Shloka 2
इति सम कृष्णवचनात् प्रत्युच्चार्य युधिष्ठिरम् । बभूव विमना: पार्थ: किंचित् कृत्वेव पातकम्
iti sama-kṛṣṇa-vacanāt pratyuccārya yudhiṣṭhiram | babhūva vimanāḥ pārthaḥ kiñcit kṛtveva pātakam ||
Sañjaya said: Having thus replied to Yudhiṣṭhira with words even and measured, Pārtha (Arjuna) grew downcast, as though he had committed some slight wrongdoing.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one speaks rightly or in a measured way, the ethical context matters: replying to an elder—especially in a crisis like war—can burden the conscience. The verse highlights inner accountability and the sensitivity required in speech (vāṅ-niyama) within dharma.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, after answering Yudhiṣṭhira with composed words, immediately feels dejected, as if he had committed a minor fault—suggesting tension between necessary counsel or rebuttal and reverence toward his elder brother.