Chapter 38 - The Arrival of Akrūra to Gokula

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Having stayed at Mathurā that night^[1] the highly intelligent Akrūra mounted a chariot and proceeded to Nanda’s Vraja.

2. On his way, the highly fortunate Akrūra who was filled with extreme devotion to the lotus-eyed Lord reflected to himself as follows:—

3. “What auspicious act has been done by me! What austere penance I have performed! Or what gift to a deserving person has been donated by me, by virtue of which I am going to see Lord Kṛṣṇa today.

4. Just as recitation and study of the Vedas is impossible to a person born in the Śūḍra class, I consider that gaining even the sight of Kṛṣṇa of excellent renown is very difficult for me, inasmuch as my mind is addicted to sensual pleasures.

5. Perhaps that may not happen that way. Even though I may be a vile person, I may be blessed with the sight of the Immortal Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes a person carried along with the current of time, may get to the other shore of saṃsāra.

6. To-day all my evils (sins) are destroyed, and my birth has achieved its highest objective in that now I shall bow down to the glorious Lord’s lotus-feet which are contemplated

7. Verily Kaṃsa has shown a great favour to me as, being deputed by him, I shall see the lotus-feet of Lord Hari who has now incarnated in this world and by the lustre of whose circle of toe-nails, people in the former ages have got over the darkness of Saṃsāra which is so very difficult to cross.

8. The Lord’s feet are worshipped by gods Brahmā, Śiva and others, by goddess Lakṣmī, by sages and by Sātvatas (Yādavas or his devotees)—feet which wandered in the forest along with his companions for grazing the cows and which are tinged with the saffron applied to the breasts of Gopīs.

9. Verily, as the deer go round by my right side (an auspicious omen), I believe I shall certainly behold today the face of Mukunda (Kṛṣṇa) with its charming cheeks and shapely nose, its smiling glances and reddish lotus-eyes, covered over with curly locks of hair.

10. How strongly I do yearn that today I shall be blessed with the audience (vision) of god Viṣṇu, the abode of beauty and excellence, who by his own Divine will has incarnated as a human being for lightening the burden of the earth. In case it so happens, it will be undeniable that the very existence of my eyes has achieved its fulfilment.

11. Though he is merely the witness of the Cause and the effect, he is devoid of egoism. By virtue of his lustre (lustre-like Spiritual Knowledge), he has dispelled the darkness of ignorance or Nescience and the consequent notions of differentiation and misapprehensions resulting from it. By his will, he is, however, found to be sportively engaged in the houses (of Gopīs, arbours of trees in the Vṛndāvana forest) in the company of Jīvas created in himself through his Māyā Potency which, under his supervision and control, invests them with the life-spirit, the senses and mind or intellect.

12. The words describing his excellent attributes, exploits and incarnations which are capable of destroying all the sins of the world and of conferring auspicious blessings, resuscitate, contribute to the beauty and secure sanctity to the world. But words which do not describe them (howsoever ornamental and elegant they be) are like decorations of a dead body.

13. The Almighty Lord who brings about the felicity and blessings to the great gods who abide by the injunctions laid down by him^[2], has descended into the clan of the Sātvatas. It is reported that the Supreme Ruler now stays at Vraja spreading all around his glory, which, due to its being auspicious to all beings, is sung by gods.

14. Inasmuch as I have been witnessing auspicious omens from the dawn, I believe that to-day I shall certainly behold him—the one great goal of the noble souls, the Father (or the Preceptor) of the world, the most lovable and charming to the three worlds, a veritable grand feast to those who are blest with a sight—manifesting a form which is the coveted- most abode of the goddess Śrī.

15. And as soon as I see them, I shall immediately get down from the chariot and will certainly bow down directly to the feet of those two Almighty rulers of the Universe, the Prime Personalities—Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma whose feet have been merely intellectually grasped and meditated upon for Self-realization even by yogīs (but have never been able to visualize them actually). Along with them I shall pay respects to their cowherd-friends and to all the beings residing in the forest of Vṛndāvana.

16. (Now he covets the touch of the Lord’s hand and hopes that the Lord would fulfill his longing.) Will not that Omnipresent Lord place his lotus-palm on the head of mine who have prostrated myself at the soles of his feet—his hands which have afforded protection to all men who being terrified of the serpent in the form of Time (or Death) seek resort to them? (I heartily yearn for this favour).

17. By offering worship to those very palms Kauśika (Indra who is reported to have worshipped it on an occasion) and the demon-king Bali (who offered water in token of the gift of three paces of land to the Dwarf-Viṣṇu) attained sovereignty over the three worlds and which, by their very (cool and) fragrant touch like the Saugandhika lotus (noted for its specially sweet smell) alleviated the fatigue of the damsels of Vraja during the rāsa-sport and thus refreshed them.

18. Though deputed by Kaṃsa, I am sure, he will entertain no hostile attitude to me as his enemy. For the Immortal^[3] Lord is Omniscient and can see everything in the universe. Being the Supreme Soul (Kṣetrajña) he will see with his pure (unclouded and unprejudiced) vision what is desired inside and outside of the heart of everyone.

19. How strongly I yearn for it! If he, with a merciful eye, looks smilingly at me who am prostrate at his feet, who with folded palms have concentrated on the soles of his feet, I shall instantaneously get thoroughly absolved of all sins, and with all my fears of saṃsāra dispelled, shall enjoy exquisite joy and Supreme bliss.

20. Would that when he would, with his mighty arras, embrace me, his best friend and well-wisher, his clansman who look upon him exclusively as my God, my soul (body) will be highly sanctified immediately and the fetters of karman lie shattered thenceforth.

21. When, after enjoying the privilege of being embraced by him (lit. having a personal contact with him), I shall stand bowing down to him with folded palms and he will address me, “Uncle Akrūra”, I shall feel that our coming into life (birth) has achieved its purpose. Fie upon the life of that being who is not respected in such a way by the worshipful Lord.

22. No one is beloved of him or an intimate friend of him nor is any one disagreeable, hateful or worthy of indifferent treatment to him^[4]. He however, attends upon his devotees, just as the celestial wish-yielding tree grants^[5] the desire of a person when he is resorting to it.

23. And moreover, his elder brother Balarāma. the best in the Yaḍu-clan, will embrace me with a smile. When I shall be humbly bowing with folded palms, he would take me by my hands and usher me into his house. When I shall be received with due formalities by all his relatives, he will enquire of Kaṃsa’s behaviour towards his relatives and clansmen.

Śrī Śuka said:

24. Oh King, while Akrūra, the son of Śvaphalka was contemplating about Lord Kṛṣṇa, he arrived by his chariot at Gokula, when the sun was reaching the setting mountain (the western horizon)

25. In Vraja, he noticed the foot-prints of the Lord, the sacred dust of whose feet is respectfully received with their crowns (i.e. heads) by all the protectors of the worlds—footprints which are distinguished with the marks of a lotus, a barly seed, a goad and such other characteristics and are auspiciously ornamental to the earth.

26. His impatience heightened to its climax through the ecstasy of delight at their sight, his body thrilled with the excitement of love with his hair standing on ends, with his eyes bedimmed with tears (lit. tear-drops), he jumped from the chariot and exclaiming, “How blessed and rare are these particles of the dust from Lord’s feet”, he prostrated himself and rolled over them.

27. This is the real ultimate purpose of life (puruṣārtha) of all beings invested with a body that they emulate the ecstatic mental state and behaviour of Akrūra since the moment he received Kaṃsa’s order to bring Kṛṣṇa, without any hypocrisy, fear or worry at the sight of Hari’s image, hearing his glory etc.

28. There, in the enclosure meant for milking cows, he saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma wearing yellow and blue garments respectively and with eyes beautiful like lotuses in the autumn.

29. They were Kiśora (lads between eleven to fifteen years) in age, dark-blue and white in complexion (respectively), the abodes of beauty and affluence (also bearing Śrī-vatsa mark in the case of Kṛṣṇa), with mighty arms and charming countenance, prominent among the beautiful, possessing the might and prowess of young elephants.

30. The noble-souled pair of brothers ornamented the (ground in) Vraja with (the prints of) their feet marked with the (figures of) a banner, a Vajra, a goad and a lotus and their smiling eyes expressed compassion.

31. They had taken their bath and had their person besmeared with fragrant pigments (such as sandal-paste). They wore wreaths of flower and Vanamālās and were immaculately attired. They expressed noble yet attractive playfulness.

32. They were the Foremost and the first ancient-most Persons, the cause of the world and the protectors thereof. They had descended on the world in their personal rays ( aṃśas) as Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa for the good of the world.

33. By their personal splendour they dispelled the darkness of the directions (all over the world). They appeared respectively like a mountain of emerald and a mount of silver both chased in gold^[6], Oh King!

34. So overwhelmed with devout affection was that Akrūra that he quickly jumped down from the chariot, and fell prostrate like a stick near the feet of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.

35. With his eyes flooded with tears of joy at the sight of the glorious Lord and with hair standing all over his body, he was not able even to introduce himself to them as his throat was choked with love and emotion.

36. Being affectionate to those who have completely surrendered themselves to him, the Lord who understood him (as to who he was and the purpose of his arrival etc.), drew Akrūra near him with his hands, characterised with the mark of discus, and embraced him as he was pleased with him.

37. The noble-minded Balarāma embraced Akrūra who was bowing low before him. Holding his clasped palms by his own, he led him to his house along with his younger brother Kṛṣṇa.

38. After enquiring about his journey (whether he faced any troubles etc.) and offering him a high seat, Balarāma washed his feet with due formality and offered him articles of Madhuparka (such as honey, ghee, curds, water).

39. Having presented a cow to the guest and after massaging him as he was fatigued, the powerful Lord served to him with reverence, preparation of pure food with a variety of excellences.

40. When his meal was over, Balarāma, the expert in the highest dharma (viz. proper reception of guest) again delighted him by offering articles like fragrant betel-leaf, scenting his mouth, perfumes and sweet-smelling garland.

41. When the customary formalities were over, Nanda enquired: “Oh Dāśārha (Descendant of Daśārha)! How do you manage to get on with the regime of ruthless Kaṃsa—you who are now no better than sheep tended by a butcher.

42. That blood-thirsty wicked Kaṃsa has killed the children of his cousin (sister) even while she was bitterly crying. We wonder what safety or happiness there could be to you, his subjects.

43. Having thus been honoured by Nanda in sweet words, Akrūra recovered from the fatigue of the journey by such polite enquiries.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide Supra 10.36.40.

[2]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā specifies these as varṇāśrama-dharma.

[3]:

Lord with unfailing knowledge—VT.

[4]:

Cf. samo'haṃ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyosti na priyaḥ etc.—Bhagavad Gītā 9.29.

[5]:

grants according to merits the deserving fruit—Padaratnāvalī (svasva-yogya-phaladānena)

[6]:

The problem is how could the dark-blue Kṛṣṇa dispel darkness. Padaratnāvalī says Kṛṣṇa was like the sun and the ‘dark-splendour’ (Kṛṣṇa-prabhā) of the sun dispels darkness.

Bhāgavata Candrikā differs: Kṛṣṇa was like a big emerald set in the middle of gold while Balarāma was like a diamond inlaid in a dark background.