Radha Krishna - Chapter 61: Lord Balarâma Slays Rukmî at Aniruddha's Wedding

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Each of the wives of Krishna gave birth to ten sons no less than their Father in all His personal opulence. (2) Never seeing Acyuta leaving their palaces considered every one of the princesses herself the one most dear; the women didn't know the truth about Him. (3) Fully enchanted by the Supreme Lord His face beautiful as the whorl of a lotus, His long arms, His eyes and loving glances, witty approach and charming talks could the women, with their appeal, not conquer the mind of the One All-powerful. (4) In spite of their romantic signs beamed from their arched brows, hidden looks and coy smiles, so enchanting displaying their intentions, were the sixteen thousand wives by their arrows of Cupid and other means not able to agitate the senses [of Krishna]. (5) These women this way obtaining as their spouse the Lord of Ramâ, relating to whom not even Lord Brahmâ and the other gods know the means to attain, partook eagerly anticipating for the ever-fresh intimate association with pleasure, smiles and glances in the incessant and increasing loving attraction [as in 10.59: 44]. (6) Though having hundreds of maidservants were they, [personally] approaching Him, offering a seat, being of first-class worship, washing His feet, serving with betelnut, giving massages and fanning Him, with fragrances, garlands, dressing His hair, arranging His bed, bathing and presenting gifts to Him, of service to the Almighty Lord [as in 10.59: 45]. (7) Of those [16008 **] wives of Krishna previously mentioned who each had ten sons there were eight principal queens of whom I'll recite their sons headed by Pradyumna.

(8-9) By the Lord begotten in Rukminî [see 10.54: 60] there were, no way inferior to Him, [with Pradyumna first] Cârudeshna, Sudeshna and the powerful Cârudeha; Sucâru, Cârugupta, Bhadracâru and another one called Cârucandra as well as Vicâru and Câru, the tenth. (10-12) The ten sons of Sathyabhâmâ [10.56: 44] were Bhânu, Subhânu, Svarbhânu, Prabhânu, Bhânumân and Candrabhânu; as also Brihadbhânu, the eight one Atibhânu and S'rîbhânu and Pratibhânu [bhânu means lustre, splendor]. Sâmba, Sumitra, Purujit, S'atajit and Sahasrajit; Vijaya and Citraketu, Vasumân, Dravida and Kratu were the sons of Jâmbavatî [10.56: 32]. It were indeed these ones headed by Sâmba who were their Father's favorites [see also 7.1: 2 & 12]. (13) Vîra, Candra and As'vasena; Citragu, Vegavân, Vrisha, Âma, S'anku, Vasu and the so very beautiful Kunti were the sons of Nâgnajitî [or Satyâ, see 10.58: 55]. (14) S'ruta, Kavi, Vrisha, Vîra, Subâhu, the one called Bhadra, S'ânti, Dars'a and Pûrnamâsa were, with Somaka as the youngest, the sons of Kâlindî [10.58: 23]. (15) Praghosha, Gâtravân, Simha, Bala, Prabala, and Ûrdhaga were with Mahâs'akti, Saha, Oja and Aparâjita the sons of Mâdrâ [see *]. (16) Vrika, Harsha, Anila, Gridhra, Vardhana, Unnâda, Mahâmsa, Pâvana and Vahni were with Kshudhi the sons of Mitravindâ [10.58: 31]. (17) Sangrâmajit, Brihatsena, S'ûra, Praharana, Arijit, Jaya and Subhadra were together with Vâma, Âyur and Satyaka the sons of Bhadrâ [10.58: 56]. (18) Dîptimân, Tâmratapta and others were the sons of Lord Krishna and Rohinî [*]. O King, from Pradyumna was, as He was living in the city of Bhojakatha [Rukmî's domain] then, begotten in Rukmavatî, the daughter of Rukmî, the greatly powerful Aniruddha born [see also 4.24: 35-36]. (19) Of these sons and grandsons were born tens of millions, o King, for the mothers of the descendants of Krishna numbered sixteen thousand.'

(20) The king said: 'How could Rukmî give his daughter to the son of his Enemy in marriage? Defeated by Krishna in battle awaited he the opportunity to kill Him. Please explain to me, o learned one, how this marriage between the two enemies could be arranged. (21) Yogis [like you] are perfectly able to see the past, the present, as well as what hasn't happened yet, things far away, things blocked by obstacles and things beyond the senses.'

(22) S'rî S'uka said: 'At her svayamvara ceremony did she [Rukmavatî] choose the Cupid manifest [that was Pradyumna] who with a single chariot, in battle defeating the assembled kings, took her away. (23) Rukmî, even though he always thought of the enmity with Krishna who had insulted him [10.54: 35], granted, in order to please his sister [Rukminî], his daughter his nephew. (24) The young large-eyed daughter of Rukminî, Cârumatî, married, so is said, o King, the son of Kritavarmâ named Balî. (25) Rukmî, despite of his being bound in enmity to the Lord, gave to his daughter's son, Aniruddha, his granddaughter named Rocanâ; aware that the marriage was against the dharma [of not siding as such with the enemy], preferred he, constrained by the ropes of affection, to please his sister with that marriage. (26) To the occasion of that happy event, o King, went Rukminî, Balarâma and Kes'ava [Krishna], Sâmba, Pradyumna and others, to the city of Bhojakatha.

(27-28) After the ceremony spoke some arrogant kings led by the ruler of Kalinga to Rukmî: 'You should defeat Balarâma with a game of dice. Really not that good at it is He, o King, nevertheless greatly fascinated by it', thus they said and consequently inviting Balarâma played Rukmî a game of dice with Him. (29) In that match accepting a wager of first a hundred, then a thousand and then a ten thousand [gold coins] was it Rukmî though who won, whereupon the king of Kalinga loudly laughed at Balarâma baring his teeth freely. This could the Carrier of the Plow not forgive him. (30) Rukmî next accepted a bet of a hundred thousand which then by Balarâma was won, but Rukmî, resorting to deception, said 'I've won!'

(31) With a mind boiling like the ocean on the day of a full moon accepted the handsome Balarâma, whose naturally reddish eyes were burning with anger, a wager of a hundred million. (32) Balarâma fairly won that game also but Rukmî again resorting to deceit said: 'It's won by me. May these witnesses confirm that!'

(33) Then a voice spoke from the sky: 'It indeed was Balarâma who won the wager, the words Rukmî spoke are a blunt lie!'

(34) Discarding that voice did the prince of Vidarbha, urged on by the wicked kings on a crash course, in ridicule say to Sankarshana: (35) 'You cowherds indeed are good at roaming in the forest, not at playing dice; to sport with dice and arrows is for kings, not for the likes of you!'

(36) This way in the auspicious assembly [of the marriage] by Rukmî insulted and being the laughingstock of the kings present, raised He angered His club and struck He him dead. (37) Quickly seizing the fleeing king of Kalinga in his tenth step, knocked He in rage out the teeth he had bared in laughing [see also 4.5: 21]. (38) Other kings tormented by Balarâma's club got their arms, legs and heads broken and fled terrified drenched in blood. (39) The fact that his brother-in-law, Rukmî, had been slain, o King, was by the Lord, afraid to break the bond of affection with Rukminî and Balarâma, neither applauded nor protested. (40) Then, headed by Râma, placed the descendants of Das'ârha the groom together with His bride on His chariot and set they, of whom under the shelter of Madhusûdana all purposes had been fulfilled, off from Bhojakatha to head for Kus'asthalî [another name of Dvârakâ].'