Krishna Kidnaps Rukmini

In the fifty third chapter, Krsna goes to Kundina city, is worshipped by Bhismaka and steals Rukmini when she leaves the city to worship Durga.

Though Rukmini was disturbed internally and externally by her attachment to Krsna, Krsna, though attached to her and moved internally, did not show that and instead smiled and began to speak.

I know (veda for vedmi) that Rukmi has prevented his sister’s marriage to me.

When the flame lying dormant in the wood bursts into flame, it consumes the wood. Similarly, Rukmini, covered by the evil family members like Rukmi, will eventually burn them up. I will only the stimulus for that.

Understanding through the mouth of a brahmana that the naksatra for marriage would be on two nights in the future, he called his charioteer.

The colors of the horses are described in the Padma Purana: saibya was the color of a sirisa tree leaf. Sugriva was golden. Meghapuspa was the color of a cloud. Balahaka was white.

Hearing the message of Rukmini in the evening, that same night Krsna mounted his chariot and rode off, and arrived at Kundina in the early morning.

According to the will of his son, Bhismaka decided to marry his daughter ot Sisupala, and decorated the city accordingly

The men and women had spotless clothing, necklaces, scents and garlands.

She was made to wear two pieces of cloth fresh of the loom (ahatamsuka). According to the smrti scriptures, only cloth which is fresh from the loom should be used on auspicious occasions.

The verb cakruh they did, can taken as the verb of the last line of the previous verse as well as the verb of the present verse. Thus the brahmanas had her put on fresh cloth, and they chanted mantras for her protection.

The experts in the atharvana mantras performed sacrifices to appease the unfavorable planets.

Damaghosa also performed ceremonies for his son’s marriage (sutaya).

The kings came to make sure Rukmini was given to Sisupala (sadhitum).

Hearing from a succession of persons, Balarama, though being Supreme Lord (bhagava), being omniscient and omnipotent, feared an upcoming battle, and therefore went to Kundina with a huge contingent of troops. This was because of his strong affection for his brother, which covered his omniscience, for it is human nature to worry about the dangers immanent for a friend.

Before the sunrise, because of eagerness and fear, Rukmini began to worry. “This night of three yamas has finished. Tomorrow night is the fixed time for the wedding of this most unfortunate woman.”

She expresses doubt with the word “api”. At first he was ready to come, and therefore because he would bring the brahmana with him, did not send the brahmana first. However at the time of leaving, seeing some fault n my body or intelligence, he gave up his plan. It would be improper for him, who is faultless in body and mind (anavadyatma) to marry me who am full of faults. And the brahmana being unsuccessful, has not come, fearing that I would give up my body.

In this verse Rukmini speaks with great anxiety again. The creator is not favorable to me, for he has created some obstacle on Krsna’s path. Why he is displeased with me I cannot understand. Siva is angered perhaps by not receiving my worship sometime. But since his full of such great powers, he would not become angry with an insignificant girl like me. Though I worship her daily, Durga devi has rejected me. What offense have I done to her that she would reject me? Is this perhaps her very nature? She is the wife of Rudra (Rudrani). Rudra makes people cry. So perhaps she too is making me cry. Seeing my suffering, even to the extent that I will give up my life, why does her heart not melt? There must some fault in her heritage. Being the daughter of a mountain (girija), how could her heart melt, being so stone-like? She will make me give up my body I am certain, just as she gave up her body in her previous life (Sati).

“O fickle mind! Do not prepare to give up your body now, because the time of his coming has not yet passed. Before giving up the body, let me see his face in meditation one time. You should not prevent this, dear mind.” Then she closed her eyes.

Her left thigh and other bodily limbs began to tremble. This was a sign of auspiciousness.

The brahmana was instructed particularly (vi nirdistah), by Krsna, “Tell her that I have come to a garden in the city.” He saw Rukmini, who was radiant (devi) due to bliss, having seen Krsna in meditation. She was about to leave her chambers to come to Krsna influenced by her meditation.

“I, Sunanda brahmana, have come now from you beloved. Please cast your glance upon me,.” said the brahmana in a loud voice. Rukmini, her meditation broken, then say him standing there.

Because the brahmana’s mind was not disturbed he was smiling broadly. Seeing that, Rukmini ‘s anxiety disappeared, because she was knowledgeable of omens indicating success—the joy in the brahmana’s eyes and smile, and the quivering of the left side of her body. She them smiled slightly, indicating her genuine (suci) joy. Previously she had been falsely smiling, to hide her inner suffering.

He described to her his meeting with Krsna. He described how Krsna had promised to come to her, relating his words such as “I will bring Rukmini.” (sb 10.153.3)

Thinking of what to give the brahmana to satisfy him, she just offered her respects. Not seeing any other object worthy of giving (priya), she offered respects to at least show her gratitude. But then the house of the brahmana became filled with all sorts of treasures. This was a response of Mahalaksmi to show her gratitude.

34.Bhismaka is described as generous (mahamatih) because he was contented in his heart, knowing that Krsna had come to marry his qualified daughter. Therefore he worshipped Krsna elaborately.

The people drank the incomparable sweetness of Krsna’s lotus face. This indicates the quantity of sweetness of his face. It was wonderful because of the number of people drinking and the unlimited supply of sweetness of one face.

37.

1.For him alone and no other.

2.As a wife not as an enjoyable object.

3.Rukmini alone and no one else.

This certainly must be, and should not be avoided.

He alone and no one else.

For Rukmini and no one else.

This must be done, without the slightest trace of doubt (samuchitah).

These are the seven statements, with the negative qualifier “no one else nor nothing else” applied to each statement (napara). Because of the number of speakers there were numerous statements. Seven statements have been combined in one. Some said “Rukmini should be his wife and no one elses. Others said “She should be his wife and nothing else, such as object of enjoyment.” Others said, “Rukmini alone, and no one else, should be his wife.” In this way also four other statements could be made.(Rukmini should certainly be his wife, there is no question about it. Krsna and only Krsna should be Rukmini’s husband. Krsna should be the husband of Rukmini only. Krsna must be the husband of Rukmini.) To say it is a fault because of the impossibility of combining seven statements in one is not correct as there are authoritative statements which that it is possible to combine different statements in one.

Krsna is satisfied with whatever pious acts we have done. We have given these pious acts to her account so she can marry Krsna.

Under the influence of increased (kala) prema concerning Rukmini they spoke.

From the city up to the temple complex of Durga, she was protected in a palanquin .She then went four of five prakosthas (fifteen feet) out side the palanquin into the temple, while the guards stood outside in all directions. Mrdanga and conches began to sound.

Rukmini, performing acamana (upasprsya), entered the inner sanctum (devi or deva sadanam). The masculine is sometimes used for female deities in their sanctum just as the masculine is used for female animals while they are in the egg or womb.

The aged wives of the priests, knowing the rule of scripture and also the mind of Rukmini, had her worship Durga along with Siva. “O Durga, just you are the wife of Siva, and joined with him, make Rukmini the wife of Krsna, joined with him.” Having seen Krsna, they prayed in the same way as the citizens had previously, “May our pious acts be given to her.”

They had her chant the mantra mentioned in this verse. “May Ganesa remove all the obstacles I have now before me. May Krsna be my husband. May you approve it.”

”So be it. May he be your husband,” answered Durga.

Rukmini offered respects to Ambika and took her prasada garland remnants (sesam).

Then the demons, who were inimical to the Lord began to see Rukmini, the sakti of the Lord, full of knowledge and bliss, as Maya. This is described in two and a half verse. Verses 51 and 52, describing Rukmini are connected to verse 53, which describes the warriors who saw her as devimaya. The word iva means “certainly” in this phrase. Thus they saw her certainly as devimaya. The wrestlers saw Krsna as a thunderbolt, not as a tender, young boy. Thinking of him as such, was not thinking of his svarupa, all the different spectators viewed the svarupa of Krsna in their own way at the wrestling arena. In the same way the demons thought of Rukmini as some very bewildering maya of the devatas, and not some human woman.

Then that devamaya is described in detail. She was syama, a woman who is warm during the cold seasons, and cool during the hot season, with hard breasts. The warriors became overcome with lust on seeing Rukmini with such qualities ,wiht prominent breasts, and eyes moving about as if afraid of her locks of hair. She had teeth like jasmine buds reflecting the redness of her bimba like lips. She moved her feet which were lit by her jingling, well crafted ankle bells. From perceiving her in this way as maya, they became afflicted with lust, just as Pururava was afflicted with lust on seeing a fiery image of Urvasi produced by the gandharvas. Just as Pururva becamse lusty, not by the fiery image, but the thought that it was Urvasi, so the warriors became lusty, not by seeing Rukmini, but by perceiving her as maya. In this way other meanings of these verse are refuted. Not only did they faint, but they fell to the ground on seeing Rukmini, who had offered her beauty to Krsna and no one else.

As Rukmini was walking, because she wanted to see Krsna, she looked at the other men present bashfully, as they were other men. She would not show such bashfulness on seeing him. She then saw Acyuta, who never leaves (cyuta) the heart.

Finding the offense intolerable, they began to abuse the Yadavas. “We are unfortunate because our fame has been stolen by cowherd men.”