Shloka 12

Kṛṣṇa Enters Mathurā: City Splendor, Devotees’ Reception, and the Washerman’s Fate

Devanagari script

आगच्छ याम गेहान्न: सनाथान्कुर्वधोक्षज । सहाग्रज: सगोपालै: सुहृद्भ‍िश्च सुहृत्तम ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

āgaccha yāma gehān naḥ sa-nāthān kurv adhokṣaja sahāgrajaḥ sa-gopālaiḥ suhṛdbhiś ca suhṛttama

Translation

Komm, o Adhokṣaja! Lass uns zu meinem Haus gehen, zusammen mit Deinem älteren Bruder, den Gopas und Deinen Gefährten. O bester Freund, o transzendenter Herr, segne mein Heim durch Deine Ankunft, damit es einen wahren Herrn habe.

Synonyms

• आगच्छ: come
• आगच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• याम: let us (two) go
• याम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), उत्तम-पुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘let us two go’

• गेहान्: homes
• गेहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नः: our
• नः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; enclitic ‘our’

• स-नाथान्: protected, having a lord
• स-नाथान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास ‘सनाथ’ = ‘with a protector’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; qualifies ‘गेहान्’

• कुरु: make
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अधोक्षज: O Adhokṣaja
• अधोक्षज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधोक्षज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa

• सह-अग्रजः: together with (your) elder brother
• सह-अग्रजः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अग्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास ‘सह अग्रजः’ = ‘together with elder brother’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (addressing/qualifying the addressee)

• स-गोपालैः: with the cowherds
• स-गोपालैः: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास ‘सगोपाल’ = ‘with the cowherd boys’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सुहृद्भिः: with friends
• सुहृद्भिः: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• सुहृत्तम: O best friend
• सुहृत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; superlative ‘best of friends’

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Akrura
• Gopas (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna as the protector of devotees?

In this verse Akrura begs Krishna to come to his home and “make us protected” (sanāthān kuru), expressing the Bhagavatam theme that the Lord personally becomes the shelter of those who surrender to Him.

Why did Akrura invite Krishna to his home in Canto 10 Chapter 41?

After reaching Mathura with Krishna and Balarama, Akrura—overwhelmed with devotion—requests the Lord to visit his house, seeing Krishna as the supreme well-wisher and desiring His presence as true protection.

Practical application of taking shelter of Krishna in modern life?

Like Akrura, a devotee seeks real security by inviting the Lord into daily life—through prayer, remembrance, and devotional practice—rather than relying solely on external arrangements for safety and peace.