Chapter 49 - Akrūra’s Mission to Hastinapura

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1-2. Having arrived at Hastinapura, the noted capital of the great and glorious kings of the Puru dynasty, he saw there Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the son of Ambikā along with Bhīṣma, Vidura, Kuntī: Bāhlīka along with his son Somadatta, Droṇa, the descendant of Bhāradvāja along with Kṛpa of the Gautama family, Karṇa, Suyodhana (i.e. Duryodhana), Aśvatthāman, the son of Droṇa, Pāṇḍavas and other friends thereof.

3. Having met his relatives in the appropriate manner (to establish closer contacts), Akrūra, the son of Gāndinī, was respectfully enquired about by them about their friends (at Mathura) and he also reciprocally asked them about their well being.

4. With a view to probe and know in depth the behaviour of the king whose sons were wicked and who was himself feeble-minded, and who was guided by the will of the wicked (like Śakuni), Akrūra stayed there many months.

5-6. Pṛthā (Kuntī) and Vidura completely reported to him all the wicked acts such as administering poison (to Bhīma) and others by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons who could not tolerate and felt jealous of Pāṇḍavas’ majesty, prowess, physical strength, heroism, modesty and other excellent virtues as well as the love and loyalty the subjects had for them; they also told him what they intended to do (to harm Pāṇḍavas).

7. Approaching her brother (cousin) Akrūra who came to visit her, Kuntī (Pṛthā) remembered her birth-place and with her eyes full of tears enquired:

8. “Oh gentle Akrūra! Do my parents (Śūrasena and Māriṣā), brothers (Vasudeva and others), sisters (Śrutadevā etc.), nephews (Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and others), respectable ladies in the house (like Devakī and others) and female friends remember me?

9. Does my nephew, the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa, the protector of his dependants and affectionate to his votaries, and the lotus-eyed Balarāma ever remember the sons of their paternal aunt?

10. Would Kṛṣṇa care to comfort with words of consolation me who am grieving here in the midst of enemies like a female deer in the midst of wolves. Would he do so to my children who are now fatherless.

11. Oh Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Oh great yogin! Oh Soul of the Universe! Oh Creator of the world! Be kind and protect me who have sought Your protection, Oh Govinda, I am suffering along with my children.

12. To persons who are afraid of death and of the cycle of births (saṃsāra), I do not see any other refuge except the lotus feet of yours—of the Supreme which confer Liberation from saṃsāra.

13. Bow to Kṛṣṇa, the pure Brahman (unalloyed with Māyā), the Supreme Soul, the Lord of Yogas, the very embodiment of yoga! I have sought asylum in you.”

Śrī Śuka said:

14. In this way, remembering her relatives, and Kṛṣṇa, the Ruler of the world, your paternal great-grand mother lamented loudly, in grief.

15. Akrūra who looked upon pleasure and pain with equanimity and Vidura of great glory, consoled Kuntī by telling her the divine parentage of her sons (and their mission to help Kṛṣṇa in the reduction of the burden of the earth).

16. When he was about to return to Mathura, Akrūra approached King Dhṛtarāṣṭra who practised discrimination between his sons and Pāṇḍavas and was specially partial and attached to his sons. He communicated to the king in the midst of his relatives, the message of his well-intentioned relations such as Kṛṣṇa and others.

Akrūra said:

17. Oh son of Vicitravīrya! You are the enhancer of the glory of the Kuru race! But after the demise of your brother Pāṇḍu, you have now occupied the throne (in stead of installing Pāṇḍu’s son—the legal heir—on the throne).

18. By governing the earth with piety (and as per code of righteous government), pleasing your subjects by your (spotless) character and behaving with strict impartiality with your relatives, you can still attain prosperity and good reputation.

19. If you act otherwise, you will be censured in this world and shall go to dark hell hereafter. You, therefore, treat impartially your sons and the Pāṇḍavas.

20. There is no possibility of having eternal companionship with anybody at any time in this world—not even with one’s body. What need be said of contacts with one’s wife and sons, Oh King.

21. A creature comes into being alone and it dies alone, all by itself. It is all alone when it experiences the fruits of good deeds or suffers the consequences of his evil actions.

22. Others who go under the name of sons (lit. one deserving nourishment) carry away the wealth accumulated by unfair means of this dull-witted fellow, as the brood of acquatic animals share waters.

23. A foolish person who unrighteously nourishes life, wealth, sons and others under the wrong notion that they are his own, finds himself deserted by them, for good, even when he has not yet accomplished his objective of enjoying them.

24. A person not knowing his real interest, being deserted by them (viz. wealth, sons etc. which he regarded as his own) carries the load of his sins himself as he is averse to religion and with his hopes of enjoyment, unfulfilled, he enters the hall of blinding darkness.

25. Oh King! Realizing that this world is like a dream, illusion or an idle fancy, you control your own mind by yourself and be impartial and serene, Oh Lord.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra replied:

26. Oh Dānapati (the most distinguished donor of charities)! As your honour utters this sweet, salutary speech, I do not feel sated with it, just as a mortal would feel after obtaining the nectar.

27. Oh gentle-natured Akrūra! Your sweet and righteous advice, however, does not get fixed in my fickle mind which is partial through affection towards my sons, any more than a flash of lightening into the mount Sudāman.

28. What human being can violate the decree of the Supreme Ruler who has now descended in Yadu’s race for removing the burden of the earth.

29. Bow unto that Supreme Lord who, having created this universe by his Māyā of incomprehensible ways and having entered it afterwards (as the Inner Controller) he apportions the karmas and their fruits, and whose sportive acts which are very difficult to comprehend and who is the main cause and the ultimate goal of this wheel of transmigration (saṃsāra).

Śrī Śuka said:

30. Having thus gauged the mind of the king Dhṛtarāṣṭra and taking leave of his well-wishers and relatives, Akrūra of the Yādava clan, returned to Mathurā.

31. Oh Parīkṣit (the scion of the Kuru race)! (After his arrival at Mathurā), he reported to Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, the behaviour of Dhṛtarāṣṭra towards Pāṇḍavas—the main purpose of his deputation to Hastināpura.