Shloka 43
कृतं मया पार्थ यथा न साधु येन प्राप्तं व्यसनं व: सुघोरम्
kṛtaṃ mayā pārtha yathā na sādhu yena prāptaṃ vyasanaṃ vaḥ sughoram | kuntīnandana! avaśya hi mayā naiva śubhaṃ karma kṛtaṃ yena yuṣmāsu atyanta-bhayaṅkaraṃ saṅkaṭam āpatitam | ahaṃ kulāntakārī narādhamaḥ pāpī pāpamaya-durvyasane āsaktaḥ mūḍhabuddhiḥ ālasya-paro bhīruś ca; tasmād adya tvaṃ mama idaṃ mastakaṃ chindhi ||
सञ्जय उवाच—पार्थ, कृतं मया यथा न साधु; येन वः सुघोरं व्यसनं प्राप्तम्। कुन्तीनन्दन, नूनं मया न सत्कर्म कृतं येन युष्मासु अत्यन्तदारुणं संकटं पतितम्। अहं कुलान्तकारी नराधमः पापी, पापव्यसनासक्तः, विमूढबुद्धिरलसो भीरुश्च; तस्मादद्य ममैतन्मस्तकं छिन्धि।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds moral accountability: wrongful action (na sādhu) brings severe consequences (sughoram vyasanam). It also shows an ethical impulse toward atonement—accepting blame and offering oneself for punishment—though expressed in extreme self-condemnation.
Sanjaya addresses Arjuna (Partha, Kuntīnandana), confessing that his own improper conduct has led to a dreadful संकट for the Pandavas. Overwhelmed by guilt, he denounces himself with harsh epithets and urges Arjuna to punish him by cutting off his head.