FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.38.43

इत्थं सूनृतया वाचा नन्देन सुसभाजित: । अक्रूर: परिपृष्टेन जहावध्वपरिश्रमम् ॥ ४३ ॥
itthaṁ sūnṛtayā vācā
[ittham soonritayaa vaachaa]
nandena su-sabhājitaḥ
[nandena su-sabhaajitah]
akrūraḥ paripṛṣṭena
[akroorah pariprishtena]
jahāv adhva-pariśramam
[jahaav adhva-parishramam]
ittham — thus sū - nṛtayā — very true and pleasing vācā — with words nandena — by Nanda Mahārāja su — well sabhājitaḥ — honored akrūraḥ — Akrūra paripṛṣṭena — by the inquiry jahau — put aside adhva — of the road pariśramam — his fatigue .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
itthaṁ sūnṛtayā vācā
ittham
thus
sū - nṛtayā
very true and pleasing
vācā
with words
nandena su-sabhājitaḥ
nandena
by Nanda Mahārāja
su
well
sabhājitaḥ
honored
akrūraḥ paripṛṣṭena
akrūraḥ
Akrūra
paripṛṣṭena
by the inquiry
jahāv adhva-pariśramam
jahau
put aside
adhva
of the road
pariśramam
his fatigue .
  • sū - nṛtayā — very true and pleasing
    Compound: su (well) + nṛta (true, pleasant). Words that are both true and kind — a specific Bhāgavata combination. Gauḍīyas note that sū-nṛta is the speech-standard of dharmic householders; Nanda exemplifies it even under political pressure.
  • vācā — with words
    Instrumental of vāc — speech. The same word-energy that began the chapter (the demigods' songs in v.13) closes it. Gauḍīyas treasure the speech-frame: Akrūra's road is bracketed by glorifications, and the closing one is Nanda's honest concern.
  • nandena — by Nanda Mahārāja
    Instrumental — Nanda as the agent of welcome. Gauḍīyas note that the chapter's final actor is the vātsalya-mūrti; not Kṛṣṇa, not Balarāma, but the parental host who completes the family-circle into which Akrūra has been received.
  • sabhājitaḥ — honored
    From sa + √bhaj — to honor, to share with. Same root as bhakti and bhajati. Gauḍīyas note the etymological link: the bhakta is sa-bhāj — one to whom honor is given as part of the sharing of Bhagavān's own family with him.
  • paripṛṣṭena — by the inquiry
    From pari + √pracch — to ask thoroughly. The asking itself, not the answers, is what relieves Akrūra. Gauḍīyas read this as a teaching about bhakta-sevā: to be inquired after attentively by a Vaiṣṇava is itself rest.
  • jahau — put aside
    Third person aorist of √hā — to abandon, give up. The same verb-cluster used for renunciation throughout the Bhāgavatam. Here Akrūra renounces only his fatigue — but the verb signals the larger truth: in Vraja, even tiredness is something one is permitted to set down.
  • adhva — of the road
    From √adhv — way, road. The same road that began at v.2 (gacchan pathi) closes at v.43 (jahau adhva-pariśramam). Gauḍīyas read the chapter's frame as a complete arc: the road dissolves in Vraja, exactly as saṁsāra dissolves in the dhāma.
Honored by Nanda Mahārāja with these true and pleasing words of inquiry, Akrūra forgot the fatigue of his journey.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Thirty eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Akrūra’s Arrival in Vṛndāvana.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Honored by Nanda Mahārāja with these true and pleasing words of inquiry, Akrūra forgot the fatigue of his journey.
Commentary

Being treated hospitably as a guest (sabhajitah) with gentle questions, Akrura gave up doubt about getting mercy from Krsna and gave up his fatigue on the journey due to suffering from that doubt.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

According to Śrīdhara Svāmī he was not tired from the journey, but tired of saṁsāra. Or, previously he was worried that he may be considered an enemy by association with Kaṁsa (verse 18). Now, the doubts causing mental anguish were dissipated by the pleasurable reception given by Nanda.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He who was a family member harassed by Kaṁsa (saḥ) or who was afraid because of offenses of taking the Lord from Vraja, forgot his fatigue of saṁsāra (what to speak of the road’s fatigue). Instead of saḥ su-bhājitaḥ (well respected) is also found. He gave up fatigue because of Nanda’s questions or he gave up fatigue because of Nanda who was questioned by Akrūra about his health since devotees inquire from each other about their health. Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Thirty eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,entitled "Akrūra's Arrival in Vṛndāvana." 10.39: Akrūra's Vision verses: Summary, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11-12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17-18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42-43, 44-45, 46-48, 49-50, 51-52, 53-55, 56-57 Chapter Summary This chapter describes how Akrūra informed Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma of Kaṁsa's plans and his activities in Mathurā; what the gopīs cried out in distress when Kṛṣṇa left for Mathurā; and also the vision of Lord Viṣṇu's abode that Akrūra saw within the water of the Yamunā. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered Akrūra great respect and comfortably seated him on a couch, he felt that all the desires he had reflected on while traveling to Vṛndāvana were now fulfilled. After the evening meal, Kṛṣṇa asked Akrūra whether his trip had been peaceful and whether he was well. The Lord also inquired about how Kaṁsa was behaving toward their family members, and finally He asked why Akrūra had come. Akrūra described how Kaṁsa had been persecuting the Yādavas, what Nārada had told Kaṁsa and how Kaṁsa had been treating Vasudeva cruelly. Akrūra also spoke of Kaṁsa's desire to bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā to kill Them on the pretext of Their seeing the bow sacrifice and engaging in a wrestling match. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma laughed out loud when They heard this. They went to Their father, Nanda, and informed him of Kaṁsa's orders. Nanda then issued an order to all the residents of Vraja that they should collect various offerings for the King and prepare to go to Mathurā. The young gopīs were extremely upset to hear that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would be going to Mathurā. They lost all external awareness and began to remember Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Condemning the creator for separating them from Him, they began to lament. They said that Akrūra did not deserve his name (a, "not"; krūra, "cruel"), since he was so cruel to be taking away their dearmost Kṛṣṇa. "It must be that fate is against us," they lamented, "because otherwise the elders of Vraja would have forbidden Kṛṣṇa to leave. So let us forget our shyness and try to stop Lord Mādhava from going." With these words the young cowherd girls began to chant Kṛṣṇa's names and cry. But even as they wept, Akrūra began taking Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā in his chariot. The cowherd men of Gokula followed behind on their wagons, and the young gopīs also walked behind for some distance, but then they became placated by Kṛṣṇa's glances and gestures and pacified by a message from Him that said "I will return." With their minds completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd girls stood as still as figures in a painting until they could no longer see the chariot's flag or the dust cloud being raised on the road. Then, chanting Kṛṣṇa's glories all the while, they despondently returned to their homes. Akrūra halted the chariot at the bank of the Yamunā so Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma could perform a ritual of purification and drink some water. After the two Lords had gotten back into the chariot, Akrūra took Their permission to bathe in the Yamunā. As he recited Vedic mantras, he was startled to see the two Lords standing in the water. Akrūra came out of the river and returned to the chariot-where he saw the Lords still sitting. Then he returned to the water to find out if the two figures he had seen there were real or not. What Akrūra saw in the water was four-armed Lord Vāsudeva. His complexion was dark blue like a fresh raincloud, He wore yellow garments and He lay on the lap of thousand-hooded Ananta Śeṣa. Lord Vāsudeva was receiving the prayers of perfected beings, celestial serpents and demons, and He was encircled by His personal attendants. Serving Him were His many potencies, such as Śrī, Puṣṭi and Ilā, while Brahmā and other demigods sang His praises. Akrūra rejoiced at this vision and, joining his palms in supplication, began to pray to the Supreme Lord in a voice choked with emotion.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Honored by Nanda's true and pleasing words of inquiry, Akrūra forgets the fatigue of his journey. Truthful, warm conversation with devotees actually undoes physical exhaustion.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose conversation reliably removes your fatigue, and how often do you seek it?
  • Where could your own honest inquiry restore another devotee today?

Honest words from a host's own concern can do for a tired body what no massage can. Akrūra's day-long road dissolves in the warmth of being asked about, of being seen by Nanda as a kinsman in danger. The chapter closes where it had to: bhakti's deepest rest is being noticed.

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