Shloka 111
अक्रूरः पेशलो दक्षो दक्षिण: क्षमिणां वर: । विद्वत्तमो वीतभय: पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन:
akrūraḥ peśalo dakṣo dakṣiṇaḥ kṣamiṇāṃ varaḥ | vidvattamo vītabhayaḥ puṇyaśravaṇakīrtanaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Ia Akrura—bebas dari segala kekejaman; lembut dan elok dalam pikiran, tutur, dan perbuatan; cakap dan tangkas, sanggup menuntaskan tugas besar dengan cepat; dermawan dan murah hati; yang terbaik di antara para pemaaf; yang paling berilmu di antara kaum berilmu; tanpa takut; dan sedemikian suci sehingga mendengar serta melantunkan nama, sifat, kemuliaan, dan hakikat-Nya menyucikan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches an ethical ideal: true excellence combines gentleness (non-cruelty, forgiveness), competence (skill and effectiveness), generosity, learning, and fearlessness. Such integrated virtue makes a person worthy of being remembered and praised, and even the act of recalling such goodness becomes spiritually purifying.
In Bhishma’s discourse in the Anushasana Parva, he is describing and extolling Akrura by listing his exemplary qualities. The focus is not on an event but on character assessment—presenting Akrura as a model of dharmic conduct.