॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
23 May 2023, Tuesday - Srimad Bhagavatam X b.52 - Princess Rukmini of Vidarbha sends a messenger with her letter professing love to Sri Krishna, urging him to come and wed her.
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King Muchukunda experienced the grace of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and proceeded to Badarikashrama, the abode of Nara - Narayana, for his austerities. He noticed how in Kaliyuga, all life forms had shrunk in size and energy.
Balarama and Sri Krishna went back to Mathura. It was still surrounded by the Yavana army although their king was dead. They attacked the brothers who fought them off and secured access to the valuables still left behind by the citizens when they were teleported to Dwaraka overnight. While proceeding to Dwaraka with a caravan of the belongings of Mathura citizens, under the brothers' escort, Jarasandha who was waiting with his 23 Akshauhini army attacked them. Seeing his fierce attack, Balarama and Sri Krishna abandoned the caravan of valuables and started running. Jarasandha and his army followed in hot pursuit. When the two brothers climbed a mountain called Pravarshana. Jarasandha lighted a fierce fire all around the mountain that spread fast and climbed up to the top of the mountain burning all life.
Meanwhile, Sri Krishna and Balarama jumped off miraculously and proceeded silently to Dwaraka. Thinking that they had perished in the fire, a happy Jarasandha returned to Magadha with his forces.
As briefly stated before, the king of Raivata gave his daughter Revati in marriage to Balarama, under the advice of Lord Brahma. Bhagavan Sri Krishna also proceeded to attend the wedding ceremony of Princess Rukmini of Vidarbha. This was an event-filled episode as Sri Krishna had to take away Rukmini who was deeply in love with him by fighting off Shalva and other kings who sided with Shishupala of Chedi, Sri Krishna's cousin. In fact, Rukmi, the elder brother of Rukmini who ruled the Vidarbha kingdom overriding his living father, Bhishmaka, wanted Rukmini to marry Shishupala for political reasons.
King Parikshit now asked Sage Shuka if indeed Bhagavan had married Rukmini following the Rakshasa custom, as he had heard before. How did he overcome Shalva and others who opposed him while taking away Rukmini? Parikshit added that each such story of Sri Krishna had important pieces of wisdom and showered grace on the listener.
Sage Shuka replied: "Indeed, Rukmini's brother Rukmi wanted her to marry only Shishupala. But she had heard about Sri Krishna."
सोपश्रुत्य मुकुन्दस्य रूपवीर्यगुणश्रियः । गृहागतैर्गीयमानास्तं मेने सदृशं पतिम् ॥
तां बुद्धिलक्षणौदार्यरूपशीलगुणाश्रयाम् । कृष्णश्च सदृशीं भार्यां समुद्वोढुं मनो दधे ॥
T: "Hearing of the beauty, prowess, transcendental character and opulence of Mukunda Sri Krishna from visitors to the palace who sang his praises, Rukmini decided in her mind that he would make the perfect husband for her. At the same time, Sri Krishna knew that Rukmini possessed intelligence, auspicious bodily markings, magnanimity, beauty, perfect demeanour and all other good qualities. Concluding that she would be an ideal wife for him, Sri Krishna made up his mind to marry her."
तदवेत्यासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी दुर्मना भृशम् । विचिन्त्याप्तं द्विजं कञ्चित्कृष्णाय प्राहिणोद्द्रुतम् ॥
द्वारकां स समभ्येत्य प्रतीहारैः प्रवेशितः । अपश्यदाद्यं पुरुषमासीनं काञ्चनासने ॥
दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्तमवरुह्य निजासनात् । उपवेश्यार्हयाञ्चक्रे यथाऽऽत्मानं दिवौकसः ॥
T: "Dark-eyed Rukmini, who was aware of Rukmi's plan, was deeply distraught. Analyzing the situation, she quickly sent a trustworthy Brahmin as her messenger to Sri Krishna. Upon reaching Dwaraka, the Brahmin was ushered into the presence of Bhagavan Sri Krishna sitting on his throne. Sri Krishna came down from his exalted throne to receive the Brahmin with all respect and ceremony.
After worshipping him, feeding him a sumptuous feast, and massaging his feet while he rested, Sri Krishna enquired if the Brahmin led an unhindered life of meditation and prayer, essential for a Brahmin. He said how contentment was the yardstick to assess if a Brahmin was leading a successful Dharmic life or was pursuing desires that ensured misery and a life of hell thereafter.
Then, gently, Sri Krishna asked the Brahmin if the king of Vidarbha looked after Brahmins like him well and ensured prosperity for all. And what had brought the Brahmin this far, making him enter the impregnable Dwaraka, crossing the ocean all around it? This was now the cue for the Brahmin to deliver the message from Princess Rukmini.
रुक्मिण्युवाच
श्रुत्वा गुणान् भुवनसुन्दर शृण्वतां ते निर्विश्य कर्णविवरैर्हरतोऽङ्गतापम् ।
रूपं दृशां दृशिमतामखिलार्थलाभं त्वय्यच्युताविशति चित्तमपत्रपं मे ॥
का त्वा मुकुन्द महती कुलशीलरूपविद्यावयोद्रविणधामभिरात्मतुल्यम् ।
धीरा पतिं कुलवती न वृणीत कन्या काले नृसिंह नरलोकमनोऽभिरामम् ॥
तन्मे भवान् खलु वृतः पतिरङ्ग जायामात्मार्पितश्च भवतोऽत्र विभो विधेहि ।
मा वीरभागमभिमर्शतु चैद्य आराद्गोमायुवन्मृगपतेर्बलिमम्बुजाक्ष ॥
पूर्तेष्टदत्तनियमव्रतदेवविप्रगुर्वर्चनादिभिरलं भगवान् परेशः ।
आराधितो यदि गदाग्रज एत्य पाणिं गृह्णातु मे न दमघोषसुतादयोऽन्ये ॥
श्वोभाविनि त्वमजितोद्वहने विदर्भान्गुप्तः समेत्य पृतनापतिभिः परीतः ।
निर्मथ्य चैद्यमगधेन्द्रबलं प्रसह्यमां राक्षसेनविधिनोद्वह वीर्यशुल्काम् ॥
अन्तःपुरान्तरचरीमनिहत्य बन्धून्त्वामुद्वहे कथमिति प्रवदाम्युपायम् ।
पूर्वेद्युरस्ति महती कुलदेवियात्रा यस्यां बहिर्नववधूर्गिरिजामुपेयात् ॥
T: Rukmini's letter was read out by the Brahmin: "Oh the embodiment of beauty of the worlds, the descriptions of your divine qualities remove my bodily distress the moment I hear them. Sri Krishna, I have heard how just one look at your astounding beauty satisfies forever the desires of anyone in respect of seeking to see beauty. Therefore, Sri Krishna, I now confess my unabashed love for you. Oh, Mukunda, you are equal only to yourself (i.e. you are non-pareil) in lineage, character, beauty, knowledge, youthfulness, wealth and influence."
" Oh, 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 for a husband when the proper time comes? Therefore, my dear lord, I have chosen you as my husband, and I surrender myself to you. Please come swiftly, oh almighty one, and make me your wife. My dear lotus-eyed lord, make sure that Shishupala never touches the hero’s portion like a jackal stealing the property of a lion."
(Note: This simile reveals the Kshatriya blood in the girl, drawing a simile from the lord of the forest and his prey.)
"If my worship of the Supreme Being till now through performing Dharmic deeds, Yajnas, charity, rituals and vows of austerity, and also worshipping the gods, Brahmins and gurus, has been true and efficacious, then may Gadagraja (name of Sri Krishna whose younger brother Gada was born to Vasudeva through another queen) come and take my hand, and not Damaghosha’s son (Shishupala) or anyone else!"
"Oh unconquerable Sri Krishna, tomorrow when my marriage ceremony arranged with Shishupala is about to begin, You should arrive unseen in Vidarbha along with your army. Then please crush the forces of Shishupala and Jarasandha and marry me in the Rakshasa way (i.e. abduction by force), winning me with your valour!"
"Please note this carefully. Since I am confined within the inner, ladies' ,quarter of the palace, you may wonder how to take me away without killing the women guarding me. But there is a way! Just the day before the wedding, we will go on a procession to worship our family deity Ma Durga in the Girija Temple. I will therefore be in that group in open spaces and accessible. "
यस्याङ्घ्रिपङ्कजरजःस्नपनं महान्तो वाञ्छन्त्युमापतिरिवात्मतमोऽपहत्यै ।
यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्ष न लभेय भवत्प्रसादं जह्यामसून् व्रतकृशान् शतजन्मभिः स्यात् ॥
T: "Oh, lotus-eyed Lord! I know that even great souls like Lord Shiva hanker to bathe in the dust of your lotus feet in order to overcome the delusory effect of Maya that hides Paramatma. If I cannot obtain your mercy, I shall simply give up my life breath, as I am weakened already from my severe penances. Then, I will have to wait for many lifetimes to secure your compassion!"
The Brahmin concluded gravely, "My Lord! This is the message I have brought from Princess Rukmini. Kindly consider her plea and do what you deem best. "
