How the Gita presents forgiveness as divine strength — not weakness — and provides a path from resentment to inner freedom
In Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes two categories of human nature: the divine (daivi sampat) and the demoniac (asuri sampat). Forgiveness is firmly placed among the divine qualities:
Notice that forgiveness (kshama) appears alongside vigor (tejas) and fortitude (dhriti). The Gita does not present forgiveness as passive surrender. It is listed next to qualities of strength — suggesting that true forgiveness requires more inner power than holding a grudge. Anyone can nurse resentment; it takes genuine spiritual strength to release it.
Krishna also identifies forgiveness as one of his own divine attributes:
When Krishna says these qualities "arise from Me alone" (BG 10.5), he reveals that forgiveness is not merely a human moral choice — it is a quality of the Divine itself. To forgive is to align with divine nature. To hold grudges is to align with the demoniac.
When you see the divine spark in every person — even someone who has wronged you — forgiveness becomes natural. The person who hurt you is also a soul on a journey, struggling with their own ignorance and conditioning. This does not excuse their behavior, but it provides a framework for releasing personal resentment while still opposing injustice.
Krishna acknowledges a difficult truth: people behave according to their conditioning — their upbringing, past experiences, gunas, and accumulated karma. The person who wronged you was acting from their own nature, driven by forces they may not fully understand. This is not a justification for harmful behavior, but it provides the compassionate understanding that makes forgiveness possible. As Ramanujacharya writes, "Seeing the influence of the gunas behind others' actions dissolves personal resentment."
In Chapter 12, Krishna describes his most dear devotee. The word "kshami" (forgiving one) appears explicitly. The ideal devotee is "adveshta sarva-bhutanam" — free from hatred toward ALL beings. Not just the easy-to-love ones. Not just the neutral ones. All beings — including those who have caused harm. This is the Gita's highest standard for forgiveness.
Being "equal toward enemies and friends" is the practical manifestation of forgiveness. Not that you treat everyone the same — you may need to maintain boundaries with harmful people — but your inner state remains even. You do not carry the poison of resentment toward your enemies or the clinging of dependency toward your friends.
Forgiveness and anger management are deeply connected in the Gita. Anger is identified as one of the three gates to self-destruction (BG 16.21). The chain of attachment-desire-anger-delusion described in BG 2.62-63 shows that anger arises from unfulfilled desire — and resentment is simply anger sustained over time. Forgiveness breaks this chain by releasing the desire for retribution.
The Gita's teaching on the eternal atman (soul) provides a cosmic perspective that makes forgiveness easier. If you are an eternal soul, then no temporary harm done to the body or ego can truly damage the real you. This does not minimize suffering, but it places it in a larger context where holding onto resentment seems disproportionate to the eternal nature of your being.
Shankaracharya defines kshama (forgiveness) as "the absence of disturbance in the mind when wronged by others." For Shankara, forgiveness flows naturally from self-knowledge. When you know yourself as the eternal, unchanging atman, the wrongs done to the body-mind-personality simply do not register as personal injuries. This is not indifference — it is the freedom that comes from knowing your true nature is beyond harm.
Ramanuja views forgiveness as a quality of bhakti (devotion). The devotee who sees God in all beings naturally forgives, because harming or resenting anyone feels like harming or resenting God. Ramanuja also emphasizes that forgiveness should be combined with discernment — one forgives the person while opposing the adharmic (unrighteous) action. This prevents forgiveness from becoming enabling.
Madhva teaches that forgiveness is possible through surrender to God's justice. When you trust that God will address all injustice according to the law of karma, you can release the burden of seeking personal retribution. "Leave justice to God" does not mean ignoring injustice — it means performing your dharmic duty to oppose wrongdoing while releasing personal anger and the desire for revenge.
The Gita does not teach blind, unconditional acceptance of all behavior. Krishna tells Arjuna to fight against the Kauravas — people who had repeatedly wronged the Pandavas through deceit, humiliation, and attempted murder. The Gita's teaching on forgiveness must be understood alongside its teaching on dharma:
This nuanced approach is captured in the Gita's teaching that the Sthitaprajna (person of steady wisdom) is "free from attachment, fear, and anger" (BG 2.56) while simultaneously performing their prescribed duties with full engagement. Forgiveness and righteous action are not contradictory — they are complementary.
Drawing from the Gita's teachings, here are actionable steps for cultivating forgiveness in daily life:
Before you can forgive, understand what happened and why it hurt. The Gita teaches self-inquiry — trace the pain to its root. Often, the pain stems from a violated expectation or a threatened ego. Understanding this does not invalidate your feelings but gives you clarity about what you are actually forgiving.
As BG 3.33 teaches, people act according to their nature and conditioning. The person who wronged you was driven by their own fears, desires, ignorance, and pain. This does not justify their action, but it transforms your response from "they are evil" to "they are suffering from ignorance" — which naturally softens resentment into compassion.
The Gita's distinction between the eternal soul and the temporary personality (BG 2.20) provides a framework: the soul of the person who wronged you is divine and eternal. Their harmful action was a product of ignorance and conditioning. You can release hatred toward the soul while maintaining firm opposition to the action.
Gradually work toward the equal vision described in BG 5.18 and BG 12.18. In daily life, notice when you treat certain people with resentment. Ask: "Can I bring a bit more equanimity to this relationship?" You do not need to reach perfection overnight — even small shifts toward equal vision are progress.
As BG 18.66 teaches: "Surrender unto Me... do not fear." When resentment feels too heavy to release on your own, offer it to the Divine. This is not bypassing your emotions — it is acknowledging that some burdens are too great for the ego to carry alone. Surrendering a grievance to God is one of the most powerful acts of forgiveness.
Regular meditation practice, especially meditation focused on compassion for all beings (including the person who wronged you), gradually dissolves resentment. As the mind becomes calm through practice (BG 6.35), the reactive patterns that fuel grudges lose their grip.
The Srimad Gita App provides every verse with translations and commentary — study Krishna's teachings on forgiveness and compassion.
The Gita identifies forgiveness (kshama) as one of 26 divine qualities (BG 16.1-3) and lists it among Krishna's own divine manifestations (BG 10.4-5). It teaches that forgiveness is spiritual strength, not weakness, and is essential for inner peace and spiritual growth.
No. Forgiveness is listed alongside fearlessness, vigor, and fortitude — all qualities of strength. The ideal devotee treats friends and enemies equally (BG 12.18), which requires immense inner power. Krishna's own patient pursuit of peace before the Mahabharata war demonstrates forgiveness as the first response of the strong.
Through seeing the divine in all beings (BG 6.29), understanding conditioned nature (BG 3.33), practicing equanimity toward all (BG 12.18), releasing attachment to resentment (BG 2.57), and surrendering grievances to God (BG 18.66).
The word kshama (forgiveness) appears in BG 10.4 and BG 16.3. The concept is also expressed through BG 12.13 (the forgiving devotee), BG 12.18 (equal toward enemies and friends), BG 2.56 (freedom from anger), and BG 6.29 (seeing God in all).
The Gita teaches releasing personal resentment while still upholding dharma. You can forgive a person (release anger) while opposing their harmful actions. Krishna tells Arjuna to fight injustice — but from equanimity, not reactive anger.
Holding grudges and seeking revenge creates negative karmic reactions (BG 2.62-63). Forgiveness breaks this cycle by releasing the desire for retribution — a form of Nishkama Karma that frees you from karmic bondage (BG 3.19).