Sanskrit for Forgive


Question

Today we were discussing the modes of nature and someone asked what the word for “forgive” is in Sanskrit. I looked it up online but I knew you would have more insight into the one word that best exemplifies it, or at least more than one word and how each one directly translates.

Answer

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Perhaps the most common root is ksham, to forgive pardon, etc.’ Here are some forms of this word in the Gita:

  1. Bg 11.42, Arjuna begs Krishna’s forgiveness by using the ‘causative’ form of the verb: ‘tat kshamaye tvam‘, literally ‘I make [ask you to] forgive that.’
  2. Bg 12.13 A devotee is kshami ‘forgiving’.
  3. Bg 10.4 Forgiveness, ksama, is one of the qualities coming from Krishna.
  4. Bg 16.3 Forgiveness, kshama, is a divine quality.
  5. Bg 10.34 Among feminine qualities, Krishna is forgiveness, kshama
  6. Bg 18.42 Kshanti ‘forgiveness’ is one of the brahminical qualities.
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H.D.Goswami