Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.64.8
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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katamena karmaṇā
—
by what action
Katama (which one of many) + karman. Karma is the Bhāgavata's standard idiom for whatever produced this body. Kṛṣṇa narrows the question to action because the lesson He intends to draw is about a specific act.
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atat - arhaḥ
—
undeserving of this
A- (not) + tat (this) + arha (deserving). Kṛṣṇa's diagnosis is already in His question: this fall does not match the soul's piety. The mismatch is precisely what aparādha produces — disproportionate disgrace from a small wrong against the right person.
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su - bhadra
—
O good soul
Su (good) + bhadra (auspicious). The poet keeps Kṛṣṇa addressing Nṛga as bhadra throughout — pre-emptive vindication. The fall was real; the soul was never lost.
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yat manyase naḥ kṣamam
—
if you think it appropriate
Kṣama here means 'fit, suitable.' Kṛṣṇa frames the request as conditional, leaving Nṛga the dignity of refusal. Gauḍīya pedagogy: even when teaching, never humiliate the student.
Please tell us about yourself, if you think it fitting, as we want to hear (vivitsatam).
The word vā indicates lamentation. What action brought you to this condition? Such a condition is not proper for you. Instead of asi sometimes hi (certainly) is seen. The reason is given. O most auspicious one (subhadra)! We wish to know about you. The plural possessive is used (naḥ vivitsatām) to indicate all the Yādavas who had quickly come there in great wonder. Please tell us if you wish to reveal it. The Lord spoke politely since he was the ocean of good qualities. The plural naḥ is also used a second time out of politeness.
Kṛṣṇa frames the question as a tactful father might: not 'what wrong did you do?' but 'what action brought you here?' — protecting the speaker's dignity even while drawing out a confession that the whole assembly needs to hear.
My note
Source: vedabase.io