राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 88

44 versesKṛṣṇa vs Rukmin

Synopsis

The chase. Janārdana pierces his challenger with seventy arrows, cuts his banner, decapitates his charioteer. Rukmin, seeing his plight, is surrounded by his men. His vow: "Without killing Govinda in battle and bringing Rukmiṇī back, I shall not enter Kuṇḍina, I tell you truly." The middle of the chapter lists divine weapons Rukmin hurls at Keśava - Vāyavya, Vāruṇa, Māhendra, Nairṛta, Paiśāca, Rākṣasa, Raudra, Māheśvara, one after another - which Govinda undoes with his own. The chapter closes with the generations of sons born of that marriage.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

तं प्राविध्यत सप्तत्या बाणैर् गाढं जनार्दनः यतमानश् च चिच्छेद ध्वजं चास्य महाबलः जहार च शिरः कायात् सारथेस् तस्य वीर्यवान् तं कृछ्रगतम् आज्ञाय परिवव्रुर् जनार्दनम् दाक्षिणात्या जिघांसन्तो राजानः सर्व एव ते तम् अंशुमान् महाबाहुर् विव्याध दशभिः शरैः श्रुतर्वा पञ्चभिः क्रुद्धो वेणुदारिश् च सप्तभिः ततो ऽंशुमन्तं गोविन्दो बिभेदोरसि वीर्यवान् निषसाद रथोपस्थे व्यथितः स नराधिपः श्रुतर्वणो जघानाश्वांश् चतुर्भिश् चतुरः शरैः वेणुदारिर् ध्वजं छित्त्वा भुजं विव्याध दक्षिणम् तथैव च श्रुतर्वाणं शरैर् विव्याध सप्तभिः शिश्रिये च ध्वजं श्रान्तो न्यषीदच् च व्यथान्वितः मुञ्चन्तः शरवर्षाणि वासुदेवं ततो ऽभ्ययुः क्रथकैशिकमुख्यास् ते रथवंशेन सर्वशः बाणान् बाणैश् च चिच्छेद तेषां युधि जनार्दनः जघान चैषां संरब्धो यतमानान् यतान् बहून् पुनर् अन्यांश् चतुःषष्ट्या निजघान शितैः शरैः क्रुद्धान् आपततो वीरो प्राद्रवत् तद्बलं ततः एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे वीरो बलभद्रो महायशाः जघान गदया वीरं जरासंधं महामृधे मूर्छां जगाम राजा तु निपपात च भूतले सात्यकिर् वङ्गराजं तु जघान निशितैः शरैः तत् सैन्यं विमुखं चासीज् जरासंधे पतत्य् अपि सात्यकिर् बलभद्रश् च जित्वा योधान् सहस्रशः शङ्खं दध्मतू राजानौ सर्वेषाम् अग्रतः स्थितौ ततश् च विद्रुते सैन्ये जरासंधे पराजिते तयोः शङ्खध्वनिं श्रुत्वा गच्छन्न् एव जनार्दनः जितं मगधराजस्य सैन्यं बहुनृपाश्रयम् इत्य् एवं चिन्तयित्वा तु वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् पाञ्चजन्यं महाशङ्खं दध्मौ यदुकुलोद्वहः कृष्णेन ह्रियमाणां तु रुक्मी श्रुत्वा तु रुक्मिणीम् प्रतिज्ञाम् अकरोत् क्रुद्धः समक्षं भीष्मकस्य ह

taṃ prāvidhyata saptatyā bāṇair gāḍhaṃ janārdanaḥ yatamānaś ca ciccheda dhvajaṃ cāsya mahābalaḥ jahāra ca śiraḥ kāyāt sārathes tasya vīryavān taṃ kṛchragatam ājñāya parivavrur janārdanam dākṣiṇātyā jighāṃsanto rājānaḥ sarva eva te tam aṃśumān mahābāhur vivyādha daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ śrutarvā pañcabhiḥ kruddho veṇudāriś ca saptabhiḥ tato 'ṃśumantaṃ govindo bibhedorasi vīryavān niṣasāda rathopasthe vyathitaḥ sa narādhipaḥ śrutarvaṇo jaghānāśvāṃś caturbhiś caturaḥ śaraiḥ veṇudārir dhvajaṃ chittvā bhujaṃ vivyādha dakṣiṇam tathaiva ca śrutarvāṇaṃ śarair vivyādha saptabhiḥ śiśriye ca dhvajaṃ śrānto nyaṣīdac ca vyathānvitaḥ muñcantaḥ śaravarṣāṇi vāsudevaṃ tato 'bhyayuḥ krathakaiśikamukhyās te rathavaṃśena sarvaśaḥ bāṇān bāṇaiś ca ciccheda teṣāṃ yudhi janārdanaḥ jaghāna caiṣāṃ saṃrabdho yatamānān yatān bahūn punar anyāṃś catuḥṣaṣṭyā nijaghāna śitaiḥ śaraiḥ kruddhān āpatato vīro prādravat tadbalaṃ tataḥ etasminn antare vīro balabhadro mahāyaśāḥ jaghāna gadayā vīraṃ jarāsaṃdhaṃ mahāmṛdhe mūrchāṃ jagāma rājā tu nipapāta ca bhūtale sātyakir vaṅgarājaṃ tu jaghāna niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ tat sainyaṃ vimukhaṃ cāsīj jarāsaṃdhe pataty api sātyakir balabhadraś ca jitvā yodhān sahasraśaḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmatū rājānau sarveṣām agrataḥ sthitau tataś ca vidrute sainye jarāsaṃdhe parājite tayoḥ śaṅkhadhvaniṃ śrutvā gacchann eva janārdanaḥ jitaṃ magadharājasya sainyaṃ bahunṛpāśrayam ity evaṃ cintayitvā tu vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān pāñcajanyaṃ mahāśaṅkhaṃ dadhmau yadukulodvahaḥ kṛṣṇena hriyamāṇāṃ tu rukmī śrutvā tu rukmiṇīm pratijñām akarot kruddhaḥ samakṣaṃ bhīṣmakasya ha

Janārdana pierced him deeply with seventy arrows. Striving, the mighty one cut his banner; and, powerful, he took the head from the body of his charioteer. Seeing him in difficulty, the people surrounded Janārdana. The southerners, who had conquered...

Verse 2

अहत्वा युधि गोविन्दम् अनानीय च रुक्मिणीम् कुण्डिनं न प्रवेक्ष्यामि सत्यम् एतद् ब्रवीमि ते

ahatvā yudhi govindam anānīya ca rukmiṇīm kuṇḍinaṃ na pravekṣyāmi satyam etad bravīmi te

Verse 3

आस्थाय स रथं वीरः समुदग्रायुधध्वजम् जवेन प्रययौ क्रुद्धो बलेन महता वृतः

āsthāya sa rathaṃ vīraḥ samudagrāyudhadhvajam javena prayayau kruddho balena mahatā vṛtaḥ

Verse 4

तम् अन्वयुर् नृपाश् चैव दक्षिणापथवासिनः क्राथो ऽंशुमाञ् श्रुतर्वा च वेणुदारिश्च वीर्यवान्

tam anvayur nṛpāś caiva dakṣiṇāpathavāsinaḥ krātho 'ṃśumāñ śrutarvā ca veṇudāriśca vīryavān

Verse 5

भीष्मकस्य सुतश् चापि रथेन रथिनां वरः क्रथकैशिकमुख्याश्च सर्व एव महारथाः

bhīṣmakasya sutaś cāpi rathena rathināṃ varaḥ krathakaiśikamukhyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ

Verse 6

ते गत्वा दूरम् अध्वानं सरितं नर्मदाम् अनु गोविन्दं ददृशुः क्रुद्धाः सहैव प्रियया स्थितम्

te gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ saritaṃ narmadām anu govindaṃ dadṛśuḥ kruddhāḥ sahaiva priyayā sthitam

Verse 7

अवस्थाप्य च तत् सैन्यं रुक्मी बलमदान्वितः आदाय निशितं बाणम् इदमाह जनार्दनम् अरे गोपकदायाद परदारप्रधर्षण विमुच्यताम् इयं बाला स्थातव्यं च क्षणान्तरम् शिरश्छेत्स्यामि ते बाणैः स्थितो ऽसि यदि मत्पुरः इत्युक्त्वा निशितं बाणं संदधे धनुषि प्रभो चिकीर्षुर् द्वैरथं युद्धम् अभ्ययान् मधुसूदनम्

avasthāpya ca tat sainyaṃ rukmī balamadānvitaḥ ādāya niśitaṃ bāṇam idamāha janārdanam are gopakadāyāda paradārapradharṣaṇa vimucyatām iyaṃ bālā sthātavyaṃ ca kṣaṇāntaram śiraśchetsyāmi te bāṇaiḥ sthito 'si yadi matpuraḥ ityuktvā niśitaṃ bāṇaṃ saṃdadhe dhanuṣi prabho cikīrṣur dvairathaṃ yuddham abhyayān madhusūdanam

Verse 8

स विव्याध चतुःषष्ट्या गोविन्दं निशितैः श्रैः तं प्रत्यविध्यत् सप्तत्या बाणैर् युधि जनार्दनः

sa vivyādha catuḥṣaṣṭyā govindaṃ niśitaiḥ śraiḥ taṃ pratyavidhyat saptatyā bāṇair yudhi janārdanaḥ

Verse 9

यतमानस्य चिच्छेद ध्वजं चास्य महाबलः जहार च शिरः कायात् सारथेश् चास्य वीर्यवान्

yatamānasya ciccheda dhvajaṃ cāsya mahābalaḥ jahāra ca śiraḥ kāyāt sāratheś cāsya vīryavān

Verse 10

तं कृच्छ्रगतम् आज्ञाय परिवव्रुर् जनार्दनम् दाक्षिणात्या जिघांसन्तो राजानः सर्व एव ते

taṃ kṛcchragatam ājñāya parivavrur janārdanam dākṣiṇātyā jighāṃsanto rājānaḥ sarva eva te

Verse 11

तम् अंशुमान् महाबाहुर् विव्याध दशभिः श्रैः श्रुतर्वा पञ्चभिः क्रुद्धो वेणुदारिश् च सप्तभिः

tam aṃśumān mahābāhur vivyādha daśabhiḥ śraiḥ śrutarvā pañcabhiḥ kruddho veṇudāriś ca saptabhiḥ

Verse 12

ततो ऽंशुमन्तं गोविन्दो बिभेदोरसि वीर्यवान् निषसाद रथोपस्थे व्यथितः स नराधिपः

tato 'ṃśumantaṃ govindo bibhedorasi vīryavān niṣasāda rathopasthe vyathitaḥ sa narādhipaḥ

Verse 13

श्रुतर्वणो जघानाश्वांश् चतुर्भिश् चतुरः शरैः वेणुदारेर् ध्वजं छित्त्वा भुजं विव्याध दक्षिणम्

śrutarvaṇo jaghānāśvāṃś caturbhiś caturaḥ śaraiḥ veṇudārer dhvajaṃ chittvā bhujaṃ vivyādha dakṣiṇam

Verse 14

तथैव च श्रुतर्वाणं शरैर् विव्याध पञ्चभिः शिश्रिये स ध्वजं क्लान्तो न्यषीदच्च व्यथान्वितः

tathaiva ca śrutarvāṇaṃ śarair vivyādha pañcabhiḥ śiśriye sa dhvajaṃ klānto nyaṣīdacca vyathānvitaḥ

Verse 15

मुञ्चन्तः शरवर्षाणि वासुदेवं ततो ऽभ्ययुः क्रथकैशिकमुख्यास् ते रथवंशेन सर्वशः

muñcantaḥ śaravarṣāṇi vāsudevaṃ tato 'bhyayuḥ krathakaiśikamukhyās te rathavaṃśena sarvaśaḥ

Verse 16

बाणैर् बाणांश् च चिच्छेद तेषां युधि जनार्दनः जघान चैषां संरब्धो यतमानांश् च ताञ् शरान्

bāṇair bāṇāṃś ca ciccheda teṣāṃ yudhi janārdanaḥ jaghāna caiṣāṃ saṃrabdho yatamānāṃś ca tāñ śarān

Verse 17

पुनर् अन्यांश् चतुःषष्ट्या जघान निशितैः शरैः क्रुद्धान् आद्रवतो वीरान् आद्रवत् स महाबलः

punar anyāṃś catuḥṣaṣṭyā jaghāna niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ kruddhān ādravato vīrān ādravat sa mahābalaḥ

Verse 18

विद्रुतं स्वबलं दृष्ट्वा रुक्मी क्रोधवशं गतः पञ्चभिर् निशितैर् बाणैर् विव्याधोरसि केशवम्

vidrutaṃ svabalaṃ dṛṣṭvā rukmī krodhavaśaṃ gataḥ pañcabhir niśitair bāṇair vivyādhorasi keśavam

Verse 19

सारथिं चास्य विव्याध सायकैर् निशितैस् त्रिभिः आजघान ध्वजं चास्य शरेण नतपर्वणा

sārathiṃ cāsya vivyādha sāyakair niśitais tribhiḥ ājaghāna dhvajaṃ cāsya śareṇa nataparvaṇā

Verse 20

केशवश् चापि तं षष्ट्या क्रुद्धो विव्याध मार्गणैः धनुश् चिच्छेद चाप्य् अस्य यतमानस्य रुक्मिणः

keśavaś cāpi taṃ ṣaṣṭyā kruddho vivyādha mārgaṇaiḥ dhanuś ciccheda cāpy asya yatamānasya rukmiṇaḥ

Verse 21

अथान्यद् धनुर् आदाय रुक्मी कृष्णजिघांसया प्रादुश् चकार दिव्यानि दीप्तान्य् अस्त्राणि वीर्यवान्

athānyad dhanur ādāya rukmī kṛṣṇajighāṃsayā prāduś cakāra divyāni dīptāny astrāṇi vīryavān

Verse 22

वायव्यं वारुणं चैव माहेन्द्रम् अथ नैरृतम् पैशाचं राक्षसं चैव रौद्रं माहेश्वरं तथा एतान्यस्त्राणि दव्यानि विव्याद्र युधि केशवे तैर् एव तानि गोविन्दो निजघान जनार्दनः अस्त्रैर् अस्त्राणि संवार्य तस्य कृष्णो म्हाबलः पुनश् चिच्छेद तं चापं रथेषां च त्रिभिः शरैः

vāyavyaṃ vāruṇaṃ caiva māhendram atha nairṛtam paiśācaṃ rākṣasaṃ caiva raudraṃ māheśvaraṃ tathā etānyastrāṇi davyāni vivyādra yudhi keśave tair eva tāni govindo nijaghāna janārdanaḥ astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya tasya kṛṣṇo mhābalaḥ punaś ciccheda taṃ cāpaṃ ratheṣāṃ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ

Vāyavya, Vāruṇa, Māhendra, Nairṛta, Paiśāca, Rākṣasa, Raudra, Māheśvara — these divine weapons he released against Keśava; and with those very weapons Govinda Janārdana destroyed them. He undid weapons with weapons.

Verse 23

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथः खड्गम् आदाय चर्म च उत्पपात रथाद् वीरो गरुत्मान् इव वीर्यवान्

sa cchinnadhanvā virathaḥ khaḍgam ādāya carma ca utpapāta rathād vīro garutmān iva vīryavān

Verse 24

तस्याभिपततः खड्गं चिच्छेद युधि केशवः नाराचैश् च त्रिभिः क्रुद्धो बिभेदैनम् अथोरसि

tasyābhipatataḥ khaḍgaṃ ciccheda yudhi keśavaḥ nārācaiś ca tribhiḥ kruddho bibhedainam athorasi

Verse 25

क्रुद्धो बिभेदैनम् अथो शरैर् उरसि पञ्चभिः स पपात महाबाहुर् वसुधाम् अनुनादयन् विसंज्ञो मूर्छितो राजा वज्रेणेव हतो गिरिः

kruddho bibhedainam atho śarair urasi pañcabhiḥ sa papāta mahābāhur vasudhām anunādayan visaṃjño mūrchito rājā vajreṇeva hato giriḥ

Verse 26

तांश् च राज्ञः शरैः सर्वान् पुनर्विव्याध केशवः साश्वध्वजरथांश् चैव ससूतान्सपदानुगान् रुक्मिणं पतितं दृष्ट्वा व्यद्रवन्त नराधिपाः

tāṃś ca rājñaḥ śaraiḥ sarvān punarvivyādha keśavaḥ sāśvadhvajarathāṃś caiva sasūtānsapadānugān rukmiṇaṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā vyadravanta narādhipāḥ

Verse 27

कृष्णबाणविभिन्नाङ्गा वीक्षमाणाः परस्परम् विवेष्टमानं भूमौ तं भ्रातरं वीक्ष्य रुक्मिणी पादयोर् न्यपतद् भर्तुर् भ्रातुर् जीवितकाङ्क्षिणी

kṛṣṇabāṇavibhinnāṅgā vīkṣamāṇāḥ parasparam viveṣṭamānaṃ bhūmau taṃ bhrātaraṃ vīkṣya rukmiṇī pādayor nyapatad bhartur bhrātur jīvitakāṅkṣiṇī

Verse 28

तामुत्थाप्य परिष्वज्य सान्त्वयामास केशवः अभयं रुक्मिणे दत्त्वा प्रययौ स्वां पुरीं ततः

tāmutthāpya pariṣvajya sāntvayāmāsa keśavaḥ abhayaṃ rukmiṇe dattvā prayayau svāṃ purīṃ tataḥ

Verse 29

वृष्णयो ऽपि जरासंधं भङ्क्त्वा तांश् चापि पार्थिवान् जित्वा तु सात्यकिर्वीरः शिशुपालं महाबलम् बलदेवो ऽपि वार्ष्णेयो जित्वा मगधपुंगवम् ते ऽपि वीरा यथायोगं जित्वा तान् यादवोत्तमाः प्रययुर् द्वारकां हृष्टाः पुरस्कृत्य हलायुधम्

vṛṣṇayo 'pi jarāsaṃdhaṃ bhaṅktvā tāṃś cāpi pārthivān jitvā tu sātyakirvīraḥ śiśupālaṃ mahābalam baladevo 'pi vārṣṇeyo jitvā magadhapuṃgavam te 'pi vīrā yathāyogaṃ jitvā tān yādavottamāḥ prayayur dvārakāṃ hṛṣṭāḥ puraskṛtya halāyudham

Verse 30

प्रयाते पुण्डरीकाक्षे श्रुतर्वाभ्येत्य संयुगे रुक्मिणं रथम् आरोप्य प्रययौ स्वपुरं ततः

prayāte puṇḍarīkākṣe śrutarvābhyetya saṃyuge rukmiṇaṃ ratham āropya prayayau svapuraṃ tataḥ

Verse 31

अनानीय स्वसारं तु रुक्मी वीर्यमदान्वितः हीनप्रतिज्ञो नैच्छत् स प्रवेष्टुं कुण्डिनं पुरम्

anānīya svasāraṃ tu rukmī vīryamadānvitaḥ hīnapratijño naicchat sa praveṣṭuṃ kuṇḍinaṃ puram

Verse 32

विदर्भेषु च वासार्थं निर्ममे ऽन्यत् पुरं महत् तद्भोजकटम् इत्य् एव बभूव भुवि विश्रुतम्

vidarbheṣu ca vāsārthaṃ nirmame 'nyat puraṃ mahat tadbhojakaṭam ity eva babhūva bhuvi viśrutam

Verse 33

जन्मास्पदं भगवतो भृगुसूनोर् महात्मनः तच्छशास महावीर्यो रुक्मी जीवति तत्र वै तत्रौजसा महातेजसाः सो ऽन्वशाद् दक्षिणां दिशम् भीष्मकः कुण्डिने चैव राजोवास महामनाः

janmāspadaṃ bhagavato bhṛgusūnor mahātmanaḥ tacchaśāsa mahāvīryo rukmī jīvati tatra vai tatraujasā mahātejasāḥ so 'nvaśād dakṣiṇāṃ diśam bhīṣmakaḥ kuṇḍine caiva rājovāsa mahāmanāḥ

Verse 34

जरासंधो ऽपि संप्राप्य संज्ञां प्राप स्वकं पुरम् सर्वैर् नृपतिभिः सार्धं सज्जयावनताननः शिशुपालो ऽपि मन्दात्मा लज्जाविष्टः सबान्धवः पौरजानपदैर् दृष्टः सो ऽयं भोजसुतापतिः इदानीम् अन्यथा वृत्तः स्वां पुरी निर्ययौ बहिः को नु नाम समर्थो ऽत्र कृष्णे जीवति सांप्रतम् रुक्मिणीम् अन्यथाकर्तुं सबले सहसात्यकौ इति पौराश् च तं दृष्ट्वा सुनीथं मन्दविक्रमम् आहुः परस्परं सर्वे गच्छन्तं स्वपुरं नृपम् द्वारकाम् अभिसंप्राप्ते रामे वृष्णिबलान्विते रुक्मिण्याः केशवः पाणिं जग्राह विधिवत् प्रभुः

jarāsaṃdho 'pi saṃprāpya saṃjñāṃ prāpa svakaṃ puram sarvair nṛpatibhiḥ sārdhaṃ sajjayāvanatānanaḥ śiśupālo 'pi mandātmā lajjāviṣṭaḥ sabāndhavaḥ paurajānapadair dṛṣṭaḥ so 'yaṃ bhojasutāpatiḥ idānīm anyathā vṛttaḥ svāṃ purī niryayau bahiḥ ko nu nāma samartho 'tra kṛṣṇe jīvati sāṃpratam rukmiṇīm anyathākartuṃ sabale sahasātyakau iti paurāś ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā sunīthaṃ mandavikramam āhuḥ parasparaṃ sarve gacchantaṃ svapuraṃ nṛpam dvārakām abhisaṃprāpte rāme vṛṣṇibalānvite rukmiṇyāḥ keśavaḥ pāṇiṃ jagrāha vidhivat prabhuḥ

Verse 35

ततः सह तया रेमे प्रियया प्रीयमाणया सीतयेव पुरा रामः पौलोम्य् एव पुरंदरः

tataḥ saha tayā reme priyayā prīyamāṇayā sītayeva purā rāmaḥ paulomy eva puraṃdaraḥ

Verse 36

दमयन्त्या यथा राजा पुण्यश्लोको नलस्तथा सा हि तस्याभवज् ज्येष्ठा पत्नी कृष्णस्य भामिनी पतिव्रता गुणोपेता रूपशीलगुणान्विता

damayantyā yathā rājā puṇyaśloko nalastathā sā hi tasyābhavaj jyeṣṭhā patnī kṛṣṇasya bhāminī pativratā guṇopetā rūpaśīlaguṇānvitā

Verse 37

तस्याम् उत्पादयामास पुत्रान् दश महारथान् चारुदेष्णं सुदेष्णं च प्रद्युम्नं च महाबलम्

tasyām utpādayāmāsa putrān daśa mahārathān cārudeṣṇaṃ sudeṣṇaṃ ca pradyumnaṃ ca mahābalam

Verse 38

सुषेणं चारुगुप्तं च चारुबाहुं च वीर्यवान् चारुविन्दं सुचारुं च भद्रचारुं तथैव च

suṣeṇaṃ cāruguptaṃ ca cārubāhuṃ ca vīryavān cāruvindaṃ sucāruṃ ca bhadracāruṃ tathaiva ca

Verse 39

चारुं च बलिनां श्रेष्ठं सुतां चारुमतीं तथा धर्मार्थकुशलास् ते तु कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः

cāruṃ ca balināṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sutāṃ cārumatīṃ tathā dharmārthakuśalās te tu kṛtāstrā yuddhadurmadāḥ

Verse 40

महिषीः सप्त कल्याणीस् ततो ऽन्या मधुसूदनः उपयेमे महाबाहुर् गुणोपेताः कुलोद्भवाः

mahiṣīḥ sapta kalyāṇīs tato 'nyā madhusūdanaḥ upayeme mahābāhur guṇopetāḥ kulodbhavāḥ

Verse 41

कालिन्दीं मित्रविन्दां च सत्यां नाग्नजितीम् अपि सुतां जाम्बवतश् चापि रोहिणीं कामरूपिणीम्

kālindīṃ mitravindāṃ ca satyāṃ nāgnajitīm api sutāṃ jāmbavataś cāpi rohiṇīṃ kāmarūpiṇīm

Verse 42

मद्रराजसुतां चापि सुशीलां शुभलोचनाम् सत्राजितीं सत्यभामां लक्ष्मणां चारुहासिनीम् शैब्यां सुदत्तां रूपेण श्रिया ह्य् अप्सरसोपमाम्

madrarājasutāṃ cāpi suśīlāṃ śubhalocanām satrājitīṃ satyabhāmāṃ lakṣmaṇāṃ cāruhāsinīm śaibyāṃ sudattāṃ rūpeṇa śriyā hy apsarasopamām

Verse 43

स्त्रीसहस्राणि चान्यानि षोडशातुलविक्रमः उपयेमे हृषीकेशः सर्वा भेजे स ताः समम् परार्ध्यवस्त्राभरणाः कामैह् सर्वैः समेधितः

strīsahasrāṇi cānyāni ṣoḍaśātulavikramaḥ upayeme hṛṣīkeśaḥ sarvā bheje sa tāḥ samam parārdhyavastrābharaṇāḥ kāmaih sarvaiḥ samedhitaḥ

Verse 44

जज्ञिरे तस्य पुत्राश् च तासु वीराः सहस्रशः अशीतिं च सहस्राणि षोडशान्यानि भारत सर्वास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वे बलवन्तो महारथाः यज्वानः पुण्यकर्माणो महाभागा महाबलाः

jajñire tasya putrāś ca tāsu vīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ aśītiṃ ca sahasrāṇi ṣoḍaśānyāni bhārata sarvāstrakuśalāḥ sarve balavanto mahārathāḥ yajvānaḥ puṇyakarmāṇo mahābhāgā mahābalāḥ

Of him, heroes by the thousands were born in those wives — eighty and sixteen thousand others, Bhārata: all skilled in every weapon, strong, great chariot-warriors, sacrificers, of meritorious deeds, great-fortuned, mighty.

Verse commentary

Kṛṣṇa Against Rukmin

रुक्मिपराजयः

Verses 1, 2, 22, 40, 44: the chariot duel opening, Rukmin's vow, the divine-weapon exchange, the seven chief queens, and the many thousand heroic sons. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 88 is the action chapter that follows Rukmiṇī's abduction. It is structured as a single long pursuit-and-duel — Rukmin, the bride's brother, vows not to return to Kuṇḍina without killing Kṛṣṇa and bringing his sister back. The chapter ends with the wider picture: the marriages Kṛṣṇa will make after this one (Rukmiṇī as first of seven chief queens), and the thousands of heroic sons the Yadu line will count. It is also the chapter with the most complete inventory of divine weapons in the Harivaṃśa, each countered by its own kind.

HV 88.1

तं प्राविध्यत सप्तत्या बाणैर् गाढं जनार्दनः । यतमानश् च चिच्छेद ध्वजं चास्य महाबलः ॥

taṃ prāvidhyata saptatyā bāṇair gāḍhaṃ janārdanaḥ | yatamānaś ca ciccheda dhvajaṃ cāsya mahābalaḥ

Janārdana pierced him deeply with seventy arrows, and, striving, the mighty one cut his banner.

The Living Words

*Saptatyā bāṇair gāḍham*, 'with seventy arrows, deeply' — the number is exact. *Yatamānaś ca ciccheda dhvajam*: 'striving, he cut the banner' — the striving is named. *Mahābalaḥ*, 'of great strength'. The verse is precise in a way early combat-verses often are not: not a flood of arrows, but seventy; not a casual cut, but a striving one.

The Heart of It

The Harivaṃśa is careful here not to make Kṛṣṇa appear effortless. He strives. The action requires effort. This is an important theological choice. God-avatāras do not perform their deeds by wave-of-hand; they labor, they count their arrows, they strive. The Varkari understanding that devotion is also laborious — the Name requires strength of tongue and mind, not just a casual word — is continuous with this. Jñāneśvar's discipline in Haripāṭh 9 and elsewhere — *jhāḍanī*, sweeping, repeated daily — is in the same register.

HV 88.2

अहत्वा युधि गोविन्दम् अनानीय च रुक्मिणीम् । कुण्डिनं न प्रवेक्ष्यामि सत्यम् एतद् ब्रवीमि ते ॥

ahatvā yudhi govindam anānīya ca rukmiṇīm | kuṇḍinaṃ na pravekṣyāmi satyam etad bravīmi te

'Without killing Govinda in battle and bringing Rukmiṇī back, I shall not enter Kuṇḍina; I tell you truly.'

The Living Words

Rukmin's vow. *Ahatvā... anānīya*: two absolutives, 'having-not-killed... having-not-brought'. *Kuṇḍinaṃ na pravekṣyāmi*: 'I will not enter Kuṇḍina'. *Satyam etad bravīmi te*: the added oath. The verse is a single speech-act, a public vow that tethers his future to the two conditions.

The Heart of It

The vow is the chapter's hinge. Rukmin commits himself, and the rest of the chapter follows from that commitment. The Harivaṃśa's realism about how honor-vows shape war is important. The narrator does not celebrate Rukmin's vow; he simply reports it. Rukmin will fail both conditions — he will not kill Govinda, and he will not bring his sister back — and will therefore be obliged to live outside Kuṇḍina. The scripture is patient about the consequences of rash speech. The Varkari saints' steady preference for the Name over the vow is the same sensibility: the Name does not bind you the way a vow does, because the Name gives what the vow asks for before you have had to ask.

HV 88.22

वायव्यं वारुणं चैव माहेन्द्रम् अथ नैरृतम् । पैशाचं राक्षसं चैव रौद्रं माहेश्वरं तथा । एतान्य् अस्त्राणि दिव्यानि विव्याध युधि केशवे । तैर् एव तानि गोविन्दो निजघान जनार्दनः ॥

vāyavyaṃ vāruṇaṃ caiva māhendram atha nairṛtam | paiśācaṃ rākṣasaṃ caiva raudraṃ māheśvaraṃ tathā | etāny astrāṇi divyāni vivyādha yudhi keśave | tair eva tāni govindo nijaghāna janārdanaḥ

Vāyavya, Vāruṇa, Māhendra, Nairṛta, Paiśāca, Rākṣasa, Raudra, Māheśvara — these divine weapons he released against Keśava in the battle; and with those same weapons Govinda Janārdana destroyed them.

The Living Words

The verse is a catalog-of-weapons in two parts. First, Rukmin's eight astras, each named from its presiding deity: wind-god, water-god, Indra, Nairṛti, the piśācas, the rākṣasas, Rudra, Maheśvara. Then the single half-line of reply: *tair eva tāni govindo nijaghāna*, 'with those same ones he destroyed those same ones.' *Tair eva*, 'by those very same', is the verse's most economical statement.

The Heart of It

The principle of the verse is the principle of the whole chapter: God answers an opponent on the opponent's own terms. Rukmin throws divine weapons; Kṛṣṇa returns divine weapons of the same kinds and cancels them out. This is a specific kind of mercy: the god does not destroy Rukmin with something Rukmin cannot face, he neutralizes what Rukmin has thrown, and the engagement proceeds. The Varkari tradition's understanding that God meets each devotee in the language that devotee already knows is rooted in this kind of scene. The Name arrives in the devotee's own Marathi because that is where the devotee is.

HV 88.40

महिषीः सप्त कल्याणीस् ततो ऽन्या मधुसूदनः । उपयेमे महाबाहुर् गुणोपेताः कुलोद्भवाः ॥

mahiṣīḥ sapta kalyāṇīs tato 'nyā madhusūdanaḥ | upayeme mahābāhur guṇopetāḥ kulodbhavāḥ

Then Madhusūdana the long-armed took seven other auspicious queens, endowed with virtues, born of good family.

The Living Words

*Mahiṣīḥ sapta kalyāṇīḥ*, 'seven auspicious chief queens'. *Anyāḥ*, 'others' — Rukmiṇī having been the first. *Guṇopetāḥ kulodbhavāḥ*, 'endowed with virtues, born of good families.' The verse is an administrative inventory; but the word *kalyāṇī*, auspicious, quietly repeats from the pastoral register of HV 60 (where the cowherds addressed Kṛṣṇa as *kalyāṇa-karṣaṇa*, puller-of-auspicious).

The Heart of It

The Harivaṃśa's count of eight chief queens (Rukmiṇī plus seven named here) sets the scene for HV 98, where their offspring are enumerated. The important point is the plural. Kṛṣṇa's marriages are not reduced to one ideal pairing. The Varkari tradition's wisdom that devotion is social as well as personal — that the god is related to many, not one — is rooted in this plural. Jñāneśvar's insistence that Pāṇḍuraṅga stands on a brick for all who come to him, not one at a time, has the same structural logic. The god marries many.

HV 88.44

जज्ञिरे तस्य पुत्राश् च तासु वीराः सहस्रशः । अशीतिं च सहस्राणि षोडशान्यानि भारत । सर्वास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वे बलवन्तो महारथाः । यज्वानः पुण्यकर्माणो महाभागा महाबलाः ॥

jajñire tasya putrāś ca tāsu vīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ | aśītiṃ ca sahasrāṇi ṣoḍaśānyāni bhārata | sarvāstrakuśalāḥ sarve balavanto mahārathāḥ | yajvānaḥ puṇyakarmāṇo mahābhāgā mahābalāḥ

His heroic sons were born by the thousands to those wives — eighty and sixteen thousand others, Bhārata: all skilled in every weapon, strong, great chariot-warriors, sacrificers, of meritorious deeds, of great fortune, of great strength.

The Living Words

The verse's counting is striking. *Aśīti-ṃ-ca sahasrāṇi ṣoḍaśa-anyāni*: 'eighty thousand and sixteen (thousand) others', that is, ninety-six thousand in all. *Sarvāstrakuśalāḥ*, 'skilled in every weapon'; *yajvānaḥ puṇyakarmāṇaḥ*, 'sacrificers, of meritorious deeds'. The inventory is not just military; they are *yajvānaḥ*, ones who offer sacrifice — a religious achievement in the same breath.

The Heart of It

The Harivaṃśa is making a theological point by the scale. The Yadu race that descends from Kṛṣṇa is not just a dynasty; it is a vast meritorious community. Ninety-six thousand sons of good conduct is not a genealogical claim about blood alone; it is a claim about the range of influence the god has, through the one Kṛṣṇa, over the community. The Varkari's understanding that the devotee is never alone, that the god who has you has many, is in this number. Jñāneśvar's opening abhaṅga 1.4 — the King of Dvārakā in the Pāṇḍavas' house — has its scale here: the god who stays with the Pāṇḍavas is also the father of ninety-six thousand.

Thread

Across the five verses: the striving of the duel (88.1), Rukmin's vow (88.2), the counter-weapons exchange (88.22), the plural of the seven-more queens (88.40), the scale of the ninety-six thousand sons (88.44). The chapter moves from one-on-one to the many. The theological rhythm is Harivaṃśa-exact: the single acts of the god always issue in plural results. One bride, many queens. One war, many sons.

Echo in the saints

The Varkari tradition's love of Rukmiṇī-Vitthal imagery is sourced here. Pāṇḍuraṅga at Pandharpur is always accompanied by Rukmiṇī, and the temple carries both their images. The fact that she was brought to him out of another intended arrangement has always been read as the model of grace that claims the devotee from whatever else the world had planned. Tukaram's repeated sense of being claimed against his own resistance has this narrative as one of its sources. The god arrives and claims; the devotee, like Rukmiṇī in HV 87.40, has already recognized, and goes.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 9.22

The Lord takes his own, even against the world's arrangements.

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते । तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥

ananyāś cintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate | teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yoga-kṣemaṃ vahāmy aham

For those who devote themselves to no other and worship me constantly, I carry their yoga-kṣema.

Rukmiṇī is the Gītā's ananyā devotee; the Yoga-kṣema Kṛṣṇa carries for her is the whole armed intervention of HV 88.

BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.