Shloka 25

अक्रूरस्य गोकुलगमनम्—दर्शन-लालसा, अंशावतार-बोधः, विष्णु-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

तौ दृष्ट्वा विकसद्वक्त्रसरोजः स महामतिः पुलकाञ्चितसर्वाङ्गस् तदाक्रूरो ऽभवन् मुने

Transliteration

tau dṛṣṭvā vikasadvaktrasarojaḥ sa mahāmatiḥ pulakāñcitasarvāṅgas tadākrūro 'bhavan mune

Translation

Seeing those two, the noble-minded Akrūra’s face blossomed like a lotus; and in that very moment, O sage, his entire body was covered with gooseflesh—so deeply did devotion surge within him at the sight of the divine brothers.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two (them)
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), द्विवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘दृष्ट्वा’ = having seen

• विकसद्वक्त्रसरोजः: whose lotus-like face was blooming
• विकसद्वक्त्रसरोजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकसत्-वक्त्र-सरोज (प्रातिपदिक; विकसत्(शतृ) + वक्त्र + सरोज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘विकसत् सरोजवत् वक्त्रम् यस्य’

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महामतिः: the great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-मति (प्रातिपदिक; महा + मति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘महती मतिः यस्य’

• पुलकाञ्चितसर्वाङ्गः: whose whole body was bristling with horripilation
• पुलकाञ्चितसर्वाङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुलक-अञ्चित-सर्वाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; पुलक + अञ्चित + सर्वाङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषभावः—‘पुलकेन अञ्चितं सर्वाङ्गं यस्य’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Avyaya (Adverb/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• आक्रूरः: Akrūra
• आक्रूरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रूर (प्रातिपदिक; व्यक्तिनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate, bhakti-affirming

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To draw devotees into saving grace through direct darśana, while upholding dharma by his manifest presence with Balabhadra.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Devotional order (bhagavad-bhakti) as the heart of dharma, awakened by darśana

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s darśana spontaneously awakens sāttvika-bhāvas (like pulaka), revealing devotion as an immediate grace-response rather than mere intellectual assent.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate regular darśana—through temple worship, nāma-japa, and contemplative visualization—so the heart becomes receptive to spontaneous devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is a real relation between distinct jīva and the personal Lord; divine beauty and presence are efficacious means of grace, not illusory appearances.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Akrura
• Krishna
• Balarama
• Maitreya
• Parashara

FAQs

What is the significance of Akrura’s gooseflesh and blossoming face in the Vishnu Purana?

They are classical marks of bhakti arising at darshan—showing that Akrura recognizes Krishna and Balarama not merely as princes, but as the divine presence that awakens the soul instantly.

How does Sage Parashara explain devotional experience in this episode?

Through narrative signs rather than abstract doctrine: Parashara depicts the body and mind responding spontaneously to the Lord’s presence, indicating authentic devotion and divine recognition.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Krishna (as Vishnu) is presented as the Supreme Reality whose mere sight transforms a devotee—affirming Vaishnava theology that the Lord’s grace and presence are spiritually efficacious.