Rukmiṇī Haraṇa (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa)
Rukmiṇī was the daughter of Bhīshmaka, king of Kuṇḍinapura in Vidarbha. She was the earthly form of Lakshmīdevī, who had come down at Brahmā’s command to wait for the arrival of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Her brother Rukmī meant to give her to Śiśupāla, because Jarāsaṃdha pressed him. But Bhagavān Kṛshṇa came to Vidarbha. When Rukmiṇī came out of the temple after her pūjā to Śacīdevī, Kṛshṇa took her onto his chariot. He defeated Rukmī in battle and spared his life when Rukmiṇī begged for it. Then he brought her to Dvārakā and married her according to dharma. The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, tells this in Chapters 48–53 and 60–62.
Rukmiṇī and her family
The Vishṇu Parva says that from the line of the Yādava king called Vidara came Bhīshmaka. Vidara lived south of the Vindhya mountains, in the land of Vidarbha. Bhīshmaka ruled at Kuṇḍinapura. His son was Rukmī and his daughter was Rukmiṇī.
Rukmī had received the Bhārgavāstra from Paraśurāma and divine weapons from Druma. He always bore hatred toward Kṛshṇa. Rukmiṇī was of unmatched beauty. Kṛshṇa and Rukmiṇī loved each other from afar. But Rukmī, out of his hatred, refused to give her to Kṛshṇa. At Jarāsaṃdha’s urging, Bhīshmaka agreed to give her to Śiśupāla, the son of Damaghosha of the Cedi kingdom. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 48, 60)
Kṛshṇa himself told the divine origin of this marriage. At Hemakūṭa mountain, at the time of the aṃśāvatāra (partial descent) of the devas, Lakshmīdevī was told: “Go to the world of mortals with your husband. Be born to Bhīshmaka at Kuṇḍinanagara, and wait there for the arrival of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa.” This was why Kṛshṇa had come. Rukmiṇī was Lakshmīdevī herself in mortal form. She was not fit for a svayaṃvara (a bride’s own choice among suitors) but was to be given to a worthy bridegroom. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 52)
The svayaṃvara and the gathering of kings
Spies brought word to Kṛshṇa that a great assembly of southern kings was gathering at Vidarbhanagara for Rukmiṇī’s svayaṃvara, at Rukmī’s invitation. The svayaṃvara was fixed for thirty days later.
Kṛshṇa took up his cakra and gadā (mace). The Yādavas went with him in their chariots, and they set out for Vidarbha. He asked Ugrasena and Ugrasena’s elder brother to stay in Mathurā and guard the city against Jarāsaṃdha’s allies, who might take advantage of their absence. But Ugrasena asked to go with Kṛshṇa, and Kṛshṇa gladly agreed.
They reached Vidarbha at sunset. Kṛshṇa mounted Garuḍa and went to stay with Kaiśika, who gave him a splendid house. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 48)
The kings debate: Jarāsaṃdha and Śiśupāla
The assembled kings saw Kṛshṇa arrive on Garuḍa and were seized with fear. In their council Jarāsaṃdha spoke first: “Vāsudeva’s son Kṛshṇa has come with Garuḍa to seek the bride. Who can stand against him? Not even Indra with all the devas.” He named Kṛshṇa’s earlier avatāra forms: Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana and Paraśurāma. Then he said: “He is Vishṇu, Nārāyaṇa, the maker of all beings. No one can conquer him.” (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 49)
Saunītha, that is Śiśupāla, the son of Damaghosha and king of the Cedi country, said that Kṛshṇa’s very presence at the svayaṃvara was a sign of disaster. He warned that if Rukmiṇī chose any one of them, that king would face the fury of Kṛshṇa’s arm. Dantavaktra advised calm and friendship with Kṛshṇa. Sālva urged defiance.
Bhīshmaka himself, in his heart, knew that Kṛshṇa was the only worthy husband for his daughter. He also knew that Rukmī would be destroyed if he fought Kṛshṇa. But he could not stop what had been set in motion. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 49–50)
The abhisheka at Vidarbha
Kaiśika and Kratha, the kings of Vidarbha, spoke for Kṛshṇa. A messenger of the devas (deva-dūta) brought Indra’s command. All the assembled kings were called to perform a rājābhisheka (royal anointing) for Kṛshṇa at the svayaṃvara site, so that he might take his proper place of honour in the royal assembly.
The deva-dūta said that Indra himself had sent a divine throne made by Viśvakarmā and eight kalaśas (water jars) given by Kubera. The abhisheka was done with gold, gems, fragrant waters and divine garlands. Kaiśika poured holy waters mixed with gold, jewels and sandalwood over the head of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. Kṛshṇa wore divine garments and ornaments and shone in the royal assembly. All the kings offered namaskāra and took their seats around him.
Bhīshmaka himself pleaded with Kṛshṇa to forgive Rukmī’s pride, and Kṛshṇa answered him graciously and calmly. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 51–52)
Kṛshṇa carries off Rukmiṇī
In time Jarāsaṃdha arranged a new svayaṃvara for Rukmiṇī, meaning to give her to Śiśupāla. Bhīshmaka agreed. The kings Dantavaktra, Bhagadatta, Bhūriśravas and others gathered again at Kuṇḍinapura. Kṛshṇa and Balarāma also came with the Vṛshṇi forces. Kratha and Kaiśika lodged them in a garden outside the city.
On the day before the wedding, Rukmiṇī wore a white silk garment of rare beauty. She went by chariot to the temple of the devas (deva-mandira) to do pūjā to Śacīdevī. Soldiers guarded her on every side. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 60)
Kṛshṇa saw Rukmiṇī as if he were seeing Lakshmīdevī herself. The moment Rukmiṇī came out of the temple after her pūjā, Kṛshṇa took her and placed her on his chariot. Those who came forward to stop him he struck down with an uprooted tree. At his command the Yādavas took up defensive positions on every side. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 60)
The battle: Balarāma and the Yādavas against the kings
The allied kings Dantavaktra, Śiśupāla and Jarāsaṃdha rushed against Kṛshṇa. Damaghosha, king of Cedi, came with his brothers and the kings of Aṅga and Vaṅga. The Vṛshṇi warriors, led by Balarāma, went forward to meet them.
A great battle broke out. Sātyaki wounded Jarāsaṃdha with seven arrows. Akrūra fought Dantavaktra. Balarāma himself fought Jarāsaṃdha face to face, and they exchanged fierce volleys. The sound of conches, bherī drums and mṛdaṅgas rose to the sky. Balarāma slew hundreds of the Magadha and Kaiśika forces and drove Jarāsaṃdha and the other kings back. Meanwhile Kṛshṇa sped away with Rukmiṇī toward Dvārakā. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 60)
Rukmī is defeated and spared
Rukmī heard that Kṛshṇa had taken Rukmiṇī. Before Bhīshmaka he vowed that he would not return to Kuṇḍinapura unless he had killed Kṛshṇa or won back his sister. He set out in his great chariot with a large army, and the kings of the southern lands went with him.
On the banks of the Narmadā he found Kṛshṇa with Rukmiṇī and challenged him directly. He shot sixty-four arrows at Kṛshṇa’s chest. Kṛshṇa shot back seventy arrows. He cut down Rukmī’s banner, killed his charioteer and broke his bow. Rukmī took up a second bow and sent divine astras, but Kṛshṇa broke this bow too and shattered his sword. He knocked Rukmī from his chariot and struck him three times in the heart. Rukmī fell senseless to the ground. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 61)
Rukmiṇī saw her brother lying on the ground. She fell at the feet of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and begged for his life. Kṛshṇa lifted her up, embraced her to comfort her, and granted Rukmī abhaya (freedom from fear). Then he went on to Dvārakā.
Rukmī had failed in his vow and could not go back into Kuṇḍinapura. He built another city in Vidarbha, called Bhojakaṭa, and lived there, south of Kuṇḍinapura. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 61)
The marriage and Rukmiṇī’s children
The Vṛshṇi warriors and Balarāma routed Jarāsaṃdha and the remaining kings and returned to Dvārakā in joy. There Kṛshṇa married Rukmiṇī. She became his chief wife, a patnī of great pativratā (devoted wife) virtue, with beauty and noble character.
Kṛshṇa had ten mighty sons by Rukmiṇī. The account names nine: Cārudeshṇa, Sudeshṇa, Pradyumna, Sushena, Cārugupta, Cārubāhu, Cāruvinda, Sucāru and Bhadracāru. It also names a daughter, Cāramatī. The sons knew dharma, artha and the arts of war. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 61)
The later fate of Rukmī
Later, Kṛshṇa’s grandson Aniruddha was to marry Rukmavātī, Rukmī’s granddaughter. At Rukmiṇī’s insistence, the hatred of long years was set aside. The wedding brought the Yādavas and the kings of Vidarbha together in Rukmī’s city.
At the wedding celebrations Rukmī challenged Balarāma to a game of dice. He cheated, declared false victories, and mocked Balarāma. In a rage Balarāma struck Rukmī with a golden stool and killed him.
Kṛshṇa was bound by kinship to both his wife and his brother. He could not blame Balarāma, and he could not stay unmoved by Rukmiṇī’s grief. He comforted her in silence, with tears. (Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapter 62)
Sources
- Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 48–53 (Rukmiṇī’s family, the gathering of kings, the debate, the abhisheka)
- Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 60–62 (the abduction, the battle, Rukmī’s defeat, the marriage, Rukmī’s later fate)