FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.48

తిరస్కృతా విప్రలబ్ధా: శప్తా: క్షిప్తా హతా అపి । నాస్య తత్ ప్రతికుర్వన్తి తద్భక్తా: ప్రభవోఽపి హి ॥ ౪౮ ॥
tiraskṛtā vipralabdhāḥ
[tiraskritaa vipralabdhaah]
śaptāḥ kṣiptā hatā api
[shaptaah kshiptaa hataa api]
nāsya tat pratikurvanti
[naasya tat pratikurvanti]
tad-bhaktāḥ prabhavo ’pi hi
[tad-bhaktaah prabhavo ’pi hi]
tiraḥ-kṛtāḥ — being defamed vipralabdhāḥ — being cheated śaptāḥ — being cursed kṣiptāḥ — disturbed by negligence hatāḥ — or even being killed api — also na — never asya — for all these acts tat — them pratikurvanti — counteract tat — the Lord’s bhaktāḥ — devotees prabhavaḥ — powerful api — although hi — certainly.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tiraskṛtā vipralabdhāḥ
tiraḥ-kṛtāḥ
being defamed
vipralabdhāḥ
being cheated
śaptāḥ kṣiptā hatā api
śaptāḥ
being cursed
kṣiptāḥ
disturbed by negligence
hatāḥ
or even being killed
api
also
nāsya tat pratikurvanti
na
never
asya
for all these acts
tat
them
pratikurvanti
counteract
tad-bhaktāḥ prabhavo ’pi hi
tat
the Lord’s
bhaktāḥ
devotees
prabhavaḥ
powerful
api
although
hi
certainly.
The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves.

Ṛṣi Śamīka also knew that the Lord does not forgive a person who has committed an offense at the feet of a devotee. The Lord can only give direction to take shelter of the devotee. He thought within himself that if Mahārāja Parīkṣit would countercurse the boy, he might be saved. But he knew also that a pure devotee is callous about worldly advantages or reverses. As such, the devotees are never inclined to counteract personal defamation, curses, negligence, etc. As far as such things are concerned, in personal affairs the devotees do not care for them. But in the case of their being performed against the Lord and His devotees, then the devotees take very strong action. It was a personal affair, and therefore Śamīka Ṛṣi knew that the King would not take counteraction. Thus there was no alternative than to place an appeal to the Lord for the immature boy.

It is not that only the brāhmaṇas are powerful enough to award curses or blessings upon the subordinates; the devotee of the Lord, even though he may not be a brāhmaṇa, is more powerful than a brāhmaṇa. But a powerful devotee never misuses the power for personal benefit. Whatever power the devotee may have is always utilized in service towards the Lord and His devotees only.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Though the devotees are capable of counteracting, they do not react when scolded, cheated, cursed, insulted or beaten.
Commentary

Since he was the King, he could counter curse and make the first curse ineffective. This did not happen, because Parīkṣit was a great devotee. Though criticized, cheated, insulted, and beaten, they do not react, though they are capable (prabhavaḥ). They do not take counter measures against those who criticize or scold.

📝 My note

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