Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

अन्ये च संस्कृतात्मानो विधिनाभिहितेन ते । यजन्ति त्वन्मयास्त्वां वै बहुमूर्त्येकमूर्तिकम् ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

anye ca saṁskṛtātmāno vidhinābhihitena te yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam

Translation

ఇంకొందరు—శుద్ధబుద్ధి, సంస్కృతాత్ములు—నీవే ప్రకటించిన వైష్ణవ శాస్త్రవిధిని అనుసరిస్తారు; మనస్సును నిన్నందే లీనంచేసి, అనేక రూపాలలో ప్రకాశించే ఏక పరమేశ్వరుడిగా నిన్నే ఆరాధిస్తారు।

Synonyms

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक

• संस्कृत-आत्मानः: those of purified selves
• संस्कृत-आत्मानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-√कृ + क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: संस्कृतः आत्मा येषाम् (well-purified selves)

• विधिना: by the prescribed rule
• विधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अभिहितेन: enjoined
• अभिहितेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-√धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिना इत्यस्य विशेषण: ‘enjoined/declared’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यजन्ति: worship
• यजन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• त्वन्-मयाः: absorbed in you
• त्वन्-मयाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: त्वन्मय = ‘consisting of you/absorbed in you’

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• बहु-मूर्ति-एक-मूर्तिकम्: the one with many forms (yet one)
• बहु-मूर्ति-एक-मूर्तिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (समाहार/विरोधाभास-विशेषण): ‘many-formed yet one-formed’

Purport

The word saṁskṛtātmānaḥ, “they whose intelligence is pure,” is significant here. It implies that the worshipers mentioned before have not completely purified their intelligence of material contamination and thus worship the Lord indirectly. Those who are purified, however, directly worship the Lord, either as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, or as one of His various plenary forms, such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna or Aniruddha, as indicated here.

Characters & Entities

• Akrura
• Krishna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about God being one yet appearing in many forms?

This verse states that the Lord is a single Supreme Reality (eka-mūrtikam) who manifests in many forms (bahu-mūrti), and devotees worship Him with full absorption in Him.

Why did Akrura offer these words to Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 40?

While traveling and reflecting on Krishna’s supreme position, Akrura offers prayers recognizing Krishna as the one Lord worshiped through Vedic injunctions and revealed through multiple divine manifestations.

How can I apply “worship according to vidhi” in modern life?

Follow authentic devotional practices with sincerity—regular prayer, mantra/japa, hearing scripture, and disciplined conduct—while keeping the mind absorbed in Krishna as the ultimate object of devotion.