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 that were even and measured, Pārtha (Arjuna) became downcast—as though he had committed some slight wrongdoing. The moment underscores the ethical weight Arjuna feels in speaking back to his elder brother amid the strain of war and duty.
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.