Chapter Three Akrūrāgamana Akrūra's Arrival

Śrī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, happy to execute King Kaṁsa's mission, Akrūra climbed on a chariot and went to Nanda's Gokula.

As he traveled on the road, noble-hearted Akrūra meditated on Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was filled with devotion for the Lord.

Śrī Akrūra said: How many pious deeds did I perform in the sacred land of Bhārata-varṣa? What unselfish charity did I give? How many great yajṣas did I perform? How many pilgrimages did I make? How many brāhmaṇas did I diligently serve? What did I do that today I will be able to see Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

What great austerities did I perform in my previous births? What saintly devotees did I earnestly serve? What did I do that today I will become able to see Lord Kṛṣṇadeva, who is so difficult to see?

My birth on this earth has now borne its perfect fruit, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the demigods, will come before my eyes. When I see Him, the Lord who is so difficult to see, my life will attain the greatest success.

Śrī Nārada said: Thinking of Kṛṣṇa in this way, and seeing a very auspicious omen, at sunset Akrūra entered Gokula.

Then in the dust He saw Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus footprints marked with the signs of a barleycorn and elephant-goad and sprinkled with kuṅkuma powder.

Shedding tears, and overcome with bliss, love, and great yearning to see the Lord, Akrūra jumped from the chariot and rooled about in those footprints.

O king of Mithilā, they who in their hearts love Kṛṣṇa think all this material world's happiness, even up Brahmā's happiness, is like a a handful of dry straw.

Riding on his chariot, in a moment Akrūra entered Nanda's village and saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma approaching him.

bālārka-maulī vasanaṁ taḍid-dyutī varṣāśaran-megha-rucaṁ dadhānau dṛṣṭvā sa tūrṇaṁ sva-rathād gato 'dhao tayor nato bhakti-yutaḥ papāta devau—the Lord; purāṇau—ancient; puruṣau—persons; pareśau—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; padmekṣaṇau—lotus eyed; śyāmala-gaura—fair and dark; varṇau—colors; yathā—as; indranīla—of sapphires; dhvaja—a flag; vajra—of diamonds; śailau—a mountain; samāśritau—taken shelter; tau—They; pathi—on the path; rāma-kṛṣṇau—Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; bālārka—rising sun; maulī—crowns; vasanam—garments; taḍit—lightning; dyutī—splendor; varṣāśaran-megha-rucam—the color of an autumn cloud; dadhānau—wearing; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; sa—he; tūrṇam—at once; sva-rathāt—from hus chariot; gataḥ—come; adhaḥ—below; tayoḥ—both; nataḥ—bowed down; bhakti-yutaḥ—with devotion; papāta—fell. Seeing on the pathway the two ancient Supreme Persons, Their eyes lotus flowers, Their complexions fair and dark like a sapphire flag and a diamond mountain, wearing crowns like the rising sun and garments splendid as lightning and autumn clouds, Akrūra, overcome with love, jumped from his chariot and fell down before Them to offer his respects.

bālārka-maulī vasanaṁ taḍid-dyutī varṣāśaran-megha-rucaṁ dadhānau dṛṣṭvā sa tūrṇaṁ sva-rathād gato 'dhao tayor nato bhakti-yutaḥ papāta devau—the Lord; purāṇau—ancient; puruṣau—persons; pareśau—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; padmekṣaṇau—lotus eyed; śyāmala-gaura—fair and dark; varṇau—colors; yathā—as; indranīla—of sapphires; dhvaja—a flag; vajra—of diamonds; śailau—a mountain; samāśritau—taken shelter; tau—They; pathi—on the path; rāma-kṛṣṇau—Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; bālārka—rising sun; maulī—crowns; vasanam—garments; taḍit—lightning; dyutī—splendor; varṣāśaran-megha-rucam—the color of an autumn cloud; dadhānau—wearing; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; sa—he; tūrṇam—at once; sva-rathāt—from hus chariot; gataḥ—come; adhaḥ—below; tayoḥ—both; nataḥ—bowed down; bhakti-yutaḥ—with devotion; papāta—fell. Seeing on the pathway the two ancient Supreme Persons, Their eyes lotus flowers, Their complexions fair and dark like a sapphire flag and a diamond mountain, wearing crowns like the rising sun and garments splendid as lightning and autumn clouds, Akrūra, overcome with love, jumped from his chariot and fell down before Them to offer his respects.

Gazing at Akrūra's face and seeing his eyes filled with tears and the hairs of his body erect with joy, Lord Kṛṣṇa, overcome with feelings of compassion, and shedding tears Himself, picked Akrūra up and with both arms embraced His devotee.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered him a comfortable seat, welcomed him with eloquent words, and offered Their guest a delicious meal.

Nanda embraced Akrūra with both arms and said, "You are kind to others. How can you live in the kingdom of Kaṁsa, who killed the sons of his own sister?

When Nanda had gone, Kṛṣṇa asked about the welfare of His father and His kinsmen, the Yādavas, and about the wicked deeds of Kaṁsa.

Śrī Akrūra said: The day before yesterday Kaṁsa, sword in hand, was about to kill Vasudeva until Nārada Muni stopped him.

O Lord, unhappy and terrified of Kṛṣṇa, your kinsmen, the Yādavas, have fled with their families to other countries.

Now the powerful demon-king Kaṁsa wants to kill the Yādavas, conquer the demigods, and perform more atrocities on this earth.

Therefore You two Lords should go there and bring eternal auspiciousness to Your devotees. O my Lords, no one but You can bring auspiciousness to Your devotees.

After hearing Akrūra's words, and after conferring with Balarāma and King Nanda, Lord Kṛṣṇa addressed the gopas, who were eager to follow His command.

mathurāṁ tu gamiṣyanti sarve prātaḥ samutthitāḥ sarve tu gorasaṁ tasmād dadhi-dugdha-ghṛtādikam śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nanda-rājaḥ—King Nanda; api—also; sa-balaḥ—with Balarāma; vṛddhaiḥ—with the adult; gopa-gaṇaiḥ—gopas; aham—I; nandā—the Nandas; nava—nine; upanandāḥ—Upanandas; ca—and; tathā—so; ṣaḍ—the six; vṛṣabhānavaḥ—Vṛṣabhānus; mathurām—to Mathurā; tu—indeed; gamiṣyanti—will go; sarve—all; prātaḥ—in the morning; samutthitāḥ—risen; sarve—all; tu—indeed; gorasam—milk products; tasmāt—from that; dadhi-dugdha-ghṛtādikam—beginning with yogurt, milk, and ghee. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: King Nanda, Balarāma, the nine Nandas and Upanandas, the six Vṛṣabhānus, and all the adult gopas will rise early tommorrow morning and, taking gifts of milk, yogurt, ghee, and other milk products, will go to Mathurā City.

mathurāṁ tu gamiṣyanti sarve prātaḥ samutthitāḥ sarve tu gorasaṁ tasmād dadhi-dugdha-ghṛtādikam śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nanda-rājaḥ—King Nanda; api—also; sa-balaḥ—with Balarāma; vṛddhaiḥ—with the adult; gopa-gaṇaiḥ—gopas; aham—I; nandā—the Nandas; nava—nine; upanandāḥ—Upanandas; ca—and; tathā—so; ṣaḍ—the six; vṛṣabhānavaḥ—Vṛṣabhānus; mathurām—to Mathurā; tu—indeed; gamiṣyanti—will go; sarve—all; prātaḥ—in the morning; samutthitāḥ—risen; sarve—all; tu—indeed; gorasam—milk products; tasmāt—from that; dadhi-dugdha-ghṛtādikam—beginning with yogurt, milk, and ghee. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: King Nanda, Balarāma, the nine Nandas and Upanandas, the six Vṛṣabhānus, and all the adult gopas will rise early tommorrow morning and, taking gifts of milk, yogurt, ghee, and other milk products, will go to Mathurā City.

These gifts should now be placed on all the chariots and wagons.

Śrī Nārada said: When they heard these words, all the gopas repeated them to the gopīs in home after home.

Agitated at heart to hear these words, and fearing a separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, in home after home all the gopīs talked among themselves.

O king of kings, the news that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, would go on a journey, also entered the home of King Vṛṣabhānu.

When in the royal assembly She heard that Her master would go on a journey, King Vṛṣabhānu's daughter, Śrī Rādhā, at once fainted. She was like a banana tree struck by a great wind.

Some gopīs, the beauty of their faces suddenly withered away, the rings slipping like bracelets from their suddenly emaciated fingers, their ornaments falling, and their hair dishevelled, were stunned and motionless as if they were painted pictures.

O king of kings, some gopīs became very upset. In their homes they called out, "O Śrī Kṛṣṇa! O Govinda! O Hari! O Murāri!" Neglecting their household duties they sat down like yogīs fixed in a trance of bliss.

O king, some met and talked among themselves, their throats choked with stuttering words and their eyes with streams of tears.

The gopīs said: Even the philosophers free of all illusion cannot with their mouths describe the wonderful transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa or meditate on them in their hearts. Even the great demigods cannot understand Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. How can ordinary human beings understand them?

Turning His back on the words of love He spoke to us during the rāsa dance, He is now about to leave us. Alas! If He, the Lord of our lives, goes to Mathurā City, what calamity will not fall on us? .pa