In Bhagavad Gita 11.41, Arjuna says that thinking of Krishna as a friend, he addressed him rashly as “O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend,” not knowing his greatness, through carelessness or affection.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं
हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति
अजानता महिमानं तवेदं
मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि ॥ ११-४१ ॥
sakheti matvā prasabhaṃ yaduktaṃ
he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti
ajānatā mahimānaṃ tavedaṃ
mayā pramādātpraṇayena vāpi
English transliteration sakheti matvaa prasabham yaduktam
he krishna he yaadava he sakheti
ajaanataa mahimaanam tavedam
mayaa pramaadaatpranayena vaapi ॥ 11.41 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Whatever I said rashly, thinking of You as a friend, calling You “O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend”, not knowing this greatness of Yours, out of carelessness or even affection,
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सखा sakhā | friend |
| इति iti | thus |
| मत्वा matvā | thinking |
| प्रसभम् prasabham | rashly |
| यत् yat | whatever |
| उक्तम् uktam | said |
| हे कृष्ण he kṛṣṇa | O Kṛṣṇa |
| हे यादव he yādava | O Yādava |
| हे सखे he sakhe | O friend |
| इति iti | thus |
| अजानता ajānatā | not knowing |
| महिमानम् mahimānam | greatness |
| तव tava | Your |
| इदम् idam | this |
| मया mayā | by me |
| प्रमादात् pramādāt | out of carelessness |
| प्रणयेन praṇayena | out of affection |
| वा vā | or |
| अपि api | even |
Word-wise Chanting
- sa–khe–ti mat–vā pra–sa–bhaṃ ya–duk–taṃ 11 syllables sa-khe-ti mat-vaa pra-sa-bham ya-duk-tam
- he kṛṣ–ṇa he yā–da–va he sa–khe–ti | 11 syllables he krish-na he yaa-da-va he sa-khe-ti
- a–jā–na–tā ma–hi–mā–naṃ ta–ve–daṃ 11 syllables a-jaa-na-taa ma-hi-maa-nam ta-ve-dam
- ma–yā pra–mā–dāt–pra–ṇa–ye–na vā–pi || 11-41 11 syllables ma-yaa pra-maa-daat-pra-na-ye-na vaa-pi
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 11 Verse 41
Context
Arjuna asks forgiveness; the sentence continues into 11.42.
Meaning
Arjuna now remembers how he treated Krishna as an ordinary friend, calling him by casual names. He did so pramādāt, out of carelessness, or praṇayena, out of affection, ajānatā, not knowing Krishna’s true greatness.
This is touching. Arjuna’s friendship with Krishna was real and loving, yet he did not know whom he was befriending. The Divine is often closer and more familiar to us than we realise.
In Practice
Reflect on how the Divine has been present in your ordinary life, perhaps unrecognised.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 11: Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (The Vision of the Universal Form). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.