Bhagavad Gita 11.42
Spoken by Arjuna · Verse 42 of 55 · Arjuna's Journey
यच्चावहासार्थमसत्कृतोऽसि विहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु। एकोऽथवाप्यच्युत तत्समक्षं तत्क्षामये त्वामहमप्रमेयम् ॥
yaccāvahāsārthamasatkṛto'si vihāraśayyāsanabhojaneṣu| eko'thavāpyacyuta tatsamakṣaṃ tatkṣāmaye tvāmahamaprameyam ||
In jest at play, meals, rest — alone or before others — I dishonored You, O Immeasurable Acyuta. Please forgive!
Word by word (3)
- yac cāvahāsārtham asat-kṛto'si
- — and if You were dishonored for the sake of jest/mockery · Avahāsārtham = for the purpose of jest, in mockery (avahāsa = ridicule, jest, laughing at; artham = for the purpose of). Asat-kṛtaḥ = treated dishonorably (asat = wrong, bad + kṛta = done = treated in an unworthy way; asat-kṛta = treated as a lower person, insulted). The verse extends V41's confession from formal-address (calling Krishna by casual names) to behavioral-dishonor — actual moments of mockery or carelessness during daily activities. Avahāsa (jest/ridicule) suggests playful teasing or lighthearted disrespect — the kind that friends exchange but which is technically improper toward the infinite divine.
- vihāra-śayyāsana-bhojanēṣu / eko'tha vāpy acyuta tat-samakṣam
- — during play/recreation, lying down, sitting, meals — alone or in the presence of others, O Acyuta · Vihāra = recreation, sport, play (vi + hara = moving about freely = pleasurable wandering). Śayyā = reclining, lying down, the bed. Āsana = sitting (āsana = seat; the act of sitting). Bhojana = eating, meals (from √bhuj = to enjoy/eat). These four = the complete cycle of leisure activities: play/recreation + sleep + rest + meals. Eko = alone. Tat-samakṣam = in the presence of others, face to face with them (sam + akṣa = before the eyes). Acyuta = O Imperishable/Undying One (a + cyuta = one who does not fall; acyuta = the indestructible). Note the shift: V41 used casual names (Kṛṣṇa, Yādava, Sakha); V42 uses the divine epithet Acyuta. The confession itself is already the correction — Arjuna is NOW addressing Krishna by his divine names even as he apologizes for not having done so before.
- tat kṣāmaye tvāṃ aham aprameyam
- — for all that I beg forgiveness of You, O Immeasurable One · Tat = that (referring back to all the instances described). Kṣāmaye = I ask forgiveness of (from √kṣam = to bear, to forgive; kṣāmaye = I propitiate, I ask pardon; the causative implies asking the other to bear/forgive). Aham = I (emphatic). Aprameyam = O Immeasurable One! (a + prameya = not measurable by any standard; gerundive of √pra + mā = not to be measured; vocative of aprameyam). The address aprameyam (O Immeasurable) caps the apology: the one being asked to forgive is beyond all measure. The contrast is complete: I treated the Immeasurable as a casual friend — now I address the casual friend as the Immeasurable and ask forgiveness.
And if, in jest, I treated You with disrespect — at play, at rest, while sitting or at meals, alone or before others, O changeless one — for all this I beg Your forgiveness, O immeasurable one.
A modern analogy
Like thinking back over years of casual moments with a mentor — the jokes you made, the times you were distracted during their teaching, the meals where you spoke carelessly — and realizing that each of those moments happened in the presence of something profound you didn't recognize.
Sit with this: Here Arjuna confesses casual dishonor shown during the most ordinary activities — play, sleep, meals, sitting. If the Divine is present in every ordinary moment, does our ordinary behavior count as sacred behavior? How would you live differently if you treated every casual moment as Arjuna-with-Krishna?
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
[SW V41-42 combined] Whatever irreverence was shown Thee in jest—while at play, resting, sitting, at meals, when alone, or in company—for all that, O Achyuta, I implore Thy pardon, immeasurable (as Thou art). [4]
Did, in my heedlessness, or in my love, On journey, or in jest, Or when we lay at rest, Sitting at council, straying in the grove, Alone, or in the throng, Do Thee, most Holy! wrong, Be Thy grace granted for that witless sin! [7]
...and for whatever dishonour I have shown you during play, rest, sitting, eating, whether alone or in company — for all that, O undeteriorating one, I beg pardon of you who are immeasurable. [9]
...and whatever disrespect was shown to Thee in jest, while playing, lying down, sitting, eating, or whether it was done while alone (with Thee) or in the presence of others — for all that I beg Thee, O undeteriorating One, immeasurable (as Thou art), to forgive me. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Whatever you do, eat, offer, give, or practise as austerity — do it all as mad-arpaṇam, an offering to Me.
I called You 'Hey Kṛṣṇa! Hey Friend!' not knowing Your greatness — from carelessness or love — please forgive!
Regulate food, recreation, effort and sleep — and yoga becomes the destroyer of all pain.
For the protection of the good, destruction of wickedness, establishment of dharma — I come, age after age.
Approach the teacher with prostration, inquiry, and service. The knowers of truth will instruct you in jñāna.
O Pārtha — no destruction for that one, neither here nor hereafter. For never does any doer of good come to an evil end.
Verse 42 of 55 · back to Chapter 11