FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.49.17

అక్రూర ఉవాచ భో భో వైచిత్రవీర్య త్వం కురూణాం కీర్తివర్ధన । భ్రాతర్యుపరతే పాణ్డావధునాసనమాస్థిత: ॥ ౧౭ ॥
akrūra uvāca
[akroora uvaacha]
bho bho vaicitravīrya tvaṁ
[bho bho vaichitraveerya tvam]
kurūṇāṁ kīrti-vardhana
[kuroonaam keerti-vardhana]
bhrātary uparate pāṇḍāv
[bhraatary uparate paandaav]
adhunāsanam āsthitaḥ
[adhunaasanam aasthitah]
akrūraḥ uvāca — Akrūra said bhoḥ bhoḥ — O my dear, my dear vaicitravīrya — son of Vicitravīrya tvam — you kurūṇām — of the Kurus kīrti — the glory vardhana — O you who increase bhrātari — your brother uparate — having passed away pāṇḍau — Mahārāja Pāṇḍu adhunā — now āsanam — the throne āsthitaḥ — have assumed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
akrūra uvāca
akrūraḥ uvāca
Akrūra said
bho bho vaicitravīrya tvaṁ
bhoḥ bhoḥ
O my dear, my dear
vaicitravīrya
son of Vicitravīrya
tvam
you
kurūṇāṁ kīrti-vardhana
kurūṇām
of the Kurus
kīrti
the glory
vardhana
O you who increase
bhrātary uparate pāṇḍāv
bhrātari
your brother
uparate
having passed away
pāṇḍau
Mahārāja Pāṇḍu
adhunāsanam āsthitaḥ
adhunā
now
āsanam
the throne
āsthitaḥ
have assumed .
  • vaicitravīrya — O son of Vicitravīrya
    Patronymic. Both Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu were nominally Vicitravīrya's sons (begotten by Vyāsa through niyoga). Akrūra's address subtly reminds him: you and your brother share one father, so why split his sons?
  • kīrti-vardhana — O you who increase the Kurus' glory
    Compound: kīrti (glory) + vardhana (increaser). A formal title that, given everything the chapter has just narrated, lands almost as gentle irony — Akrūra calls him to the role he is failing.
  • bhrātari uparate — your brother having passed away
    Locative absolute, perfect tense. Uparata literally 'ceased, withdrawn.' The clause that justifies Dhṛtarāṣṭra's regency — and silently obliges him to protect his brother's sons.
  • āsanam āsthitaḥ — have assumed the throne
    Āsana (seat) + ā-sthita (firmly seated). The throne is named as borrowed, not owned — Dhṛtarāṣṭra holds it because Pāṇḍu vacated it, a regency in trust for the next generation.
Akrūra said: O my dear son of Vicitravīrya, O enhancer of the Kurus’ glory, your brother Pāṇḍu having passed away, you have now assumed the royal throne.

Akrūra was speaking ironically, since the young sons of Pāṇḍu should actually have been occupying the throne. Upon the death of Pāṇḍu, they were too young to immediately govern and so were put in Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s care, but now sufficient time had passed, and their legitimate rights should have been recognized.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Akrūra said: O my dear son of Vicitravīrya, O enhancer of the Kurus' glory, your brother Pāṇḍu having passed away, you have now assumed the royal throne.
Commentary

"With the passing away of your brother, you are now sitting on the throne." By this he suggests, "As the sons of Pandu are alive, you are sitting on the throne unjustly."

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He spoke with conciliation and sarcasm. He repeats the word bho bho to make the king attentively face him since it was possible the king would resist, since Akrūra’s words would not be sweet. By mentioning Vicitraviīrya’s name he employs pacification, by suggesting he was the son of a great king. Since Pāṇdu had died, there was no king to protect the citizens. For a long time since he died, you have been sitting on the throne (adhunā). This is proper. Or because you came from Vicitravīya you have great prowess, and unlawfully immediately took his kingdom. He calls him the great fame of the Kurus out of sarcasm. The meaning is “Because of you the dynasty has become infamous.” Or you divide up the fame of the Kurus. Since his father died, Yudhiṣṭhira is qualified for the throne. The younger brother should not take the kingdom.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
Concepts
ChitJiva

Akrūra opens not with rebuke but with formal honour — naming Dhṛtarāṣṭra's lineage, his late brother, his throne — the way a wise elder washes the foot before applying the salve. The respect is real, but every word also reminds the king that he sits where Pāṇḍu once sat.

📝 My note

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