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Shloka 9

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

सर्व एव यजन्ति त्वां सर्वदेवमयेश्वरम् । येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यद्यप्यन्यधिय: प्रभो ॥ ९ ॥

sarva eva yajanti tvāṁ sarva-deva-mayeśvaram ye ’py anya-devatā-bhaktā yady apy anya-dhiyaḥ prabho

اے پرَبھُو! سب لوگ درحقیقت تیری ہی پوجا کرتے ہیں، کیونکہ تو تمام دیوتاؤں کا مظہر پرمیشور ہے۔ جو دوسرے دیوتاؤں کے بھکت ہیں وہ بھی حقیقت میں تجھی کو پوجتے ہیں۔

sarveall (people)
sarve:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
evaindeed/only
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormNipāta (particle/निपात), emphasis
yajantiworship
yajanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootyaj (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
tvāmyou
tvām:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)
sarva-deva-maya-īśvaramthe Lord who is constituted of all gods
sarva-deva-maya-īśvaram:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); Samāsa: tatpuruṣa—‘sarva-devamaya’ (all-gods-pervaded) qualifying ‘īśvara’
yewho
ye:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (relative pronoun/यद्), Puṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)
apialso/even
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormNipāta (particle/निपात), concessive/additive
anya-devatā-bhaktāḥdevotees of other deities
anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक) + devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त; √bhaj)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); ‘bhakta’ = past participial noun (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) used as substantive; Samāsa: tatpuruṣa—‘anya-devatā’ (other deities) + ‘bhakta’ (devotees)
yadiif/though
yadi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, conditional conjunction (यदि)
apieven/though
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormNipāta (particle/निपात), concessive
anya-dhiyaḥof other-minded understanding
anya-dhiyaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘bhaktāḥ’)
TypeAdjective
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक) + dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); Samāsa: tatpuruṣa—‘anya-dhi’ = having other understanding/intent
prabhoO Lord
prabho:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootprabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

The idea here is that even those who worship the demigods are indirectly worshiping the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. The understanding of such worshipers, however, is imperfect.

U
Uddhava
S
Sri Krishna

FAQs

This verse states that even those who worship other deities are, in effect, worshiping Krishna, because He is the Supreme Lord in whom all gods are included—though such worshipers may have a different understanding.

In his prayers, Uddhava affirms Krishna’s supreme position: since all divine powers rest in Him, any worship offered to subordinate deities ultimately reaches the Supreme Controller, even when the worshiper’s intent is elsewhere.

Respect diverse forms of worship, but keep your spiritual focus clear: recognize one Supreme source behind all divinity and cultivate steady devotion (bhakti) to that Supreme Lord.