Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 11, Verse 44

तस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायं
प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् |
पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्यु:
प्रिय: प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम् || 44||

tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ
prasādaye tvām aham īśham īḍyam
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ
priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum

tasmāttherefore; praṇamyabowing down; praṇidhāyaprostrating; kāyamthe body; prasādayeto implore grace; tvāmyour; ahamI; īśhamthe Supreme Lord; īḍyamadorable; pitāfather; ivaas; putrasyawith a son; sakhāfriend; ivaas; sakhyuḥwith a friend; priyaḥa lover; priyāyāḥwith the beloved; arhasiyou should; devaLord; soḍhumforgive

tasmat pranamya pranidhaya kayam
prasadaye tvam aham isham idyam
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh
priyah priyayarhasi deva sodhum

Translation

BG 11.44: Therefore, O adorable Lord, bowing deeply and prostrating before You, I implore You for Your grace. As a father tolerates his son, a friend forgives his friend, and a lover pardons the beloved, please forgive me for my offences.

Commentary

Considering his behavior as transgressions toward God, Arjun is asking for pardon. While interacting with Shree Krishna—playing, eating, jesting, talking, and resting—he did not show the respect that is appropriate toward the Supreme Almighty. However, no one minds transgressions when they are made because of a high level of intimacy shared with the other person. No government officer has the privilege to joke with the President of a country. Yet, the President’s personal friend, teases him, jests with him, and even scolds him. The President does not mind, rather he values that jest of an intimate friend more than all the respect he receives from his subordinate officers. Thousands of people salute an army general, but they are not as dear to his heart as his wife, who sits intimately by his side. Similarly, Arjun’s intimate dealings with Shree Krishna were not transgressions; they were gestures of the depth of his loving devotion in the sentiment of being a friend. Yet, a devotee is by nature humble, and so, out of humility, he feels that he may have committed transgressions, and hence he is asking for forgiveness.