Canto Ten - Chapter 53

Śrī Śuka said: Hearing the princess of Vidarbha's message, the descendant of Yadu took the brāhmaṇa's hand in His own and said with a smile:

The Supreme Lord said: My mind is fixed on her in the same way, and I cannot sleep at night. I know that Rukmī, out of hatred for Me, has prevented our marriage.

After crushing those contemptible kings in battle, I shall bring away that faultless maiden whose heart belongs to Me, just as a flame is brought forth from firewood.

Śrī Śuka said: Learning the exact auspicious time of Rukmiṇī's wedding, Madhusūdana told His charioteer, 'Dāruka, have My chariot harnessed at once.'

Dāruka brought the chariot yoked with the horses Śaibya, Sugrīva, Meghapuṣpa, and Balāhaka, and stood before the Lord with joined palms.

Śauri mounted the chariot and seated the brāhmaṇa beside Him. With those swift horses He traveled from Ānarta to Vidarbha in a single night.

The king who ruled Kuṇḍina, governed by affection for his son, was preparing to give his daughter to Śiśupāla and had the prescribed rites performed.

The city's roads, thoroughfares, and crossroads were thoroughly swept and sprinkled with water, and it was splendidly decorated with colorful standards, banners, and archways.

Men and women adorned with garlands, fragrant substances, ornaments, spotless garments, and jewelry filled the city, while its beautiful homes were perfumed with aloe incense.

O King, Bhīṣmaka worshiped the ancestors, the gods, and the brāhmaṇas according to rule. After duly feeding the brāhmaṇas, he had auspicious benedictions recited.

The lovely-toothed maiden was bathed, adorned with auspicious wedding threads, dressed in a pair of new garments, and decorated with the finest ornaments.

The foremost brāhmaṇas protected the bride with mantras from the Sāma, Ṛg, and Yajur Vedas, while the priest learned in the Atharva Veda offered oblations to pacify the planets.

The king, foremost among those who knew the rites, gave the brāhmaṇas gold, silver, clothing, sesame mixed with jaggery, and cows.

In the same way, King Damaghoṣa, lord of Cedi, had experts in mantra perform for his son every rite conducive to prosperity.

Surrounded by armies crowded with infantry and cavalry, by divisions of elephants streaming rut, and by chariots hung with golden garlands, he went to Kuṇḍina.

The lord of Vidarbha came out to meet him, honored him properly, and joyfully lodged him in a residence prepared for the occasion.

Śālva, Jarāsandha, Dantavakra, Vidūratha, Pauṇḍraka, and thousands of other allies of Caidya also arrived there.

These enemies of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma were determined to secure the maiden for Caidya. They thought, 'If Kṛṣṇa comes with Rāma and the other Yadus and tries to carry her away,

we shall join forces and fight Him.' With this firm resolve, all those rulers arrived with their complete armies and conveyances.

When Lord Balarāma heard of the hostile kings' preparations and that Kṛṣṇa had gone alone to take the maiden, He feared there would be a battle.

Overwhelmed by affection for His brother, He quickly went to Kuṇḍina with a great force of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry.

Bhīṣmaka's shapely and beautiful daughter eagerly awaited Hari's arrival. When the brāhmaṇa did not return, she began to worry.

Alas, only three watches remain before the wedding of ill-fated me. The lotus-eyed Lord has not come, and I do not know why. Even the brāhmaṇa who carried my message has not yet returned.

Perhaps the faultless Lord saw something objectionable in me and, though He had resolved to take my hand, is therefore not coming.

Fate is unfavorable to unfortunate me, and so is Maheśvara. Perhaps the goddess Gaurī, Rudrāṇī, Girijā, Satī, has also turned away from me.

Thinking in this way, the young maiden whose mind Govinda had stolen understood that the appointed time was passing and closed her eyes, which were filled with tears.

As the bride waited for Govinda's arrival, O King, her left thigh, arm, and eye trembled, signs foretelling that her beloved would speak to her.

Then that same eminent brāhmaṇa, sent by Kṛṣṇa, saw the divine princess as she moved within the inner chambers.

The virtuous maiden, skilled in reading signs, noticed his joyful face and unhurried, peaceful bearing. Smiling purely, she questioned him.

He told her that Yadunandana had arrived and repeated the Lord's truthful promise that He would take her as His bride.

Learning that He had come, the princess of Vidarbha rejoiced. Finding no gift for the brāhmaṇa dearer than this news, she simply bowed to him.

Hearing that Rāma and Kṛṣṇa had arrived, eager to witness his daughter's wedding, the king went to meet Them amid the sound of musical instruments and bearing suitable offerings.

He presented madhuparka, spotless garments, and desirable gifts, worshiping Them fully according to rule.

The wise king prepared splendid residences for the two Lords and duly extended hospitality to Them, Their armies, and Their attendants.

He likewise honored every assembled king with all desirable things, in keeping with each one's prowess, age, strength, and wealth.

Hearing that Kṛṣṇa had arrived, the residents of Vidarbha's capital came and drank the beauty of His lotus face with the cups of their eyes.

Rukmiṇī alone deserves to become His wife; no other woman does. And He, the faultless Lord, is the only suitable husband for Bhīṣmaka's daughter.

May the creator of the three worlds be pleased by whatever pious deeds we have performed. May Acyuta bless us by taking the princess of Vidarbha's hand.

Thus the people of the city spoke, bound by threads of love. Meanwhile the maiden emerged from the inner chambers and, guarded by soldiers, set out for Ambikā's shrine.

She went forth on foot to behold Bhavānī's tender feet, all the while meditating perfectly on Mukunda's lotus feet.

Observing silence, accompanied by her mothers and surrounded by her companions, she was protected by brave royal guards in armor with weapons raised. Mṛdaṅgas, conches, paṇavas, tūryas, and kettledrums resounded.

Thousands of prominent courtesans carried many kinds of gifts and offerings, while the brāhmaṇas' wives were beautifully adorned with garlands, fragrances, garments, and ornaments.

Singers sang and praised, musicians played their instruments, and bards, heralds, and panegyrists surrounded the bride as the procession advanced.

Reaching the goddess's temple, Rukmiṇī washed her lotus hands and feet, sipped water for purification, became pure and composed, and entered Ambikā's presence.

Elderly brāhmaṇa women versed in the ritual guided the young maiden in bowing to Bhavānī, the wife of Bhava, who was accompanied by her husband.

I repeatedly bow to you, O Ambikā, auspicious and accompanied by your children. May the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa be my husband; please grant your approval.

With water, fragrant substances, unbroken grains, incense, cloth, garlands, flower wreaths, ornaments, many kinds of gifts and offerings, and rows of lamps,

she worshiped the goddess and the married brāhmaṇa women. She also honored the women with salt, cakes, betel, sacred marriage threads, fruits, and sugarcane.

Those women gave her the remnants of the offerings and bestowed their blessings. The bride bowed to them and to the goddess, then accepted the remnants.

Ending her vow of silence, she came out of Ambikā's temple, holding the hand of a maidservant with her own hand, which shone with a jeweled ring.

She was like the Lord's divine māyā, bewildering even steadfast men. Slender-waisted, her face adorned with earrings, youthful and dark-complexioned, she wore a jeweled belt upon her hips; her breasts were budding, and her eyes peered shyly from beneath her locks.

Her smile was pure, and the radiance of her bimba-fruit lips reddened her teeth, which resembled jasmine buds. She walked with the graceful gait of a swan, her feet beautified by rows of delicately jingling anklets.

Seeing her, the renowned heroes assembled there became bewildered, tormented by the desire she awakened in their hearts. Beholding her generous smile and shy glance, the kings lost their minds and let their weapons fall.

They fell senseless from their elephants, chariots, and horses as she, under the pretext of joining the procession, offered all her beauty to Hari. Thus she moved slowly, her feet like two swaying lotus buds, eagerly watching for the Supreme Lord's arrival.

Brushing aside her locks with the fingers of her left hand, she shyly glanced from the corners of her eyes at the approaching kings and then saw Acyuta. As the princess was about to mount her chariot, Kṛṣṇa seized her before the eyes of His enemies.

Mādhava placed her upon His chariot marked with Garuḍa, humbled the entire circle of kings, and then departed slowly with Rāma in front, like a lion carrying away its rightful share from among jackals.

The proud kings headed by Jarāsandha could not tolerate their defeat and loss of honor. They cried, 'Alas, shame upon us! Though we bear bows, cowherds have stolen our fame, as though deer had robbed lions of theirs.'