Shloka 4

अक्रूरस्य यमुनादर्शनम्, मथुराप्रवेशः, रजकवधः, माल्यजीवकवरदानम्

Devanagari script

रामकृष्णौ च ददृशे यथापूर्वं रथे स्थितौ विस्मिताक्षस् तदाक्रूरस् तं च कृष्णो ऽभ्यभाषत

Transliteration

rāmakṛṣṇau ca dadṛśe yathāpūrvaṃ rathe sthitau vismitākṣas tadākrūras taṃ ca kṛṣṇo 'bhyabhāṣata

Translation

Then Akrūra beheld Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, seated in the chariot just as before. His eyes widened in astonishment—and Kṛṣṇa, perceiving him thus, addressed him.

Word by Word

• रामकृष्णौ: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa
• रामकृष्णौ: Karman (Object of seeing/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• ददृशे: saw
• ददृशे: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: दृश् (दर्शने)

• यथापूर्वम्: as before
• यथापूर्वम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + पूर्व (अव्ययभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; क्रियाविशेषण (as before)

• रथे: in/on the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थितौ: standing/seated
• स्थितौ: Karta-visheshana (Subject-object qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; रामकृष्णौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विस्मिताक्षः: with astonished eyes
• विस्मिताक्षः: Karta-visheshana (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (विस्मिते अक्षिणी यस्य)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• आक्रूरः: Akrūra
• आक्रूरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object of speaking/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अभ्यभाषत: spoke to/addressed
• अभ्यभाषत: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: भाष् (भाषणे) उपसर्गः अभि

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa maintains his humanlike presence while revealing divine wonder to devotees like Akrūra, strengthening faith and guiding them onward in the līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Sustaining devotees’ confidence in the Lord’s immanence—He appears ‘as before’ yet remains supremely divine.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama (Rama)
• Akrura

FAQs

What is the significance of Akrura’s astonishment in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals that Akrura has perceived something beyond ordinary appearance—an intimation of Krishna’s divinity even while the Lord remains within the flow of human-like līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s actions in this episode?

Parāśara narrates Krishna as fully in control of events—appearing “as before” outwardly, yet revealing deeper reality through Akrura’s transformed perception and Krishna’s direct address.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna’s immediate awareness and speech underscore the Purāṇic view of Vishnu as the supreme, all-knowing Lord who guides devotees, blending transcendence with approachable presence.