Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 24

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

श्रीशुक उवाच इति सञ्चिन्तयन्कृष्णं श्वफल्कतनयोऽध्वनि । रथेन गोकुलं प्राप्त: सूर्यश्चास्तगिरिं नृप ॥ २४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti sañcintayan kṛṣṇaṁ śvaphalka-tanayo ’dhvani rathena gokulaṁ prāptaḥ sūryaś cāsta-giriṁ nṛpa

ศรีศุกเทวกล่าวว่า ข้าแต่พระราชา ระหว่างทาง อครูระบุตรแห่งศวผลกะได้เพ่งระลึกถึงพระศรีกฤษณะอย่างลึกซึ้ง แล้วโดยรถศึกก็มาถึงโคกุลในยามที่ดวงอาทิตย์เริ่มอัสดง

श्री-शुकःŚrī Śuka
श्री-शुकः:
Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (श्रीमान् शुकः)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-चिह्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/समाप्ति-बोधक अव्यय (quotative particle)
सञ्चिन्तयन्thinking/pondering
सञ्चिन्तयन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + चिन्त् (धातु)
Formवर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे (concomitant action)
कृष्णम्Kṛṣṇa
कृष्णम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
श्वफल्क-तनयःthe son of Śvaphalka (Akrūra)
श्वफल्क-तनयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्वफल्क (प्रातिपदिक) + तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्वफल्कस्य तनयः)
अध्वनिon the road
अध्वनि:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन
रथेनby/with a chariot
रथेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
गोकुलम्Gokula
गोकुलम्:
Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
TypeNoun
Rootगोकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्राप्तःarrived
प्राप्तः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (having arrived)
सूर्यःthe sun
सूर्यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)
अस्त-गिरिम्the mountain of sunset (western mountain)
अस्त-गिरिम्:
Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय तत्पुरुष (अस्तस्य/अस्त-स्थानस्य गिरिः = setting-mountain)
नृपO king
नृप:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनृप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī comments that although Akrūra did not even notice the road, being deeply absorbed in meditation on Lord Kṛṣṇa, he still reached Gokula on his chariot.

Ś
Śukadeva
K
Kṛṣṇa
A
Akrūra (Śvaphalka-tanaya)
K
King Parīkṣit

FAQs

This verse shows Akrūra traveling while continuously contemplating Kṛṣṇa, presenting remembrance (smaraṇa) as a natural, constant limb of bhakti even during ordinary activities.

Because Akrūra’s heart is absorbed in Kṛṣṇa as he approaches Vraja; the narration highlights his devotion and the inner mood with which he comes to Gokula.

Use commutes and travel time for Krishna-smaraṇa—quiet japa, listening to kīrtana, or reflecting on Krishna’s names and pastimes—so routine movement becomes devotional practice.