Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 35

Akrūra’s Journey to Vraja and His Devotional Vision of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma

Devanagari script

भगवद् दर्शनाह्लादबाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षण: । पुलकाचिताङ्ग औत्कण्ठ्यात्स्वाख्याने नाशकन्नृप ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

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

Translation

The joy of seeing the Supreme Lord flooded Akrūra’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.

Synonyms

• bhagavat-darśana-āhlāda-bāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇaḥ: whose eyes were clouded with tears of joy at seeing the Lord
• bhagavat-darśana-āhlāda-bāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇaḥ: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + āhlāda (प्रातिपदिक) + bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + paryākula (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (भगवतः दर्शनात् आह्लादः, तस्मात् बाष्पः, तेन पर्याकुलं ईक्षणं यस्य)

• pulaka-cita-aṅgaḥ: whose body was covered with horripilation
• pulaka-cita-aṅgaḥ: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pulaka (प्रातिपदिक) + cita (कृदन्त; √ci/चित्) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पुलकेन चितम् अङ्गं यस्य)

• autkaṇṭhyāt: from eagerness
• autkaṇṭhyāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: autkaṇṭhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/हेतु), एकवचन

• svākhyāne: in (his) own narration
• svākhyāne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/विषय), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वम्/सु आख्या—one’s own narration/speech)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• aśakat: was able
• aśakat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Akrūra
• Kṛṣṇa
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about symptoms of pure devotion (bhakti)?

This verse describes classic sāttvika-bhāvas—tears of joy and horripilation—arising spontaneously when a devotee beholds the Lord, showing devotion that overwhelms ordinary speech and composure.

Why was Akrura unable to speak after seeing Krishna?

Akrūra was flooded with bliss and intense longing upon Kṛṣṇa’s darśana; his emotions surged as tears and goosebumps, making him incapable of calmly narrating his experience.

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual practice?

Approach darśana, prayer, and chanting with sincerity and humility; the verse emphasizes that real spiritual experience deepens the heart and can naturally quiet the ego and speech.