Akrura

Quick Facts

About Akrura

The exceedingly liberal chief who commanded the Vrishni host and married a daughter of Ahuka. Krishna named him and Ahuka as the two burdens of his own house, since the clan could not be held together with both of them in it or with either of them out of it, and after the Yadavas destroyed themselves his widows withdrew into the woods.

In Their Words

The Vrishnis have no king; they have only men who will not be second to any.

Akrura

Traits

• Liberal
• Powerful
• Factious
• Respected

Story Appearances

• The Vision in the RiverThe Vrishni chief and the quarrel over the gem❧ 10 min
• The Imperial SacrificeVrishni lord attending Yudhishthira's court❧ 26 min
• The Iron MacesOne of the Vrishnis undone by the curse❧ 21 min

Stories Featuring Akrura

4 further tales on this site name Akrura, in canonical reading order.

• The Slaying of KamsaThe Prophecy FulfilledAdi Parva ‧ 7 min
• The Weapon Not Made of SteelKrishna tells Narada what his own kinsmen do to himShanti Parva ‧ 18 min
• The Death of VasudevaKrishna's Father Outlives EveryoneMausala Parva ‧ 16 min
• The Return of the PortionsWho everybody turned out to have beenSvargarohana Parva ‧ 17 min

Character Arc

1. 1The AllianceKrishna bestows Ahuka's daughter on him to bind the clans
2. 2The Two BurdensKrishna tells Narada he can side with neither him nor Ahuka
3. 3The WoodsHis widows refuse Vajra's pleading and leave Indraprastha

Key Relationships

• Kinsman➝Krishna
• Rival in council➝Ugrasena
• Clansman➝Balarama

Places in Akrura's Story

Drawn from the stories Akrura appears in.

• Mathuraमथुरा
• Vrindavanवृंदावन
• Dwarakaद्वारका
• Prabhasaप्रभास
• Indraprasthaइंद्रप्रस्थ
• Hastinapurहस्तिनापुर
• Kurukshetraकुरुक्षेत्र
• Amaravatiअमरावती
• Takshashilaतक्षशिला
• Saraswatiसरस्वती

Related Characters

Others counted among the Sages & Others.

• ✦Sage Kanva
• ◎Eklavya
• ★Shukracharya
• ♛Vrishaparva
• ♛Yadu
• ✧Princess Amba