Ārta — The Distressed Devotee
Bhagavad Gītā 7.16 names four kinds of virtuous people who worship Bhagavān: ārta (the distressed), jijñāsu (the seeker who desires to know), arthārthī (one who seeks a desired gain), and jñānī (the knower). Ārta and arthārthī are separate terms: the former is driven by suffering, while the latter seeks an object or benefit.
Ārta-Prapanna
Śrī Vaiṣṇava prapatti literature also distinguishes the ārta-prapanna from the dṛpta-prapanna. The ārta-prapanna cannot bear continued residence in saṃsāra and longs to reach Paramapadam without delay. The dṛpta-prapanna, while equally surrendered, remains content to continue Bhagavad-Bhāgavata kainkaryam here for as long as Bhagavān wills. The technical expression is ārta-prapanna, not ārti-prapatti.
Traditional Exemplars
Draupadī's helpless cry in the assembly and Gajendra's appeal from the lake are cherished examples of distressed dependence on Bhagavān. Their narratives display the Lord's vātsalya, kāruṇya and readiness to protect. They illustrate the truth of seeking Him when every independent support has failed, while the doctrinal category of ārta-prapanna specifically concerns the surrendered soul's urgency for liberation.