakṣa killed your brother, and because the others are associated with him you are killing many.
Personal Guidance
For one Yakṣa's offense, you've killed many innocents. Collective punishment is its own injustice, no matter how the original wound felt; aim has to keep up with intensity.
Reflection Questions
- Whom am I punishing for the actions of someone else?
- Where is my outrage punishing many for the offense of one?
My note
Source: vedabase.io