Shloka 523

Devanagari script

व्यतिक्रममिमं राजन्‌ सत्यसंरक्षणं प्रति । “इसलिये महाबाहो! राजन! मेरे और अर्जुन दोनोंके सत्यकी रक्षाके लिये किये गये इस अपराधको आप क्षमा करें

Transliteration

vyatikramam imaṁ rājan satyasaṁrakṣaṇaṁ prati |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, this transgression was committed with the aim of safeguarding truth. Therefore, O mighty-armed one, O ruler, please forgive this offence—done to protect the pledged truth of both myself and Arjuna.”

Word by Word

• व्यतिक्रमम्: transgression, offence
• व्यतिक्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यतिक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सत्यसंरक्षणम्: protection of truth (keeping a vow)
• सत्यसंरक्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य-संरक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards, with regard to
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• rājan (the King—Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied)
• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when a breach occurs, it is ethically weighed against intention and higher duty: the speaker frames the offence as undertaken to preserve satya (truth/vow), and therefore seeks forgiveness through honest acknowledgement and appeal to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the King, admitting a ‘vyatikrama’ and requesting pardon, explaining that the act was done in relation to protecting truth—specifically the pledged truth connected with himself and Arjuna.