Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ततोअ<र्जुनो महाराज लज्जया वै समन्वित: । धर्मराजस्य चरणौ प्रपद्य शिरसा नतः

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

Dijo Sañjaya: «Entonces Arjuna, oh Rey, vencido por la vergüenza, se acercó a los pies de Dharmarāja. Inclinando la cabeza, se dirigió una y otra vez a aquel, el mejor de los reyes de Bharata: “Oh Rey, sé benigno—sé benigno. Perdona las palabras impropias que pronuncié, dichas por temor mientras procuraba sostener el 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.