Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

सुखं प्रभाता रजनीयमाशिष: सत्या बभूवु: पुरयोषितां ध्रुवम् । या: संप्रविष्टस्य मुखं व्रजस्पते: पास्यन्त्यपाङ्गोत्कलितस्मितासवम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

sukhaṁ prabhātā rajanīyam āśiṣaḥ satyā babhūvuḥ pura-yoṣitāṁ dhruvam yāḥ saṁpraviṣṭasya mukhaṁ vrajas-pateḥ pāsyanty apāṅgotkalita-smitāsavam

Translation

ഈ രാത്രിക്കു ശേഷമുള്ള പ്രഭാതം മഥുരയിലെ സ്ത്രീകൾക്കു തീർച്ചയായും സുഖകരവും മംഗളകരവും ആയിരിക്കും. അവരുടെ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങൾ സഫലമാകും; കാരണം വ്രജപതി ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ നഗരത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അവർ അവന്റെ മുഖത്തിൽ നിന്ന് കണ്ണിന്റെ കോണുകളിൽ നിന്ന് പൊഴിയുന്ന പുഞ്ചിരിയുടെ അമൃതം പാനം ചെയ്യും।

Synonyms

• sukham: happiness/joy
• sukham: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; predicate noun

• prabhātā: the dawn
• prabhātā: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-bhā (प्र+भा धातु) → prabhāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP used substantively; Strīliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; ‘dawn/morning’

• rajanīyam: (after) the night
• rajanīyam: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; adjective to prabhātā: ‘belonging to the night’

• āśiṣaḥ: blessings/boons
• āśiṣaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Bahuvacana

• satyāḥ: true/fulfilled
• satyāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Bahuvacana; agrees with āśiṣaḥ

• babhūvuḥ: became/were
• babhūvuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• pura-yoṣitām: of the city-women
• pura-yoṣitām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक) + yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga yoṣit, Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive/6th), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘women of the city’

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb) ‘certainly’ (also analyzable as neut. acc. sg used adverbially)

• yāḥ: who (those women)
• yāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Strīliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Bahuvacana

• saṁpraviṣṭasya: of (him) who has entered
• saṁpraviṣṭasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-pra-viś (सम्+प्र+विश् धातु) → praviṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP, Puṁliṅga/Napuṁsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive/6th), Ekavacana; ‘of (him) who has entered’

• mukham: face
• mukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Ekavacana

• vrajaḥ-pateḥ: of the lord of Vraja
• vrajaḥ-pateḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive/6th), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘lord of Vraja’

• pāsyanti: will drink (in) / will gaze upon
• pāsyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (पा धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (periphrastic future) / simple future sense, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• apāṅga-utkalita-smita-āsavam: the nectar of a smile stirred by side-glances
• apāṅga-utkalita-smita-āsavam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + utkalita (उत्+कल्/कलय् धातु → क्त कृदन्त) + smita (प्रातिपदिक) + āsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: ‘nectar/essence of smile’ ‘arisen from side-glances’

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Vraja-pati)
• Mathura city women (pura-yoṣitaḥ)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about seeing Krishna (darśana) and its effect on devotees?

This verse describes the devotees ‘drinking’ Krishna’s face with their eyes—His glance and smile become a nectar-like experience, showing that darśana itself nourishes and awakens bhakti.

Why are the city women described as blessed when Krishna enters?

Because their heartfelt benediction—that they would behold Krishna as He entered—comes true; their longing culminates in direct vision of His captivating face and smile.

How can this shloka be applied in modern devotional life?

Cultivate intentional darśana—through deity worship, remembrance, and attentive hearing—so that the mind ‘drinks’ the Lord’s beauty and presence rather than chasing fleeting distractions.