1–çré-çuka uväca
akrüro ‘pi ca täà rätrià
madhu-puryäà mahä-matiù
uñitvä ratham ästhäya
prayayau nanda-gokulam
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: After passing the night in the city of Mathurä, the
high-minded Akrüra mounted his chariot and set off for the cowherd village of
Nanda Mahäräja.
2–gacchan pathi mahä-bhägo
bhagavaty ambujekñaëe
bhaktià paräm upagata
evam etad acintayat
As he traveled on the road, the great soul Akrüra felt tremendous devotion
for the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead, and thus he began to consider as
follows.
3–kià mayäcaritaà bhadraà
kià taptaà paramaà tapaù
kià väthäpy arhate dattaà
yad drakñyämy adya keçavam
[Çré Akrüra thought:] What pious deeds have I done, what severe austerities
undergone, what worship performed or charity given so that today I will see
Lord Keçava?
4–mamaitad durlabhaà manya
uttamaù-çloka-darçanam
viñayätmano yathä brahmakértanaà
çüdra-janmanaù
Since I am a materialistic person absorbed simply in sense gratification, I
think it is as difficult for me to have gotten this opportunity to see Lord
Uttamaùçloka as it would be for one born a çüdra to be allowed to recite the
Vedic mantras.
5–maivaà mamädhamasyäpi
syäd eväcyuta-darçanam
hriyamäëaù kala-nadyä
kvacit tarati kaçcana
But enough of such thoughts! After all, even a fallen soul like me can have
the chance to behold the infallible Supreme Lord, for one of the conditioned
souls being swept along in the river of time may sometimes reach the shore.
6–mamädyämaìgalaà nañöaà
phalaväàç caiva me bhavaù
yan namasye bhagavato
yogi-dhyeyänghri-paìkajam
Today all my sinful reactions have been eradicated and my birth has become
worthwhile, since I will offer my obeisances to the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet,
which mystic yogés meditate upon.
7–kaàso batädyäkåta me ‘ty-anugrahaà
drakñye ‘ìghri-padmaà prahito ‘munä hareù
kåtävatärasya duratyayaà tamaù
pürve ‘taran yan-nakha-maëòala-tviñä
Indeed, today King Kaàsa has shown me extreme mercy by sending me to
see the lotus feet of Lord Hari, who has now appeared in this world. Simply by
the effulgence of His toenails, many souls in the past have transcended the
insurmountable darkness of material existence and achieved liberation
8–yad arcitaà brahma-bhavädibhiù suraiù
çriyä ca devyä munibhiù sa-sätvataiù
go-cäraëäyänucaraiç carad vane
yad gopikänäà kuca-kuìkumäìkitam
Those lotus feet are worshiped by Brahmä, Çiva and all the other demigods,
by the goddess of fortune, and also by the great sages and Vaiñëavas. Upon
those lotus feet the Lord walks about the forest while herding the cows with
His companions, and those feet are smeared with the kuìkuma from the gopés’
breasts.
9–drakñyämi nünaà su-kapola-näsikaà
smitävalokäruëa-kaïja-locanam
mukhaà mukundasya guòälakävåtaà
pradakñiëaà me pracaranti vai mågäù
Surely I shall see the face of Lord Mukunda, since the deer are now walking
past me on my right. That face, framed by His curly hair, is beautified by His
attractive cheeks and nose, His smiling glances and His reddish lotus eyes.
10-apy adya viñëor manujatvam éyuño
bhärävatäräya bhuvo nijecchayä
lävaëya-dhämno bhavitopalambhanaà
mahyaà na na syät phalam aïjasä dåçaù
I am going to see the Supreme Lord Viñëu, the reservoir of all beauty, who
by His own sweet will has now assumed a humanlike form to relieve the earth
of her burden. Thus there is no denying that my eyes will achieve the
perfection of their existence
11–ya ékñitähaà-rahito ‘py asat-satoù
sva-tejasäpästa-tamo-bhidä-bhramaù
sva-mäyayätman racitais tad-ékñayä
präëäkña-dhébhiù sadaneñv abhéyate
He is the witness of material cause and effect, yet He is always free from
false identification with them. By His internal potency He dispels the darkness
of separation and confusion. The individual souls in this world, who are
manifested here when He glances upon His material creative energy, indirectly
perceive Him in the activities of their life airs, senses and intelligence
12–yasyäkhiläméva-habhiù su-maìgalaiù
väco vimiçrä guëa-karma-janmabhiù
präëanti çumbhanti punanti vai jagat
yäs tad-viraktäù çava-çobhanä matäù
All sins are destroyed and all good fortune is created by the Supreme Lord’s
qualities, activities and appearances, and words that describe these three things
animate, beautify and purify the world. On the other hand, words bereft of His
glories are like the decorations on a corpse.
13–sa cävatérëaù kila satvatänvaye
sva-setu-pälämara-varya-çarma-kåt
yaço vitanvan vraja ästa éçvaro
gäyanti devä yad açeña-maìgalam
That same Supreme Lord has descended into the dynasty of the Sätvatas to
delight the exalted demigods, who maintain the principles of religion He has
created. Residing in Våndävana, He spreads His fame, which the demigods
glorify in song and which brings auspiciousness to all.
14–taà tv adya nünaà mahatäà gatià guruà
trailokya-käntaà dåçiman-mahotsavam
rüpaà dadhänaà çriya épsitäspadaà
drakñye mamäsann uñasaù su-darçanäù
Today I shall certainly see Him, the goal and spiritual master of the great
souls. Seeing Him brings jubilation to all who have eyes, for He is the true
beauty of the universe. Indeed, His personal form is the shelter desired by the
goddess of fortune. Now all the dawns of my life have become auspicious.
15–athävarüòhaù sapadéçayo rathät
pradhäna-puàsoç caraëaà sva-labdhaye
dhiyä dhåtaà yogibhir apy ahaà dhruvaà
namasya äbhyäà ca sakhén vanaukasaù
Then I will at once alight from my chariot and bow down to the lotus feet of
Kåñëa and Balaräma, the Supreme Personalities of Godhead. Theirs are the
same feet that great mystic yogés striving for self-realization bear within their
minds. I will also offer my obeisances to the Lords’ cowherd boyfriends and to
all the other residents of Våndävana.
16–apy aìghri-müle patitasya me vibhuù
çirasy adhäsyan nija-hasta-paìkajam
dattäbhayaà käla-bhujäìga-raàhasä
prodvejitänäà çaraëaiñiëäà ëånäm
And when I have fallen at His feet, the almighty Lord will place His lotus
hand upon my head. For those who seek shelter in Him because they are greatly
disturbed by the powerful serpent of time, that hand removes all fear.
17–samarhaëaà yatra nidhäya kauçikas
tathä baliç cäpa jagat-trayendratäm
yad vä vihäre vraja-yoñitäà çramaà
sparçena saugandhika-gandhy apänudat
By offering charity to that lotus hand, Purandara and Bali earned the status
of Indra, King of heaven, and during the pleasure pastimes of the räsa dance,
when the Lord wiped away the gopés’ perspiration and removed their fatigue,
the touch of their faces made that hand as fragrant as a sweet flower.
18–na mayy upaiñyaty ari-buddhim acyutaù
kaàsasya dütaù prahito ‘pi viçva-dåk
yo ‘ntar bahiç cetasa etad éhitaà
kñetra-jïa ékñaty amalena cakñuñä
The infallible Lord will not consider me an enemy,, even though Kaàsa has
sent me here as his messenger. After all, the omniscient Lord is the actual
knower of the field of this material body, and with His perfect vision He
witnesses, both externally and internally, all the endeavors of the conditioned
soul’s heart.
19–apy aìghri-müle ‘vahitaà kåtäïjalià
mäm ékñitä sa-smitam ärdrayä dåçä
sapady apadhvasta-samasta-kilbiño
voòhä mudaà véta-viçaìka ürjitäm
Thus He will cast His smiling, affectionate glance upon me as I remain fixed
with joined palms, fallen in obeisances at His feet. Then all my contamination
will at once be dispelled, and I will give up all doubts and feel the most intense
bliss.
20–suhåttamaà jïätim ananya-daivataà
dorbhyäà båhadbhyäà parirapsyate ‘tha mäm
ätmä hi térthé-kriyate tadaiva me
bandhaç ca karmätmaka ucchvasity ataù
Recognizing me as an intimate friend and relative, Kåñëa will embrace me
with His mighty arms, instantly sanctifying my body and diminishing to nil all
my material bondage, which is due to fruitive activities.
21–labdhväìga-saìgam praëatam kåtäïjalià
mäà vakñyate ‘krüra tatety uruçraväù
tadä vayaà janma-bhåto mahéyasä
naivädåto yo dhig amuñya janma tat
Having been embraced by the all-famous Lord Kåñëa, I will humbly stand
before Him with bowed head and joined palms, and He will address me, “My
dear Akrüra.” At that very moment my life’s purpose will be fulfilled. Indeed,
the life of anyone whom the Supreme Personality fails to recognize is simply
pitiable.
22–na tasya kaçcid dayitaù suhåttamo
na cäpriyo dveñya upekñya eva vä
tathäpi bhaktän bhajate yathä tathä
sura-drumo yadvad upäçrito ‘rtha-daù
The Supreme Lord has no favorite and no dearmost friend, nor does He
consider anyone undesirable, despicable or fit to be neglected. All the same, He
lovingly reciprocates with His devotees in whatever manner they worship Him,
just as the trees of heaven fulfill the desires of whoever approaches them
23–kià cägrajo mävanataà yadüttamaù
smayan pariñvajya gåhétam aïjalau
gåhaà praveñyäpta-samasta-satkåtaà
samprakñyate kaàsa-kåtaà sva-bandhuñu
And then Lord Kåñëa’s elder brother, the foremost of the Yadus, will grasp
my joined hands while I am still standing with my head bowed, and after
embracing me He will take me to His house. There He will honor me with all
items of ritual welcome and inquire from me about how Kaàsa has been
treating His family members.
24–çré-çuka uväca
iti saïcintayan kåñëaà
çvaphalka-tanayo ‘dhvani
rathena gokulaà präptaù
süryaç cästa-girià nåpa
Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: My dear King, while the son of Çvaphalka,
traveling on the road, thus meditated deeply on Çré Kåñëa, he reached Gokula as
the sun was beginning to set.
25-padäni tasyäkhila-loka-pälakiréöa-
juñöämala-päda-reëoù
dadarça goñöhe kñiti-kautukäni
vilakñitäny abja-yaväìkuçädyaiù
In the cowherd pasture Akrüra saw the footprints of those feet whose pure
dust the rulers of all the planets in the universe hold on their crowns. Those
footprints of the Lord, distinguished by such marks as the lotus, barleycorn and
elephant goad, made the ground wonderfully beautiful.
26-tad-darçanähläda-vivåddha-sambhramaù
premëordhva-romäçru-kaläkulekñaëaù
rathäd avaskandya sa teñv aceñöata
prabhor amüny aìghri-rajäàsy aho iti
Increasingly agitated by ecstasy at seeing the Lord’s footprints, his bodily
hairs standing on end because of his pure love, and his eyes filled with tears,
Akrüra jumped down from his chariot and began rolling about among those
footprints, exclaiming, “Ah, this is the dust from my master’s feet!”
27–dehaà-bhåtäm iyän artho
hitvä dambhaà bhiyaà çucam
sandeçäd yo harer liìgadarçana-
çravaëädibhiù
The very goal of life for all embodied beings is this ecstasy, which Akrüra
experienced when, upon receiving Kaàsa’s order, he put aside all pride, fear
and lamentation and absorbed himself in seeing, hearing and describing the
things that reminded him of Lord Kåñëa.
28/29/30/31/32/33–dadarça kåñëaà rämaà ca
vraje go-dohanaà gatau
péta-nélämbara-dharau
çarad-amburahekñaëau
kiçorau çyämala-çvetau
çré-niketau båhad-bhujau
su-mukhau sundara-varau
bala-dvirada-vikramau
dhvaja-vajräìkuçämbhojaiç
cihnitair aìghribhir vrajam
çobhayantau mahätmänau
sänukroça-smitekñaëau
udära-rucira-kréòau
sragviëau vana-mälinau
puëya-gandhänuliptäìgau
snätau viraja-väsasau
pradhäna-puruñäv ädyau
jagad-dhetü jagat-paté
avatérëau jagaty-arthe
sväàçena bala-keçavau
diço vitimirä räjan
kurväëau prabhayä svayä
yathä märakataù çailo
raupyaç ca kanakäcitau
Akrüra then saw Kåñëa and Balaräma in the village of Vraja, going to milk
the cows. Kåñëa wore yellow garments, Balaräma blue, and Their eyes
resembled autumnal lotuses. One of those two mighty-armed youths, the
shelters of the goddess of fortune, had a dark-blue complexion, and the other’s
was white. With Their fine-featured faces They were the most beautiful of all
persons. As They walked with the gait of young elephants, glancing about with
compassionate smiles, Those two exalted personalities beautified the cow
pasture with the impressions of Their feet, which bore the marks of the flag,
lightning bolt, elephant goad and lotus. The two Lords, whose pastimes are most
magnanimous and attractive, were ornamented with jeweled necklaces and
flower garlands, anointed with auspicious, fragrant substances, freshly bathed,
and dressed in spotless raiment. They were the primeval Supreme Personalities,
the masters and original causes of the universes, who had for the welfare of the
earth now descended in Their distinct forms of Keçava and Balaräma. O King
Parékñit, They resembled two gold-bedecked mountains, one of emerald and the
other of silver, as with Their effulgence They dispelled the sky’s darkness in all
directions.
34–rathät türëam avaplutya
so ‘krüraù sneha-vihvalaù
papäta caraëopänte
daëòa-vad räma-kåñëayoù
Akrüra, overwhelmed with affection, quickly jumped down from his chariot
and fell at the feet of Kåñëa and Balaräma like a rod.
35–bhagavad-darçanähläda1065
bäñpa-paryäkulekñaëaù
pulakacitäìga autkaëöhyät
sväkhyäne näçakan nåpa
The joy of seeing the Supreme Lord flooded Akrüra’s eyes with tears and
decorated his limbs with eruptions of ecstasy. He felt such eagerness that he
could not speak to present himself, O King.
36–bhagaväàs tam abhipretya
rathäìgäìkita-päëinä
parirebhe ‘bhyupäkåñya
prétaù praëata-vatsalaù
Recognizing Akrüra, Lord Kåñëa drew him close with His hand, which bears
the sign of the chariot wheel, and then embraced him. Kåñëa felt pleased, for
He is always benignly disposed toward His surrendered devotees.
37/38–saìkarñaëaç ca praëatam
upaguhya mahä-manäù
gåhétvä päëinä päëé
anayat sänujo gåham
påñövätha sv-ägataà tasmai
nivedya ca varäsanam
prakñälya vidhi-vat pädau
madhu-parkärhaëam äharat
As Akrüra stood with his head bowed, Lord Saìkarñaëa [Balaräma] grasped
his joined hands, and then Balaräma took him to His house in the company of
Lord Kåñëa. After inquiring from Akrüra whether his trip had been
comfortable, Balaräma offered him a first-class seat, bathed his feet in
accordance with the injunctions of scripture and respectfully served him milk
with honey
39–nivedya gäà cätithaye
saàvähya çräntam äòåtaù
annaà bahu-guëaà medhyaà
çraddhayopäharad vibhuù
The almighty Lord Balaräma presented Akrüra with the gift of a cow,
massaged his feet to relieve him of fatigue and then with great respect and faith
fed him suitably prepared food of various fine tastes.
40–tasmai bhuktavate prétyä
rämaù parama-dharma-vit
makha-väsair gandha-mälyaiù
paräà prétià vyadhät punaù
When Akrüra had eaten to his satisfaction,, Lord Balaräma, the supreme
knower of religious duties, offered him aromatic herbs for sweetening his
mouth, along with fragrances and flower garlands. Thus Akrüra once again
enjoyed the highest pleasure.
41–papraccha sat-kåtaà nandaù
kathaà stha niranugrahe
kaàse jévati däçärha
sauna-pälä ivävayaù
Nanda Mahäräja asked Akrüra: O descendant of Daçärha, how are all of you
maintaining yourselves while that merciless Kaàsa remains alive? You are just
like sheep under the care of a butcher.
42–yo ‘vadhét sva-svasus tokän
kroçantyä asu-tåp khalaù
kià nu svit tat-prajänäà vaù
kuçalaà vimåçämahe
That cruel, self-serving Kaàsa murdered the infants of his own sister in her
presence, even as she cried in anguish. So why should we even ask about the
well-being of you, his subjects?
43–itthaà sünåtayä väcä
nandena su-sabhäjitaù
akrüraù paripåñöena
jahäv adhva-pariçramam
Honored by Nanda Mahäräja with these true and pleasing words of inquiry,
Akrüra forgot the fatigue of his journey.
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