Shloka 30

Akrūra’s Prayers (Akrūra-stuti): The Lord as Cause of Causes, Virāṭ, and the Goal of All Paths

Devanagari script

नमस्ते वासुदेवाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च । हृषीकेश नमस्तुभ्यं प्रपन्नं पाहि मां प्रभो ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

namas te vāsudevāya sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya ca hṛṣīkeśa namas tubhyaṁ prapannaṁ pāhi māṁ prabho

Translation

Ehrerbietung Dir, Sohn Vasudevas; in Dir finden alle Wesen Wohnung und Zuflucht. O Hṛṣīkeśa, immer wieder verneige ich mich vor Dir. Herr, ich habe mich Dir ergeben—beschütze mich.

Synonyms

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle; form: namaḥ

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic

• vāsudevāya: to Vāsudeva
• vāsudevāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya: to the (agent of) dissolution of all beings
• sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: sarveṣāṁ bhūtānāṁ kṣayaḥ = ‘dissolution/end of all beings’ (i.e., the one who brings dissolution)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• hṛṣīkeśa: O Hṛṣīkeśa
• hṛṣīkeśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle; repeated

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• prapannam: (me) surrendered
• prapannam: Karma (कर्म) of pāhi
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√pad (धातु) + prapanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Gender: Masculine/Neuter (context: speaker ‘me’ implied); meaning ‘having surrendered’

• pāhi: protect
• pāhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (पा, धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

Purport

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Fortieth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Prayers of Akrūra.”

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Hṛṣīkeśa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Krishna?

This verse models śaraṇāgati by directly addressing the Lord as Vāsudeva and Hṛṣīkeśa and pleading, “I have surrendered—please protect me,” teaching that surrender is an appeal for the Lord’s shelter and guardianship.

Why do the personified Vedas offer prayers to Vāsudeva in Canto 10 Chapter 40?

In this chapter the Śrutis glorify the Supreme Lord as the ultimate reality and refuge; here they bow to Him as Vāsudeva and as the final dissolution of all beings, acknowledging His supremacy over creation and destruction.

How can I apply “Hṛṣīkeśa—master of the senses” in modern life?

Remembering the Lord as Hṛṣīkeśa encourages sense-discipline: offer the senses in service (hearing, chanting, mindful action) and seek protection from impulses by consciously taking shelter of God through prayer and devotion.