Adhyāya 41 — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Briefing and the Renewal of the Great Engagement
ततोअब्रवीन्मां याचन्तमपराध॑ प्रयत्नत: । व्याहृतं यन्मया सूत तत् तथा न तदन्यथा
tato ’bravīn māṁ yācantam aparādhaṁ prayatnataḥ | vyāhṛtaṁ yan mayā sūta tat tathā na tad anyathā ||
ତାପରେ ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପ୍ରୟତ୍ନରେ ମୋ ଅପରାଧ ପାଇଁ କ୍ଷମା ଯାଚନା କଲି। ତେବେ ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କହିଲେ— ‘ସୂତ! ମୁଁ ଯେ ଶବ୍ଦ ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ କରିଛି, ସେହିପରି ହିଁ ହେବ; ତାହା ଅନ୍ୟଥା ହେବ ନାହିଁ।’
संजय उवाच
The verse underscores the ethical weight of wrongdoing and the binding force of a solemn utterance: even sincere repentance may not undo consequences once a powerful pronouncement has been made. It highlights responsibility (aparādha) and the irrevocability of certain speech-acts (vyāhṛta).
The narrator reports that the speaker (addressed as ‘Sūta’) pleads for forgiveness for an offence. The brāhmaṇa responds that his spoken declaration—functioning as a curse or irrevocable pronouncement—will inevitably take effect and cannot be altered.