Rukmiṇī Vrata in the Kalki Purāṇa

The Rukmiṇī Vrata is a vrata (a vow with fixed worship) to Bhagavān Vāsudeva together with his consort Rukmiṇī. The Kalki Purāṇa tells of it in its Tritīyāmśa. Rāmā, a wife of Bhagavān Kalki, wanted a son. Paraśurāma visited Śambhala and gave her this vrata. She kept it for four years and then bore two sons, Meghamāla and Bāhuka.

Paraśurāma comes to Śambhala

The great conquests of the directions (digvijaya) were over. Bhagavān Kalki lived in Śambhala with his wives Padmāvatī and Rāmā and ruled a kingdom of Kṛta Yuga.

Paraśurāma was a cirajīvin (one who lives for ages). He had been Kalki’s guru. He came from his home on Mahendra Parvata on a tīrtha-yātrā (a pilgrimage) and reached Śambhala. Kalki received him with full hospitality. He rose to greet him and offered pādya, arghya and ācamana (the water offerings for the feet, for the hands and for sipping). He fed him a meal of the six tastes (shaḍrasa) and gave him every comfort.

Then Rāmā’s wish for a son became known, and Kalki told his wish to Paraśurāma. The ācārya (teacher) named the Rukmiṇī Vrata as the way. This is the vrata of Bhagavān Vāsudeva with Rukmiṇī.

How the vrata began with Śarmishṭhā

Sūta told the beginning of the vrata when Śaunaka asked about it. It begins with Śarmishṭhā.

Śarmishṭhā was the daughter of Vṛshaparvan, king of the daityas. She was bathing in a lake with her companions and with Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya. Pārvatī and Parameśvara Śiva suddenly appeared. All the women rushed out of the lake in haste. Devayānī put on Śarmishṭhā’s dress by mistake. Śarmishṭhā was angry. She snatched her own dress back and threw Devayānī into a well.

Prince Yayāti, the son of Nahusha, took Devayānī by the hand and drew her out of the well. In time Yayāti married Devayānī. Śarmishṭhā was given to her as a dāsī (a maid) as part of the bargain. Śukrācārya warned Yayāti that if he called Śarmishṭhā to his bed-chamber, he would at once grow old.

Śarmishṭhā lived on in this lowly state. One day she met Viśvāmitra Maharshi on the bank of the Gaṅgā. He was keeping the Rukmiṇī Vrata with a group of devout women. This is what they did.

• They drew a maṇḍala (a sacred diagram) in the form of an eight-petal lotus (ashṭadala-padma), and set up the image of Vāsudeva on it.
• They offered pūjā with pañcāmṛta (milk, yoghurt, ghee, sugar and honey), with pañcagavya (milk, yoghurt, ghee, pancita and gomaya), and with pure gandhodaka (scented water), while brāhmaṇas chanted mantras.
• They performed the sixteen-part (shoḍaśopacāra) or ten-part (daśopacāra) pūjā on the bhādrapīṭha (the seat).

Śarmishṭhā bowed to the women and begged to be taken into the vrata. They gave her the things needed for the pūjā and taught her the rite (vidhi). She kept the vrata. She won Yayāti’s love and had children by him. Her saubhāgya (good fortune as a wife) was restored.

Sītā, Sarāmā and Draupadī

The Purāṇa gives three more cases. They show that the vrata holds for the great women of the epics and Purāṇas.

• Sītā. In the Aśokavana, during her captivity in Laṅkā, Sītā kept the Rukmiṇī Vrata. As a result she was reunited with Bhagavān Rāmacandra, the destroyer of rākshasas.
• Sarāmā. Sarāmā, the wife of Vibhīshaṇa, also kept the vrata in the Aśokavana beside Sītā. She too won the fruit she wanted.
• Draupadī. Through the grace of Bṛhadaśva, Draupadī kept the Rukmiṇī Vrata. Her sorrows were removed. She was reunited with her husbands, the Pāṇḍavas. She also gained sthira-yauvanatva (lasting youth).

The pūjā

The Kalki Purāṇa gives the rite in detail.

The maṇḍala. An eight-petal lotus is drawn on the altar. Plantain trees mark the four corners. The image of Vāsudeva is set on a bhādrapīṭha in the middle of the maṇḍala and dressed in cloth of gold.

The bath. The image is bathed with pañcāmṛta, pañcagavya and several kinds of gandhodaka, while brāhmaṇas chant according to the rite of the Purushasūkta.

The offerings. Each is given with its own mantra to Bhagavān Vāsudeva.

• Pādya: cool, fragrant water that takes away the tiredness of the road.
• Arghya: water mixed with dūrvā grass and sandalwood paste (candana), offered to Bhagavān Vāsudeva with Rukmiṇī.
• Ācamana: water gathered from sacred tīrthas, offered with Lakshmī.
• Pushpamālā: a garland of fragrant flowers threaded on a string.
• Vastra: a covering cloth, pure and woven.
• Yajñopavīta: the sacred thread made by Prajāpati, offered with Rukmiṇī and Ramā.
• Ābharaṇa: ornaments set with many gems, offered with his consort.
• Naivedya: yoghurt, milk, jaggery, rice, apūpa (rice cakes), laddus and khaṇḍaka. It is offered with the words “Accept this and make me sanātha (one who has a protector).”
• Dhūpa: incense mixed with camphor and aguru, offered with Rukmiṇī.
• Dīpa: a lamp to destroy the darkness of saṃsāra (the cycle of birth and death).

The closing mantra says: “O Śyāmasundara! O Padmāksha! O Pītāmbara! O Caturbhuja! O Deveśa! Protect us with Rukmiṇī!”

Rāmā keeps the vrata

Rāmā kept the vrata under Paraśurāma’s guidance. She began on Vaiśākha Śukla Dvādaśī and kept it for four full years. At the end of each cycle she tied a paṭṭadāra (a silk bracelet) on her wrist, fed brāhmaṇas, and ate havya (pure food made with milk, as an offering) together with Kalki.

The fruit came. Rāmā was given two sons, Meghamāla and Bāhuka. Both were dear to Kalki. They had good fortune, strength and courage. They loved yajña, dāna (giving) and tapas (austerity) and kept vratas. They were of service to the devas.

The Purāṇa also gives the general fruit of the vrata (phalaśruti). Those who keep the Rukmiṇī Vrata with a sincere heart gain great wealth. Their wishes are fulfilled. They reach tattva-jñāna (knowledge of the truth) and are honoured by the world. At the end, through devoted service at the lotus feet of Śrī Hari, they reach the highest abode, which ordinary knowers of Brahman cannot reach.

Sources

• Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapter 17 (Paraśurāma’s visit, the account of Śarmishṭhā, Sītā, Sarāmā, Draupadī, and the pūjā)
• Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapter 18 (Rāmā’s vrata and its fruit)