Chapter 40 - Akrūra’s Hymn (in praise of the Lord)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Padaratnāvalī’s Text adds:]

1(A). At this vision of the Lord, Akrūra’s heart and senses became filled with divine joy and serenity. Bending his neck (head) down with devotion, he praised the Lotus-eyed Lord.

Akrūra said:

1. I bow down to you as you are the Prime cause of all causes (like Mahat etc. from which the Universe evolved). You are the veritable Nārāyaṇa (the Deity reposing over the cosmic waters), the In-ḍweller in all bodies, the First Principle not subject to change or modification. It is from the lotus sprouted from his navel that god Brahmā, the Creator of the Universe appeared. It is from him (Brahmā) that the universe was evolved.

2.^[1] All the causes of the evolution of the world such as (the elements) the earth, water, fire, air, the sky and its originator-ahaṃkāra, the principle of cosmic intelligence called mahat, prakṛti (Primordial matter) and the cause thereof (viz. Puruṣa, the mind, the senses (and organs) and their objects and all the gods presiding over them, are all evolved out of your Supreme Person (Śrī mūrti).

3. These—god Brahma^[2] and others—being material (or other-than-the spirit) do not know the essential nature of yours who are the real ātman (Supreme self). For god Brahmā is conditioned by or enveloped in the guṇas of Prakṛti. As such he is unable to congnize your essential nature which is beyond all guṇas.

4. Certainly, the righteous and practitioners of yoga worship you directly as the Supreme Person, the Ruler of the Universe—as the Indweller of the body (Or in the senses and organs of the bodies of every jīva), presiding over all material bodies (or the great elements like the ether, air, fire etc.), presiding over the bodies of god.

5. Some twice-borns (e g. Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas) follow the path of action—Karma mārga, and betake themselves to the course of sacrificial performance. With the help of the knowledge of three Vedas (Ṛk, Sāman and Yajus), they worship none but you under the names and forms of different divinities in extensive sacrificial sessions.

6. Having renounced all activities^[3] (pertaining to (karma- mārga, they have attained tranquillity and control of senses.^[4] Such men of spiritual wisdom worship the Embodiment of Knowledge through sacrifice in the form of spiritual knowledge i.e. meditation on the Lord).

7.^[5] According to the injunctions laid by you (in the (Pañcarātra āgama) some consecrate their person^[6] become absorbed in you and worship you as per procedure laid down by you (in the Pañcarātra āgama), as the One Deity abiding in many emanations (Vyūhas such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa. Pradyumna and Aniruddha) or as one form (viz. Nārāyaṇa).

8. Others (i.e. devotees of Lord Śiva) adore you only in the form of Śiva^[7] as per procedure ordained by god Śiva (in Śaiva āgamas) but with difference of details according to the teachers (of various Śaiva sects like Kāpālika Kālāmukha, Pāśupata etc.), Oh glorious Lord!

9.^[8] Those who are votaries of other deities and have thus reposed their faith and devotion unto them (thinking these deities as different from you), all of them really worship you who pervade them all, Oh Supreme Lord.

10. Oh Lord I Just as rivers with their sources in mountains and flooded by raining clouds enter into the sea from all directions, similarly all paths (of devotion and worship) lead ultimately unto you.

11. Sattva, rajas and tamas are nothing but modifications of your Prakṛti (potency). And everything from inanimate immovables to the highest deity Brahmā, are the products of Prakṛti and are woven warf and woof in Prakṛti^[9] (and therefore not different from you. You pervade them all)

12. Hail to you whose mind is perfectly unattached to everything even though you are the In-dwelling soul of everybody and witness to the intellects (minds) of all. This stream of guṇas (saṃsāra) created by your Nescience operates powerfully on gods, men, and subhuman beings.

13. Fire is regarded as your mouth, the earth as your feet, the sun as your eye, the sky as your navel, cardinal points as your ears, the celestial region (the firmament) as your head, Indra, the ruler of gods your arms, and oceans as your belly and the wind as your vital strength^[10].

14. Trees and herbs are the hair on your body; the clouds are the locks of hair on your head; mountains are the bones and nails of your transcendental self; days and the nights are your winking; god Brahmā, the Greater of the world, is your generative organ, and rain shower is regarded as your semen.

15. Oh Immortal Supreme Self! You are the perfect immutable Person who can be comprehended by the mind only. On you are projected worlds teeming with beings along with the protectors of those worlds, just as acquatic beings move in water or insect exists in the Udumbara fruit (Indian fig).

16. Whatever forms you assume for your sportive activities in the world, dispel the afflictions and sorrows of people. Hence they sing your glories in joy.

17. I bow to you the Fish incarnation, the cause of the world who moved freely in the cosmic waters of the ocean of deluge. Hail to you who assumed the form of Hayagrīva (horsenecked god) for killing the demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha.

18. Salutations to you Oh gigantic Tortoise, the bearer of mountain Mandara (at the time of churning the ocean for nectar). I bow to you who have assumed the Boar form for the sportive activity of uplifting the earth (from the bottom of the ocean).

19. Oh Lord! The Dispeller of the fear of the righteous! I bow to you the wonderful man-lion. My salutations to you Oh Vāmana who have crossed the three worlds (in one step).

20. Salutations to you Paraśurāma, the chief of Bhṛgus who cut down the forest in the form of haughty Kṣatriyas. I salute to you, Oh Rāmacandra, the best of Raghus, who have killed Rāvaṇa.

21. Hail to you the Lord of Sātvatas! Who manifested yourself in four divine emanations of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), Pradyumna (Kṛṣṇa’s son) and Aniruddha (Pradyumna’s son).

22. Hail to you Lord Buddha! Who are absolutely pure but who deluded Daityas and Dānavas (by your anti-Vedic teaching). I bow to you who assumed the form of Kalki and killed the kṣatriyas who were reduced to the stage of Mlecchas (non-Aryans).

23. Oh Glorious Lord! This world of beings is deluded by your māyā potency and wanders in the path of karma (saṃsāra) with the false notion of me-and-mine i.e. of the body being his own self and property as his own.

24. And I am such a stupid person, Oh Lord Kṛṣṇa! That I too wander (move in) my body, sons, house, wives, wealth, kith and kins etc. who are really unreal like dream but thinking them to be real.

25. I entertain a contrary notion towards things which are not eternal (e.g. fruit of karmas), are not the real self (viz. my body) as well as which are full of troubles (e.g. house, property) and regard them as eternal, real-self and full of happiness). I am enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and take pleasure in the opposite pairs like pleasure and pain and I do not know that you are the most dear to me.

26. Just as an ignorant person does not know that it is really water that is covered by weeds and other water-plants, and abandoning the real water, runs after a mirage, similarly I have turned my face away from you (and am pursuing unrealities like my body, house etc.)

27. Being of poor intellectual capacity and understanding, I am not able to control my mind which is perturbed by desire for enjoyment and activities to attain it, and am dragged here and there by uncontrollable senses.

28. Oh Lord! I (who am as described above) have approached your feet which are not easily accessible to the unrighteous, regard (the accessibility of your feet) as an act of Grace on your part. Oh God with a lotus in the nevel! Release from the cycle of births and deaths is possible if one’s mind becomes attached to you through the service of saintly persons^[11].

29. I bow to you who are the embodiment of Pure Consciousness and the Source of all knowledge. You are the Ruler (of factors e.g. Time-Spirit, Nature, Destiny) that control Jīvas; you are the very Brahman of infinite power.

30. Salutations to Lord Vāsudeva, the asylum of all beings. Oh Lord of sense-organs! I bow down to you. Oh Lord! Be pleased to protect me who have approached your feet.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā presents the viśiṣṭādvaita stance: He shows that this verse described the Lord both as the material cause as well as the efficient cause. “From Your Person Brahman characterised by mūla-prakṛti as his body is transformed into mahat, ahaṃkāra.”

[2]:

Padaratnāvalī: Jīva and others—Like inanimate things, even jīva cannot cognize your nature. The jīvas are observed with the false notion that the body and soul are identical or they themselves are the absolute masters.

Padaratnāvalī These—Brahmā and others cannot cognize Your real nature as they are distinct and different from your self.

[3]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: give up all Vedic rites performed for attaining their desires which give rise to egotism and passions

OR: realize that Vedic rites are a form of worshipping the Lord.

[4]:

Padaratnāvalī: Unswerving devotion of the Lord exclusively.

[5]:

After describing the paths of Karma, Sāṅkhya, and Yoga, he mentions Pañcarātra and Śaiva systems in verses 7 and 8.

[6]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: as per Vaiṣṇavite and Śaivite procedures.

Bhāgavata Candrikā: By the five consecrating rites prescribed in the Pañcarātra āgamas.

Siddhāntapradīpa: quotes a verse enumerating the five saṃskāras; tāpaḥ puṇḍraṃ tathā nāma mantro yāgaś ca pañcamaḥ

tāpa is branding with representations of discus etc., Puṇḍra—mark on the forehead (the rest is easy).

[7]:

Subodhinī In Tāmasa Kalpa Viṣṇu assumes the form of Śiva.

[8]:

Gf. yepyanya-devatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ /
tepi māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam //
  —Bhagavad Gītā 9.23.

[9]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: Or: and ultimately they merge into Prakṛti and Prakṛti unto you. In this way all gods etc. are absorbed in you.

[10]:

VT. The verse shows how the Lord pervades all gods.

[11]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: It is through Your Grace that one gets the opportunity of rendering service to saintly persons which leads to attachment to you, resulting in Final Emancipation from Saṃsāra.