Shloka 18

Akrūra’s Prayers (Akrūra-stuti): The Lord as Cause of Causes, Virāṭ, and the Goal of All Paths

Devanagari script

नम: कारणमत्स्याय प्रलयाब्धिचराय च । हयशीर्ष्णे नमस्तुभ्यं मधुकैटभमृत्यवे ॥ १७ ॥ अकूपाराय बृहते नमो मन्दरधारिणे । क्षित्युद्धारविहाराय नम: शूकरमूर्तये ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

namaḥ kāraṇa-matsyāya pralayābdhi-carāya ca hayaśīrṣṇe namas tubhyaṁ madhu-kaiṭabha-mṛtyave

Translation

ຂໍນອບນ້ອມແດ່ພຣະມັດສະຍະ ຜູ້ເປັນເຫດແຫ່ງການສ້າງ ຜູ້ວ່າຍໃນມະຫາສະໝຸດແຫ່ງປຣະລະຍ. ຂໍນອບນ້ອມແດ່ພຣະຫຍະຊີຣະ/ຫຍະກຣີວະ ຜູ້ປະຫານມະທຸ ແລະ ໄກຕະພ. ຂໍນອບນ້ອມແດ່ພຣະກູຣະມະອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ ຜູ້ທົງຮັບພູມັນທຣ. ຂໍນອບນ້ອມແດ່ພຣະວະຣາຫະ ຮູບສຸກຣ ຜູ້ສຳຣານໃນລີລາຍົກແຜ່ນດິນຂຶ້ນ.

Synonyms

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interjection/indeclinable salutation (नमः-प्रयोगः, अव्ययवत्)

• kāraṇa-matsyāya: to the primeval Fish
• kāraṇa-matsyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa + matsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pralaya-abdhi-carāya: to the one who moves in the deluge-ocean
• pralaya-abdhi-carāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya + abdhi + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थ-अव्यय)

• haya-śīrṣṇe: to Hayagrīva
• haya-śīrṣṇe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya + śīrṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana-prayoga (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interjection/indeclinable salutation (नमः-प्रयोगः)

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• madhu-kaiṭabha-mṛtyave: to the slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• madhu-kaiṭabha-mṛtyave: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu + kaiṭabha + mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

Purport

The Viśva-kośa dictionary states that the word akūpārāya indicates the king of tortoises.

Characters & Entities

• Matsya
• Hayagriva
• Madhu
• Kaitabha

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Matsya avatara and pralaya (cosmic dissolution)?

This verse worships the Lord as Matsya who moves in the ocean of dissolution, emphasizing His protection and guidance even when the universe is submerged in pralaya.

Why does Akrura praise different incarnations while going to meet Krishna and Balarama?

In this chapter Akrura’s devotion overflows as he approaches the Supreme Lord; he recognizes Krishna as the source of all avatāras and therefore offers prayers to multiple divine forms.

Practical application of remembering the Lord during ‘pralaya-like’ times in modern life?

When life feels unstable or overwhelming, this verse teaches taking shelter through prayer and remembrance, trusting the Lord as the protector who guides across every upheaval.