Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ततोअ<र्जुनो महाराज लज्जया वै समन्वित: । धर्मराजस्य चरणौ प्रपद्य शिरसा नतः,“महाराज! तब अर्जुन लज्जित हो धर्मराजके चरणोंमें गिरकर मस्तक नवाकर उन भरतश्रेष्ठ नरेशसे बारंबार बोले--“राजन्‌! प्रसन्न होइये, प्रसन्न होइये। मैंने धर्मपालनकी इच्छासे भयभीत होकर जो अनुचित वचन कहा है, उसके लिये क्षमा कीजिये'

Transliteration

tato 'rjuno mahārāja lajjayā vai samanvitaḥ | dharmarājasya caraṇau prapadya śirasā nataḥ | “mahārāja! tadā arjunaḥ lajjitaḥ san dharmarājasya caraṇeṣu patitvā mastakaṃ natvā taṃ bharataśreṣṭhaṃ nṛpatiṃ punaḥ punaḥ abravīt— ‘rājan! prasanno bhava, prasanno bhava. dharmapālanecchayā bhayabhītaḥ san mayā yad anucitaṃ vacaḥ uktaṃ, tasya kṣamāṃ kuru’ ”

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, O King, overcome with shame, approached the feet of Dharmarāja. Bowing his head, he repeatedly addressed that best of Bharata kings: “O King, be gracious—be gracious. Forgive the improper words I spoke, spoken in fear while striving to uphold dharma.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tataḥ', 'definition': 'then, thereafter'}, {'term': 'arjunaḥ', 'definition': 'Arjuna (Pāṇḍava hero, son of Pāṇḍu)'}, {'term': 'mahārāja', 'definition': 'O great king (address)'}, {'term': 'lajjayā', 'definition': 'with shame, out of embarrassment (instrumental)'}, {'term': 'samanvitaḥ', 'definition': 'endowed with, possessed of'}, {'term': 'dharmarājasya', 'definition': 'of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)'}, {'term': 'caraṇau', 'definition': 'the two feet'}, {'term': 'prapadya', 'definition': 'having approached/taken refuge at'}, {'term': 'śirasā nataḥ', 'definition': 'bowed with the head

• head bent in reverence'}, {'term': 'punaḥ punaḥ', 'definition': 'again and again, repeatedly'}, {'term': 'prasannaḥ', 'definition': 'gracious, pleased, favorable'}, {'term': 'dharmapālanecchā', 'definition': 'the desire/intention to uphold dharma'}, {'term': 'bhayabhītaḥ', 'definition': 'frightened, fearful'}, {'term': 'anucitam vacaḥ', 'definition': 'improper/inappropriate speech'}, {'term': 'kṣamā', 'definition': 'forgiveness, pardon'}]

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Bharata (as dynastic epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous cause, harsh or improper speech is a moral fault; dharma includes restraint and accountability. Arjuna models ethical self-correction by admitting wrongdoing, seeking forgiveness, and restoring respect toward Dharmarāja.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking inappropriately, Arjuna feels shame, goes to Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja), bows at his feet, and repeatedly asks him to be pleased and to forgive the improper words spoken out of fear while trying to uphold dharma.