Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.41.9
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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jagat-īśvaraḥ
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Lord of the universe
Compound: jagat (world) + īśvara (controller). The Bhāgavatam intentionally pairs this aiśvarya-title with the gesture of hand-holding — sovereignty and intimacy in one frame. Acintya-bhedābheda in narrative form.
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gṛhītvā
—
taking
Absolutive of √grah. The same verb used for accepting an offering, receiving a gift. Bhagavān's grasp of the devotee's hand is itself a vara — He accepts Akrūra's praśraya by physical contact.
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pāṇim
—
his hand
Accusative of pāṇi. Pāṇi-grahaṇa is a Sanskrit ritual term — the marriage hand-clasp. Gauḍīyas read this with care: Bhagavān's hand-clasp of His devotee is the prototype of all surrender-bonds.
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praśritam
—
who was humble
Past participle of pra + √śri — bowed forward, leaning into surrender. The posture of vinaya. Kṛṣṇa receives Akrūra exactly in the bent posture of dāsya — humility and divine clasp meet.
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prahasan
—
smiling
Present participle of pra + √has. The Lord's smile (mānda-hāsa, mṛdu-smita) is a leitmotif of Kṛṣṇa-līlā. Here it carries a private weight — He is about to send Akrūra home alone, and softens the disappointment with His mouth before His words.
While seeming to smile, Krsna spoke to Akrura with humility (prasritam). He smiled in order to please Akrura, but actually he was full of grief on seeing the city of Mathura, because he remembered that he had left Vraja.
Though he was Lord of the universe, Kṛṣṇa took Akrūra’s hands in his own because he was displaying his unlimited qualities (bhagavān) such as being affectionate to his devotees. He appeared to smile to show that he was not deceptive.
He met with Nanda. It was proper to give up others and join with his friends in order to experience happiness in his pastimes. Though he was Lord of the universe, Kṛṣṇa took Akrūra’s hands in his own because he was displaying his unlimited qualities (bhagavān) such as being affectionate to his devotees. He appeared to smile. This was natural. He had no deception. Or iva indicates it was a slight smile since he was pained by separation from the gopīs.
- Where do you wait to initiate intimacy with Kṛṣṇa when He may have already extended His hand?
- What 'smile' from Him have you missed by staring at the ground?
Kṛṣṇa takes Akrūra's hand the way a king takes the hand of a minister he intends to honor — not for support, but for intimacy. The Lord of the universe holds the hand of His servant, and the holding is itself the message.
My note
Source: vedabase.io