राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 69

31 versesDeparture for Mathurā

Synopsis

Akrūra, undefeatable in his hospitality, enters Nanda-gopa's house with Keśava and gathers the elders. Pleased to find Kṛṣṇa with the son of Rohiṇī he says: "Tomorrow we shall go to the city Mathurā, for auspicious purpose." Through the chapter a mother's voice reaches its finish: "You are a son the equal of Śakra, to whom sons the like of you by virtue are given; you, giver of fearlessness even to others; it is not right that she should mourn." Night passes as the three wake together, in conversation with Akrūra, Kṛṣṇa, and the son of Rohiṇī.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

Akrūra's Speech to the Elders: Verses 1, 2, 5, 15, 25, 31: Akrūra gathering the elders in Nanda-gopa's house, his announcement of tomorrow's departure, the portrait of the bereaved Vasudeva in Mathurā, the mother's argument that no woman with such a son should need to weep, Akrūra's ethical framing of filial duty, and the night spent waking in conversation. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

स नन्दगोपस्य गृहं प्रविष्टः सहकेशवः गोपवृद्धान् समानीय प्रोवाचामितदक्षिणः

sa nandagopasya gṛhaṃ praviṣṭaḥ sahakeśavaḥ gopavṛddhān samānīya provācāmitadakṣiṇaḥ

Having entered Nanda-gopa's house together with Keśava, gathering the elders of the cowherds, Akrūra of unmeasured generosity spoke.

Verse 2

कृष्णं चैवाब्रवीत् प्रीतो रौहिणेयेन संगतम् श्वः पुरीं मथुरां तात गमिष्यामः शिवाय वै

kṛṣṇaṃ caivābravīt prīto rauhiṇeyena saṃgatam śvaḥ purīṃ mathurāṃ tāta gamiṣyāmaḥ śivāya vai

Verse 3

यास्यन्ति च व्रजाः सर्वे सगोकुलपरिग्रहाः कंसाज्ञया समुचितं करम् आदाय वार्षिकम्

yāsyanti ca vrajāḥ sarve sagokulaparigrahāḥ kaṃsājñayā samucitaṃ karam ādāya vārṣikam

Verse 4

वयं चैव प्रगन्तारो रथम् आस्थाय संगताः समृद्धस् तस्य कंसस्य भविष्यति धनुर्महः तं द्रक्ष्यथ समृद्धं च स्वजनं च समेष्यथ

vayaṃ caiva pragantāro ratham āsthāya saṃgatāḥ samṛddhas tasya kaṃsasya bhaviṣyati dhanurmahaḥ taṃ drakṣyatha samṛddhaṃ ca svajanaṃ ca sameṣyatha

Verse 5

पितरं वसुदेवं च सततं दुःखभाजनम् दीनं पुत्रवधश्रान्तं युवाम् अथ समेष्यथः

pitaraṃ vasudevaṃ ca satataṃ duḥkhabhājanam dīnaṃ putravadhaśrāntaṃ yuvām atha sameṣyathaḥ

Verse 6

सततं पीड्यमानं च कंसेनाशुभबुद्धिना दशान्ते शोषितं वृद्धं दुःखैः शिथिलतां गतम्

satataṃ pīḍyamānaṃ ca kaṃsenāśubhabuddhinā daśānte śoṣitaṃ vṛddhaṃ duḥkhaiḥ śithilatāṃ gatam

Verse 7

कंसस्य च भयात् त्रस्तं भवद्भ्यां च विनाकृतम् दह्यमानं दिवा रात्रौ सोत्कण्ठेनान्तरात्मना

kaṃsasya ca bhayāt trastaṃ bhavadbhyāṃ ca vinākṛtam dahyamānaṃ divā rātrau sotkaṇṭhenāntarātmanā

Verse 8

तां च द्रक्ष्यामि गोविन्द पुत्रैर् अमृदितस्तनीम् देवकीं देवसंकाशां सिदन्तीं विहतप्रभाम्

tāṃ ca drakṣyāmi govinda putrair amṛditastanīm devakīṃ devasaṃkāśāṃ sidantīṃ vihataprabhām

Verse 9

पुत्रशोकेन शुष्यन्तीं त्वद्दर्शनपरायणाम् वियोगशोकसंतप्तां विवत्साम् इव सौरभीम्

putraśokena śuṣyantīṃ tvaddarśanaparāyaṇām viyogaśokasaṃtaptāṃ vivatsām iva saurabhīm

Verse 10

उपप्लुतेक्षणां नित्यं नित्यं मलिनवाससम् स्वर्भानुवदनग्रस्तां शशाङ्कस्य प्रभाम् इव

upaplutekṣaṇāṃ nityaṃ nityaṃ malinavāsasam svarbhānuvadanagrastāṃ śaśāṅkasya prabhām iva

Verse 11

त्वद्दर्शनपरां नित्यं तवागमनकाङ्क्षिणीम् त्वत्प्रवृत्तेन शोकेन सीदन्तीं वै तपस्विनीम्

tvaddarśanaparāṃ nityaṃ tavāgamanakāṅkṣiṇīm tvatpravṛttena śokena sīdantīṃ vai tapasvinīm

Verse 12

त्वत्प्रलापेष्व् अकुशलां त्वया बाल्ये वियोजिताम् अरूपज्ञां तव विभो वक्त्रस्यास्येन्दुवर्चसः

tvatpralāpeṣv akuśalāṃ tvayā bālye viyojitām arūpajñāṃ tava vibho vaktrasyāsyenduvarcasaḥ

Verse 13

यदि त्वां जनयित्वा सा क्लिश्यते कृष्ण देवकी अपत्यार्थो नु कस् तस्या वरं ह्य् एवानपत्यता

yadi tvāṃ janayitvā sā kliśyate kṛṣṇa devakī apatyārtho nu kas tasyā varaṃ hy evānapatyatā

Verse 14

एकः शोको हि नारीणाम् अपुत्राणां विधीयते सपुत्रा त्व् अफले पुत्रे धिक् प्रजातेन तप्यते

ekaḥ śoko hi nārīṇām aputrāṇāṃ vidhīyate saputrā tv aphale putre dhik prajātena tapyate

Verse 15

त्वं तु शक्रसमः पुत्रो यस्यास् त्वत्सदृशो गुणैः परेषाम् अप्य् अभयदो न सा शोचितुम् अर्हति

tvaṃ tu śakrasamaḥ putro yasyās tvatsadṛśo guṇaiḥ pareṣām apy abhayado na sā śocitum arhati

'You are a son the equal of Indra, a son whose virtues are your own; a giver of fearlessness even to others. She should not grieve.'

Verse 16

वृद्धौ तवाम्बापितरौ परभृत्यत्वम् आगतौ त्वत्कृते भर्त्स्यमानौ तौ कंसेनादीर्घदर्शिना

vṛddhau tavāmbāpitarau parabhṛtyatvam āgatau tvatkṛte bhartsyamānau tau kaṃsenādīrghadarśinā

Verse 17

यदि ते देवकी मान्या पृथिवीवात्मधारिणी तां शोकसलिले मग्नाम् उत्तारयितुम् अर्हसि

yadi te devakī mānyā pṛthivīvātmadhāriṇī tāṃ śokasalile magnām uttārayitum arhasi

Verse 18

तं च वृद्धं प्रियसुतं वसुदेवं महाबलम् पुत्रयोगेन संयोज्य कृष्ण धर्मम् अवाप्स्यसि

taṃ ca vṛddhaṃ priyasutaṃ vasudevaṃ mahābalam putrayogena saṃyojya kṛṣṇa dharmam avāpsyasi

Verse 19

यथा नागः सुदुर्वृत्तो दमिनो यमुनाह्रदे विपुलश् च धृतः शैलो यथा वै भूधरस् त्वया

yathā nāgaḥ sudurvṛtto damino yamunāhrade vipulaś ca dhṛtaḥ śailo yathā vai bhūdharas tvayā

Verse 20

दर्पोद्वृत्तश् च बलवान् अरिष्टो विनिपातितः परप्राणहरः केशी दुष्टात्मा च हतस् त्वया

darpodvṛttaś ca balavān ariṣṭo vinipātitaḥ paraprāṇaharaḥ keśī duṣṭātmā ca hatas tvayā

Verse 21

एतेनैव प्रयत्नेन वृद्धाव् उद्धृत्य दुःखितौ यथा धर्मम् अवाप्नोषि तत् कृष्ण परिचिन्त्यताम्

etenaiva prayatnena vṛddhāv uddhṛtya duḥkhitau yathā dharmam avāpnoṣi tat kṛṣṇa paricintyatām

Verse 22

निर्भर्त्स्यमानो यैर् दृष्टः पिता ते कृष्ण संसदि ते सर्वे चक्रुर् अश्रूणि नेत्रैर् दुःखान्विता भृशम्

nirbhartsyamāno yair dṛṣṭaḥ pitā te kṛṣṇa saṃsadi te sarve cakrur aśrūṇi netrair duḥkhānvitā bhṛśam

Verse 23

अन्धेन किंचिद् उक्त्वैव कंसो निर्भर्त्सितः किल गर्भावकर्तनादीनि दुःखानि सुबहूनि सा माता ते देवकी कृष्ण कंसस्य सहते ऽवशा

andhena kiṃcid uktvaiva kaṃso nirbhartsitaḥ kila garbhāvakartanādīni duḥkhāni subahūni sā mātā te devakī kṛṣṇa kaṃsasya sahate 'vaśā

Verse 24

मातापितृभ्यां सर्वेण जातेन निभृतेन वै ऋणं वै प्रतिकर्तव्यं यथायोगम् उदाहृतम्

mātāpitṛbhyāṃ sarveṇa jātena nibhṛtena vai ṛṇaṃ vai pratikartavyaṃ yathāyogam udāhṛtam

Verse 25

एवं ते कुर्वतः कृष्ण मातापित्रोर् अनुग्रहम् परित्यजेतां तौ शोकं स्याच् च धर्मस् तवातुलः

evaṃ te kurvataḥ kṛṣṇa mātāpitror anugraham parityajetāṃ tau śokaṃ syāc ca dharmas tavātulaḥ

Verse 26

धर्मस् ते विपुलो ऽनन्तो भविष्यति न संशयः कृष्णस् तु विदितार्थो वै तम् आहामितदक्षिणम् बाढम् इत्य् एव तेजस्वी न च चुक्रोध केशवः

dharmas te vipulo 'nanto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ kṛṣṇas tu viditārtho vai tam āhāmitadakṣiṇam bāḍham ity eva tejasvī na ca cukrodha keśavaḥ

Verse 27

ते च गोपाः समागम्य नन्दगोपपुरोगमाः अक्रूरवचनं श्रुत्वा संचेलुः कंसशासनात्

te ca gopāḥ samāgamya nandagopapurogamāḥ akrūravacanaṃ śrutvā saṃceluḥ kaṃsaśāsanāt

Verse 28

गमनाय च ते सज्जा बभूवुर् व्रजवासिनः सज्जं चोपायनं कृत्वा गोपवृद्धाः प्रतस्थिरे

gamanāya ca te sajjā babhūvur vrajavāsinaḥ sajjaṃ copāyanaṃ kṛtvā gopavṛddhāḥ pratasthire

Verse 29

करं चानडुहः सर्पिर् महिषांश् चोपनायिकान् यथासारं यथायूथम् उपनीय पयो घृतम्

karaṃ cānaḍuhaḥ sarpir mahiṣāṃś copanāyikān yathāsāraṃ yathāyūtham upanīya payo ghṛtam

Verse 30

तं सज्जयित्वा कंसस्य करं चोपायनानि च ते सर्वे गोपपतयो गमनायोपतस्थिरे

taṃ sajjayitvā kaṃsasya karaṃ copāyanāni ca te sarve gopapatayo gamanāyopatasthire

Verse 31

अक्रूरस्य कथाभिस् तु सह कृष्णेन जाग्रतः रौहिणेयतृतीयस्य सा निशा व्यत्यवर्तत

akrūrasya kathābhis tu saha kṛṣṇena jāgrataḥ rauhiṇeyatṛtīyasya sā niśā vyatyavartata

That night passed in Akrūra's stories with the waking Kṛṣṇa and the son of Rohiṇī making the third.

Verse commentary

Akrūra's Speech to the Elders

आक्रूरवाक्यम्

Verses 1, 2, 5, 15, 25, 31: Akrūra gathering the elders in Nanda-gopa's house, his announcement of tomorrow's departure, the portrait of the bereaved Vasudeva in Mathurā, the mother's argument that no woman with such a son should need to weep, Akrūra's ethical framing of filial duty, and the night spent waking in conversation. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 69 is the companion chapter to HV 68 (Akrūra's evening arrival) and HV 70 (his morning vision in the Yamunā). Between the arrival and the vision sits this chapter of speech: Akrūra sits down with Nanda-gopa, gathers the village elders, and tells them he has come to take Kṛṣṇa to Mathurā. His announcement is delivered with extraordinary tact — not as a summons but as an invitation, framed as the son going to see his grieving biological father. The whole chapter is a model of how to deliver a hard message with love. It closes at dawn, the night spent in conversation.

HV 69.1

स नन्दगोपस्य गृहं प्रविष्टः सहकेशवः । गोपवृद्धान् समानीय प्रोवाचामितदक्षिणः ॥

sa nandagopasya gṛhaṃ praviṣṭaḥ sahakeśavaḥ | gopa-vṛddhān samānīya provācāmita-dakṣiṇaḥ

Having entered Nanda-gopa's house together with Keśava, gathering the elders of the cowherds, he — of unmeasured generosity — spoke.

The Living Words

*Nandagopasya gṛhaṃ praviṣṭaḥ*, 'entered Nanda-gopa's house'. *Saha-keśavaḥ*, 'together with Keśava' — Kṛṣṇa is present for the speech. *Gopa-vṛddhān samānīya*, 'having gathered the cowherd elders'. *Amita-dakṣiṇaḥ*, 'of unmeasured generosity'. The verse is Akrūra's careful staging of the announcement.

The Heart of It

The verse models how to deliver news that will be received as grief. Akrūra does not speak to Nanda-gopa alone; he gathers the elders. He does not speak without Kṛṣṇa present; the subject of the conversation sits beside him. And he does not come empty — *amita-dakṣiṇa*, 'of unmeasured generosity'. The Varkari tradition's attention to how hard things are said — to bring the elders, to bring the subject of the news, to bring gifts — is rooted in this careful staging. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is full of similarly-staged exchanges: what is said and who is present and what has been carried.

HV 69.2

कृष्णं चैवाब्रवीत् प्रीतो रौहिणेयेन संगतम् । श्वः पुरीं मथुरां तात गमिष्यामः शिवाय वै ॥

kṛṣṇaṃ caivābravīt prīto rauhiṇeyena saṃgatam | śvaḥ purīṃ mathurāṃ tāta gamiṣyāmaḥ śivāya vai

And pleased, he said to Kṛṣṇa joined with the son of Rohiṇī: 'Tomorrow, father, we shall go to the city Mathurā, for the auspicious (good).'

The Living Words

*Kṛṣṇaṃ ca abravīt prītaḥ*, 'and pleased, he said to Kṛṣṇa'. *Rauhiṇeyena saṃgatam*, 'joined with the son of Rohiṇī' — Balarāma is sitting with Kṛṣṇa. *Śvaḥ puriṃ mathurāṃ tāta gamiṣyāmaḥ*, 'tomorrow, father, we shall go to the city Mathurā'. *Śivāya vai*, 'for the auspicious (good).'

The Heart of It

Two details matter. First, Akrūra addresses Kṛṣṇa as *tāta*, 'father' — an affectionate vocative that inverts the usual direction (the boy is addressed with the word a parent would be called by). Second, he frames the journey as *śivāya*, 'for good'. Not 'at Kaṃsa's summons', not 'to confront the tyrant'; simply, 'for good'. The Varkari tradition's preference for delivering difficult truths in auspicious frames — the saints' calling their most demanding calls-to-devotion *śivāya* — has this verse as one of its Sanskrit sources. Honesty does not require grimness.

HV 69.5

पितरं वसुदेवं च सततं दुःखभाजनम् । दीनं पुत्रवधश्रान्तं युवाम् अथ समेष्यथः ॥

pitaraṃ vasudevaṃ ca satataṃ duḥkha-bhājanam | dīnaṃ putra-vadha-śrāntaṃ yuvām atha sameṣyathaḥ

And your father Vasudeva, constantly a vessel of grief, worn out by the killing of his sons, wretched — you two will meet him.

The Living Words

*Pitaraṃ vasudevam*, 'your father Vasudeva'. *Satataṃ duḥkha-bhājanam*, 'constantly a vessel of grief'. *Dīnam*, 'wretched'. *Putra-vadha-śrāntam*, 'worn out by sons' killing'. *Yuvām atha sameṣyathaḥ*, 'you two will meet him'. The verse is a description of a father who has been waiting.

The Heart of It

Akrūra does not use the threat of Kaṃsa to persuade. He uses Vasudeva's grief. *Satataṃ duḥkha-bhājanam* — 'constantly a vessel of grief' — names the father Kṛṣṇa has not yet met. The argument is not political; it is filial. The Varkari tradition's understanding that devotional calls often come through the grief of specific loved ones — that the mother's or father's specific weariness is a legitimate scriptural summons — is rooted in this verse. Vasudeva has been waiting. The son is being asked to go.

HV 69.15

त्वं तु शक्रसमः पुत्रो यस्यास् त्वत्सदृशो गुणैः । परेषाम् अप्य् अभयदो न सा शोचितुम् अर्हति ॥

tvaṃ tu śakra-samaḥ putro yasyās tvat-sadṛśo guṇaiḥ | pareṣām apy abhayado na sā śocitum arhati

'But you are a son the equal of Śakra, of such virtues as yours — a giver of fearlessness even to others. She ought not to grieve.'

The Living Words

*Tvaṃ tu śakra-samaḥ putraḥ*, 'but you are a son equal to Śakra (Indra)'. *Yasyāḥ tvat-sadṛśaḥ guṇaiḥ*, 'of such virtues as yours'. *Pareṣām apy abhayadaḥ*, 'giver of fearlessness even to others'. *Na sā śocitum arhati*, 'she ought not to grieve'.

The Heart of It

Akrūra turns the argument. Devakī's son — her own particular son, with his own specific virtues — is himself the refutation of her grief. *Pareṣām apy abhayadaḥ* — 'giver of fearlessness even to others' — is the same epithet the Harivaṃśa uses for Kṛṣṇa at Keśin (HV 67.15). The Varkari tradition's insistence that the devotee's own child, specifically, is God's gift and therefore should not be an occasion of fear, is in this verse. The son Kṛṣṇa has not yet met is waiting for the mother; and the mother is told she should not grieve, because the son is himself *abhayada*.

HV 69.25

एवं ते कुर्वतः कृष्ण मातापित्रोर् अनुग्रहम् । परित्यजेतां तौ शोकं स्याच् च धर्मस् तवातुलः ॥

evaṃ te kurvataḥ kṛṣṇa mātāpitror anugraham | parityajetāṃ tau śokaṃ syāc ca dharmas tavātulaḥ

'Thus, as you do this favor for mother and father, they shall abandon their grief — and your dharma shall be unmatched.'

The Living Words

*Evaṃ te kurvataḥ kṛṣṇa mātā-pitroḥ anugraham*, 'thus, as you do this favor for mother and father'. *Parityajetāṃ tau śokam*, 'those two shall abandon their grief'. *Syāt ca dharmaḥ tava atulaḥ*, 'and your dharma shall be unmatched'.

The Heart of It

The verse names filial devotion as the dharma Kṛṣṇa's specific action will earn him. *Dharmas tava atulaḥ* — 'your dharma unmatched' — frames going to Mathurā not as political obligation or heroic conquest but as *mātā-pitror anugraha*, a kindness to one's parents. The Varkari tradition's teaching that no dharma exceeds the caring-for-the-parent has this verse as its Sanskrit root. The god who will kill the tyrant and rule Dvārakā is first being asked to go see his worn-out parents.

HV 69.31

अक्रूरस्य कथाभिस् तु सह कृष्णेन जाग्रतः । रौहिणेयतृतीयस्य सा निशा व्यत्यवर्तत ॥

akrūrasya kathābhis tu saha kṛṣṇena jāgrataḥ | rauhiṇeya-tṛtīyasya sā niśā vyatyavartata

The night passed in Akrūra's stories with Kṛṣṇa awake, and the son of Rohiṇī as the third.

The Living Words

*Akrūrasya kathābhiḥ*, 'with Akrūra's stories'. *Saha kṛṣṇena jāgrataḥ*, 'with Kṛṣṇa awake'. *Rauhiṇeya-tṛtīyasya*, 'with the son of Rohiṇī as third'. *Sā niśā vyatyavartata*, 'that night passed.' Three figures, one night, stories filling the dark.

The Heart of It

The chapter ends not with a decision but with a vigil. Three — Akrūra, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma — stay awake telling stories until dawn. *Rauhiṇeya-tṛtīyasya*, 'with the son of Rohiṇī as the third', is the Harivaṃśa's way of reminding the reader that no two-person scene is ever the complete frame; the brother is always present. The Varkari tradition's love of the satsang-through-the-night, the *rātri-kīrtana*, the bhajan-till-dawn, is in this closing verse. Stories exchanged in the dark between three people are the Sanskrit source of what the Warkari tradition calls *bhāva*.

Thread

The six verses trace the chapter's shape: the gathering of elders (69.1), the auspicious announcement (69.2), the invocation of the grieving father (69.5), the mother's reassurance through the son's virtue (69.15), the filial-dharma argument (69.25), and the three-person night of stories (69.31). The Harivaṃśa's model of how to speak a hard thing: bring the elders, bring the subject, bring gifts, frame as śivāya, argue through grief-and-filial-duty, and then stay awake together telling stories.

Echo in the saints

HV 69's careful speech-craft has been read by Warkari commentators as the Sanskrit prototype of *sant-vāṇī*, the saints' speech. Jñāneśvar's own language — when he tells his reader hard things about samsāra and the Name — is modeled on Akrūra's: it brings the listeners together, names the grief that makes the teaching necessary, and closes in a kind of vigil-companionship. Tukaram's deepest abhangas are also of this kind — hard truths delivered with *amita-dakṣiṇa*, unmeasured generosity, in the presence of those who need to hear them.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 17.15

Truth spoken with gentle words, dear and beneficial.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥

anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate

Speech that causes no disturbance, that is truthful, dear, and beneficial — along with the practice of recitation — is called the austerity of speech.

Akrūra's HV 69 speech is the Gītā's vāṅmaya-tapas in narrative — truth, dear, beneficial, causing no disturbance even while delivering hard news.

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BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.