५२

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

This chapter describes how Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa, running as if in fear, went to Dvārakā. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa heard the message of Rukmiṇī from the mouth of a brāhmaṇa and chose her as His wife.

King Mucukunda, shown mercy by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, offered obeisances and circumambulated Him. The King then left the cave and saw that humans, animals, trees and plants were all smaller than when he had fallen asleep. From this he could understand that the Age of Kali was at hand. Thus, in a mood of detachment from all material association, the King began worshiping the Supreme Lord, Śrī Hari.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa returned to Mathurā, which was still under siege by the barbarian army. He destroyed this army, collected all the valuables the soldiers had been carrying, and set off for Dvārakā. Just then Jarāsandha arrived on the scene with a force of twenty-three akṣauhiṇīs. Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa, acting as if fearful, left Their riches aside and ran far away. Because Jarāsandha could not appreciate Their true power, he ran after Them. After running a long way, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa came to a mountain named Pravarṣaṇa and proceeded to climb it. Jarāsandha thought They had hidden inside a cave and looked all over for Them. Unable to find Them, he built fires on all sides of the mountain. As the vegetation on the mountain slopes burst into flame, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma jumped off the peak. After reaching the ground unseen by Jarāsandha and his followers, They returned to the Dvārakā fort, which floated within the sea. Jarāsandha decided that Rāma and Kṛṣṇa had burned to death in the fire, and he took his army back to his kingdom.

At this point Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked a question, and Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī responded to it by beginning to narrate the history of the marriage of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī. Rukmiṇī, the young daughter of Bhīṣmaka, King of Vidarbha, had heard of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, strength and other fine qualities, and she therefore made up her mind that He would be the perfect husband for her. Lord Kṛṣṇa also wanted to marry her. But although Rukmiṇī’s other relatives approved of her marriage to Kṛṣṇa, her brother Rukmī was envious of the Lord and thus forbade her to marry Him. Rukmī wanted her to marry Śiśupāla instead. Rukmiṇī unhappily took up her duties in preparation for the marriage, but she also sent a trustworthy brāhmaṇa to Kṛṣṇa with a letter.

When the brāhmaṇa arrived in Dvārakā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa properly honored him with ritual worship and other tokens of reverence. The Lord then asked the brāhmaṇa why he had come. The brāhmaṇa opened Rukmiṇī’s letter and showed it to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who had the messenger read it to Him. Rukmiṇī-devī wrote: “Ever since I have heard about You, my Lord, I have become completely attracted to You. Without fail please come before my marriage to Śiśupāla and take me away. In accordance with family custom, on the day before my marriage I will visit the temple of goddess Ambikā. That would be the best opportunity for You to appear and easily kidnap me. If You do not show me this favor, I will give up my life by fasting and observing severe vows. Then perhaps in my next life I will be able to obtain You.”

After reading Rukmiṇī’s letter to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the brāhmaṇa took his leave so he might carry out his daily religious duties.

Text 1

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
इत्थं सोऽनग्रहीतोऽङ्ग कृष्णेनेक्ष्वाकुनन्दन- ।
तं परिक्रम्य सन्नम्य निश्चक्राम गुहामुखात् ॥ १ ॥

Verse text

śrī-śuka uvāca
itthaṁ so ’nagrahīto ’nga
kṛṣṇenekṣvāku nandanaḥ
taṁ parikramya sannamya
niścakrāma guhā-mukhāt

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ittham — in this manner; saḥ — he; anugrahītaḥ — shown mercy; aṅga — my dear (Parīkṣit Mahārāja); kṛṣṇena — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; ikṣvāku-nandanaḥ — Mucukunda, the beloved descendant of Ikṣvāku; tam — Him; parikramya — circumambulating; sannamya — bowing down; niścakrāma — he went out; guhā — of the cave; mukhāt — from the mouth.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, thus graced by Lord Kṛṣṇa, Mucukunda circumambulated Him and bowed down to Him. Then Mucukunda, the beloved descendant of Ikṣvāku, exited through the mouth of the cave.

Text 2

Devanagari

संवीक्ष्य क्षुल्ल‍कान् मर्त्यान् पशून्वीरुद्वनस्पतीन् ।
मत्वा कलियुगं प्राप्तं जगाम दिशमुत्तराम् ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

saṁvīkṣya kṣullakān martyān
paśūn vīrud-vanaspatīn
matvā kali-yugaṁ prāptaṁ
jagāma diśam uttarām

Synonyms

saṁvīkṣya — noticing; kṣullakān — tiny; martyān — the human beings; paśūn — animals; vīrut — plants; vanaspatīn — and trees; matvā — considering; kali-yugam — the Age of Kali; prāptam — having arrived; jagāma — he went; diśam — to the direction; uttarām — northern.

Translation

Seeing that the size of all the human beings, animals, trees and plants was severely reduced, and thus realizing that the Age of Kali was at hand, Mucukunda left for the north.

Purport

There are several significant words in this verse. A standard Sanskrit dictionary gives the following English meanings for the word kṣullaka: “little, small, low, vile, poor, indigent, wicked, malicious, abandoned, hard, pained, distressed.” These are the symptoms of the Age of Kali, and all these qualities are said here to apply to men, animals, plants and trees in this age. We who are enamored of ourselves and our environment can perhaps imagine the superior beauty and living conditions available to people in former ages.

The last line of this text, jagāma diśam uttarām — “He went toward the north” — can be understood as follows. By traveling north in India, one comes to the world’s highest mountains, the Himālayan range. There one can still find many beautiful peaks and valleys, where there are quiet hermitages suitable for austerity and meditation. Thus in Vedic culture “going to the north” indicates renouncing the comforts of ordinary society and going to the Himālayan Mountains to practice serious austerities for spiritual advancement.

Text 3

Devanagari

तप-श्रद्धायुतो धीरो नि-सङ्गो मुक्तसंशय- ।
समाधाय मन- कृष्णे प्राविशद् गन्धमादनम् ॥ ३ ॥

Verse text

tapaḥ-śraddhā-yuto dhīro
niḥsaṅgo mukta-saṁśayaḥ
samādhāya manaḥ kṛṣṇe
prāviśad gandhamādanam

Synonyms

tapaḥ — in austerities; śraddhā — faith; yutaḥ — having; dhīraḥ — serious; niḥsaṅgaḥ — detached from material association; mukta — freed; saṁśayaḥ — of doubts; samādhāya — fixing in trance; manaḥ — his mind; kṛṣṇe — upon Lord Kṛṣṇa; prāviśat — he entered upon; gandhamādanam — the mountain known as Gandhamādana.

Translation

The sober King, beyond material association and free of doubt, was convinced of the value of austerity. Absorbing his mind in Lord Kṛṣṇa, he came to Gandhamādana Mountain.

Purport

The name Gandhamādana indicates a place of delightful fragrances. Undoubtedly Gandhamādana was filled with the aroma of wild flowers and forest honey, and with other natural scents.

Text 4

Devanagari

बदर्याश्रममासाद्य नरनारायणालयम् ।
सर्वद्वन्द्वसह- शान्तस्तपसाराधयद्धरिम् ॥ ४ ॥

Verse text

badary-āśramam āsādya
nara-nārāyaṇālayam
sarva-dvandva-sahaḥ śāntas
tapasārādhayad dharim

Synonyms

badarī-āśramam — the hermitage Badarikāśrama; āsādya — reaching; nara-nārāyaṇa — of the Supreme Lord’s dual incarnation as Nara and Nārāyaṇa; ālayam — the residence; sarva — all; dvandva — dualities; sahaḥ — tolerating; śāntaḥ — peaceful; tapasā — with severe austerities; ārādhayat — he worshiped; harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

There he arrived at Badarikāśrama, the abode of Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa, where, remaining tolerant of all dualities, he peacefully worshiped the Supreme Lord Hari by performing severe austerities.

Text 5

Devanagari

भगवान् पुनराव्रज्य पुरीं यवनवेष्टिताम् ।
हत्वा म्‍लेच्छबलं निन्ये तदीयं द्वारकां धनम् ॥ ५ ॥

Verse text

bhagavān punar āvrajya
purīṁ yavana-veṣṭitām
hatvā mleccha-balaṁ ninye
tadīyaṁ dvārakāṁ dhanam

Synonyms

bhagavān — the Lord; punaḥ — once again; āvrajya — returning; purīm — to His city; yavana — by the Yavanas; veṣṭitām — surrounded; hatvā — killing; mleccha — of barbarians; balam — the army; ninye — He brought; tadīyam — their; dvārakām — to Dvārakā; dhanam — wealth.

Translation

The Lord returned to Mathurā, which was still surrounded by Yavanas. Then He destroyed the army of barbarians and began taking their valuables to Dvārakā.

Purport

It is clear from this verse that Kālayavana alone pursued Lord Kṛṣṇa into the mountain cave. When Kṛṣṇa returned to the besieged city of Mathurā, He eliminated the vast barbarian army.

Text 6

Devanagari

नीयमाने धने गोभिर्नृभिश्चाच्युतचोदितै- ।
आजगाम जरासन्धस्‍त्रयोविंशत्यनीकप- ॥ ६ ॥

Verse text

nīyamāne dhane gobhir
nṛbhiś cācyuta-coditaiḥ
ājagāma jarāsandhas
trayo-viṁśaty-anīka-paḥ

Synonyms

nīyamāne — as it was being taken; dhane — the wealth; gobhiḥ — by oxen; nṛbhiḥ — by men; ca — and; acyuta — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; coditaiḥ — engaged; ājugāma — came there; jarāsandhaḥ — Jarāsandha; trayaḥ — three; viṁśati — plus twenty; anīka — of armies; paḥ — the leader.

Translation

As the wealth was being carried by oxen and men under Lord Kṛṣṇa’s direction, Jarāsandha appeared at the head of twenty-three armies.

Text 7

Devanagari

विलोक्य वेगरभसं रिपुसैन्यस्य माधवौ ।
मनुष्यचेष्टामापन्नौ राजन् दुद्रुवतुर्द्रुतम् ॥ ७ ॥

Verse text

vilokya vega-rabhasaṁ
ripu-sainyasya mādhavau
manuṣya-ceṣṭām āpannau
rājan dudruvatur drutam

Synonyms

vilokya — seeing; vega — of the waves; rabhasam — the fierceness; ripu — enemy; sainyasya — of the armies; mādhavau — the two Mādhavas (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma); manuṣya — humanlike; ceṣṭām — behavior; āpannau — assuming; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); dudruvatuḥ — ran away; drutam — quickly.

Translation

O King, seeing the fierce waves of the enemy’s army, the two Mādhavas, imitating human behavior, ran swiftly away.

Text 8

Devanagari

विहाय वित्तं प्रचुरमभीतौ भीरुभीतवत् ।
पद्‍भ्यां पद्मपलाशाभ्यां चेलतुर्बहुयोजनम् ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

vihāya vittaṁ pracuram
abhītau bhīru-bhīta-vat
padbhyāṁ palāśābhyāṁ
celatur bahu-yojanam

Synonyms

vihāya — abandoning; vittam — the riches; pracuram — abundant; abhītau — actually unafraid; bhīru — like cowards; bhīta-vat — as if frightened; padbhyām — with Their feet; padma — of lotuses; palāśābhyām — like petals; celatuḥ — They went; bahu-yojanam — for many yojanas (one yojana is slightly more than eight miles).

Translation

Abandoning the abundant riches, fearless but feigning fear, They went many yojanas on Their lotuslike feet.

Text 9

Devanagari

पलायमानौ तौ द‍ृष्ट्वा मागध- प्रहसन्बली ।
अन्वधावद् रथानीकैरीशयोरप्रमाणवित् ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

palāyamānau tau dṛṣṭvā
māgadhaḥ prahasan balī
anvadhāvad rathānīkair
īśayor apramāṇa-vit

Synonyms

palāyamānau — who were fleeing; tau — Those two; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; māgadhaḥ — Jarāsandha; prahasan — laughing loudly; balī — powerful; anvadhāvat — he ran after; ratha — with charioteers; anīkaiḥ — and soldiers; īśayoḥ — of the Lords; apramāṇa-vit — unaware of the scope.

Translation

When he saw Them fleeing, powerful Jarāsandha laughed loudly and then pursued Them with charioteers and foot soldiers. He could not understand the exalted position of the two Lords.

Text 10

Devanagari

प्रद्रुत्य दूरं संश्रान्तौ तुङ्गमारुहतां गिरिम् ।
प्रवर्षणाख्यं भगवान् नित्यदा यत्र वर्षति ॥ १० ॥

Verse text

pradrutya dūraṁ saṁśrāntau
tuṅgam āruhatāṁ girim
pravarṣaṇākhyaṁ bhagavān
nityadā yatra varṣati

Synonyms

pradrutya — having run with full speed; dūram — a long distance; saṁśrāntau — exhausted; tuṅgam — very high; āruhatām — They climbed; girim — the mountain; pravarṣaṇa-ākhyam — known as Pravarṣaṇa; bhagavān — Lord Indra; nityadā — always; yatra — where; varṣati — he rains.

Translation

Apparently exhausted after fleeing a long distance, the two Lords climbed a high mountain named Pravarṣaṇa, upon which Lord Indra showers incessant rain.

Text 11

Devanagari

गिरौ निलीनावाज्ञाय नाधिगम्य पदं नृप ।
ददाह गिरिमेधोभि- समन्तादग्निमुत्सृजन् ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

girau nilīnāv ājñāya
nādhigamya padaṁ nṛpa
dadāha girim edhobhiḥ
samantād agnim utsṛjan

Synonyms

girau — on the mountain; nilīnau — hiding; ājñāya — being aware; na adhigamya — not finding; padam — Their location; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); dadāha — he set ablaze; girim — the mountain; edhobhiḥ — with firewood; samantāt — on all sides; agnim — fire; utsṛjan — generating.

Translation

Although he knew They were hiding on the mountain, Jarāsandha could find no trace of Them. Therefore, O King, he placed firewood on all sides and set the mountain ablaze.

Purport

Clearly we are observing one of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental pastimes. Although the Bhāgavatam states that the two Lords, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, were “exhausted,” even in Their so-called exhausted state They were able to quickly climb a high mountain and shortly thereafter jump off it to the ground. It would be unwise and illogical to ignore the whole picture the sages are giving us here and instead try to pick apart isolated descriptions. Clearly we are watching the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the midst of His spiritual pastimes; we are not observing an ordinary human being. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma were still quite young men when this pastime took place, and one can easily see in these descriptions how They must have been enjoying Themselves, eagerly fleeing from the somewhat ridiculous King Jarāsandha, racing up a mountain, jumping off and totally befuddling the constantly failing demon, who somehow or other never lost confidence in himself. Seen without envy or quarrelsomeness, the Lord’s pastimes are immensely entertaining.

Text 12

Devanagari

तत उत्पत्य तरसा दह्यमानतटादुभौ ।
दशैकयोजनात्तुङ्गान्निपेततुरधो भुवि ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

tata utpatya tarasā
dahyamāna-taṭād ubhau
daśaika-yojanāt tuṅgān
nipetatur adho bhuvi

Synonyms

tataḥ — from it (the mountain); utpatya — jumping; tarasā — with haste; dahyamāna — which were burning; taṭāt — whose sides; ubhau — the two of Them; daśa-eka — eleven; yojanāt — yojanas; tuṅgāt — high; nipetatuḥ — They fell; adhaḥ — down; bhuvi — to the ground.

Translation

The two of Them then suddenly jumped from the burning mountain, which was eleven yojanas high, and fell to the ground.

Purport

Eleven yojanas is approximately ninety miles.

Text 13

Devanagari

अलक्ष्यमाणौ रिपुणा सानुगेन यदूत्तमौ ।
स्वपुरं पुनरायातौ समुद्रपरिखां नृप ॥ १३ ॥

Verse text

alakṣyamāṇau ripuṇā
sānugena yadūttamau
sva-puraṁ punar āyātau
samudra-parikhāṁ nṛpa

Synonyms

alakṣyamāṇau — not being seen; ripuṇā — by Their enemy; sa — together; anugena — with his followers; yadu — of the Yadus; uttamau — the two most excellent; sva-puram — to Their own city (Dvārakā); punaḥ — again; āyātau — They went; samudra — the ocean; parikhām — having as its protective moat; nṛpa — O King.

Translation

Unseen by Their opponent or his followers, O King, those two most exalted Yadus returned to Their city of Dvārakā, which had the ocean as a protective moat.

Text 14

Devanagari

सोऽपि दग्धाविति मृषा मन्वानो बलकेशवौ ।
बलमाकृष्य सुमहन्मगधान् मागधो ययौ ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

so ’pi dagdhāv iti mṛṣā
manvāno bala-keśavau
balam ākṛṣya su-mahan
magadhān māgadho yayau

Synonyms

saḥ — he; api — further; dagdhau — both burned in the fire; iti — thus; mṛṣā — falsely; manvānaḥ — thinking; bala-keśavau — Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa; balam — his force; ākṛṣya — pulling back; su-mahat — huge; magadhān — to the kingdom of the Magadhas; māgadhaḥ — the King of the Magadhas; yayau — went.

Translation

Jarāsandha, moreover, mistakenly thought that Balarāma and Keśava had burned to death in the fire. Thus he withdrew his vast military force and returned to the Magadha kingdom.

Text 15

Devanagari

आनर्ताधिपति- श्रीमान् रैवतो रैवतीं सुताम् ।
ब्रह्मणा चोदित- प्रादाद् बलायेति पुरोदितम् ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

ānartādhipatiḥ śrīmān
raivato raivatīṁ sutām
brahmaṇā coditaḥ prādād
balāyeti puroditam

Synonyms

ānarta — of the Ānarta Province; adhipatiḥ — the overlord; śrīmān — opulent; raivataḥ — Raivata; raivatīm — named Raivatī; sutām — his daughter; brahmaṇā — by Lord Brahmā; coditaḥ — ordered; prādāt — gave; balāya — to Balarāma; iti — thus; purā — previously; uditam — mentioned.

Translation

As ordered by Lord Brahmā, Raivata, the opulent ruler of Ānarta, gave Lord Balarāma his daughter Raivatī in marriage. This has already been discussed.

Purport

The topic of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s marriage to Rukmiṇī will now be discussed. By way of introduction, a brief mention is made of His brother Baladeva’s marriage. This marriage was alluded to in the Ninth Canto of the Bhāgavatam, Third Chapter, texts 33-36.

Texts 16-17

Devanagari

भगवानपि गोविन्द उपयेमे कुरूद्वह ।
वैदर्भीं भीष्मकसुतां श्रियो मात्रां स्वयंवरे ॥ १६ ॥
प्रमथ्य तरसा राज्ञ- शाल्वादींश्चैद्यपक्षगान् ।
पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां तार्क्ष्यपुत्र- सुधामिव ॥ १७ ॥

Verse text

bhagavān api govinda
upayeme kurūdvaha
vaidarbhīṁ bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ
śriyo mātrāṁ svayaṁvare

pramathya tarasā rājñaḥ
śālvādīṁś caidya-pakṣa-gān
paśyatāṁ sarva-lokānāṁ
tārkṣya-putraḥ sudhām iva

Synonyms

bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; api — indeed; govindaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; upayeme — married; kuru-udvaha — O hero among the Kurus (Parīkṣit); vaidarbhīm — Rukmiṇī; bhīṣmaka-sutām — the daughter of King Bhīṣmaka; śriyaḥ — of the goddess of fortune; mātrām — the plenary portion; svayam-vare — by her own choice; pramathya — subduing; tarasā — by force; rājñaḥ — kings; śālva-ādīn — Śālva and others; caidya — of Śiśupāla; pakṣa-gān — the supporters; paśyatām — as they looked on; sarva — all; lokānām — the people; tārkṣya-putraḥ — the son of Tārkṣya (Garuḍa); sudhām — the nectar of heaven; iva — as.

Translation

O hero among the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Himself, Govinda, married Bhīṣmaka’s daughter, Vaidarbhī, who was a direct expansion of the goddess of fortune. The Lord did this by her desire, and in the process He beat down Śālva and other kings who took Śiśupāla’s side. Indeed, as everyone watched, Śrī Kṛṣṇa took Rukmiṇī just as Garuḍa boldly stole nectar from the demigods.

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī gives the following profound comments on these two verses: The words śriyo mātrām indicate that beautiful Rukmiṇī is a direct expansion of the eternal goddess of fortune. Therefore she is worthy to be the bride of the Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.56), śriyaḥ kāntā kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ: “In the spiritual world, all the female lovers are goddesses of fortune and the male lover is the Supreme Personality.” Thus, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains, Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī is a plenary portion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The Kārttika-māhātmya section of the Padma Purāṇa states, kaiśore gopa-kanyās tā yauvane rāja-kanyakāḥ: “In childhood, Śrī Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with the daughters of cowherd men, and in His adolescence He enjoyed with the daughters of kings.” Similarly, in the Skanda Purāṇa we find this statement: rukmiṇī dvāravatyāṁ tu rādhā vṛndāvane vane. “Rukmiṇī is in Dvārakā what Rādhā is in the forest of Vṛndāvana.”

The term svayaṁvare here means “by one’s own choice.” Although the word often refers to a formal Vedic ceremony in which an aristocratic girl may select her own husband, here it indicates the informal and indeed unprecedented events surrounding Kṛṣṇa’s marriage to Rukmiṇī. In fact, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī chose each other because of their eternal, transcendental love.

Text 18

Devanagari

श्रीराजोवाच
भगवान् भीष्मकसुतां रुक्‍मिणीं रुचिराननाम् ।
राक्षसेन विधानेन उपयेम इति श्रुतम् ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

śrī-rājovāca
bhagavān bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ
rukmiṇīṁ rucirānanām
rākṣasena vidhānena
upayema iti śrutam

Synonyms

śrī-rājā uvāca — the King (Parīkṣit Mahārāja) said; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; bhīṣmaka-sutām — the daughter of Bhīṣmaka; ukmiṇīm — Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī; rucira — charming; ānanām — whose face; rākṣasena — called Rākṣasa; vidhānena — by the method (namely, by kidnapping); upayeme — He married; iti — thus; śrutam — heard.

Translation

King Parīkṣit said: The Supreme Lord married Rukmiṇī, the beautiful-faced daughter of Bhīṣmaka, in the Rākṣasa style — or so I have heard.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī quotes the following smṛti statement: rākṣaso yuddha-haraṇāt. “A Rākṣasa marriage takes place when the bride is stolen from one’s rival suitors by force.” Similarly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī himself has already said, rājñaḥ pramathya: Kṛṣṇa had to beat down opposing kings to take Rukmiṇī.

Text 19

Devanagari

भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि कृष्णस्यामिततेजस- ।
यथा मागधशाल्वादीन् जित्वा कन्यामुपाहरत् ॥ १९ ॥

Verse text

bhagavan śrotum icchāmi
kṛṣṇasyāmita-tejasaḥ
yathā māgadha-śālvādīn
jitvā kanyām upāharat

Synonyms

bhagavan — O lord (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); śrotum — to hear; icchāmi — I wish; kṛṣṇasya — about Kṛṣṇa; amita — immeasurable; tejasaḥ — whose potency; yathā — how; māgadha-śālva-ādīn — such kings as Jarāsandha and Śālva; jitvā — defeating; kanyām — the bride; upāharat — He took away.

Translation

My lord, I wish to hear how the immeasurably powerful Lord Kṛṣṇa took away His bride while defeating such kings as Māgadha and Sālva.

Purport

We should not think that Śrī Kṛṣṇa was actually afraid of Jarāsandha. In the very next chapter we will find that Śrī Kṛṣṇa easily defeats Jarāsandha and his soldiers. Thus we should never doubt the supreme prowess of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 20

Devanagari

ब्रह्मन् कृष्णकथा- पुण्या माध्वीर्लोकमलापहा- ।
को नु तृप्येत श‍ृण्वान- श्रुतज्ञो नित्यनूतना- ॥ २० ॥

Verse text

brahman kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ puṇyā
mādhvīr loka-malāpahāḥ
ko nu tṛpyeta śṛṇvānaḥ
śruta-jño nitya-nūtanāḥ

Synonyms

brahman — O brāhmaṇa; kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ — topics of Kṛṣṇa; puṇyāḥ — pious; mādhvīḥ — sweet; loka — of the world; mala — the contamination; apahāḥ — which remove; kaḥ — who; nu — at all; tṛpyeta — would become satiated; śṛṇvānaḥ — hearing; śruta — what is heard; jñaḥ — who can understand; nitya — always; nūtanāḥ — novel.

Translation

What experienced listener, O brāhmaṇa, could ever grow satiated while listening to the pious, charming and ever-fresh topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which cleanse away the world’s contamination?

Text 21

Devanagari

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच
राजासीद् भीष्मको नाम विदर्भाधिपतिर्महान् ।
तस्य पञ्चाभवन् पुत्रा- कन्यैका च वरानना ॥ २१ ॥

Verse text

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
rājāsīd bhīṣmako nāma
vidarbhādhipatir mahān
tasya pancābhavan putrāḥ
kanyaikā ca varānanā

Synonyms

śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ — Śrī Bādarāyaṇi (Śukadeva, the son of Badarāyaṇa Vedavyāsa); uvāca — said; rājā — a king; āsīt — there was; bhīṣmakaḥ nāma — named Bhīṣmaka; vidarbha-adhipatiḥ — ruler of the kingdom Vidarbha; mahān — great; tasya — his; pañca — five; abhavan — there were; putrāḥ — sons; kanyā — daughter; ekā — one; ca — and; vara — exceptionally beautiful; ānanā — whose face.

Translation

Śrī Bādarāyaṇi said: There was a king named Bhīṣmaka, the powerful ruler of Vidarbha. He had five sons and one daughter of lovely countenance.

Text 22

Devanagari

रुक्‍म्यग्रजो रुक्‍मरथो रुक्‍मबाहुरनन्तर- ।
रुक्‍मकेशो रुक्‍ममाली रुक्‍मिण्येषा स्वसा सती ॥ २२ ॥

Verse text

rukmy agrajo rukmaratho
rukmabāhur anantaraḥ
rukmakeśo rukmamālī
rukmiṇy eṣā svasā satī

Synonyms

rukmī — Rukmī; agra-jaḥ — the first-born; rukma-rathaḥ rukmabāhuḥ — Rukmaratha and Rukmabāhu; anantaraḥ — following him; rukma-keśaḥ rukma-mālī — Rukmakeśa and Rukmamālī; rukmiṇī — Rukmiṇī; eṣā — she; svasā — sister; satī — of saintly character.

Translation

Rukmī was the first-born son, followed by Rukmaratha, Rukmabāhu, Rukmakeśa and Rukmamālī. Their sister was the exalted Rukmiṇī.

Text 23

Devanagari

सोपश्रुत्य मुकुन्दस्य रूपवीर्यगुणश्रिय- ।
गृहागतैर्गीयमानास्तं मेने सद‍ृशं पतिम् ॥ २३ ॥

Verse text

sopaśrutya mukundasya
rūpa-vīrya-guṇa-śriyaḥ
gṛhāgatair gīyamānās
taṁ mene sadṛśaṁ patim

Synonyms

sā — she; upaśrutya — hearing; mukundasya — Kṛṣṇa’s; rūpa — about the beauty; vīrya — prowess; guṇa — character; śriyaḥ — and opulences; gṛha — to her family’s residence; āgataiḥ — by those who came; gīyamānāḥ — being sung; tam — Him; mene — she thought; sadṛśam — suitable; patim — husband.

Translation

Hearing of the beauty, prowess, transcendental character and opulence of Mukunda from visitors to the palace who sang His praises, Rukmiṇī decided that He would be the perfect husband for her.

Purport

The word sadṛśam indicates that Rukmiṇī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa had similar qualities and thus were naturally attracted to each other. King Bhīṣmaka was a pious man, and therefore many spiritually advanced persons must have visited his palace. Undoubtedly these saintly persons preached openly about the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Text 24

Devanagari

तां बुद्धिलक्षणौदार्यरूपशीलगुणाश्रयाम् ।
कृष्णश्च सद‍ृशीं भार्यां समुद्वोढुं मनो दधे ॥ २४ ॥

Verse text

tāṁ buddhi-lakṣaṇaudārya-
rūpa-śīla-guṇāśrayām
kṛṣṇaś ca sadṛśīṁ bhāryāṁ
samudvoḍhuṁ mano dadhe

Synonyms

tām — her; buddhi — of intelligence; lakṣaṇa — auspicious bodily markings; audārya — magnanimity; rūpa — beauty; śīla — proper behavior; guṇa — and other personal qualities; āśrayām — repository; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; ca — and; sadṛśīm — suitable; bhāryām — wife; samudvoḍhum — to marry; manaḥ — His mind; dadhe — made up.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa knew that Rukmiṇī possessed intelligence, auspicious bodily markings, magnanimity, beauty, proper behavior and all other good qualities. Concluding that she would be an ideal wife for Him, He made up His mind to marry her.

Purport

Just as Lord Kṛṣṇa was described as sadṛśaṁ patim, an ideal husband for Rukmiṇī, being just like her, Rukmiṇī is described as sadṛśīṁ bhāryām, an ideal wife for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, being just like Him. That is natural, since Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī is Lord Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency.

Text 25

Devanagari

बन्धूनामिच्छतां दातुं कृष्णाय भगिनीं नृप ।
ततो निवार्य कृष्णद्विड् रुक्‍मी चैद्यममन्यत ॥ २५ ॥

Verse text

bandhūnām icchatāṁ dātuṁ
kṛṣṇāya bhaginīṁ nṛpa
tato nivārya kṛṣṇa-dviḍ
rukmī caidyam amanyata

Synonyms

bandhūnām — her family members; icchatām — even as they were desiring; dātum — to give; kṛṣṇāya — to Kṛṣṇa; bhaginīm — their sister; nṛpa — O King; tataḥ — from this; nivārya — preventing them; kṛṣṇa-dviṭ — hateful of Kṛṣṇa; rukmī — Rukmī; caidyam — Caidya (Śiśupāla); amanyata — considered.

Translation

O King, because Rukmī envied the Lord, he forbade his family members to give his sister to Kṛṣṇa, although they wanted to. Instead, Rukmī decided to give Rukmiṇī to Śiśupāla.

Purport

Rukmī abused his position as elder brother and acted with impure motives. He would only suffer for his decision.

Text 26

Devanagari

तदवेत्यासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी दुर्मना भृशम् ।
विचिन्त्याप्तं द्विजं कञ्चित् कृष्णाय प्राहिणोद्‌द्रुतम् ॥ २६ ॥

Verse text

tad avetyāsitāpāṅgī
vaidarbhī durmanā bhṛśam
vicintyāptaṁ dvijaṁ kañcit
kṛṣṇāya prāhiṇod drutam

Synonyms

tat — that; avetya — knowing; asita — dark; apāṅgī — the corners of whose eyes; vaidarbhī — the princess of Vidarbha; durmanā — unhappy; bhṛśam — very much; vicintya — thinking; āptam — reliable; dvijam — brāhmaṇa; kañcit — a certain; kṛṣṇāya — to Kṛṣṇa; prāhiṇot — sent; drutam — with haste.

Translation

Dark-eyed Vaidarbhī was aware of this plan, and it deeply upset her. Analyzing the situation, she quickly sent a trustworthy brāhmaṇa to Kṛṣṇa.

Text 27

Devanagari

द्वारकां स समभ्येत्य प्रतीहारै- प्रवेशित- ।
अपश्यदाद्यं पुरुषमासीनं काञ्चनासने ॥ २७ ॥

Verse text

dvārakāṁ sa samabhyetya
pratīhāraiḥ praveśitaḥ
apaśyad ādyaṁ puruṣam
āsīnaṁ kāñcanāsane

Synonyms

dvārakām — at Dvārakā; saḥ — he (the brāhmaṇa); samabhyetya — arriving; pratīhāraiḥ — by the gatekeepers; praveśitaḥ — brought inside; apaśyat — he saw; ādyam — the original; puruṣam — Supreme Person; āsīnam — seated; kāñcana — golden; āsane — on a throne.

Translation

Upon reaching Dvārakā, the brāhmaṇa was brought inside by the gatekeepers and saw the primeval Personality of Godhead sitting on a golden throne.

Text 28

Devanagari

द‍ृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्तमवरुह्य निजासनात् ।
उपवेश्यार्हयां चक्रे यथात्मानं दिवौकस- ॥ २८ ॥

Verse text

dṛṣṭvā brahmaṇya-devas tam
avaruhya nijāsanāt
upaveśyārhayāṁ cakre
yathātmānaṁ divaukasaḥ

Synonyms

dṛṣṭvā — seeing; brahmaṇya — who is considerate to the brāhmaṇas; devaḥ — the Lord; tam — him; avaruhya — getting down; nija — His own; āsanāt — from the throne; upaveśya — seating him; arhayām cakre — He performed worship; yathā — as; ātmānam — to Himself; diva-okasaḥ — the residents of heaven.

Translation

Seeing the brāhmaṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the brāhmaṇas, came down from His throne and seated him. Then the Lord worshiped him just as He Himself is worshiped by the demigods.

Text 29

Devanagari

तं भुक्तवन्तं विश्रान्तमुपगम्य सतां गति- ।
पाणिनाभिमृशन् पादावव्यग्रस्तमपृच्छत ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

taṁ bhuktavantaṁ viśrāntam
upagamya satāṁ gatiḥ
pāṇinābhimṛśan pādāv
avyagras tam apṛcchata

Synonyms

tam — him; bhuktavantam — having eaten; viśrāntam — rested; upagamya — approaching; satām — of saintly devotees; gatiḥ — the goal; pāṇinā — with His hands; abhimṛśan — massaging; pādau — his feet; avyagraḥ — without agitation; tam — of him; apṛcchata — He inquired.

Translation

After the brāhmaṇa had eaten and rested, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the goal of saintly devotees, came forward, and while massaging the brāhmaṇa’s feet with His own hands, He patiently questioned him as follows.

Text 30

Devanagari

कच्चिद् द्विजवरश्रेष्ठ धर्मस्ते वृद्धसम्मत- ।
वर्तते नातिकृच्छ्रेण सन्तुष्टमनस- सदा ॥ ३० ॥

Verse text

kaccid dvija-vara-śreṣṭha
dharmas te vṛddha-sammataḥ
vartate nāti-kṛcchreṇa
santuṣṭa-manasaḥ sadā

Synonyms

kaccit — whether; dvija — of the brāhmaṇas; vara — first-class; śreṣṭha — O best; dharmaḥ — religious principles; te — your; vṛddha — by senior authorities; sammataḥ — sanctioned; vartate — are proceeding; na — not; ati — too much; kṛcchreṇa — with difficulty; santuṣṭa — fully satisfied; manasaḥ — whose mind; sadā — always.

Translation

[The Supreme Lord said:] O best of exalted brāhmaṇas, are your religious practices, sanctioned by senior authorities, proceeding without great difficulty? Is your mind always fully satisfied?

Purport

Here we have translated the word dharma as “religious practice,” although this does not fully convey the Sanskrit sense of the word. Kṛṣṇa did not appear within a secular society. The people in Vedic times could hardly imagine a society that did not understand the need to obey God’s law. Thus to them the word dharma conveyed a sense of duty in general, higher principles, prescribed duty and so on. It was automatically understood that such duties were within a religious context. But religion in those days was not a specific aspect or department of life, but rather a guiding light for all activities. Irreligious life was considered demoniac, and God’s hand was seen in everything.

Text 31

Devanagari

सन्तुष्टो यर्हि वर्तेत ब्राह्मणो येन केनचित् ।
अहीयमान- स्वद्धर्मात् स ह्यस्याखिलकामधुक् ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

santuṣṭo yarhi varteta
brāhmaṇo yena kenacit
ahīyamānaḥ svad dharmāt
sa hy asyākhila-kāma-dhuk

Synonyms

santuṣṭaḥ — satisfied; yarhi — when; varteta — carries on; brāhmaṇaḥ — a brāhmaṇa; yena kenacit — with whatever; ahīyamānaḥ — not falling short; svāt — of his own; dharmāt — religious duty; saḥ — those religious principles; hi — indeed; asya — for him; akhila — of everything; kāma-dhuk — the mystic cow, milked for fulfillment of any desire.

Translation

When a brāhmaṇa is satisfied with whatever comes his way and does not fall away from his religious duties, those very religious principles become his desire cow, fulfilling all his wishes.

Text 32

Devanagari

असन्तुष्टोऽसकृल्ल‍ोकानाप्नोत्यपि सुरेश्वर- ।
अकिञ्चनोऽपि सन्तुष्ट- शेते सर्वाङ्गविज्वर- ॥ ३२ ॥

Verse text

asantuṣṭo ’sakṛl lokān
āpnoty api sureśvaraḥ
akiñcano ’pi santuṣṭaḥ
śete sarvāṅga-vijvaraḥ

Synonyms

asantuṣṭaḥ — dissatisfied; asakṛt — repeatedly; lokān — various planets; āpnoti — he attains; api — even though; sura — of the demigods; īśvaraḥ — the master; akiñcanaḥ — possessing nothing; api — even; santuṣṭaḥ — satisfied; śete — he rests; sarva — all; aṅga — his limbs; vijvaraḥ — free of distress.

Translation

An unsatisfied brāhmaṇa wanders restlessly from one planet to another, even if he becomes King of heaven. But a satisfied brāhmaṇa, though he may possess nothing, rests peacefully, all his limbs free of distress.

Purport

Those who are unsatisfied feel distress throughout their body, becoming subject to many diseases. A satisfied brāhmaṇa, however, though he may possess nothing, is peaceful and calm, and there is no distress within his body or mind.

Text 33

Devanagari

विप्रान् स्वलाभसन्तुष्टान् साधून् भूतसुहृत्तमान् ।
निरहङ्कारिण- शान्तान् नमस्ये शिरसासकृत् ॥ ३३ ॥

Verse text

viprān sva-lābha-santuṣṭān
sādhūn bhūta-suhṛttamān
nirahaṅkāriṇaḥ śāntān
namasye śirasāsakṛt

Synonyms

viprān — to the learned brāhmaṇas; sva — their own; lābha — by the gain; santuṣṭān — satisfied; sādhūn — saintly; bhūta — of all living beings; suhṛt-tamān — the best well-wishing friends; nirahaṅkāriṇaḥ — devoid of false ego; śāntān — peaceful; namasye — I bow down; śirasā — with My head; asakṛt — again and again.

Translation

I repeatedly bow My head in respect to those brāhmaṇas who are satisfied with their lot. Saintly, prideless and peaceful, they are the best well-wishers of all living beings.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that sva-lābha also means “achieving one’s self,” or, in other words, self-realization. Thus an advanced brāhmaṇa is always satisfied with his spiritual understanding, never depending on material formalities or facilities.

Text 34

Devanagari

कच्चिद् व- कुशलं ब्रह्मन् राजतो यस्य हि प्रजा- ।
सुखं वसन्ति विषये पाल्यमाना- स मे प्रिय- ॥ ३४ ॥

Verse text

kaccid vaḥ kuśalaṁ brahman
rājato yasya hi prajāḥ
sukhaṁ vasanti viṣaye
pālyamānāḥ sa me priyaḥ

Synonyms

kaccit — whether; vaḥ — your; kuśalam — well-being; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; rājataḥ — from the King; yasya — whose; hi — indeed; prajāḥ — subjects; sukham — happily; vasanti — reside; viṣaye — in the state; pālyamānāḥ — being protected; saḥ — he; me — to Me; priyaḥ — dear.

Translation

O brāhmaṇa, is your King attending to your welfare? Indeed, that king in whose country the citizens are happy and protected is very dear to Me.

Text 35

Devanagari

यतस्त्वमागतो दुर्गं निस्तीर्येह यदिच्छया ।
सर्वं नो ब्रूह्यगुह्यं चेत् किं कार्यं करवाम ते ॥ ३५ ॥

Verse text

yatas tvam āgato durgaṁ
nistīryeha yad-icchayā
sarvaṁ no brūhy aguhyaṁ cet
kiṁ kāryaṁ karavāma te

Synonyms

yataḥ — from which place; tvam — you; āgataḥ — have come; durgam — the impassable sea; nistīrya — crossing; iha — here; yat — with what; icchayā — desire; sarvam — everything; naḥ — to Us; brūhi — please tell; aguhyam — not secret; cet — if; kim — what; kāryam — work; karavāma — may We do; te — for you.

Translation

Whence have you come, crossing the impassable sea, and for what purpose? Explain all this to Us if it is not a secret, and tell Us what We may do for you.

Text 36

Devanagari

एवं सम्पृष्टसम्प्रश्न‍ो ब्राह्मण- परमेष्ठिना ।
लीलागृहीतदेहेन तस्मै सर्वमवर्णयत् ॥ ३६ ॥

Verse text

evaṁ sampṛṣṭa-sampraśno
brāhmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinā
līlā-gṛhīta-dehena
tasmai sarvam avarṇayat

Synonyms

evam — thus; sampṛṣṭa — asked; sampraśnaḥ — questions; brāhmaṇaḥ — the brāhmaṇa; parameṣṭhinā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; līla — as His pastime; gṛhīta — who assumes; dehena — His bodies; tasmai — to Him; sarvam — everything; avarṇayat — he related.

Translation

Thus questioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who incarnates to perform His pastimes, the brāhmaṇa told Him everything.

Purport

The word gṛhīta may be translated as “grasped or caught,” and thus, exactly as in English, may also mean “to perceive or understand something.” Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body is perceived, understood, or in other words, grasped by the devotees when the Lord comes to exhibit His transcendental pastimes. These pastimes are not whimsical, but are a part of the complex program, structured and executed by the Lord Himself, for awakening the conditioned souls to their natural love and devotion for Him and bringing them back to Godhead.

Text 37

Devanagari

श्रीरुक्‍मिण्युवाच
श्रुत्वा गुणान् भुवनसुन्दर श‍ृण्वतां ते
निर्विश्य कर्णविवरैर्हरतोऽङ्गतापम् ।
रूपं द‍ृशां द‍ृशिमतामखिलार्थलाभं
त्वय्यच्युताविशति चित्तमपत्रपं मे ॥ ३७ ॥

Verse text

śrī-rukmiṇy uvāca
śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te
nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam
rūpaṁ dṛśāṁ dṛśimatām akhilārtha-lābhaṁ
tvayy acyutāviśati cittam apatrapaṁ me

Synonyms

śrī-rukmiṇī uvāca — Śrī Rukmiṇī said; śrutvā — hearing; guṇān — the qualities; bhuvana — of all the worlds; sundara — O beauty; śṛṇvatām — for those who hear; te — Your; nirviśya — having entered; karṇa — of the ears; vivaraiḥ — by the orifices; harataḥ — removing; aṅga — of their bodies; tāpam — the pain; rūpam — the beauty; dṛśām — of the sense of sight; dṛśi-matām — of those who have eyes; akhila — total; artha — of the fulfillment of desires; lābham — the obtaining; tvayi — in You; acyuta — O infallible Kṛṣṇa; āviśati — is entering; cittam — mind; apatrapam — shameless; me — my.

Translation

Śrī Rukmiṇī said [in her letter, as read by the brāhmaṇa]: O beauty of the worlds, having heard of Your qualities, which enter the ears of those who hear and remove their bodily distress, and having also heard of Your beauty, which fulfills all the visual desires of those who see, I have fixed my shameless mind upon You, O Kṛṣṇa.

Purport

Rukmiṇī was a king’s daughter, courageous and bold, and furthermore she would rather die than lose Kṛṣṇa. Considering all this, she wrote a frank, explicit letter, begging Kṛṣṇa to come and take her away.

Text 38

Devanagari

का त्वा मुकुन्द महती कुलशीलरूप-
विद्यावयोद्रविणधामभिरात्मतुल्यम् ।
धीरा पतिं कुलवती न वृणीत कन्या
काले नृसिंह नरलोकमनोऽभिरामम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Verse text

kā tvā mukunda mahatī kula-śīla-rūpa-
vidyā-vayo-draviṇa-dhāmabhir ātma-tulyam
dhīrā patiṁ kulavatī na vṛṇīta kanyā
kāle nṛ-siṁha nara-loka-mano-’bhirāmam

Synonyms

kā — who; tvā — You; mukunda — O Kṛṣṇa; mahatī — aristocratic; kula — in terms of family background; śīla — character; rūpa — beauty; vidyā — knowledge; vayaḥ — youth; draviṇa — property; dhāmabhiḥ — and influence; ātma — to Yourself only; tulyam — equal; dhīrā — who is sober; patim — as her husband; kula-vatī — of a good family; na vṛṇīta — would not choose; kanyā — marriageable young lady; kāle — at such a time; nṛ — among men; siṁha — O lion; nara-loka — of human society; manaḥ — to the minds; abhirāmam — who give pleasure.

Translation

O Mukunda, You are equal only to Yourself in lineage, character, beauty, knowledge, youthfulness, wealth and influence. O lion among men, You delight the minds of all mankind. What aristocratic, sober-minded and marriageable girl of a good family would not choose You as her husband when the proper time has come?

Text 39

Devanagari

तन्मे भवान् खलु वृत- पतिरङ्ग जाया-
मात्मार्पितश्च भवतोऽत्र विभो विधेहि ।
मा वीरभागमभिमर्शतु चैद्य आराद्
गोमायुवन्मृगपतेर्बलिमम्बुजाक्ष ॥ ३९ ॥

Verse text

tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅga jāyām
ātmārpitaś ca bhavato ’tra vibho vidhehi
mā vīra-bhāgam abhimarśatu caidya ārād
gomāyu-van mṛga-pater balim ambujākṣa

Synonyms

tat — therefore; me — by me; bhavān — Your good self; khalu — indeed; vṛtaḥ — chosen; patiḥ — as husband; aṅga — dear Lord; jāyām — as wife; ātmā — myself; arpitaḥ — offered; ca — and; bhavataḥ — to You; atra — here; vibho — O omnipotent one; vidhehi — please accept; mā — never; vīra — of the hero; bhāgam — the portion; abhimarśatu — should touch; caidyaḥ — Śiśupāla, son of the King of Cedi; ārāt — swiftly; gomāyu-vat — like a jackal; mṛga-pateḥ — belonging to the king of animals, the lion; balim — the tribute; ambuja-akṣa — O lotus-eyed one.

Translation

Therefore, my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I surrender myself to You. Please come swiftly, O almighty one, and make me Your wife. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, let Śiśupāla never touch the hero’s portion like a jackal stealing the property of a lion.

Text 40

Devanagari

पूर्तेष्टदत्तनियमव्रतदेवविप्र-
गुर्वर्चनादिभिरलं भगवान् परेश- ।
आराधितो यदि गदाग्रज एत्य पाणिं
गृह्णातु मे न दमघोषसुतादयोऽन्ये ॥ ४० ॥

Verse text

pūrteṣṭa-datta-niyama-vrata-deva-vipra
gurv-arcanādibhir alaṁ bhagavān pareśaḥ
ārādhito yadi gadāgraja etya pāṇiṁ
gṛhṇātu me na damaghoṣa-sutādayo ’nye

Synonyms

pūrta — by pious works (such as feeding brāhmaṇas, digging wells, etc.); iṣṭa — sacrificial performances; datta — charity; niyama — ritual observances (such as visiting holy places); vrata — vows of penance; deva — of the demigods; vipra — brāhmaṇas; guru — and spiritual masters; arcana — by worship; ādibhiḥ — and by other activities; alam — sufficiently; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; para — supreme; īśaḥ — controller; ārādhitaḥ — rendered devotional service; yadi — if; gada-agrajaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the elder brother of Gada; etya — coming here; pāṇim — the hand; gṛhṇātu — may please take; me — my; na — not; damaghoṣa-suta — Śiśupāla, the son of Damaghoṣa; ādayaḥ — and so on; anye — others.

Translation

If I have sufficiently worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead by pious works, sacrifices, charity, rituals and vows, and also by worshiping the demigods, brāhmaṇas and gurus, then may Gadāgraja come and take my hand, and not Damaghoṣa’s son or anyone else.

Purport

The ācāryas comment as follows on this verse: “Rukmiṇī felt that no one could obtain Lord Kṛṣṇa by the efforts of a single lifetime. Therefore she earnestly pointed out the pious activities she had performed in that life and previous lives, hoping to convince Śrī Kṛṣṇa to come.”

Text 41

Devanagari

श्वोभाविनि त्वमजितोद्वहने विदर्भान्
गुप्त- समेत्य पृतनापतिभि- परीत- ।
निर्मथ्य चैद्यमगधेन्द्रबलं प्रसह्य
मां राक्षसेन विधिनोद्वह वीर्यशुल्काम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Verse text

śvo bhāvini tvam ajitodvahane vidarbhān
guptaḥ sametya pṛtanā-patibhiḥ parītaḥ
nirmathya caidya-magadhendra-balaṁ prasahya
māṁ rākṣasena vidhinodvaha vīrya-śulkām

Synonyms

śvaḥ bhāvini — tomorrow; tvam — You; ajita — O unconquerable one; udvahane — at the time of the marriage ceremony; vidarbhān — to Vidarbha; guptaḥ — unseen; sametya — coming; pṛtanā — of Your army; patibhiḥ — by the leaders; parītaḥ — surrounded; nirmathya — crushing; caidya — of Caidya, Śiśupāla; magadha-indra — and the King of Magadha, Jarāsandha; balam — the military strength; prasahya — by force; mām — me; rākṣasena vidhinā — in the Rākṣasa style; udvaha — take in marriage; vīrya — Your prowess; śulkām — the payment for whom.

Translation

O unconquerable one, tomorrow when my marriage ceremony is about to begin, You should arrive unseen in Vidarbha and surround Yourself with the leaders of Your army. Then crush the forces of Caidya and Magadhendra and marry me in the Rākṣasa style, winning me with Your valor.

Purport

As Śrīla Prabhupāda points out in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Rukmiṇī, being born of royal blood, certainly had a brilliant grasp of political affairs. She advised Śrī Kṛṣṇa to enter the city alone and unnoticed and then surround Himself with His military commanders so He could do what was needed. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī compares the coming fight to the Lord’s churning of the ocean to extract the goddess Lakṣmī. Gorgeous Rukmiṇī, the goddess of fortune, would be gained in the coming turbulence.

Text 42

Devanagari

अन्त-पुरान्तरचरीमनिहत्य बन्धून्-
त्वामुद्वहे कथमिति प्रवदाम्युपायम् ।
पूर्वेद्युरस्ति महती कुलदेवयात्रा
यस्यां बहिर्नववधूर्गिरिजामुपेयात् ॥ ४२ ॥

Verse text

antaḥ-purāntara-carīm anihatya bandhūn
tvām udvahe katham iti pravadāmy upāyam
pūrve-dyur asti mahatī kula-deva-yātrā
yasyāṁ bahir nava-vadhūr girijām upeyāt

Synonyms

antaḥ-pura — the women’s quarters of the palace; antara — within; carīm — moving; anihatya — without killing; bandhūn — your relatives; tvām — you; udvahe — I shall carry away; katham — how; iti — saying such words; pravadāmi — I shall explain; upāyam — a means; pūrve-dyuḥ — on the day before; asti — there is; mahatī — large; kula — of the royal family; deva — for the presiding deity; yātrā — a ceremonial procession; yasyām — in which; bahiḥ — outside; nava — new; vadhūḥ — the bride; girijām — goddess Girijā (Ambikā); upeyāt — approaches.

Translation

Since I will be staying within the inner chambers of the palace, You may wonder, “How can I carry you away without killing some of your relatives?” But I shall tell You a way: On the day before the marriage there is a grand procession to honor the royal family’s deity, and in this procession the new bride goes outside the city to visit Goddess Girijā.

Purport

Clever Rukmiṇī anticipated a possible objection on the part of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He certainly would not object to subduing rascals like Śiśupāla and Jarāsandha, but He might be reluctant to injure or kill Rukmiṇī’s relatives, some of whom might block His way to the palace’s inner sanctum, where the women were protected. The procession to or from the temple of Girijā (Durgā) would provide the perfect opportunity for Kṛṣṇa to kidnap Rukmiṇī without harming her relatives.

Text 43

Devanagari

यस्याङ्‍‍घ्रिपङ्कजरज-स्‍नपनं महान्तो
वाञ्छन्त्युमापतिरिवात्मतमोऽपहत्यै ।
यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्ष न लभेय भवत्प्रसादं
जह्यामसून्व्रतकृशान् शतजन्मभि- स्यात् ॥ ४३ ॥

Verse text

yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajaḥ-snapanaṁ mahānto
vāñchanty umā-patir ivātma-tamo-’pahatyai
yarhy ambujākṣa na labheya bhavat-prasādaṁ
jahyām asūn vrata-kṛśān śata-janmabhiḥ syāt

Synonyms

yasya — whose; aṅghri — of the feet; paṅkaja — lotus; rajaḥ — with the dust; snapanam — bathing; mahāntaḥ — great souls; vāñchanti — hanker after; umā-patiḥ — Lord Śiva, husband of Goddess Umā; iva — just as; ātma — their own; tamaḥ — of the ignorance; apahatyai — to vanquish; yarhi — when; ambuja-akṣa — O lotus-eyed one; na labheya — I cannot obtain; bhavat — Your; prasādam — mercy; jahyām — I should give up; asūn — my life airs; vrata — by austere penances; kṛśān — weakened; śata — hundreds; janmabhiḥ — after lifetimes; syāt — it may be.

Translation

O lotus-eyed one, great souls like Lord Śiva hanker to bathe in the dust of Your lotus feet and thereby destroy their ignorance. If I cannot obtain Your mercy, I shall simply give up my vital force, which will have become weak from the severe penances I will perform. Then, after hundreds of lifetimes of endeavor, I may obtain Your mercy.

Purport

The divine Rukmiṇī’s extraordinary dedication to Śrī Kṛṣṇa is possible only on the spiritual platform, not in the fragile world of mundane affection.

Text 44

Devanagari

ब्राह्मण उवाच
इत्येते गुह्यसन्देशा यदुदेव मयाहृता- ।
विमृश्य कर्तुं यच्चात्र क्रियतां तदनन्तरम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Verse text

brāhmaṇa uvāca
ity ete guhya-sandeśā
yadu-deva mayāhṛtāḥ
vimṛśya kartuṁ yac cātra
kriyatāṁ tad anantaram

Synonyms

brāhmaṇaḥ uvāca — the brāhmaṇa said; iti — thus; ete — these; guhya — confidential; sandeśāḥ — messages; yadu-deva — O Lord of the Yadus; mayā — by me; āhṛtāḥ — brought; vimṛśya — considering; kartum — to be done; yat — what; ca — and; atra — in this matter; kriyatām — please do; tat — that; anantaram — immediately following.

Translation

The brāhmaṇa said: This is the confidential message I have brought with me, O Lord of the Yadus. Please consider what must be done in these circumstances, and do it at once.

Purport

When the brāhmaṇa arrived, he broke the seal of a confidential letter written in the privacy of Rukmiṇī’s quarters and meant only for Lord Kṛṣṇa. By using the term guhya-sandeśāḥ, the trustworthy brāhmaṇa, personally selected by Rukmiṇī, here affirms that he has not violated the confidentiality of this message. Only Lord Kṛṣṇa has heard it. Since the marriage of Rukmiṇī was fast approaching, Śrī Kṛṣṇa would have to act immediately. The term yadu-deva indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa, as the Lord of the powerful Yadu dynasty, should make His decision and then mobilize His followers if necessary.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Fifty-second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Rukmiṇī’s Message to Lord Kṛṣṇa.”