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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 41 (11.41)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 41 (11.41)

सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं । हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति | | अजानता महिमानं तवेदं | मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि | | ११-४१ | |

sakheti matvā prasabhaṁ yaduktaṁ he kṛiṣhṇa he yādava he sakheti ajānatā mahimānaṁ tavedaṁ mayā pramādātpraṇayena vāpi

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • सखे (sakhe) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • ti joined in sakheti
  • मत्वा (matva) — जानकर(thinking of You as a friend)
  • प्रसभम् (prasabham) — जो कुछ था कहा गया असंयम से(whatever was spoken rashly)
  • यद् (yad) — जो कुछ था कहा गया असंयम से(whatever was spoken rashly)
  • उक्तम् (uktam) — कहा गया(whatever was spoken rashly)
Line 2:
  • हे (he) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • क्रिश्न (Krishna) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • हे (he) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • यदव (Yadava) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • हे (he) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • सखे (sakhe) — हे कृष्ण, हे यादव, हे मित्र(O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend)
  • ti joined in sakheti
Line 3:
  • अजनत (ajanata) — नहीं जानते हुए आपके महिमा(not knowing Your greatness)
  • महिमनम् (mahimanam) — नहीं जानते हुए आपके महिमा(not knowing Your greatness)
  • tavedam joined in tavedaṁ
Line 4:
  • माम् (mam) — मुझको(Me)
  • यः (yah) — जो(who)
  • प्रमदत् (pramadat) — से असावधानी(from carelessness)
  • प्रनयेन (pranayena) — या से स्नेह(or from affection)
  • v joined in vāpi
  • अपि (api) — भी(or from affection)

English: Whatever I have said to You in rashness, taking You only for a friend and addressing You as Krishna! O Yadava! O Friend!' in thoughtless familiarity, no understanding Your greatness;

💡 Commentary Note

Thinking of Krishna merely as a friend, Arjuna had familiarly called Him 'O Krishna, O Yadava, O Friend,' unaware of His majestic glory. He begs forgiveness for his ignorance and casual familiarity.

Learnings from Shloka 41:
  • Acknowledge Ignorance:: It is human to overlook the sacredness of the Divine when it presents itself in familiar, everyday forms.
  • Forgiveness:: Sincere confession of our past casualness or ignorance clears the way for deeper spiritual connection.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 11.41 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary