The thirty eighth chapter describes how Krsna fulfilled all the desires of Akrura. Krsna welcomed Akrura with proper reception. Ater consulting on the krsna ekadasi of phalguna month, Kamsa gave orders to Kesi and Akrura and sent them to Vraja. The next morning, Kesi was killed. Akrura departed for Vraja the same morning, and Narada praised Krsna. In the afternoon Vyomasura was killed. In the evening Akrura entered Vraja.

I offer respects to Akrūra who served Kaṁsa on some pretext in order to see and serve his Lord. The word ca indicates that Kṛṣṇa became eager to go to Mathurā when he heard from Nārada that he would kill Kaṁsa. Thus Akrūra became eager to go to Vraja. Or api can indicate that though Kaṁsa had sent Keśī, he also sent Akrūra. He was instructed by Kaṁsa and then spent the night in Mathurā. Hari-vaṁśa says that Kaṁsa in the night called all the Yadus and Akrūra in the Mathurā and told Akrūra to go to Vraja. Then it says: tasminn eva muhūrte tu mathurāyāḥ sa niryayau / prītimān puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ draṣṭuṁ dānapatiḥ svayam // At that moment Akrūra, with full affection, left Mathurā to see lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa. Previously in Bhāgavatam it was said that Kaṁsa entered his inner chambers after speaking to Akrūra and Akrūra went to his own house. The stories are from different kalpas. Or, Kaṁsa spent the whole night discussing with the Yādavas until morning and then sent Akrūra. Akrūra mind was filled with bhakti (mahā-matiḥ). Śukadeva did not want to relate how Kṛṣṇa would leave Vraja since it was a cause distress to the people of Vraja. Thus he simply dwells on the devotional qualities of Akrūra. He departed (prayayau). Though Gokula was well known as belonging to Nanda, Śukadeva specifically mentions his name because he had a sudden internal realization of its special nature.

Nārada, though the greatest devotee, had requested the Lord to go to Mathurā to kill Kaṁsa (api). Akrūra, though a great devotee (ca), departed for Vraja. Or ca can mean “but.” This indicates that though the Lord did not want to go, he went because of the insistence of two great devotees. He departed after passing the night during which Kaṁsa had given his instructions. Niśi stimita-mūkāyāṁ mathurāyāṁ janādhipa: he spent the still, quiet night in Mathurā. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) Previously it was said that Kaṁsa had entered his house. Mathurā was famous as the place where the great demon Madhu had lived. Or it was the city of the Yādavas, coming from the Madhu dynasty. Akrūra spent the night there. He expected to see Kṛṣṇa in Gokula, after he came from the forest in the afternoon. Or it was not possible to go into the forest at night since he did not know the path. Hari-vaṁṣa says: tasminn eva muhūrte tu mathurāyāḥ sa niryayau prītimān puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ draṣṭuṁ dānapatiḥ svayam At that moment Akrūra (after getting instructions), with full affection, left Mathurā to see lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa. This is from a different kalpa. Or Kaṁsa spent the whole night talking with the Yādavas, till morning arrived and then gave orders to Akrūra. Then Akrūra departed. Akrūra was highly intelligent, since he desired to see the Lord. He situated himself on the chariot supplied by Kaṁsa. When the Lord mounted the chariot, Akrūra would be only the driver. He departed with the expectation of fulfilling his desires (pra yayau), going to Vraja, the residence of all the cowherds (nanda). Or he went to the village of Nanda, to separate the cowherds from it, and to see Kṛṣṇa. Or Akrūra went to Gokula which gave Akrūra bliss. Though he was not cruel (akrūraḥ) and though he was intelligent (mahā-matiḥ), he intended to take Kṛṣṇa from Gokula. This expresses Śukadeva’s lamentation.