Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 41

Akrūra’s Mission: The Departure from Vraja and the Yamunā Vision of Viṣṇu-Ananta

Devanagari script

निमज्ज्य तस्मिन्सलिले जपन्ब्रह्म सनातनम् । तावेव दद‍ृशेऽक्रूरो रामकृष्णौ समन्वितौ ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

nimajjya tasmin salile japan brahma sanātanam tāv eva dadṛśe ’krūro rāma-kṛṣṇau samanvitau

Translation

Al sumergirse en el agua y recitar los mantras védicos eternos, Akrūra vio de pronto ante sí a Balarāma y a Śrī Kṛṣṇa juntos.

Synonyms

• निमज्ज्य: having dipped/immersed
• निमज्ज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन; उपसर्ग: नि-; ‘having immersed/dipped’

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun ‘in that’

• सलिले: in the water
• सलिले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• जपन्: chanting
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘chanting’

• ब्रह्म: the Brahman / sacred formula
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘ब्रह्म’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; ‘those two’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis ‘indeed/just’

• ददृशे: saw
• ददृशे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘he saw’

• अक्रूरः: Akrūra
• अक्रूरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• रामकृष्णौ: Rama and Krishna
• रामकृष्णौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; ‘Rāma and Kṛṣṇa’

• समन्वितौ: accompanied
• समन्वितौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; √इ ‘to go’ से क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘accompanied/attended’ (qualifies रामकृष्णौ)

Characters & Entities

• Akrura
• Balarama (Rama)
• Krishna (Krsna)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Akrura’s vision of Krishna and Balarama?

This verse states that after immersing in the water and chanting the eternal Brahman, Akrura directly beheld Rāma and Kṛṣṇa together—showing that sincere devotion culminates in divine darśana.

Why did Akrura chant ‘the eternal Brahman’ before seeing Krishna and Balarama?

Akrura’s prayerful japa and purification through water immersion prepared his consciousness; the Bhagavatam then shows that realization of the Absolute reaches its fullness when the personal Lord, Kṛṣṇa (with Balarāma), is revealed.

How can this shloka be applied in modern spiritual practice?

Regular japa with a purified, prayerful mind—combined with humility—cultivates inner clarity, making one receptive to the Lord’s presence and guidance in daily life.