Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 49

Akrūra’s Mission in Hastināpura

10.49.1-2

श्रीशुक उवाच स गत्वा हास्तिनपुरं पौरवेन्द्रयशोऽङ्कितम् । ददर्श तत्राम्बिकेयं सभीष्मं विदुरं पृथाम् ॥ १ ॥ सहपुत्रं च बाह्लीकं भारद्वाजं सगौतमम् । कर्णं सुयोधनं द्रौणिं पाण्डवान् सुहृदोऽपरान् ॥ २ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca sa gatvā hāstinapuraṁ pauravendra-yaśo-’ṅkitam dadarśa tatrāmbikeyaṁ sa-bhīṣmaṁ viduraṁ pṛthām saha-putraṁ ca bāhlīkaṁ bhāradvājaṁ sa-gautamam karnaṁ suyodhanaṁ drauṇiṁ pāṇḍavān suhṛdo ’parān

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Akrūra went to Hastināpura, the city distinguished by the glory of the Paurava rulers. There he saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Vidura and Kuntī, along with Bāhlika and his son Somadatta. He also saw Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya, Karṇa, Duryodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas and other close friends.

10.49.3

यथावदुपसङ्गम्य बन्धुभिर्गान्दिनीसुत: । सम्पृष्टस्तै: सुहृद्वार्तां स्वयं चापृच्छदव्ययम् ॥ ३ ॥

yathāvad upasaṅgamya bandhubhir gāndinī-sutaḥ sampṛṣṭas taiḥ suhṛd-vārtāṁ svayaṁ cāpṛcchad avyayam

After Akrūra, the son of Gāndinī, had appropriately greeted all his relatives and friends, they asked him for news of their family members, and he in turn asked about their welfare.

10.49.4

उवास कतिचिन्मासान् राज्ञो वृत्तविवित्सया । दुष्प्रजस्याल्पसारस्य खलच्छन्दानुवर्तिन: ॥ ४ ॥

uvāsa katicin māsān rājño vṛtta-vivitsayā duṣprajasyālpa-sārasya khala-cchandānuvartinaḥ

He remained in Hastināpura for several months to scrutinize the conduct of the weak-willed King, who had bad sons and who was inclined to give in to the whims of mischievous advisers.

10.49.5-6

तेज ओजो बलं वीर्यं प्रश्रयादींश्च सद्गुणान् । प्रजानुरागं पार्थेषु न सहद्भ‍िश्चिकीर्षितम् ॥ ५ ॥ कृतं च धार्तराष्ट्रैर्यद् गरदानाद्यपेशलम् । आचख्यौ सर्वमेवास्मै पृथा विदुर एव च ॥ ६ ॥

teja ojo balaṁ vīryaṁ praśrayādīṁś ca sad-guṇān prajānurāgaṁ pārtheṣu na sahadbhiś cikīṛṣitam kṛtaṁ ca dhārtarāṣṭrair yad gara-dānādy apeśalam ācakhyau sarvam evāsmai pṛthā vidura eva ca

Kuntī and Vidura described to Akrūra in detail the evil intentions of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, who could not tolerate the great qualities of Kuntī’s sons — such as their powerful influence, military skill, physical strength, bravery and humility — or the intense affection the citizens had for them. Kuntī and Vidura also told Akrūra about how the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra had tried to poison the Pāṇḍavas and carry out other such plots.

10.49.7

पृथा तु भ्रातरं प्राप्तमक्रूरमुपसृत्य तम् । उवाच जन्मनिलयं स्मरन्त्यश्रुकलेक्षणा ॥ ७ ॥

pṛthā tu bhrātaraṁ prāptam akrūram upasṛtya tam uvāca janma-nilayaṁ smaranty aśru-kalekṣaṇā

Kuntīdevī, taking advantage of her brother Akrūra’s visit, approached him confidentially. While remembering her birthplace, she spoke with tears in her eyes.

10.49.8

अपि स्मरन्ति न: सौम्य पितरौ भ्रातरश्च मे । भगिन्यौ भ्रातृपुत्राश्च जामय: सख्य एव च ॥ ८ ॥

api smaranti naḥ saumya pitarau bhrātaraś ca me bhaginyau bhrātṛ-putrāś ca jāmayaḥ sakhya eva ca

[Queen Kuntī said:] O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, family women and girlhood friends still remember us?

10.49.9

भ्रात्रेयो भगवान् कृष्ण: शरण्यो भक्तवत्सल: । पैतृष्वस्रेयान् स्मरति रामश्चाम्बुरुहेक्षण: ॥ ९ ॥

bhrātreyo bhagavān kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇyo bhakta-vatsalaḥ paitṛ-ṣvasreyān smarati rāmaś cāmburuhekṣaṇaḥ

Does my nephew Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality and the compassionate shelter of His devotees, still remember His aunt’s sons? And does lotus-eyed Rāma remember them also?

10.49.10

सपत्नमध्ये शोचन्तीं वृकानां हरिणीमिव । सान्‍त्‍वयिष्यति मां वाक्यै: पितृहीनांश्च बालकान् ॥ १० ॥

sapatna-madhye śocantīṁ vṛkānāṁ hariṇīm iva sāntvayiṣyati māṁ vākyaiḥ pitṛ-hīnāṁś ca bālakān

Now that I am suffering in the midst of my enemies like a doe in the midst of wolves, will Kṛṣṇa come to console me and my fatherless sons with His words?

10.49.11

कृष्ण कृष्ण महायोगिन् विश्वात्मन् विश्वभावन । प्रपन्नां पाहि गोविन्द शिशुभिश्चावसीदतीम् ॥ ११ ॥

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-yogin viśvātman viśva-bhāvana prapannāṁ pāhi govinda śiśubhiś cāvasīdatīm

Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa! O great yogi! O Supreme Soul and protector of the universe! O Govinda! Please protect me, who have surrendered to You. I and my sons are being overwhelmed by trouble.

10.49.12

नान्यत्तव पदाम्भोजात् पश्यामि शरणं नृणाम् । बिभ्यतां मृत्युसंसारादीश्वरस्यापवर्गिकात् ॥ १२ ॥

nānyat tava padāmbhojāt paśyāmi śaraṇaṁ nṛṇām bibhyatāṁ mṛtyu-saṁsārād īsvarasyāpavargikāt

For persons fearful of death and rebirth, I see no shelter other than Your liberating lotus feet, for You are the Supreme Lord.

10.49.13

नम: कृष्णाय शुद्धाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने । योगेश्वराय योगाय त्वामहं शरणं गता ॥ १३ ॥

namaḥ kṛṣṇāya śuddhāya brahmaṇe paramātmane yogeśvarāya yogāya tvām ahaṁ śaraṇaṁ gatā

I offer my obeisances unto You, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme pure, the Absolute Truth and the Supersoul, the Lord of pure devotional service and the source of all knowledge. I have come to You for shelter.

10.49.14

श्रीशुक उवाच इत्यनुस्मृत्य स्वजनं कृष्णं च जगदीश्वरम् । प्रारुदद् दु:खिता राजन् भवतां प्रपितामही ॥ १४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ity anusmṛtya sva-janaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ ca jagad-īśvaram prārudad duḥkhitā rājan bhavatāṁ prapitāmahī

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus meditating on her family members and also on Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, your great-grandmother Kuntīdevī began to cry out in grief, O King.

10.49.15

समदु:खसुखोऽक्रूरो विदुरश्च महायशा: । सान्‍त्‍वयामासतु: कुन्तीं तत्पुत्रोत्पत्तिहेतुभि: ॥ १५ ॥

sama-duḥkha-sukho ’krūro viduraś ca mahā-yaśāḥ sāntvayām āsatuḥ kuntīṁ tat-putrotpatti-hetubhiḥ

Both Akrūra, who shared Queen Kuntī’s distress and happiness, and the illustrious Vidura consoled the Queen by reminding her of the extraordinary way her sons had taken birth.

10.49.16

यास्यन् राजानमभ्येत्य विषमं पुत्रलालसम् । अवदत् सुहृदां मध्ये बन्धुभि: सौहृदोदितम् ॥ १६ ॥

yāsyan rājānam abhyetya viṣamaṁ putra-lālasam avadat suhṛdāṁ madhye bandhubhiḥ sauhṛdoditam

The ardent affection King Dhṛtarāṣṭra felt for his sons had made him act unjustly toward the Pāṇḍavas. Just before leaving, Akrūra approached the King, who was seated among his friends and supporters, and related to him the message that his relatives — Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma — had sent out of friendship.

10.49.17

अक्रूर उवाच भो भो वैचित्रवीर्य त्वं कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धन । भ्रातर्युपरते पाण्डावधुनासनमास्थित: ॥ १७ ॥

akrūra uvāca bho bho vaicitravīrya tvaṁ kurūṇāṁ kīrti-vardhana bhrātary uparate pāṇḍāv adhunāsanam āsthitaḥ

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.

10.49.18

धर्मेण पालयन्नुर्वीं प्रजा: शीलेन रञ्जयन् । वर्तमान: सम: स्वेषु श्रेय: कीर्तिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १८ ॥

dharmeṇa pālayann urvīṁ prajāḥ śīlena rañjayan vartamānaḥ samaḥ sveṣu śreyaḥ kīrtim avāpsyasi

By religiously protecting the earth, delighting your subjects with your noble character, and treating all your relatives equally, you will surely achieve success and glory.

10.49.19

अन्यथा त्वाचरँल्ल‍ोके गर्हितो यास्यसे तम: । तस्मात् समत्वे वर्तस्व पाण्डवेष्वात्मजेषु च ॥ १९ ॥

anyathā tv ācaraḻ loke garhito yāsyase tamaḥ tasmāt samatve vartasva pāṇḍaveṣv ātmajeṣu ca

If you act otherwise, however, people will condemn you in this world, and in the next life you will enter the darkness of hell. Remain equally disposed, therefore, toward Pāṇḍu’s sons and your own.

10.49.20

नेह चात्यन्तसंवास: कस्यचित् केनचित् सह । राजन् स्वेनापि देहेन किमु जायात्मजादिभि: ॥ २० ॥

neha cātyanta-saṁvāsaḥ kasyacit kenacit saha rājan svenāpi dehena kim u jāyātmajādibhiḥ

In this world no one has any permanent relationship with anyone else, O King. We cannot stay forever even with our own body, what to speak of our wife, children and the rest.

10.49.21

एक: प्रसूयते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते । एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम् ॥ २१ ॥

ekaḥ prasūyate jantur eka eva pralīyate eko ’nubhuṅkte sukṛtam eka eva ca duṣkṛtam

Every creature is born alone and dies alone, and alone one experiences the just rewards of his good and evil deeds.

10.49.22

अधर्मोपचितं वित्तं हरन्त्यन्येऽल्पमेधस: । सम्भोजनीयापदेशैर्जलानीव जलौकस: ॥ २२ ॥

adharmopacitaṁ vittaṁ haranty anye ’lpa-medhasaḥ sambhojanīyāpadeśair jalānīva jalaukasaḥ

In the guise of dear dependents, strangers steal the sinfully acquired wealth of a foolish man, just as the offspring of a fish drink up the water that sustains the fish.

10.49.23

पुष्णाति यानधर्मेण स्वबुद्ध्या तमपण्डितम् । तेऽकृतार्थं प्रहिण्वन्ति प्राणा राय: सुतादय: ॥ २३ ॥

puṣṇāti yān adharmeṇa sva-buddhyā tam apaṇḍitam te ’kṛtārthaṁ prahiṇvanti prāṇā rāyaḥ sutādayaḥ

A fool indulges in sin to maintain his life, wealth and children and other relatives, for he thinks, “These things are mine.” In the end, however, these very things all abandon him, leaving him frustrated.

10.49.24

स्वयं किल्बिषमादाय तैस्त्यक्तो नार्थकोविद: । असिद्धार्थो विशत्यन्धं स्वधर्मविमुखस्तम: ॥ २४ ॥

svayaṁ kilbiṣam ādāya tais tyakto nārtha-kovidaḥ asiddhārtho viśaty andhaṁ sva-dharma-vimukhas tamaḥ

Abandoned by his so-called dependents, ignorant of the actual goal of life, indifferent to his real duty, and having failed to fulfill his purposes, the foolish soul enters the blindness of hell, taking his sinful reactions with him.

10.49.25

तस्माल्ल‍ोकमिमं राजन् स्वप्नमायामनोरथम् । वीक्ष्यायम्यात्मनात्मानं सम: शान्तो भव प्रभो ॥ २५ ॥

tasmāl lokam imaṁ rājan svapna-māyā-manoratham vīkṣyāyamyātmanātmānaṁ samaḥ śānto bhava prabho

Therefore, O King, looking upon this world as a dream, a magician’s illusion or a flight of fancy, please control your mind with intelligence and become equipoised and peaceful, my lord.

10.49.26

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यथा वदति कल्याणीं वाचं दानपते भवान् । तथानया न तृप्यामि मर्त्य: प्राप्य यथामृतम् ॥ २६ ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca yathā vadati kalyāṇīṁ vācaṁ dāna-pate bhavān tathānayā na tṛpyāmi martyaḥ prāpya yathāmṛtam

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O master of charity, I can never be satiated while hearing your auspicious words. Indeed, I am like a mortal who has obtained the nectar of the gods.

10.49.27

तथापि सूनृता सौम्य हृदि न स्थीयते चले । पुत्रानुरागविषमे विद्युत् सौदामनी यथा ॥ २७ ॥

tathāpi sūnṛtā saumya hṛdi na sthīyate cale putrānurāga-viṣame vidyut saudāmanī yathā

Even so, gentle Akrūra, because my unsteady heart is prejudiced by affection for my sons, these pleasing words of yours cannot remain fixed there, just as lightning cannot remain fixed in a cloud.

10.49.28

ईश्वरस्य विधिं को नु विधुनोत्यन्यथा पुमान् । भूमेर्भारावताराय योऽवतीर्णो यदो: कुले ॥ २८ ॥

īśvarasya vidhiṁ ko nu vidhunoty anyathā pumān bhūmer bhārāvatārāya yo ’vatīrṇo yadoḥ kule

Who can defy the injunctions of the Supreme Lord, who has now descended in the Yadu dynasty to diminish the earth’s burden?

10.49.29

यो दुर्विमर्शपथया निजमाययेदं सृष्ट्वा गुणान् विभजते तदनुप्रविष्ट: । तस्मै नमो दुरवबोधविहारतन्त्र- संसारचक्रगतये परमेश्वराय ॥ २९ ॥

yo durvimarśa-pathayā nija-māyayedaṁ sṛṣṭvā guṇān vibhajate tad-anupraviṣṭaḥ tasmai namo duravabodha-vihāra-tantra- saṁsāra-cakra-gataye parameśvarāya

I offer my obeisances to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who creates this universe by the inconceivable activity of His material energy and then distributes the various modes of nature by entering within the creation. From Him, the meaning of whose pastimes is unfathomable, come both the entangling cycle of birth and death and the process of deliverance from it.

10.49.30

श्रीशुक उवाच इत्यभिप्रेत्य नृपतेरभिप्रायं स यादव: । सुहृद्भ‍ि: समनुज्ञात: पुनर्यदुपुरीमगात् ॥ ३० ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ity abhipretya nṛpater abhiprāyaṁ sa yādavaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ samanujñātaḥ punar yadu-purīm agāt

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus apprised himself of the King’s attitude, Akrūra, the descendant of Yadu, took permission from his well-wishing relatives and friends and returned to the capital of the Yādavas.

10.49.31

शशंस रामकृष्णाभ्यां धृतराष्ट्रविचेष्टितम् । पाण्डवान् प्रति कौरव्य यदर्थं प्रेषित: स्वयम् ॥ ३१ ॥

śaśaṁsa rāma-kṛṣṇābhyāṁ dhṛtarāṣṭra-viceṣṭitam pāṇdavān prati kauravya yad-arthaṁ preṣitaḥ svayam

Akrūra reported to Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa how Dhṛtarāṣṭra was behaving toward the Pāṇḍavas. Thus, O descendant of the Kurus, he fulfilled the purpose for which he had been sent.