Lord Balarama Slays Rukmi

This chapter describes the sons and grandsons of Krsna, and the killing of Rukmi by Balarama at the dice game during the marriage of Aniruddha.

The wives gave birth to sons who were not less than Krsna in terms of their personal powers and qualities.

Each queen, seeing that Krsna did not go to other queens' palaces, except on occasion invitations, thought herself the most fortunate among all the queens. But by the inconceivable yoga maya potency of the Lord, the queens did not know that he had made every queen the most fortunate.

In the married love of the wives who were controlled just by the Lord's beauty, there are two types of affection: prema maya and kama maya. Two verses describe how they were could not bring Krsna under their control by their kama maya affection. Enchanted by his lotus flower face, his long arms, long eyes, his loving smile and charming conversations, the wives could not conquer the mind of Krsna with all their attractive beauty, for He (not them) is the most perfectly desirable object by his very nature.

This verse describes their alluring activities. They could not conquer his senses with their eyes (karaniah), taking the form of cupid's arrows. What type of arrows were these? Arrows of showing sweet smiles, showing their intentions through glances, and skilful messages sent by the movements of their attractive eyebrows.

This verse describes the intimate association with Krsna brought about by his senses being agitated by the wives' prema maya affection.

By showing their showing smiling glances full of prema maya affection (anuraga), they or Krsna enjoyed many (adyam), ever new, intimate exchanges, with great hankering because they could not be completely satisfied.

Thus it should be understood that Krsna is controlled by the prema maya actions of his wives this is illustrated by his actions such as stealing of the parijata tree and by statements such as the following:

The Lord says: tathaham api tac citto nidram ca na labhe nisi: I cannot sleep at night because of thinking of Rukmini.

Sukadeva says: : iksito 'ntah purasrinam savrida smia viksataih krcchrad visrsta niragajjaa haso harammanah

Being enchanted by their smiling glances he found it difficult to leave their houses.

reme striratna kutastho bhagavan prakrto yatha

Living amongst the jewel among women, the lord played like an ordinary person.

This verse describes their actions of menial service to express their love (anubhava), having Krsna as the object of their prema. They served him by offering the best items (bara arhanam) such as handfuls of flowers and jewels.

Having described a related topic, now the main topic is introduced. Each queen had ten sons. First the sons of the principal eight queens are named.

Among the sons of Kalini, Bhadra was one, and Somaka was the youngest (varah).

This verse describes the sons of Laksmana (Madri).

Having named the sons of the principal eight queens, now the sons of Rohini the chief of the sixteen thousand one hundred queens are named.

One can count the mothers of Krsna's offspring, but not the sons and grandsons. Krsna's queens numbered sixteen thousand one hundred and eight.

What was the cause of marriage (vaivahikam) between mutual enemies?

In this verse Pariksit expresses to Sukadeva, "You cannot say that you do not know."

This verse describes how Rukmi held a svayamvara assemby for his daughter' marriage in order to escape the infamy at giving his daughter to his enemy’s son.

Here the answer is given. He agreed to this to please his sister, who had saved his life.

Each queen had one daughter. In describing the marriage of Rukmini’s eldest daughter Carumati, to Krtavarma's son Bali, the marriage of all the daughers is indicated.

25.He agreed to this marriage of his grand daughter to Rukmini's son Anirudda, though it was not according to religious principles. It is against the common custom of "One should not eat the food of an enemy nor feed an enemy." and against the scriptures in such statements as " one should not perform even religious actions which prevent one from going to svarga loka and are commonly disliked in this life."

Deciding that it would be difficult to defeat Krsna at dice, they told Rukmi to invite Balarama to a game of dice.

First the wager was a hundred gold coins, and then a thousand gold coins, then ten thousand gold coins. Balarama became angry within, when Rukmi laughed and showed his teeth.

Though Balarama won the wager of a hundred thousand coins, Rukmi, with devious nature, said that he had won.

Balarama accepted a wager of ten crores of coins (nyarbudha).

With cheating mentality Rukmi said, "I have won. The witnesses can testify to this."

When the sinful kings were giving false testimony that Rukmi had won, a voice said, "Balaram speaks correctly, and has won. Rukmi speaks a lie."

At the auspicous gathering (nrmna samsadi) Balarama raised his club and struck Rukmi.

With all their desires fulfilled, they put Aniruddha on a chariot with his new bride (suryaya) and departed for Dvaraka. This includes Rukmini. It should be understood, that though Rukmi had been killed, Rukmini also was satisified within. Her affection for Rukmi was only external. The statement in verse 39 that Krsna was silent, fearing breaking his affectionate ties with Balarama and Rukmini, is based only upon her external affection for Rukmi.