Sri Päëḍava Ekädaçé Issue no: 236 18th June 2024

Understanding Destiny
Akrura’s Mission in Hastinapura "Destiny" or "Fate"
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Who is Akrura? Understanding Destiny

Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The Ultimate Goal of Life

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 Issue no 236, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
and the Supersoul, the Lord of pure devotional
Akrura’s Mission in Hastinapura service and the source of all knowledge. I have
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami come to You for shelter.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thus meditating on
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Akrura went to Hast- her family members and also on Krishna, the
inapura, the city distinguished by the glory of Lord of the universe, your great-grandmother
the Paurava rulers. There he saw Dhritarashtra, Kuntidevi began to cry out in grief, O King. Both
Bhishma, Vidura and Kunti, along with Bahlika Akrura, who shared Queen Kunti’s distress and
and his son Somadatta. He also saw Dronacharya, happiness, and the illustrious Vidura consoled
Krpacarya, Karna, Duryodhana, Ashvatthama, the the Queen by reminding her of the extraordinary
Pandavas and other close friends. After Akrura, way her sons had taken birth. The ardent affection
the son of Gandini, had appropriately greeted all King Dhritarashtra felt for his sons had made him
his relatives and friends, they asked him for news act unjustly toward the Pandavas. Just before leav-
of their family members, and he in turn asked ing, Akrura approached the King, who was seated
about their welfare. He remained in Hastinapura among his friends and supporters, and related to
for several months to scrutinize the conduct of the him the message that his relativesLord Krishna
weakwilled King, who had bad sons and who was and Lord Balarama had sent out of friendship.
inclined to give in to the whims of mischievous [Akrura said:] O my dear son of Vicitravirya, O
advisers. enhancer of the Kurus’ glory, your brother Pandu
Kunti and Vidura described to Akrura in detail having passed away, you have now assumed the
the evil intentions of Dhritarashtra’s sons, who royal throne. By religiously protecting the earth,
could not tolerate the great qualities of Kunti’s delighting your subjects with your noble char-
sonssuch as their powerful influence, military acter, and treating all your relatives equally, you
skill, physical strength, bravery and humilityor will surely achieve success and glory. If you act
the intense affection the citizens had for them. otherwise, however, people will condemn you
Kunti and Vidura also told Akrura about how the in this world, and in the next life you will enter
sons of Dhritarashtra had tried to poison the Pan- the darkness of hell. Remain equally disposed,
davas and carry out other such plots. Kuntidevi, therefore, toward Pandu’s sons and your own. In
taking advantage of her brother Akrura’s visit, ap- this world no one has any permanent relationship
proached him confidentially. While remembering with anyone else, O King. We cannot stay forever
her birthplace, she spoke with tears in her eyes. even with our own body, what to speak of our
[Queen Kunti said:] O gentle one, do my par- wife, children and the rest. Every creature is born
ents, brothers, sisters, nephews, family women alone and dies alone, and alone one experiences
and girlhood friends still remember us? Does my the just rewards of his good and evil deeds. In
nephew Krishna, the Supreme Personality and the guise of dear dependents, strangers steal the
the compassionate shelter of His devotees, still sinfully acquired wealth of a foolish man, just
remember His aunt’s sons? And does lotus-eyed as the offspring of a fish drink up the water that
Rama remember them also? Now that I am suf- sustains the fish.
fering in the midst of my enemies like a doe in the A fool indulges in sin to maintain his life, wealth
midst of wolves, will Krishna come to console me and children and other relatives, for he thinks,
and my fatherless sons with His words? Krishna, “These things are mine.” In the end, however,
Krishna! O great yogi! O Supreme Soul and pro- these very things all abandon him, leaving him
tector of the universe! O Govinda! Please protect frustrated. Abandoned by his so-called depen-
me, who have surrendered to You. I and my sons dents, ignorant of the actual goal of life, indifferent
are being overwhelmed by trouble. For persons to his real duty, and having failed to fulfill his
fearful of death and rebirth, I see no shelter other purposes, the foolish soul enters the blindness of
than Your liberating lotus feet, for You are the hell, taking his sinful reactions with him. There-
Supreme Lord. I offer my obeisances unto You, fore, O King, looking upon this world as a dream,
Krishna, the supreme pure, the Absolute Truth a magician’s illusion or a flight of fancy, please

Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org

 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 236, Page—3

control your mind with intelligence and become

equipoised and peaceful, my lord. Who is Akrura?
[Dhritarashtra said:] O master of charity, I can Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
never be satiated while hearing your auspicious Prabhupada
words. Indeed, I am like a mortal who has obtained
the nectar of the gods. Even so, gentle Akrura, be- The commander in chief of the Vrishni dynasty
cause my unsteady heart is prejudiced by affection and a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Akrura at-
for my sons, these pleasing words of yours cannot tained success in devotional service to the Lord
remain fixed there, just as lightning cannot remain by the one single process of offering prayers. He
fixed in a cloud. Who can defy the injunctions of was the husband of Sutani, daughter of Ahuka.
the Supreme Lord, who has now descended in He supported Arjuna when Arjuna took Sub-
the Yadu dynasty to diminish the earth’s burden? hadra forcibly away by the will of Krishna. Both
I offer my obeisances to Him, the Supreme Per- Krishna and Akrura went to see Arjuna after his
sonality of Godhead, who creates this universe by successful kidnapping of Subhadra. Both of them
the inconceivable activity of His material energy presented dowries to Arjuna after this incident.
and then distributes the various modes of nature Akrura was present also when Abhimanyu, the
by entering within the creation. From Him, the son of Subhadra, was married with Uttara, mother
meaning of whose pastimes is unfathomable, come of Maharaja Pariksit. Ahuka, the father-in-law of
both the entangling cycle of birth and death and Akrura, was not on good terms with Akrura. But
the process of deliverance from it. both of them were devotees of the Lord.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: Having thus apprised — Srimad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 1: The Summum Bonum
himself of the King’s attitude, Akrura, the descen- » Chapter 11 » Verse 1 » Purport by Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhak-
dant of Yadu, took permission from his well-wish- tivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
ing relatives and friends and returned to the capital
of the Yadavas. Akrura reported to Lord Balarama
and Lord Krishna how Dhritarashtra was behaving
toward the Pandavas. Thus, O descendant of the
Kurus, he fulfilled the purpose for which he had
been sent.
— Srimad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum
Bonum » Chapter 48 » Verses 1–31 » Translations by Disciples of His Divine
Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

 Issue no 236, Page — 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
Top left 4
"Destiny" or "Fate" one remains alive, whereas a person well protected
Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami at home by relatives and others sometimes dies,
Prabhupada no one being able to protect him.
These are examples of the supremacy of the
Naturally, we would like to ask Dhritarashtra, Lord. Our plans to protect or annihilate do not act,
"If you know all this, why don't you behave but whatever He thinks of doing actually happens.
properly?" Of course, this is exactly Dhritarash- The examples given in this regard are practical.
tra's point: he feels that since events have already Everyone has had such practical experiences,
been set in motion, he is helpless to change and there are also many other clear examples.
them. In fact, events have been set in motion For instance, Prahlada Maharaja said that a child
by his attachment and sinful propensities, and is certainly dependent on his father and mother,
therefore he should have taken responsibility but in spite of their presence, the child is harassed
for his own acts. Lord Krishna clearly states in in many ways. Sometimes, in spite of a supply of
Bhagavad-gétä (5.15), nädatte kasyacit päpam: good medicine and an experienced physician,
"The Supreme Lord does not accept responsibility a patient does not survive. Therefore, since ev-
for anyone's sinful activities." It is a dangerous erything is dependent on the free will of the Su-
policy to claim that we are acting improperly preme Personality of Godhead, our only duty is
because of "destiny" or "fate." We should take to surrender unto Him and seek His protection.
up Krishna consciousness seriously and create an necessities will be supplied by the arrangement
auspicious future for ourselves and our associates. of the supreme controller.
Finally, one may argue that, after all, Dhritarashtra
is involved in the Lord's pastimes and is actually — Srimad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 7: The Science of God
His eternal associate. In answer to this we may say » Chapter 2 » Translations by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
that the Lord's pastimes are not only entertain- Prabhupada.
ing but also didactic, and the lesson here is that
Dhritarashtra should have acted properly. This The Ultimate Goal of Life
is what the Lord wanted to teach. Dhritarashtra His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
claims that Krishna came to relieve the burden of
the earth, but the earth's burden is precisely the yadåcchayopapannena
improper behavior of its inhabitants. So, let us santuñöo vartate sukham
take the lesson the Lord wants to teach here and näsantuñöas tribhir lokair
be instructed for our benefit. ajitätmopasäditaiù
— Srimad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum "One should be satisfied with whatever he
Bonum » Chapter 49 » Verses 29 » Translations by Disciples of His Divine Grace achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. can never bring happiness. A person who is not
self-controlled will not be happy even with pos-
Understanding Destiny sessing the three worlds."
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
If happiness is the ultimate goal of life, one must
Sometimes one loses his money on a public be satisfied with the position in which he is placed
street, where everyone can see it, and yet his mon- by providence. This instruction is also given by
ey is protected by destiny and not seen by others. Prahlada Maharaja in Srimad-Bhägavatam (7.6.3):
Thus the man who lost it gets it back. On the other
hand, if the Lord does not give protection, even sukham aindriyakaà daityä
money maintained very securely at home is lost. deha-yogena dehinäm
If the Supreme Lord gives one protection, even sarvatra labhyate daiväd
though one has no protector and is in the jungle,

Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org

 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 236, Page—5
yathä duùkham ayatnataù what he desires for the gratification of his senses,
but because this is on the material platform, he
"My dear friends born of demoniac families, the will never achieve satisfaction and contentment.
happiness perceived with reference to the sense According to brahminical culture, one should be
objects by contact with the body can be obtained content with whatever he obtains without special
in any form of life, according to one's past frui- endeavor and should cultivate spiritual conscious-
tive activities. Such happiness is automatically ness. Then he will be happy.
obtained without endeavor, just as we obtain The purpose of the Krishna consciousness
distress." movement is to spread this understanding. People
who do not have scientific spiritual knowledge
This philosophy is perfect in regard to obtaining mistakenly think that the members of the Krish-
happiness. Real happiness is described in Bhaga- na consciousness movement are escapists trying
vad-gétä (6.21): to avoid material activities. In fact, however, we
are engaged in real activities for obtaining the
sukham ätyantikaà yat tad ultimate happiness in life. If one is not trained
buddhi-grähyam aténdriyam to satisfy the spiritual senses and continues in
vetti yatra na caiväyaà material sense gratification, he will never ob-
sthitaç calati tattvataù tain happiness that is eternal and blissful. Çré-
mad-Bhägavatam (5.5.1) therefore recommends:
"In the spiritually joyous state, one is sit tapo divyaà putrakä yena sattvaà çuddhyed yasmäd
uated in boundless transcendental happiness brahma-saukhyaà tv anantam. One must practice
and enjoys himself through transcendental austerity so that his existential position will be
senses. Established thus, one never departs purified and he will achieve unlimited blissful life.
from the truth."
— Srimad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 8: With-
One has to perceive happiness by the super-sens- drawal of the Cosmic Creations » Chapter 19 » Verse 25 » Transla-
es. The super-senses are not the senses of the tions by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
material elements. Every one of us is a spiritual
being (ahaà brahmäsmi), and every one of us is
an individual person. Our senses are now covered
by material elements, and because of ignorance
we consider the material senses that cover us to
be our real senses. The real senses, however, are
within the material covering. Dehino'smin yathä
dehe: [Bhagavad-gétä 2.13] within the covering
of the material elements are the spiritual senses. !! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !!
Sarvopädhi-vinirmuktaà tat-paratvena nirmalam: ISKCON
[Caitanya Caritämåta Madhya 19.170] when the Bhägavata Mahävidyalaya
spiritual senses are uncovered, by these senses we is a branch of
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
can be happy. Satisfaction of the spiritual senses Founder-Acarya: His Divine Grace
is thus described: håñékeëa håñékeça-sevanaà A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada
bhaktir ucyate. When the senses are engaged in Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of
devotional service to Hrishikesha, then the senses His Divine Grace
are completely satisfied. Without this superior A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada
knowledge of sense gratification, one may try
to satisfy his material senses, but happiness will ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
never be possible. One may increase his am- ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective
bition for sense gratification and even achieve artists.

www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya