Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.38.23
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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agra - jaḥ
—
the elder brother (Lord Balarāma)
Compound: agra (first) + ja (born). Balarāma. Gauḍīyas hold Balarāma as Kṛṣṇa's first svayaṁ-prakāśa — the original ādi-guru and the source of all other expansions. Akrūra's verse honors the elder by anticipating his role first.
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yadu - uttamaḥ
—
the most exalted of the Yadus
Compound: Yadu (dynasty) + uttama (highest). Balarāma as the senior of the Yadu line. Gauḍīyas note that Bhāgavata frequently uses uttama-class terms of Balarāma to register Him as the topmost servitor and guru, not as Kṛṣṇa's subordinate.
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pariṣvajya
—
embracing
From pari (around) + √svaj (to embrace). The same verb cluster that organizes the embrace-mood of this chapter. Gauḍīyas regard the Yadu-Vraja embrace as the union of the two halves of Bhagavān's manifest entourage.
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gṛham
—
His house
Bhagavān's house in Vraja — Nanda's courtyard. Gauḍīyas read this gṛha not as a physical building but as the eternal dhāma where Bhagavān is at home in His parental bhāva. To be brought into the gṛha is to be brought into the family.
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sat - kṛtam
—
signs of respect
Compound: sat (good, proper) + kṛta (made). The traditional acts of hospitality — seat, water, food, inquiry. Gauḍīyas note that Bhagavān, who is sat-gati of all, performs sat-kṛti to His devotee: the order is inverted by love.
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sva - bandhuṣu
—
to His family members
Compound: sva (own) + bandhu (relative). Devakī, Vasudeva, the Yadus left in Mathurā. Even in his ecstatic rehearsal, Akrūra registers that Balarāma's first question will be about His suffering family — Gauḍīyas read this as the family-mood of the avatāra.
Will Balarama, his elder brother, take me, with folded hands, by his right hand, and lead me into his house to speak with him, and after finishing his acts of hospitality (sat krtam}inquire about how Kamsa has been treating his family members?
Since I am related to the great devotee Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa will show me great friendship. Thinking in this way, and getting some relief, he develops another desire. The word kim indicates possibility and vā indicates all the items. Will his elder brother perhaps embrace me? He is the best friend since he is a relative. Akrūra folds his hands in humility. Because he is the elder brother, Balarāma will take my folded hands and lead me to his house. Balarāma will smile since his mind is pleased. When the hospitality had been completed, then a further development takes place with questions about the actions of Kaṁsa against Vasudeva and others and Balarāma will expect details. His intention here is “By making Balarāma favorable, I will be able to take Kṛṣṇa to Mathurā.”
He expresses his desire for the mercy of Balarāma, who is clearly his relative, the son of Vasudeva, for he thinks of Kṛṣṇa as the son of Nanda. It would be impossible for him to get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, since he is most attached to the cowherds and gopīs. Vā (instead of ca) indicates that Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is most difficult to obtain. Since Balarāma is elder (agajaḥ) if he gives mercy, then Kṛṣṇa will follow his example as a younger brother. I will bow down with attention. Balarāma was famous as the son of Vasudeva (yadūttamaḥ). He will be smiling, because he is pleased in his mind. As an elder brother he will welcome Akrūra to the house as a guest. We will ask what Kaṁsa has done to Vasudeva and other relatives since he is the best of the Yadus. Consulting with him, I will be able to bring Kṛṣṇa from there to Mathurā.
- Have you let Balarāma — strength, support, elder energy — bring you in, not just Kṛṣṇa?
- How could your hospitality this week imitate Vraja's welcome of devotees?
When the elder of a great family receives a long-awaited guest, he does the welcoming himself — washing the feet, asking after the journey, calling for the seat. Balarāma, the elder of Vraja, is already in Akrūra's anticipation: not Kṛṣṇa alone, but the household, with its proper order of hospitality intact.
My note
Source: vedabase.io