Akrura's Arrival in Vrindavana

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.38.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच अक्रूरोऽपि च तां रात्रिं मधुपुर्यां महामतिः । उषित्वा रथमास्थाय प्रययौ नन्दगोकुलम् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca akrūro ’pi ca tāṁ rātriṁ madhu-puryāṁ mahā-matiḥ uṣitvā ratham āsthāya prayayau nanda-gokulam

Shri Shuka said: Akrura, the noble-minded one, having spent that night in the city of Mathura, mounted his chariot and set out for Nanda’s cowherd village.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.38.2)

गच्छन्पथि महाभागो भगवत्यम्बुजेक्षणे । भक्तिं परामुपगत एवमेतदचिन्तयत् ॥ २ ॥

gacchan pathi mahā-bhāgo bhagavaty ambujekṣaṇe bhaktiṁ parām upagata evam etad acintayat

As he traveled along the road, the greatly fortunate Akrura, overtaken by supreme devotion for the lotus-eyed Lord, began to think as follows.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.38.3)

किं मयाचरितं भद्रं किं तप्तं परमं तपः । किं वाथाप्यर्हते दत्तं यद्द्रक्ष्याम्यद्य केशवम् ॥ ३ ॥

kiṁ mayācaritaṁ bhadraṁ kiṁ taptaṁ paramaṁ tapaḥ kiṁ vāthāpy arhate dattaṁ yad drakṣyāmy adya keśavam

‘What good deed have I performed, what supreme austerity endured, or what gift given to the deserving, that today I am to see Keshava?’

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.38.4)

ममैतद् दुर्लभं मन्य उत्तमःश्लोकदर्शनम् । विषयात्मनो यथा ब्रह्मकीर्तनं शूद्रजन्मनः ॥ ४ ॥

mamaitad durlabhaṁ manya uttamaḥ-śloka-darśanam viṣayātmano yathā brahma- kīrtanaṁ śūdra-janmanaḥ

‘I consider this sight of the Lord, praised in the finest verse, as difficult for me to attain as the chanting of the Vedas would be for one born a shudra and absorbed in sense-pleasure.’

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.38.5)

मैवं ममाधमस्यापि स्यादेवाच्युतदर्शनम् । ह्रियमाणः कालनद्या क्वचित्तरति कश्चन ॥ ५ ॥

maivaṁ mamādhamasyāpi syād evācyuta-darśanam hriyamāṇaḥ kala-nadyā kvacit tarati kaścana

‘But no — even for a wretch like me, the vision of the infallible Lord may well come about; for one being swept along by the river of time does, on occasion, manage to cross to the far shore.’

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.38.6)

ममाद्यामङ्गलं नष्टं फलवांश्चैव मे भवः । यन्नमस्ये भगवतो योगिध्येयाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजम् ॥ ६ ॥

mamādyāmaṅgalaṁ naṣṭaṁ phalavāṁś caiva me bhavaḥ yan namasye bhagavato yogi-dhyeyānghri-paṅkajam

‘Today my misfortune is destroyed, and my birth has truly borne fruit, since I am about to bow down to the lotus feet of the Lord, upon which yogis meditate.’

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.38.7)

कंसो बताद्याकृत मेऽत्यनुग्रहं द्रक्ष्येऽङ्घ्रिपद्मं प्रहितोऽमुना हरेः । कृतावतारस्य दुरत्ययं तमः पूर्वेऽतरन् यन्नखमण्डलत्विषा ॥ ७ ॥

kaṁso batādyākṛta me ’ty-anugrahaṁ drakṣye ’ṅghri-padmaṁ prahito ’munā hareḥ kṛtāvatārasya duratyayaṁ tamaḥ pūrve ’taran yan-nakha-maṇḍala-tviṣā

‘Truly, Kamsa has done me an immense favor today: sent by him, I shall see the lotus feet of Hari, now descended among us — those very feet by whose radiant toenails the people of old crossed the otherwise insurmountable darkness of ignorance.’

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.38.8)

यदर्चितं ब्रह्मभवादिभिः सुरैः श्रिया च देव्या मुनिभिः ससात्वतैः । गोचारणायानुचरैश्चरद्वने यद् गोपिकानां कुचकुङ्कुमाङ्कितम् ॥ ८ ॥

yad arcitaṁ brahma-bhavādibhiḥ suraiḥ śriyā ca devyā munibhiḥ sa-sātvataiḥ go-cāraṇāyānucaraiś carad vane yad gopikānāṁ kuca-kuṅkumāṅkitam

‘Those are the feet worshipped by Brahma, Shiva and the other gods, by the goddess Shri, and by the sages and devotees; the feet that wander the forest tending cows with His companions, and that bear the mark of kumkum from the breasts of the gopis.’

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.38.9)

द्रक्ष्यामि नूनं सुकपोलनासिकं स्मितावलोकारुणकञ्जलोचनम् । मुखं मुकुन्दस्य गुडालकावृतं प्रदक्षिणं मे प्रचरन्ति वै मृगाः ॥ ९ ॥

drakṣyāmi nūnaṁ su-kapola-nāsikaṁ smitāvalokāruṇa-kañja-locanam mukhaṁ mukundasya guḍālakāvṛtaṁ pradakṣiṇaṁ me pracaranti vai mṛgāḥ

‘I shall surely see the face of Mukunda — fine of cheek and nose, its glances smiling, its eyes like reddish lotuses, framed by curling locks — for indeed the deer are passing me on my right.’

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.38.10)

अप्यद्य विष्णोर्मनुजत्वमीयुषो भारावताराय भुवो निजेच्छया । लावण्यधाम्नो भवितोपलम्भनं मह्यं न न स्यात् फलमञ्जसा दृशः ॥ १० ॥

apy adya viṣṇor manujatvam īyuṣo bhārāvatārāya bhuvo nijecchayā lāvaṇya-dhāmno bhavitopalambhanaṁ mahyaṁ na na syāt phalam añjasā dṛśaḥ

‘And today shall not the fruit of my eyes’ existence truly and directly come about — the vision of Vishnu, the very abode of loveliness, who by His own will has assumed a human form to lighten the earth’s burden?’

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.38.11)

य ईक्षिताहंरहितोऽप्यसत्सतोः स्वतेजसापास्ततमोभिदाभ्रमः । स्वमाययात्मन् रचितैस्तदीक्षया प्राणाक्षधीभिः सदनेष्वभीयते ॥ ११ ॥

ya īkṣitāhaṁ-rahito ’py asat-satoḥ sva-tejasāpāsta-tamo-bhidā-bhramaḥ sva-māyayātman racitais tad-īkṣayā prāṇākṣa-dhībhiḥ sadaneṣv abhīyate

‘He who witnesses both cause and effect yet is untouched by any false identification with them; who by His own power has dispelled the darkness of ignorance and the illusion of separateness; who, through His own creative energy, glancing upon the beings fashioned within Himself, is inferred to dwell within their bodies through the workings of their life-breath, senses and intellect.’

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.38.12)

यस्याखिलामीवहभिः सुमङ्गलै- र्वाचो विमिश्रा गुणकर्मजन्मभिः । प्राणन्ति शुम्भन्ति पुनन्ति वै जगत् यास्तद्विरक्ताः शवशोभना मताः ॥ १२ ॥

yasyākhilāmīva-habhiḥ su-maṅgalaiḥ vāco vimiśrā guṇa-karma-janmabhiḥ prāṇanti śumbhanti punanti vai jagat yās tad-viraktāḥ śava-śobhanā matāḥ

‘Words joined with His qualities, deeds and appearances — most auspicious, destroying every affliction — truly give life to the universe, adorn it and purify it; while words bereft of Him are counted as nothing more than ornaments on a corpse.’

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.38.13)

स चावतीर्णः किल सात्वतान्वये स्वसेतुपालामरवर्यशर्मकृत् । यशो वितन्वन् व्रज आस्त ईश्वरो गायन्ति देवा यदशेषमङ्गलम् ॥ १३ ॥

sa cāvatīrṇaḥ kila satvatānvaye sva-setu-pālāmara-varya-śarma-kṛt yaśo vitanvan vraja āsta īśvaro gāyanti devā yad aśeṣa-maṅgalam

‘And that same Lord, having indeed descended into the line of the Satvatas, delighting the greatest of the immortals who uphold the sacred codes He Himself established, now dwells in Vraja, spreading a fame that the very gods sing of — a fame that brings good fortune to all.’

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.38.14)

तं त्वद्य नूनं महतां गतिं गुरुं त्रैलोक्यकान्तं दृशिमन्महोत्सवम् । रूपं दधानं श्रिय ईप्सितास्पदं द्रक्ष्ये ममासन्नुषसः सुदर्शनाः ॥ १४ ॥

taṁ tv adya nūnaṁ mahatāṁ gatiṁ guruṁ trailokya-kāntaṁ dṛśiman-mahotsavam rūpaṁ dadhānaṁ śriya īpsitāspadaṁ drakṣye mamāsann uṣasaḥ su-darśanāḥ

‘Him I shall surely see today — the destination and preceptor of great souls, the beloved of all three worlds, a great festival to every eye, bearing that form which is the very refuge desired by the goddess Shri — for now the dawns of my life have become auspicious to behold.’

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.38.15)

अथावरूढः सपदीशयो रथात् प्रधानपुंसोश्चरणं स्वलब्धये । धिया धृतं योगिभिरप्यहं ध्रुवं नमस्य आभ्यां च सखीन् वनौकसः ॥ १५ ॥

athāvarūḍhaḥ sapadīśayo rathāt pradhāna-puṁsoś caraṇaṁ sva-labdhaye dhiyā dhṛtaṁ yogibhir apy ahaṁ dhruvaṁ namasya ābhyāṁ ca sakhīn vanaukasaḥ

‘Then, alighting at once from my chariot, I shall — for the sake of my own fulfillment — bow down to the feet of those two foremost Persons, the very feet that yogis hold fixed within their minds; and I shall surely offer obeisance also to Their friends, the dwellers of the forest.’

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.38.16)

अप्यङ्घ्रिमूले पतितस्य मे विभुः शिरस्यधास्यन्निजहस्तपङ्कजम् । दत्ताभयं कालभुजाङ्गरंहसा प्रोद्वेजितानां शरणैषिणां नृणाम् ॥ १६ ॥

apy aṅghri-mūle patitasya me vibhuḥ śirasy adhāsyan nija-hasta-paṅkajam dattābhayaṁ kāla-bhujāṅga-raṁhasā prodvejitānāṁ śaraṇaiṣiṇāṁ ṇṛnām

‘And when I have fallen at the base of His feet, the almighty Lord will surely place His lotus hand upon my head — that same hand which grants fearlessness to those men, tormented by the swift onrush of the serpent of time, who come seeking shelter.’

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.38.17)

समर्हणं यत्र निधाय कौशिक- स्तथा बलिश्चाप जगत्त्रयेन्द्रताम् । यद्वा विहारे व्रजयोषितां श्रमं स्पर्शेन सौगन्धिकगन्ध्यपानुदत् ॥ १७ ॥

samarhaṇaṁ yatra nidhāya kauśikas tathā baliś cāpa jagat-trayendratām yad vā vihāre vraja-yoṣitāṁ śramaṁ sparśena saugandhika-gandhy apānudat

‘Into that same hand Kaushika [Indra] and Bali once placed their offerings and thereby won lordship over the three worlds; and that same hand, in the sport of the dance, wiped away the weariness of the Vraja women, and through their touch grew as fragrant as a saugandhika blossom.’

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.38.18)

न मय्युपैष्यत्यरिबुद्धिमच्युतः कंसस्य दूतः प्रहितोऽपि विश्वदृक् । योऽन्तर्बहिश्चेतस एतदीहितं क्षेत्रज्ञ ईक्षत्यमलेन चक्षुषा ॥ १८ ॥

na mayy upaiṣyaty ari-buddhim acyutaḥ kaṁsasya dūtaḥ prahito ’pi viśva-dṛk yo ’ntar bahiś cetasa etad īhitaṁ kṣetra-jña īkṣaty amalena cakṣuṣā

‘The infallible Lord will not think of me as an enemy, even though I come sent as Kamsa’s messenger — for He is the witness of all things, and as the knower of the field of the body, He perceives with flawless vision whatever is intended, both within the heart and without.’

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.38.19)

अप्यङ्घ्रिमूलेऽवहितं कृताञ्जलिं मामीक्षिता सस्मितमार्द्रया दृशा । सपद्यपध्वस्तसमस्तकिल्बिषो वोढा मुदं वीतविशङ्क ऊर्जिताम् ॥ १९ ॥

apy aṅghri-mūle ’vahitaṁ kṛtāñjaliṁ mām īkṣitā sa-smitam ārdrayā dṛśā sapady apadhvasta-samasta-kilbiṣo voḍhā mudaṁ vīta-viśaṅka ūrjitām

‘And when He looks upon me — standing fixed with joined palms at the base of His feet — with a smiling, tender glance, all my offenses will at once be wiped away, and I shall carry away an intense joy, free of every doubt.’

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.38.20)

सुहृत्तमं ज्ञातिमनन्यदैवतं दोर्भ्यां बृहद्भ्यां परिरप्स्यतेऽथ माम् । आत्मा हि तीर्थीक्रियते तदैव मे बन्धश्च कर्मात्मक उच्छ्वसित्यतः ॥ २० ॥

suhṛttamaṁ jñātim ananya-daivataṁ dorbhyāṁ bṛhadbhyāṁ parirapsyate ’tha mām ātmā hi tīrthī-kriyate tadaiva me bandhaś ca karmātmaka ucchvasity ataḥ

‘Then He will embrace me with His two mighty arms, taking me for a most cherished well-wisher and kinsman who has no other deity — and by that very embrace my body will become sanctified, and this bondage born of my own actions will be loosened.’

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.38.21)

लब्ध्वाङ्गसङ्गं प्रणतं कृताञ्जलिं मां वक्ष्यतेऽक्रूर ततेत्युरुश्रवाः । तदा वयं जन्मभृतो महीयसा नैवादृतो यो धिगमुष्य जन्म तत् ॥ २१ ॥

labdhvāṅga-saṅgam praṇatam kṛtāñjaliṁ māṁ vakṣyate ’krūra tatety uruśravāḥ tadā vayaṁ janma-bhṛto mahīyasā naivādṛto yo dhig amuṣya janma tat

‘Having embraced me as I stand bowed with folded palms, the Lord of boundless fame will say to me, “Akrura, dear kinsman” — and then indeed my birth will bear its highest fruit; for the birth of one whom the Supreme fails to so honor is to be pitied indeed.’

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.38.22)

न तस्य कश्चिद् दयितः सुहृत्तमो न चाप्रियो द्वेष्य उपेक्ष्य एव वा । तथापि भक्तान् भजते यथा तथा सुरद्रुमो यद्वदुपाश्रितोऽर्थदः ॥ २२ ॥

na tasya kaścid dayitaḥ suhṛttamo na cāpriyo dveṣya upekṣya eva vā tathāpi bhaktān bhajate yathā tathā sura-drumo yadvad upāśrito ’rtha-daḥ

‘He has no one who is especially dear to Him, no dearest friend; nor does He hold anyone unloved, hated or beneath regard — yet He reciprocates with His devotees according to how each approaches Him, just as a wish-fulfilling tree of heaven grants the desire of whoever comes near it.’

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.38.23)

किं चाग्रजो मावनतं यदूत्तमः स्मयन् परिष्वज्य गृहीतमञ्जलौ । गृहं प्रवेष्याप्तसमस्तसत्कृतं सम्प्रक्ष्यते कंसकृतं स्वबन्धुषु ॥ २३ ॥

kiṁ cāgrajo māvanataṁ yadūttamaḥ smayan pariṣvajya gṛhītam añjalau gṛhaṁ praveṣyāpta-samasta-satkṛtaṁ samprakṣyate kaṁsa-kṛtaṁ sva-bandhuṣu

‘And more — His elder brother, foremost of the Yadus, will smile and take hold of my folded hands as I stand bowed, embrace me, and lead me into His house; and having there received every mark of hospitality, He will ask me what Kamsa has done to His own kinsfolk.’

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.38.24)

श्रीशुक उवाच इति सञ्चिन्तयन्कृष्णं श्वफल्कतनयोऽध्वनि । रथेन गोकुलं प्राप्तः सूर्यश्चास्तगिरिं नृप ॥ २४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti sañcintayan kṛṣṇaṁ śvaphalka-tanayo ’dhvani rathena gokulaṁ prāptaḥ sūryaś cāsta-giriṁ nṛpa

Shri Shuka said: Thus meditating upon Krishna all along the road, the son of Shvaphalka reached Gokula by chariot, O King, just as the sun was nearing the mountain where it sets.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.38.25)

पदानि तस्याखिललोकपाल- किरीटजुष्टामलपादरेणोः । ददर्श गोष्ठे क्षितिकौतुकानि विलक्षितान्यब्जयवाङ्कुशाद्यैः ॥ २५ ॥

padāni tasyākhila-loka-pāla- kirīṭa-juṣṭāmala-pāda-reṇoḥ dadarśa goṣṭhe kṣiti-kautukāni vilakṣitāny abja-yavāṅkuśādyaiḥ

In the pasture he saw the footprints of Him whose pure foot-dust is worn upon the crowns of all the guardians of the worlds — footprints that made the earth wondrous, marked as they were, quite distinctly, with the lotus, the barleycorn, the goad and other such signs.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.38.26)

तद्दर्शनाह्लादविवृद्धसम्भ्रमः प्रेम्णोर्ध्वरोमाश्रुकलाकुलेक्षणः । रथादवस्कन्द्य स तेष्वचेष्टत प्रभोरमून्यङ्घ्रिरजांस्यहो इति ॥ २६ ॥

tad-darśanāhlāda-vivṛddha-sambhramaḥ premṇordhva-romāśru-kalākulekṣaṇaḥ rathād avaskandya sa teṣv aceṣṭata prabhor amūny aṅghri-rajāṁsy aho iti

His agitation swelling with the joy of that sight, the hairs of his body standing on end from pure love, his eyes brimming with tears, he leapt down from his chariot and rolled about among those footprints, crying, ‘Ah — this is the very dust of my Master’s feet!’

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.38.27)

देहंभृतामियानर्थो हित्वा दम्भं भियं शुचम् । सन्देशाद् यो हरेर्लिङ्गदर्शनश्रवणादिभिः ॥ २७ ॥

dehaṁ-bhṛtām iyān artho hitvā dambhaṁ bhiyaṁ śucam sandeśād yo harer liṅga- darśana-śravaṇādibhiḥ

This alone is the true goal of embodied beings — the very ecstasy that came to him who, at Kamsa’s own command, cast aside pride, fear and grief, through simply seeing, hearing of, and dwelling upon the signs of Hari.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.38.28)

ददर्श कृष्णं रामं च व्रजे गोदोहनं गतौ । पीतनीलाम्बरधरौ शरदम्बुरुहेक्षणौ ॥ २८ ॥

dadarśa kṛṣṇaṁ rāmaṁ ca vraje go-dohanaṁ gatau pīta-nīlāmbara-dharau śarad-amburahekṣaṇau

He saw Krishna and Rama in Vraja, on their way to the milking of the cows, clad in yellow and blue garments, Their eyes like autumn lotuses.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.38.29)

किशोरौ श्यामलश्वेतौ श्रीनिकेतौ बृहद्भुजौ । सुमुखौ सुन्दरवरौ बलद्विरदविक्रमौ ॥ २९ ॥

kiśorau śyāmala-śvetau śrī-niketau bṛhad-bhujau su-mukhau sundara-varau bala-dvirada-vikramau

Two youths, one dark and one fair, abodes of the goddess Shri, mighty-armed, fine of face, most beautiful, moving with the gait of powerful young elephants.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.38.30)

ध्वजवज्राङ्कुशाम्भोजैश्चिह्नितैरङ्घ्रिभिर्व्रजम् । शोभयन्तौ महात्मानौ सानुक्रोशस्मितेक्षणौ ॥ ३० ॥

dhvaja-vajrāṅkuśāmbhojaiś cihnitair aṅghribhir vrajam śobhayantau mahātmānau sānukrośa-smitekṣaṇau

With Their feet marked by the flag, the thunderbolt, the goad and the lotus, those two great souls beautified Vraja, Their glances smiling and full of compassion.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.38.31)

उदाररुचिरक्रीडौ स्रग्विणौ वनमालिनौ । पुण्यगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गौ स्नातौ विरजवाससौ ॥ ३१ ॥

udāra-rucira-krīḍau sragviṇau vana-mālinau puṇya-gandhānuliptāṅgau snātau viraja-vāsasau

Their sport magnanimous and delightful, wearing garlands and strands of forest flowers, Their limbs anointed with sacred fragrances, freshly bathed and dressed in spotless garments.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.38.32)

प्रधानपुरुषावाद्यौ जगद्धेतू जगत्पती । अवतीर्णौ जगत्यर्थे स्वांशेन बलकेशवौ ॥ ३२ ॥

pradhāna-puruṣāv ādyau jagad-dhetū jagat-patī avatīrṇau jagaty-arthe svāṁśena bala-keśavau

The two foremost, primeval Persons, the causes of the universe, its two masters — Bala and Keshava — had descended in Their own portions for the sake of the world.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.38.33)

दिशो वितिमिरा राजन्कुर्वाणौ प्रभया स्वया । यथा मारकतः शैलो रौप्यश्च कनकाचितौ ॥ ३३ ॥

diśo vitimirā rājan kurvāṇau prabhayā svayā yathā mārakataḥ śailo raupyaś ca kanakācitau

Dispelling the darkness in every direction by Their own radiance, O King, They shone like two mountains, one of emerald and one of silver, both adorned with gold.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.10.38.34)

रथात्तूर्णमवप्लुत्य सोऽक्रूरः स्नेहविह्वलः । पपात चरणोपान्ते दण्डवद् रामकृष्णयोः ॥ ३४ ॥

rathāt tūrṇam avaplutya so ’krūraḥ sneha-vihvalaḥ papāta caraṇopānte daṇḍa-vad rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ

Leaping down at once from his chariot, Akrura, overwhelmed with affection, fell flat like a rod at the feet of Rama and Krishna.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.10.38.35)

भगवद् दर्शनाह्लादबाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणः । पुलकाचिताङ्ग औत्कण्ठ्यात्स्वाख्याने नाशकन्नृप ॥ ३५ ॥

bhagavad-darśanāhlāda- bāṣpa-paryākulekṣaṇaḥ pulakacitāṅga autkaṇṭhyāt svākhyāne nāśakan nṛpa

His eyes overflowing with tears at the joy of beholding the Lord, his body covered in goosebumps, he was, out of sheer eagerness, unable even to introduce himself, O King.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.10.38.36)

भगवांस्तमभिप्रेत्य रथाङ्गाङ्कितपाणिना । परिरेभेऽभ्युपाकृष्य प्रीतः प्रणतवत्सलः ॥ ३६ ॥

bhagavāṁs tam abhipretya rathāṅgāṅkita-pāṇinā parirebhe ’bhyupākṛṣya prītaḥ praṇata-vatsalaḥ

Recognizing him, the Lord drew him close with His hand marked by the wheel-sign and, pleased, embraced him — for He is ever affectionate toward those who bow before Him.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.10.38.37)

सङ्कर्षणश्च प्रणतमुपगुह्य महामनाः । गृहीत्वा पाणिना पाणी अनत्सानुजो गृहम् ॥ ३७ ॥

saṅkarṣaṇaś ca praṇatam upaguhya mahā-manāḥ gṛhītvā pāṇinā pāṇī anayat sānujo gṛham

And the noble Sankarshana, embracing him as he bowed, took Akrura’s two hands in His own and, together with His younger brother, led him into the house.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.10.38.38)

पृष्ट्वाथ स्वागतं तस्मै निवेद्य च वरासनम् । प्रक्षाल्य विधिवत् पादौ मधुपर्कार्हणमाहरत् ॥ ३८ ॥

pṛṣṭvātha sv-āgataṁ tasmai nivedya ca varāsanam prakṣālya vidhi-vat pādau madhu-parkārhaṇam āharat

Then, having asked whether his journey had gone well, and having offered him an excellent seat, and having washed his feet according to proper rite, He brought him the honored guest-offering of madhuparka.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.10.38.39)

निवेद्य गां चातिथये संवाह्य श्रान्तमादृतः । अन्नं बहुगुणं मेध्यं श्रद्धयोपाहरद् विभुः ॥ ३९ ॥

nivedya gāṁ cātithaye saṁvāhya śrāntam āḍṛtaḥ annaṁ bahu-guṇaṁ medhyaṁ śraddhayopāharad vibhuḥ

And having presented a cow to his guest, and lovingly massaged the weary Akrura, the almighty Lord faithfully served him food rich in many fine qualities.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.10.38.40)

तस्मै भुक्तवते प्रीत्या रामः परमधर्मवित् । मखवासैर्गन्धमाल्यैः परां प्रीतिं व्यधात्पुनः ॥ ४० ॥

tasmai bhuktavate prītyā rāmaḥ parama-dharma-vit makha-vāsair gandha-mālyaiḥ parāṁ prītiṁ vyadhāt punaḥ

To him, once he had eaten, Rama — supreme knower of righteous duty — lovingly arranged still further satisfaction, with mouth-fresheners, fragrant scents and garlands.

Verse 41 (bhagavata.10.38.41)

पप्रच्छ सत्कृतं नन्दः कथं स्थ निरनुग्रहे । कंसे जीवति दाशार्ह सौनपाला इवावयः ॥ ४१ ॥

papraccha sat-kṛtaṁ nandaḥ kathaṁ stha niranugrahe kaṁse jīvati dāśārha sauna-pālā ivāvayaḥ

Nanda then asked the honored guest, ‘O descendant of Dashārha, with that merciless Kamsa still alive, how do you all manage — like sheep in the keeping of a butcher?’

Verse 42 (bhagavata.10.38.42)

योऽवधीत्स्वस्वसुस्तोकान्क्रोशन्त्या असुतृप्खलः । किं नु स्वित्तत्प्रजानां वः कुशलं विमृशामहे ॥ ४२ ॥

yo ’vadhīt sva-svasus tokān krośantyā asu-tṛp khalaḥ kiṁ nu svit tat-prajānāṁ vaḥ kuśalaṁ vimṛśāmahe

‘That self-indulgent, cruel man, who slaughtered his own sister’s babies as she wept and cried out — what, indeed, are we to imagine of the well-being of you, his subjects?’

Verse 43 (bhagavata.10.38.43)

इत्थं सूनृतया वाचा नन्देन सुसभाजितः । अक्रूरः परिपृष्टेन जहावध्वपरिश्रमम् ॥ ४३ ॥

itthaṁ sūnṛtayā vācā nandena su-sabhājitaḥ akrūraḥ paripṛṣṭena jahāv adhva-pariśramam

Thus warmly honored by Nanda with truthful and pleasing words, and thus questioned by him, Akrura set aside all the weariness of his journey.