krishnavishnuakrurastuti

Akrura Stuti (Prayers of Akrura)

अक्रूर स्तुति

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Early morning after bath, or in the evening; especially on Ekadashi and Janmashtami·📜 Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 10, Chapter 40 (The Prayers of Akrura)

Also known as: akrura stuti · prayers of akrura · akrura krita krishna stuti · nato'smy aham tvakhila hetu hetum · namas te vasudevaya

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Akrura Stuti is the celebrated prayer offered by Akrura to Lord Krishna in the Tenth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam (Chapter 40), spoken in wonder after he beheld Krishna's divine vision in the river Yamuna. In majestic verses he glorifies the Lord as Narayana, the cause of all causes, from whom the whole cosmos and all its elements arise, and as the Supreme Brahman of infinite energies. It concludes with the famous surrender 'namas te vasudevaya... prapannam pahi mam prabho' — 'O Lord, protect me, for I have taken refuge in You'.

Origin & Story

Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 10, Chapter 40 (The Prayers of Akrura) · Veda Vyasa (as spoken by Akrura) · Ancient (Puranic)

When Kamsa sent the devoted Akrura to bring Krishna and Balarama from Vrindavan to Mathura, Akrura travelled with a heart full of longing to behold the Lord. On the way, while bathing in the river Yamuna, he was granted a wondrous vision of Krishna as the Supreme Lord Narayana, resting upon the serpent Shesha and surrounded by divine beings. Overcome with awe and love, Akrura folded his hands and poured out this stuti, glorifying Krishna as the cause of all causes, from whose navel-lotus Brahma was born and within whose body the entire universe rests. He concluded by surrendering himself utterly, praying, 'O Lord, protect me, for I have taken refuge in You.' His prayer stands among the great devotional hymns of the Bhagavata.

✦ As told in scripture

The Bhagavata relates that while bathing in the Yamuna, Akrura beheld Krishna and Balarama within the water as the four-armed Lord Narayana upon Ananta-Shesha, served by Brahma, Shiva and the celestial sages — a vision granted to him alone as the reward of his pure devotion, which moved him to offer this very prayer.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

नतोऽस्म्यहं त्वाखिलहेतुहेतुं नारायणं पूरुषमाद्यमव्ययम् । यन्नाभिजातादरविन्दकोशाद् ब्रह्माविरासीद्यत एष लोकः ॥ १॥

nato'smy ahaṁ tvākhila-hetu-hetuṁ nārāyaṇaṁ pūruṣam ādyam avyayam | yan-nābhi-jātād aravinda-kośād brahmāvirāsīd yata eṣa lokaḥ || 1||

Meaning:I bow down to You, the cause of all causes, Narayana, the original and imperishable Supreme Person — from the whorl of the lotus born of whose navel appeared Brahma, and from whom this entire world has come forth.

Verse 2

भूस्तोयमग्निः पवनं खमादिर् महानजादिर्मन इन्द्रियाणि । सर्वेन्द्रियार्था विबुधाश्च सर्वे ये हेतवस्ते जगतोऽङ्गभूताः ॥ २॥

bhūs toyam agniḥ pavanaṁ kham ādir mahān ajādir mana indriyāṇi | sarvendriyārthā vibudhāś ca sarve ye hetavas te jagato'ṅga-bhūtāḥ || 2||

Meaning:Earth, water, fire, air, ether and their source (false ego); the mahat-tattva; the unborn primal nature; the mind, the senses, the sense-objects and all the presiding deities — all these causes of the cosmos are but parts of Your transcendental body.

Verse 3

नमो विज्ञानमात्राय सर्वप्रत्ययहेतवे । पुरुषेशप्रधानाय ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये ॥ ३॥

namo vijñāna-mātrāya sarva-pratyaya-hetave | puruṣeśa-pradhānāya brahmaṇe'nanta-śaktaye || 3||

Meaning:Obeisance to You, who are pure transcendental consciousness itself, the source of all awareness, the master of the puruṣa and of primordial nature — to the Supreme Brahman of infinite potencies.

Verse 4

नमस्ते वासुदेवाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च । हृषीकेश नमस्तुभ्यं प्रपन्नं पाहि मां प्रभो ॥ ४॥

namas te vāsudevāya sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya ca | hṛṣīkeśa namas tubhyaṁ prapannaṁ pāhi māṁ prabho || 4||

Meaning:Obeisance to You, Vasudeva, the resting place of all created beings; O Hrishikesha, Lord of the senses, obeisance unto You. O Lord, protect me, for I have surrendered to You.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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नतोऽस्म्यहं🔊nato'smy ahaṁI bow down (in obeisance)

त्वाखिलहेतुहेतुं🔊tvā akhila-hetu-hetuṁto You, the cause of all causes

नारायणं🔊nārāyaṇaṁto Narayana (the resting-place of all beings)

पूरुषमाद्यमव्ययम्🔊pūruṣam ādyam avyayamthe original, imperishable Supreme Person

यन्नाभिजातात्🔊yan-nābhi-jātātfrom whose navel was born

अरविन्दकोशात्🔊aravinda-kośātfrom the whorl of the lotus

ब्रह्माविरासीत्🔊brahmā avirāsītBrahma appeared (the creator)

यत एष लोकः🔊yata eṣa lokaḥfrom whom this whole world (came forth)

भूस्तोयमग्निः पवनं खम्🔊bhūs toyam agniḥ pavanaṁ khamearth, water, fire, air, ether (the five elements)

महान्🔊mahānthe mahat-tattva (the cosmic intelligence)

मन इन्द्रियाणि🔊mana indriyāṇithe mind and the senses

ये हेतवस्ते जगतोऽङ्गभूताः🔊ye hetavas te jagato'ṅga-bhūtāḥall these causes of the universe are parts of Your body

नमो विज्ञानमात्राय🔊namo vijñāna-mātrāyaobeisance to You who are pure consciousness (knowledge) itself

सर्वप्रत्ययहेतवे🔊sarva-pratyaya-hetavethe source of all cognition and awareness

ब्रह्मणेऽनन्तशक्तये🔊brahmaṇe'nanta-śaktayeto the Supreme Brahman of unlimited potencies

नमस्ते वासुदेवाय🔊namas te vāsudevāyaobeisance to You, Vasudeva (the indwelling Lord, son of Vasudeva)

सर्वभूतक्षयाय च🔊sarva-bhūta-kṣayāya caand to the abode (resting place) of all created beings

हृषीकेश नमस्तुभ्यं🔊hṛṣīkeśa namas tubhyaṁO Hrishikesha (Lord of the senses), obeisance to You

प्रपन्नं पाहि मां प्रभो🔊prapannaṁ pāhi māṁ prabhoO Lord, protect me, who have surrendered to You

Benefits of Chanting Akrura Stuti (Prayers of Akrura)

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A profound prayer of surrender (sharanagati) to the Supreme Lord Krishna as Narayana

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Glorifies the Lord as the cause of all causes and the source of the entire cosmos, deepening understanding (jnana) and devotion

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The concluding plea 'prapannam pahi mam prabho' is a perfect mantra of taking refuge and seeking the Lord's protection

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Recited to cultivate humility, faith and the realization that all of creation rests in the Lord

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Cherished by Vaishnavas as a model of how a devotee should pray upon receiving the Lord's darshan

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Brings spiritual protection, peace of mind and steadiness of devotion to those who recite it with feeling

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An authentic scriptural stuti from the Srimad Bhagavatam, lending it great sanctity

How to Chant Akrura Stuti (Prayers of Akrura)

Repetitions3times

Best TimeEarly morning after bath, or in the evening; especially on Ekadashi and Janmashtami

Recite these verses from the Srimad Bhagavatam with reverence, ideally before an image of Krishna or Vishnu. Reflect on their meaning — that the Lord is the cause of all causes and that all of creation is His body — and end by truly taking refuge with 'prapannam pahi mam prabho'. The prayer may be recited as part of daily worship or whenever one seeks the Lord's protection and the spirit of surrender. It is fitting to read it slowly, as a meditation on the Lord's greatness and one's own dependence upon Him.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Akrura Stuti is the prayer offered by Akrura, the noble Yadava who escorted Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, as recorded in the Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 10, Chapter 40). Overwhelmed after receiving a divine vision of the Lord in the Yamuna, Akrura praises Krishna as the Supreme Person, Narayana, and surrenders himself completely.

It appears in the Tenth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Chapter 40, which is titled 'The Prayers of Akrura'. The selection here gives its famous opening verse, the verse describing the cosmos as the Lord's body, and the well-known concluding verses of surrender.

It means: 'Obeisance to You, Vasudeva, the resting place of all beings; O Hrishikesha, obeisance to You. O Lord, protect me, for I have surrendered to You.' It is one of the most beloved expressions of sharanagati (loving surrender) in the Bhagavata.

It deepens devotion and the spirit of surrender, awakens awareness of the Lord as the source of all that exists, and is recited to seek His protection and grace. As authentic scripture spoken by a great devotee, it is regarded as especially purifying and auspicious.