sañjaya uvāca
etac chrutvā vacanaḿ keśavasya
kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaḿ
sa-gadgadaḿ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 11.35
Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra: O King, after hearing these words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the trembling Arjuna offered obeisances with folded hands again and again. He fearfully spoke to Lord Krishna in a faltering voice, as follows.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
As we have already explained, because of the situation created by the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna became bewildered in wonder; thus he began to offer his respectful obeisances to Krishna again and again, and with faltering voice he began to pray, not as a friend, but as a devotee in wonder.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Namaskrtva is poetic license. The normal form is namaskrtya.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
11.35 Sanjaya said — Having heard the speech of Krsna, ocean of affection for the seekers of refuge in Him, Arjuna did obeisance to Him. Trembling with fear, he bowed again and again before Him. With folded palms, and trembling, Arjuna spoke in a choked voice with emotion.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Hearing these unequivocal instructions from the Supreme Lord Krishna. Arjuna saluted Him and then with bowed head and palms joined together he spoke to Lord Krishna. How did he speak to Him? He spoke on bent knee after bowing down, frightened with trembling of the limbs and faltering voice, his throat choked up with contradicting emotions of fear, joy and wonder.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Whoever severs Jayadratha’s head from his body causing it to fall on the ground will instantly have their own head burst into pieces. Thus one who slays him is also in the mouth of death and that is why his name is specially mentioned as this was a boon given to him by his father. Karna has special power given to him by a weapon from Indra that will slay any one it strikes but only can be launched once, Bhishma has the boon that he will die only at the time he so desires and Drona cannot be defeated by any weapon receiving the boon of knowledge of every weapon and how to neutralise them from the avatar or incarnation Parasurama Himself. But by the express desire of the Supreme Lord Krishna they all will certainly perish on the battlefield and Arjuna and the Pandavas will be victorious.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
What happened next? Hearing the words spoken by Lord Krishna is the preceding three verses, Arjuna trembling in divine anxiety from beholding Lord Krishna’s wonderful, terrible, dazzling and frightening visvarupa or divine universal form; bowed his head and with joined palms humbly prostrating himself spoke with faltering voice choked up by mixed emotions of joy, anxiety and wonder.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
11.35 Srutva, hearing; etat, this, aforesaid; vacanam, utterance; kesavasya, of Kesava; Kiriti, krtanjalih, with joined palms; and vepamanah, trembling; nama-skrtva, prostrating himself; aha, said; bhuyah eva, again; krsnam, to Krsna; sa-gadgadam, with a faltering voice-. A person’s throat becomes choked with phlegm and his eyes full of tears when, on being struck with fear, he is overcome by sorrow, and when, on being overwhelmed with affection, he is filled with joy. The indistinctness and feebleness of sound in speech that follows as a result is what is called faltering (gadgada). A speech that is accompanied with (saha) this is sa-gadgadam. It is used adverbially to the act of utterance. Pranamya, bowing down with humility; bhita-bhitah, overcome by fits of fear, with his mind struck again and again with fear-this is to be connected with the remote word aha (said). At this juncture the words of Sanjaya have a purpose in view. How? It is thus: Thinking that the helpless Duryodhana will be as good as dead when the four unconquerable ones, viz Drona and others, are killed, Dhrtarastra, losing hope of victory, would conclude a treaty. From that will follow peace on either side. Under the influence of fate, Dhrtarastra did not even listen to that!
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
11.35 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
sañjaya uvaca
etac chrutva vacanam kesavasya
krtañjalir vepamanah kiriti
namaskrtva bhuya evaha krsnam
sa-gadgadam bhita-bhitah pranamya
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
sañjayaḥ uvāca — Sañjaya said; etat — thus; śrutvā — hearing; vacanam — the speech; keśavasya — of Kṛṣṇa; kṛta-añjaliḥ — with folded hands; vepamānaḥ — trembling; kirīṭī — Arjuna; namaskṛtvā — offering obeisances; bhūyaḥ — again; eva — also; āha — said; kṛṣṇam — unto Kṛṣṇa; sa-gadgadam — with a faltering voice; bhīta-bhītaḥ — fearful; praṇamya — offering obeisances.
