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Shloka 21

Akrūra’s Journey to Vraja and His Devotional Vision of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma

लब्ध्वाङ्गसङ्गं प्रणतं कृताञ्जलिं मां वक्ष्यतेऽक्रूर ततेत्युरुश्रवा: । तदा वयं जन्मभृतो महीयसा नैवाद‍ृतो यो धिगमुष्य जन्म तत् ॥ २१ ॥

labdhvāṅga-saṅgam praṇatam kṛtāñjaliṁ māṁ vakṣyate ’krūra tatety uruśravāḥ tadā vayaṁ janma-bhṛto mahīyasā naivādṛto yo dhig amuṣya janma tat

സർവപ്രസിദ്ധനായ ഭഗവാൻ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണന്റെ ആലിംഗനം ലഭിച്ച ശേഷം ഞാൻ തലകുനിച്ച് കൈകൂപ്പി വിനയത്തോടെ അവന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ നിൽക്കും. അപ്പോൾ അവൻ “പ്രിയ അക്രൂരാ” എന്നു വിളിക്കും. അതേ നിമിഷം എന്റെ ജന്മലക്ഷ്യം പൂർത്തിയാകും; പരമേശ്വരൻ അംഗീകരിക്കാത്ത ജീവിതം തീർച്ചയായും ദയനീയമാണ്।

labdhvāhaving obtained
labdhvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√labh (लभ्) (कृदन्त)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable; ‘having obtained’
aṅga-saṅgambodily contact
aṅga-saṅgam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘contact/embrace of the body’
praṇatambowed
praṇatam:
Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of person)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra-√nam (नम्) (कृदन्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘bowed down’
kṛta-añjalimwith folded hands
kṛta-añjalim:
Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛta (कृदन्त) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘with folded hands’
māmme
mām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormPronoun; Accusative, Singular
vakṣyatewill say
vakṣyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच्)
FormLuṭ/Lṛṭ (Future/लृट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular; ‘will say’
akrūraO Akrūra
akrūra:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootakrūra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular
tataO father
tata:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Roottata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular; ‘dear father’ (address)
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)
uruśravāḥthe greatly renowned (Lord)
uruśravāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rooturu-śravas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; bahuvrīhi epithet ‘of great fame’ (उरुश्रवस्)
tadāthen
tadā:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottadā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; temporal adverb
vayamwe
vayam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormPronoun; Nominative, Plural
janma-bhṛtaḥwe who are born
janma-bhṛtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to vayam)
TypeNoun
Rootjanman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘bearers of birth’ = ‘those who have taken birth’
mahīyasāby the great one
mahīyasā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; comparative ‘by the greater (one)’ i.e., by the great Lord
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; negation particle
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; restrictive particle
ādṛtaḥhonored
ādṛtaḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/predicate)
TypeAdjective
Rootā-√dṛ (दृ) (कृदन्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘honored/received’ (predicate)
yaḥwho
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormRelative pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular
dhikshame on
dhik:
Bhāva (भाव/expressive)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdhik (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; interjection of censure (निन्दार्थक निपात)
amuṣyaof that one
amuṣya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootadas (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormDemonstrative pronoun; Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of that (person)’
janmabirth
janma:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootjanman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; here as object of censure: ‘birth’
tatthat
tat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; deictic ‘that’ referring to the birth
K
Kṛṣṇa
B
Balarāma
A
Akrūra
V
Vasudeva

FAQs

This verse teaches that meeting and honoring a great devotee like Akrūra makes one’s life successful, and that failing to respect such a mahātmā makes one’s birth shameful.

Akrūra is portrayed as a great devotee coming to Vṛndāvana; Kṛṣṇa emphasizes the spiritual value of a devotee’s association and the duty to receive him with honor.

Seek saintly association, receive sincere devotees with respect, and cultivate humility—treating devotion and devotees as sacred rather than ordinary social contacts.