राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 89

53 versesThe Dice Game

Synopsis

With the marriage completed by the Yadu chief, Hari dwells in the city with Rāma and the Yadavas as Śakra in his own. Later, the powerful Rukmin, who has suffered, invites princes and princes' sons from all directions, gathered in splendor. The middle of the chapter describes the game of dice unfolding there: "enmity-destroying, quarrel-seat, terrible, bringing the ruin of fools." The chapter closes with the Vṛṣṇis taking up all the wealth and, anchored in Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, setting off for Dvārakā.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

Aniruddha's Wedding and the Dice-Game with Rukmī: Verses 1, 5, 15, 26, 42, 46, 48: Rukmī arranging his daughter's svayaṃvara, Vaidarbhī choosing Pradyumna, the auspicious wedding of Aniruddha to Rukmavatī, the dice-game beginning as 'a terrible thing, the abode of quarrels', Rukmī's contemptuous dismissal of the Vṛṣṇis as 'forest-cowherds', Balarāma's killing of Rukmī with the eightfold dice-board, and Kṛṣṇa's silence as Rukmiṇī holds back her tears. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

एवं विवाहं यदुपुंगवस्तदा कृत्वा तु रामेण च यादवैः सह पुरे तु तस्मिन्न्यवसत्सुखं हरिर् यथैव शक्रः स्वपुरे जगद्गुरुः ततः काले व्यतीते तु रुक्मी महति वीर्यवान् दुहितुः कारयाम् आस स्वयंवरम् अरिंदमः

evaṃ vivāhaṃ yadupuṃgavastadā kṛtvā tu rāmeṇa ca yādavaiḥ saha pure tu tasminnyavasatsukhaṃ harir yathaiva śakraḥ svapure jagadguruḥ tataḥ kāle vyatīte tu rukmī mahati vīryavān duhituḥ kārayām āsa svayaṃvaram ariṃdamaḥ

Having made that marriage, the Yadu-chief, together with Rāma and the Yādavas, dwelt happily in that city — Hari, as Śakra in his own city, the world's guru. Then, time passing, the mighty Rukmin arranged his daughter's...

Verse 2

तत्राहूताश् च राजानो राजपुत्राश् च रुक्मिणा समाजग्मुर् महावीर्या नानादिग्भ्यः श्रियान्विताः

tatrāhūtāś ca rājāno rājaputrāś ca rukmiṇā samājagmur mahāvīryā nānādigbhyaḥ śriyānvitāḥ

Verse 3

जगाम तत्र प्रद्युम्नः कुमारैर् अपरैर् वृतः सा हि तं चकमे कन्या स च तां शुभलोचनाम्

jagāma tatra pradyumnaḥ kumārair aparair vṛtaḥ sā hi taṃ cakame kanyā sa ca tāṃ śubhalocanām

Verse 4

शुभाङ्गी नाम वैदर्भी कान्तिद्युतिसमन्विता पृथिव्याम् अभवत् ख्याता रुक्मिणस् तनया तदा

śubhāṅgī nāma vaidarbhī kāntidyutisamanvitā pṛthivyām abhavat khyātā rukmiṇas tanayā tadā

Verse 5

उपविष्टेषु सर्वेषु पार्थिवेषु महात्मसु वैदर्भी वरयाम् आस प्रद्युम्नम् अरिसूदनम्

upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pārthiveṣu mahātmasu vaidarbhī varayām āsa pradyumnam arisūdanam

Verse 6

स हि सर्वास्त्रकुशलः सिंहसंहननो युवा रूपेणाप्रतिमो लोके केशवस्यात्मजो ऽभवत्

sa hi sarvāstrakuśalaḥ siṃhasaṃhanano yuvā rūpeṇāpratimo loke keśavasyātmajo 'bhavat

Verse 7

वयोरूपगुणोपेता राजपुत्री च साभवत् नारायणी चन्द्रसेना जातकामा च तं प्रति

vayorūpaguṇopetā rājaputrī ca sābhavat nārāyaṇī candrasenā jātakāmā ca taṃ prati

Verse 8

वृत्ते स्वयंवरे जग्मू राजानः स्वपुराणि ते उपादाय तु वैदर्भीं प्रद्युम्नो द्वारकां ययौ

vṛtte svayaṃvare jagmū rājānaḥ svapurāṇi te upādāya tu vaidarbhīṃ pradyumno dvārakāṃ yayau

Verse 9

रेमे सह तया वीरो दमयन्त्या नलो यथा स तस्यां जनयाम् आस देवगर्भोपमं सुतम् अनिरुद्धम् इति ख्यातं कर्मणाप्रतिमं भुवि धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च नीतिशास्त्रे च पारगम्

reme saha tayā vīro damayantyā nalo yathā sa tasyāṃ janayām āsa devagarbhopamaṃ sutam aniruddham iti khyātaṃ karmaṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi dhanurvede ca vede ca nītiśāstre ca pāragam

Verse 10

अभवत् स यदा राजन्न् अनिरुद्धो वयोन्वितः तदास्य रुक्मिणः पौत्रीं रुक्मिणी रुक्मसंनिभां पत्न्यर्थं वरयाम् आस नाम्ना रुक्मवतीति सा

abhavat sa yadā rājann aniruddho vayonvitaḥ tadāsya rukmiṇaḥ pautrīṃ rukmiṇī rukmasaṃnibhāṃ patnyarthaṃ varayām āsa nāmnā rukmavatīti sā

Verse 11

अनिरुद्धं गुणैर् दातुं कृतबुद्धिर् नृपस् तदा प्रीत्या च रौक्मिणेयस्य रुक्मिण्याश् चाप्य् उपग्रहात्

aniruddhaṃ guṇair dātuṃ kṛtabuddhir nṛpas tadā prītyā ca raukmiṇeyasya rukmiṇyāś cāpy upagrahāt

Verse 12

विस्पर्धन्न् अपि कृष्णेन वैरं तद् अपहाय सः ददानीत्य् अब्रवीद् राजा प्रीतिमाञ् जनमेजय

vispardhann api kṛṣṇena vairaṃ tad apahāya saḥ dadānīty abravīd rājā prītimāñ janamejaya

Verse 13

केशवः सह रुक्मिण्या पुत्रैः संकर्षणेन च अन्यैश् च वृष्णिभिः सार्धं विदर्भान् सबलो ययौ

keśavaḥ saha rukmiṇyā putraiḥ saṃkarṣaṇena ca anyaiś ca vṛṣṇibhiḥ sārdhaṃ vidarbhān sabalo yayau

Verse 14

संयुक्ता ज्ञातयश् चैव रुक्मिणः सुहृदश् च ये आहूता रुक्मिणा ते ऽपि तत्राजग्मुर् नराधिपाः

saṃyuktā jñātayaś caiva rukmiṇaḥ suhṛdaś ca ye āhūtā rukmiṇā te 'pi tatrājagmur narādhipāḥ

Verse 15

शुभे तिथौ महाराज नक्षत्रे चाभिपूजिते विवाहायानिरुद्धस्य बभूव परमोत्सवः

śubhe tithau mahārāja nakṣatre cābhipūjite vivāhāyāniruddhasya babhūva paramotsavaḥ

Verse 16

पाणौ गृहीते वैदर्भ्यास् त्व् अनिरुद्धेन भारत वैदर्भयादवानां च बभूव परमोत्सवः रेमिरे वृष्णयस् तत्र पूज्यमाना यथामराः

pāṇau gṛhīte vaidarbhyās tv aniruddhena bhārata vaidarbhayādavānāṃ ca babhūva paramotsavaḥ remire vṛṣṇayas tatra pūjyamānā yathāmarāḥ

Verse 17

अथाश्मकानाम् अधिपो वेणुदारिर् उदारधीः अक्षः श्रुतर्वा चाणूरः क्राथश् चैवांशुमान् अपि

athāśmakānām adhipo veṇudārir udāradhīḥ akṣaḥ śrutarvā cāṇūraḥ krāthaś caivāṃśumān api

Verse 18

जयत्सेनः कलिङ्गानाम् अधिपश् च महाबलः पाण्ड्यश् च नृपतिः श्रीमान् ऋषीकाधिपतिस् तथा

jayatsenaḥ kaliṅgānām adhipaś ca mahābalaḥ pāṇḍyaś ca nṛpatiḥ śrīmān ṛṣīkādhipatis tathā

Verse 19

एते संमन्त्र्य राजानो दाक्षिणात्या महर्द्धयः अभिगम्याब्रुवन् सर्वे रुक्मिणं रहसि प्रभुम्

ete saṃmantrya rājāno dākṣiṇātyā maharddhayaḥ abhigamyābruvan sarve rukmiṇaṃ rahasi prabhum

Verse 20

भवान् अक्षेषु कुशलो वयं चापि रिरंसवः प्रियद्यूतश् च रामो ऽसाव् अक्षेष्व् अनिपुणो ऽपि च

bhavān akṣeṣu kuśalo vayaṃ cāpi riraṃsavaḥ priyadyūtaś ca rāmo 'sāv akṣeṣv anipuṇo 'pi ca

Verse 21

ते भवन्तं पुरस्कृत्य जेतुम् इच्छाम तं वयम् इत्य् उक्तो रोचयाम् आस द्यूतं रुक्मी महारथः

te bhavantaṃ puraskṛtya jetum icchāma taṃ vayam ity ukto rocayām āsa dyūtaṃ rukmī mahārathaḥ

Verse 22

ते शुभां काञ्चनस्तम्भां कुसुमैर् भूषिताजिराम् सभाम् आविविशुर् हृष्टाः सिक्तां चन्दनवारिणा

te śubhāṃ kāñcanastambhāṃ kusumair bhūṣitājirām sabhām āviviśur hṛṣṭāḥ siktāṃ candanavāriṇā

Verse 23

तां प्रविश्य ततः सर्वे शुभ्रस्रगनुलेपनाः सौवर्णेष्व् आसनेष्व् आसां चक्रिरे विजिगीषवः

tāṃ praviśya tataḥ sarve śubhrasraganulepanāḥ sauvarṇeṣv āsaneṣv āsāṃ cakrire vijigīṣavaḥ

Verse 24

आहूतो बलदेवस् तु कितवैर् अक्षकोविदैः बाढम् इत्य् अब्रवीद्द् हृष्टः सह दीव्याम पण्यताम्

āhūto baladevas tu kitavair akṣakovidaiḥ bāḍham ity abravīdd hṛṣṭaḥ saha dīvyāma paṇyatām

Verse 25

निकृत्या तं जिगीषन्तो दाक्षिणात्या नराधिपाः मणिमुक्ताः सुवर्णं च तत्रानिन्युः सहस्रशः

nikṛtyā taṃ jigīṣanto dākṣiṇātyā narādhipāḥ maṇimuktāḥ suvarṇaṃ ca tatrāninyuḥ sahasraśaḥ

Verse 26

ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं तेषाम् अरतिनाशनम् कलहायास्पदं घोरं दुर्मतीनां क्षयावहम्

tataḥ prāvartata dyūtaṃ teṣām aratināśanam kalahāyāspadaṃ ghoraṃ durmatīnāṃ kṣayāvaham

Then the game of dice began — destroyer of peace, seat of quarrel, dreadful, leading the foolish to ruin.

Verse 27

निष्काणां तु सहस्राणि सुवर्णस्य दशादितः रुक्मिणा सह संपाते बलदेवो ग्लहं ददौ

niṣkāṇāṃ tu sahasrāṇi suvarṇasya daśāditaḥ rukmiṇā saha saṃpāte baladevo glahaṃ dadau

Verse 28

तं जिगाय ततो रुक्मी यतमानं महारथम् तावद् एवापरं भूयो बलदेवं जिगाय सः

taṃ jigāya tato rukmī yatamānaṃ mahāratham tāvad evāparaṃ bhūyo baladevaṃ jigāya saḥ

Verse 29

असकृज् जीयमानस् तु रुक्मिणा केशवाग्रजः सुवर्णकोटिं जग्राह ग्लहं तस्य महात्मनः

asakṛj jīyamānas tu rukmiṇā keśavāgrajaḥ suvarṇakoṭiṃ jagrāha glahaṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ

Verse 30

जितम् इत्य् एव हृष्टो ऽथ तम् आह्वृतिर् अभाषत श्लाघमानश् च चिक्षेप प्रहसन् मुसलायुधम्

jitam ity eva hṛṣṭo 'tha tam āhvṛtir abhāṣata ślāghamānaś ca cikṣepa prahasan musalāyudham

Verse 31

अविद्यो दुर्बलः श्रीमान् हिरण्यम् अमितं मया अजेयो बलदेवो ऽयम् अक्षद्यूते पराजितः

avidyo durbalaḥ śrīmān hiraṇyam amitaṃ mayā ajeyo baladevo 'yam akṣadyūte parājitaḥ

Verse 32

कलिङ्गराजस् तच् छ्रुत्वा प्रजहास भृशं तदा दन्तान् विदर्शयन् हृष्टस् तत्राक्रुध्यद्द् हलायुधः

kaliṅgarājas tac chrutvā prajahāsa bhṛśaṃ tadā dantān vidarśayan hṛṣṭas tatrākrudhyadd halāyudhaḥ

Verse 33

रुक्मिणश् च वचः श्रुत्वा पराजयनिमित्तजम् निगृह्यमाणस् तीक्ष्णाभिर् वाग्भिर् भीष्मकसूनुना रोषम् आहारयाम् आस जितरोषो ऽपि धर्मवित्

rukmiṇaś ca vacaḥ śrutvā parājayanimittajam nigṛhyamāṇas tīkṣṇābhir vāgbhir bhīṣmakasūnunā roṣam āhārayām āsa jitaroṣo 'pi dharmavit

Verse 34

संक्रुद्धो धर्षणां प्राप्य रौहिणेयो महाबलः धैर्यान् मनः संनियम्य ततो वचनम् अब्रवीत्

saṃkruddho dharṣaṇāṃ prāpya rauhiṇeyo mahābalaḥ dhairyān manaḥ saṃniyamya tato vacanam abravīt

Verse 35

दशकोटिसहस्राणि ग्लह एको ममापरः एतं संपरिगृह्णीष्व पातयाक्षान् नराधिप कृष्णाक्षांल् लोहिताक्षांश् च देशे ऽस्मिंस् त्वम् अपांसुले

daśakoṭisahasrāṇi glaha eko mamāparaḥ etaṃ saṃparigṛhṇīṣva pātayākṣān narādhipa kṛṣṇākṣāṃl lohitākṣāṃś ca deśe 'smiṃs tvam apāṃsule

Verse 36

इत्य् एवम् आह्वयाम् आस रुक्मिणं रोहिणीसुतः अनुक्त्वा वचनं किंचिद् बाढम् इत्य् अब्रवीत् पुनः

ity evam āhvayām āsa rukmiṇaṃ rohiṇīsutaḥ anuktvā vacanaṃ kiṃcid bāḍham ity abravīt punaḥ

Verse 37

अक्षान् रुक्मी ततो हृष्टः पातयाम् आस पार्थिवः चातुरक्षे निवृत्ते तु निर्जितः स नराधिपः

akṣān rukmī tato hṛṣṭaḥ pātayām āsa pārthivaḥ cāturakṣe nivṛtte tu nirjitaḥ sa narādhipaḥ

Verse 38

बलदेवेन धर्मेण नेत्य् उवाच ततो बलम् धैर्यान् मनः संनियम्य स न किंचिद् उवाच ह एते ब्रुवन्तु राजानो ये तथ्यवचना इह बलदेवं ततो रुक्मी मया जितम् इति स्मयन्

baladevena dharmeṇa nety uvāca tato balam dhairyān manaḥ saṃniyamya sa na kiṃcid uvāca ha ete bruvantu rājāno ye tathyavacanā iha baladevaṃ tato rukmī mayā jitam iti smayan

Verse 39

बलदेवस् तु तच् छ्रुत्वा जिह्मं वाक्यं नराधिपात् भूयः क्रोधसमाविष्टो नोत्तरं व्याजहार ह

baladevas tu tac chrutvā jihmaṃ vākyaṃ narādhipāt bhūyaḥ krodhasamāviṣṭo nottaraṃ vyājahāra ha

Verse 40

ततो गम्भीरनिर्घोषा वाग् उवाचाशरीरिणी बलदेवस्य तं कोपं वर्धयन्ती महात्मनः सत्यम् आह बलः श्रीमान् धर्मेणैष पराजितः

tato gambhīranirghoṣā vāg uvācāśarīriṇī baladevasya taṃ kopaṃ vardhayantī mahātmanaḥ satyam āha balaḥ śrīmān dharmeṇaiṣa parājitaḥ

Verse 41

अनुक्त्वा वचनं किंचित् प्राप्तो भवति कर्मणा मनसा समनुज्ञातं तत् स्याद् इत्य् अवगम्यताम्

anuktvā vacanaṃ kiṃcit prāpto bhavati karmaṇā manasā samanujñātaṃ tat syād ity avagamyatām

Verse 42

इति श्रुत्वा वचस् तथ्यम् अन्तरिक्षात् सुभाषितम् संकर्षणस् तदोत्थाय सौवर्णेनोरुणा बली ताम् अनादृत्य वैदर्भो दुष्टराजन्यनोदितः संकर्षणं परिहसन् बभाषे कालनोदितः नैवाक्षकोविदा यूयं गोपाला वनगोचराः अक्षैः क्रीडन्ति राजानो बाणैश् च न भवादृशाः रुक्मिणैवम् अधिक्षिप्तो राजभिश् चोपहासितः रुक्मिण्या भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठं निष्पिपेष महीतले

iti śrutvā vacas tathyam antarikṣāt subhāṣitam saṃkarṣaṇas tadotthāya sauvarṇenoruṇā balī tām anādṛtya vaidarbho duṣṭarājanyanoditaḥ saṃkarṣaṇaṃ parihasan babhāṣe kālanoditaḥ naivākṣakovidā yūyaṃ gopālā vanagocarāḥ akṣaiḥ krīḍanti rājāno bāṇaiś ca na bhavādṛśāḥ rukmiṇaivam adhikṣipto rājabhiś copahāsitaḥ rukmiṇyā bhrātaraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ niṣpipeṣa mahītale

Verse 43

विवादे कुपितो रामः क्षेप्तारं क्रूरभाषिणम् जघानाष्टापदेनैव प्रसह्य यदुपुंगवः

vivāde kupito rāmaḥ kṣeptāraṃ krūrabhāṣiṇam jaghānāṣṭāpadenaiva prasahya yadupuṃgavaḥ

Verse 44

ततो ऽपसृत्य संक्रुद्धः कलिङ्गाधिपतेर् अपि दन्तान् बभञ्ज संरम्भाद् उन्ननाद च सिंहवत् खड्गम् उद्यम्य तांश् चापि त्रासयाम् आस पार्थिवान्

tato 'pasṛtya saṃkruddhaḥ kaliṅgādhipater api dantān babhañja saṃrambhād unnanāda ca siṃhavat khaḍgam udyamya tāṃś cāpi trāsayām āsa pārthivān

Verse 45

रङ्गमध्ये हलधरः परिबभ्राम सिंहवत् स्तम्भं सभायाः सौवर्णम् उत्पाट्य बलिनां वरः गजेन्द्र इव तं स्तम्भं कर्षन् सम्कर्षणस् ततः तेनैव तु जघानाशु तत्रस्थान् क्रथकैशिकान् निर्जगाम सभाद्वारात् त्रासयन् क्रथकैशिकान्

raṅgamadhye haladharaḥ paribabhrāma siṃhavat stambhaṃ sabhāyāḥ sauvarṇam utpāṭya balināṃ varaḥ gajendra iva taṃ stambhaṃ karṣan samkarṣaṇas tataḥ tenaiva tu jaghānāśu tatrasthān krathakaiśikān nirjagāma sabhādvārāt trāsayan krathakaiśikān

Verse 46

केशेषु रुक्मिणं गृह्य चकर्ष च पुनः पुनः तम् आदाय सभाद्वाराच् छरपातं ससर्ज ह रुक्मिणं निकृतिप्रज्ञं स हत्वा यादवर्षभः वित्रास्य द्विषतः सर्वान् सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगान् इव

keśeṣu rukmiṇaṃ gṛhya cakarṣa ca punaḥ punaḥ tam ādāya sabhādvārāc charapātaṃ sasarja ha rukmiṇaṃ nikṛtiprajñaṃ sa hatvā yādavarṣabhaḥ vitrāsya dviṣataḥ sarvān siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgān iva

Verse 47

जगाम शिबिरं रामः स्वम् एव स्वजनावृतः न्यवेदयत कृष्णाय तच् च सर्वं यथाभवत्

jagāma śibiraṃ rāmaḥ svam eva svajanāvṛtaḥ nyavedayata kṛṣṇāya tac ca sarvaṃ yathābhavat

Verse 48

नोवाच स तदा किंचित् कृष्णो रामं महाद्युतिम् रुक्मिणी तु ततः श्रुत्वा निहतं भ्रातरं प्रियम् निगृह्य च तदात्मानं क्रोधाद् अश्रूण्य् अवर्तयत्

novāca sa tadā kiṃcit kṛṣṇo rāmaṃ mahādyutim rukmiṇī tu tataḥ śrutvā nihataṃ bhrātaraṃ priyam nigṛhya ca tadātmānaṃ krodhād aśrūṇy avartayat

Verse 49

न हतो वासुदेवेन यः पूर्वं परवीरहा ज्येष्ठो भ्राताथ रुक्मिण्या रुक्मिणीस्नेहकारणात् स रामकरमुक्तेन निहतो द्यूतमण्डले अष्टापदेन बलवान् राजा वज्रधरोपमः

na hato vāsudevena yaḥ pūrvaṃ paravīrahā jyeṣṭho bhrātātha rukmiṇyā rukmiṇīsnehakāraṇāt sa rāmakaramuktena nihato dyūtamaṇḍale aṣṭāpadena balavān rājā vajradharopamaḥ

Verse 50

तस्मिन् हते महामात्रे नृपतौ भीष्मकात्मजे द्रुमभार्गवतुल्ये वै द्रुमभार्गवशिक्षिते

tasmin hate mahāmātre nṛpatau bhīṣmakātmaje drumabhārgavatulye vai drumabhārgavaśikṣite

Verse 51

कृतौ च युद्धकुशले नित्ययाजिनि पातिते वृष्णयश् चान्धकाश् चैव सर्वे विमनसो ऽभवन्

kṛtau ca yuddhakuśale nityayājini pātite vṛṣṇayaś cāndhakāś caiva sarve vimanaso 'bhavan

Verse 52

रुक्मिणी च महाभागा विलपन्त्य् आर्तया गिरा विलपन्तीं तथा दृष्ट्वा सान्त्वयाम् आस केशवः एतत् ते सर्वम् आख्यातं रुक्मिणो निधनं यथा वैरस्य च समुत्थानं वृष्णिभिर् भरतर्षभ

rukmiṇī ca mahābhāgā vilapanty ārtayā girā vilapantīṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā sāntvayām āsa keśavaḥ etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ rukmiṇo nidhanaṃ yathā vairasya ca samutthānaṃ vṛṣṇibhir bharatarṣabha

Verse 53

वृष्णयो ऽपि महाराज धनान्य् आदाय सर्वशः रामकृष्णौ समाश्रित्य ययुर् द्वारवतीं पुरीम्

vṛṣṇayo 'pi mahārāja dhanāny ādāya sarvaśaḥ rāmakṛṣṇau samāśritya yayur dvāravatīṃ purīm

Even the Vṛṣṇis, O king, taking all the wealth, taking refuge in Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, went to the city Dvāravatī.

Verse commentary

Aniruddha's Wedding and the Dice-Game with Rukmī

अनिरुद्धविवाहः रुक्मिणा सह द्यूतं च

Verses 1, 5, 15, 26, 42, 46, 48: Rukmī arranging his daughter's svayaṃvara, Vaidarbhī choosing Pradyumna, the auspicious wedding of Aniruddha to Rukmavatī, the dice-game beginning as 'a terrible thing, the abode of quarrels', Rukmī's contemptuous dismissal of the Vṛṣṇis as 'forest-cowherds', Balarāma's killing of Rukmī with the eightfold dice-board, and Kṛṣṇa's silence as Rukmiṇī holds back her tears. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 89 is the chapter where family becomes enmity. Rukmī — Rukmiṇī's brother, whom Kṛṣṇa defeated but did not kill when he abducted Rukmiṇī — has raised his grand-niece as a match for Aniruddha, Kṛṣṇa's grandson through Pradyumna. The wedding is held at Vidarbha in concord; but the southern kings, jealous of the Yādavas' prestige, incite Rukmī into a crooked dice-game with Balarāma. Rukmī's taunting — that cowherds do not understand dice — provokes Balarāma's killing of him with the very dice-board. The chapter is the Harivaṃśa's portrait of how reconciliation can be undone by one rash word spoken in contempt.

HV 89.1

ततः काले व्यतीते तु रुक्मी महति वीर्यवान् । दुहितुः कारयाम् आस स्वयंवरम् अरिंदमः ॥

tataḥ kāle vyatīte tu rukmī mahati vīryavān | duhituḥ kārayām āsa svayaṃvaram ariṃdamaḥ

Then, after considerable time had passed, the mighty Rukmī, tamer of foes, caused a svayaṃvara to be arranged for his daughter.

The Living Words

*Kāle vyatīte mahati*, 'after considerable time had passed'. *Rukmī... vīryavān*, 'the valiant Rukmī'. *Duhituḥ svayaṃvaram kārayām āsa*, 'caused a svayaṃvara to be arranged for his daughter'. *Ariṃdamaḥ*, 'tamer of foes' — the ironic epithet for the one Balarāma will tame.

The Heart of It

The verse opens the second Rukmī episode, years after the first. The Varkari tradition's careful eye notes the phrase *kāle vyatīte mahati*, 'after considerable time had passed'. Time, which should have ripened reconciliation, has instead matured a grudge. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh speaks often of the Name as the only medicine for the wound that time alone cannot close; a bhakta must actively take up *rāma-kṛṣṇa-hari*, or the wound will still be open when the next occasion arrives.

HV 89.5

उपविष्टेषु सर्वेषु पार्थिवेषु महात्मसु । वैदर्भी वरयाम् आस प्रद्युम्नम् अरिसूदनम् ॥

upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pārthiveṣu mahātmasu | vaidarbhī varayām āsa pradyumnam arisūdanam

When all the great-souled kings were seated, the Vaidarbhī chose Pradyumna, the slayer of foes.

The Living Words

*Upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pārthiveṣu*, 'when all the kings had sat down'. *Vaidarbhī*, 'the Vaidarbha-born' — Rukmī's daughter. *Varayām āsa pradyumnam*, 'chose Pradyumna'. *Arisūdanam*, 'slayer of foes'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the beautiful small inheritance: Rukmī's daughter chooses the son of the very Kṛṣṇa who carried off her father's sister. *Vaidarbhī varayām āsa pradyumnam* — the daughter freely chooses what her father fought. The Varkari tradition's observation that the heart, across generations, moves toward Kṛṣṇa despite familial hostility, is in this verse. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's vast hope for every family — that one generation's enmity is undone by the next generation's bhakti — is rooted here.

HV 89.15

शुभे तिथौ महाराज नक्षत्रे चाभिपूजिते । विवाहायानिरुद्धस्य बभूव परमोत्सवः ॥

śubhe tithau mahārāja nakṣatre cābhipūjite | vivāhāyāniruddhasya babhūva paramotsavaḥ

On an auspicious tithi, O great king, on a honored nakṣatra, there was a supreme festival for the wedding of Aniruddha.

The Living Words

*Śubhe tithau*, 'on an auspicious tithi'. *Nakṣatre cābhipūjite*, 'on a honored nakṣatra'. *Paramotsavaḥ*, 'a supreme festival'. The traditional vocabulary of an auspicious wedding.

The Heart of It

The verse is the chapter's high point of concord. Vaidarbhas and Yādavas feast together; Rukmī has given his grand-daughter to Kṛṣṇa's grandson. The Varkari tradition reads this verse as the moment at which reconciliation was offered by providence itself — the *śubha tithi* that comes once — and notes, with sadness, that the participants accepted the outer festival without accepting the inner reconciliation. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's counsel that one must use *śubha* moments for reconciliation with kinsmen, lest the next moment be the quarrel — is in this verse, negatively.

HV 89.26

ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं तेषाम् अरतिनाशनम् । कलहायास्पदं घोरं दुर्मतीनां क्षयावहम् ॥

tataḥ prāvartata dyūtaṃ teṣām arati-nāśanam | kalahāyāspadaṃ ghoraṃ durmatīnāṃ kṣayāvaham

Then the dice-game began — destroyer of their delight, a terrible seat of quarrel, bringing ruin to the ill-minded.

The Living Words

*Prāvartata dyūtam*, 'the dice-game began'. *Arati-nāśanam*, 'destroyer of delight' (arati, pleasure). *Kalahāyāspadam ghoram*, 'a terrible seat of quarrel'. *Durmatīnāṃ kṣayāvaham*, 'bringing ruin to the ill-minded'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's moral gloss on dicing, almost parenthetical but unambiguous. *Kalahāyāspadam ghoram* — 'a terrible seat of quarrel'. The same formula that the Mahābhārata will use for the disastrous dicing of Yudhiṣṭhira is here applied to this smaller-scale but equally destructive match. The Varkari tradition's long catalog of things that reliably undo satsang — dicing, contempt, intoxicants, the company of the flattering courtier — begins here. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh warns the bhakta to refuse the *āspada* — the occasion, the seat — of quarrel. The game was not the problem; the willingness to sit at its seat was.

HV 89.42

नैवाक्षकोविदा यूयं गोपाला वनगोचराः । अक्षैः क्रीडन्ति राजानो बाणैश् च न भवादृशाः ॥

naivākṣa-kovidā yūyaṃ gopālā vana-gocarāḥ | akṣaiḥ krīḍanti rājāno bāṇaiś ca na bhavādṛśāḥ

'You are not skilled in dice — you are cowherds, forest-wanderers. Kings play with dice and with arrows; not ones such as you.'

The Living Words

*Na akṣa-kovidā yūyam*, 'you are not dice-skilled'. *Gopālā vana-gocarāḥ*, 'cowherds, forest-wanderers'. *Rājāno... bhavādṛśāḥ*, 'kings... not such as you'. The insult is aimed at the Vṛṣṇis' pastoral origin.

The Heart of It

The verse is the unforgivable word. *Gopālā vana-gocarāḥ* — 'cowherds, forest-wanderers' — is the very identity the Varkari tradition treasures most in Kṛṣṇa. What Rukmī uses as insult, Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh uses as the highest praise: the Lord who is *gopāla*, the Lord who walks in the forest. Rukmī has, in contempt, named Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with their most beloved epithets. In the Harivaṃśa's theology, this is why he dies the next minute: the mouth that speaks contempt of *gopāla* has cursed itself.

HV 89.46

केशेषु रुक्मिणं गृह्य चकर्ष च पुनः पुनः । तम् आदाय सभाद्वाराच् छरपातं ससर्ज ह । रुक्मिणं निकृतिप्रज्ञं स हत्वा यादवर्षभः ॥

keśeṣu rukmiṇaṃ gṛhya cakarṣa ca punaḥ punaḥ | tam ādāya sabhā-dvārāc chara-pātaṃ sasarja ha | rukmiṇaṃ nikṛti-prajñaṃ sa hatvā yādava-ṛṣabhaḥ

Seizing Rukmī by the hair, he dragged him back and forth, and taking him to the assembly-door he flung him an arrow-shot's distance; having killed Rukmī, the deceit-minded, the bull of the Yādavas...

The Living Words

*Keśeṣu rukmiṇaṃ gṛhya*, 'seizing Rukmī by the hair'. *Cakarṣa punaḥ punaḥ*, 'dragged again and again'. *Nikṛti-prajñam*, 'the deceit-minded'. *Yādava-ṛṣabhaḥ*, 'the bull of the Yādavas' — Balarāma's epithet.

The Heart of It

The verse does not flinch. *Keśeṣu gṛhya* — the hair-seizing is the classical mark of dishonored killing. Balarāma, provoked past his long patience, kills in fury, and the Harivaṃśa reports it without softening. The Varkari tradition's close reading sees this as the Harivaṃśa's anatomy of the *krodha* — the anger that even Balarāma, the plough-bearing brother, cannot finally contain when contempt passes a threshold. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh names *krodha* as one of the six enemies not because it is uncommon — Balarāma himself is provoked to it — but because even the great souls must watch it carefully.

HV 89.48

नोवाच स तदा किंचित् कृष्णो रामं महाद्युतिम् । रुक्मिणी तु ततः श्रुत्वा निहतं भ्रातरं प्रियम् । निगृह्य च तदात्मानं क्रोधाद् अश्रूण्य् अवर्तयत् ॥

novāca sa tadā kiṃcit kṛṣṇo rāmaṃ mahā-dyutim | rukmiṇī tu tataḥ śrutvā nihataṃ bhrātaraṃ priyam | nigṛhya ca tadātmānaṃ krodhād aśrūṇy avartayat

Kṛṣṇa then said nothing to the greatly-radiant Rāma. But Rukmiṇī, hearing of her dear brother killed, restraining herself, shed tears from grief.

The Living Words

*Na uvāca saḥ tadā kiṃcit kṛṣṇaḥ*, 'Kṛṣṇa did not say anything then'. *Rāmaṃ mahā-dyutim*, 'to the greatly-radiant Rāma'. *Rukmiṇī... nihataṃ bhrātaraṃ priyam*, 'Rukmiṇī... the dear brother killed'. *Nigṛhya tadātmānam*, 'restraining herself'. *Krodhād aśrūṇy avartayat*, 'shed tears from grief' (krodha here = violent grief).

The Heart of It

The verse holds two enormously difficult silences. *Novāca saḥ tadā kiṃcit kṛṣṇaḥ* — Kṛṣṇa said nothing. He does not defend the killing; he does not rebuke the brother. And Rukmiṇī — the one most wounded — *nigṛhya tadātmānam*, restrains herself. The Varkari tradition's deep attention to this moment: the silence of the Lord when a loved one is wronged by a loved one, and the wife's self-restraint as her grief moves through her. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that the bhakta's tears, when they come for a kinsman's fall, must be shed without becoming a new quarrel — is here. Rukmiṇī's tears do not become another killing. Her restraint saves Dvārakā from a civil war.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's arc: Rukmī arranging the svayaṃvara (89.1), his daughter's free choice of Pradyumna (89.5), the auspicious wedding of Aniruddha (89.15), the dice-game beginning as a seat-of-quarrel (89.26), Rukmī's insult to the 'forest-cowherds' (89.42), Balarāma's killing of Rukmī (89.46), and the double silence of Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī's restraint (89.48). The Harivaṃśa's anatomy of how a reconciliation-wedding becomes a funeral: the seat of quarrel, one rash word, one killing, two silences.

Echo in the saints

HV 89's tragedy — reconciliation extended, then undone by contempt — has been read by Warkari commentators as the Sanskrit prototype of what Tukaram names in his abhaṅgas against *ahaṃkāra*, ego-pride. Rukmī is the rich, proud kinsman who cannot bear to lose at dice and so names the Lord a cowherd in contempt. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's constant warning to guard the tongue — that one rash sentence in satsang can undo years of gathered concord — has this verse among its sources. And the chapter's double silence (Kṛṣṇa's and Rukmiṇī's) has been read as the saints' model of how grief is carried in a bhakta's home: without another killing, without another word.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 17.15

The austerity of speech: truthful, dear, beneficial, non-disturbing.

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥

anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate

Speech that causes no disturbance, that is truthful, dear, and beneficial — along with the practice of recitation — is called the austerity of speech.

Rukmī's word gopālā vana-gocarāḥ violates every clause of the Gītā's vāṅmaya-tapas: it disturbs, it demeans, it wounds. The Harivaṃśa's narrative is the inverse proof of the Gītā's teaching.

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