Shloka 39
कच्चित्तेऽनामयं तात भ्रष्टतेजा विभासि मे । अलब्धमानोऽवज्ञात: किं वा तात चिरोषित: ॥ ३९ ॥
kaccit te ’nāmayaṁ tāta bhraṣṭa-tejā vibhāsi me alabdha-māno ’vajñātaḥ kiṁ vā tāta ciroṣitaḥ
My brother Arjuna, are you in good health? You appear to have lost your bodily luster. Is it because of your long stay in Dvārakā that others have disrespected or neglected you?
From all angles of vision, the Mahārāja inquired from Arjuna about the welfare of Dvārakā, but he concluded at last that as long as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself was there, nothing inauspicious could happen. But at the same time, Arjuna appeared to be bereft of his bodily luster, and thus the King inquired of his personal welfare and asked so many vital questions.
FAQs
This verse shows Yudhisthira noticing Arjuna’s diminished tejas—an external sign that something spiritually and emotionally grave has occurred, connected in this chapter to Krishna’s disappearance and the resulting sorrow of His devotees.
When Arjuna returned looking unusually drained and altered, Yudhisthira, as elder and king, questioned him with concern—asking whether he was dishonored, insulted, or delayed—because Arjuna’s loss of brilliance hinted that Krishna was no longer present.
Like Yudhisthira, respond with empathy and inquiry rather than judgment—check on their well-being, whether they faced disrespect or hardship, and offer support that helps them reconnect with Krishna through remembrance, satsanga, and steady practice.