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The word Kshama is derived from the root by the addition of the suffix ang and tap. The word Kshama means patience, forbearance and pardon. 'Kshama shatro ch mitre ch yatinamev bhushanam' - Hito To pardon an enemy or a friend both, is the jewel of Yetis. *Kshama virasey bhushanam' - Forbearance is the ornament of the brave.
An eminent English poet writes: O Man! forgive thy mortal foe Do not give him blow for blow Forgive him seventy times and seven For all the souls in Heaven Were both forgivers and forgiven.
Uttama Kshama is the first Dharma out of the ten Dharma of Jains. Ordinarily it means not to cause misery to any living being, or not to get angry on any unpleasant and unwanted happening. Forbearance (Kshama) is the inherent virtue of soul. When the soul degrades from its real attributes to ill nature, such a soul is called attached (raagi) or full of malice - ill-will (dwaish), etc., because soul is simple and forgiving by nature. Rightly has it been said: 'To err is human; to forgive divine'.
Anger makes a man blind and maddens him, for 'when eyes are blood shot, vision is limited'. Overpowered by anger, a man may commit anything right or wrong, and fails to make distinction between proper and improper, truth or untruth, and good or bad. In short, the Jain Acharyas have proclaimed anger as leading to degradation.
Discarding anger and getting stable in one's real nature, is Kshama, Kshama is soul's inherent wealth. Being endowed with this real wealth, this living being jeeva) is called forbearing in disposition. Narendra, Devendra and Amrendra in this world (lok) and heaven (Parlok) worship a living being crowned with forgiveness after salvation. In Baras - Anupaikkha this very Kshama has been described as below:
Kahupatis puno, bahurangam jadi havedi sakhadam, kundi kinchivi koham, tas Kshama hodi thamoti.
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