Akrura

Akrura (अक्रूर) is a Yadava prince in Hinduism, best known for being the uncle of the deity Krishna. The son of Śvaphalka and Gandini, a daughter of the king of Kashi, he is instructed by Kamsa to drive his nephews, Krishna and Balarama, to a Dhanuryāga (festival of arms) at Mathura, where they were to be slain. He bears witness to the vishvarupa (theophany) of Krishna during this journey. Akrura becomes the owner of the Syamantaka jewel after the death of its previous owner, Satrajit. He is slain during the internecine Yadu massacre at Prabhasa. According to the Harivamsha, Akrura marries Ugraseni, the daughter of Ugrasena, who gives birth to two sons, Sudeva and Upadeva. F.E. Pargiter states that Akrura weds Sutanu, the daughter of Ahuka, and with her he had two sons, Devaka and Updevaka. He is said to have reigned at Dvaraka, and Pargiter believes that the family's chiefdom stretched as far back as Vrishni. Akrura's cousin, Kamsa, ruled as the king of the Yadus, based in his capital at Mathura. In the Vishnu Purana, prophesied to be killed by his nephew, Krishna, he ordered Akrura to summon Krishna and Balarama upon his chariot to Mathura. An invitation was to be issued, under the pretext of inviting them to the Dhanuryāga festival, to be held on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, where he schemed to have them murdered. Kamsa informed Akrura that following the death of his nephews, he wished to seize all the possessions of the cowherds, and rule in concert with him. As a devotee of Vishnu, Akrura was excited at the prospect of meeting Krishna. After his arrival to Gokulam, he saw Krishna and his brother among the cattle, wondering if they would despise him for his association with Kamsa. The brothers, however, treated their uncle with hospitality, and he proceeded to tell them about the mistreatment of Vasudeva, Devaki, and Ugrasena under the tyranny of Kamsa, and the reason for which he had been dispatched. The brothers agreed to accompany Akrura to Mathura the following day.