Having spoken, all the kings mounted their vehicles, surrounded by their armies which followed holding their bows in readiness.

***

Rukmini's Marriage with Krishna

Suka Deva continued

Angered by the loss of their honor, all the assembled Kings holding their bows mounted their vehicles, followed by their armies. They followed Krishna who was carrying away Rukmini.

Seeing them in pursuit, the Yadavas army led by Balaram stood directly facing them ready with their bows. The pursuing army let loose a rain of arrows on the Yadavas army. Seeing her husband's army covered with a torrent of arrows, Rukmini shyly yet with fear looked at his face. Laughing, the Lord said,” O beautiful eyed one, do not be afraid. Just now these forces of enemies will be defeated. “

The Yadavas army quickly repulsed the attack and defeated the pursuing Kings by annihilating the armies of elephants, chariots, horses and even the soldiers which opposed them. The Kings approached Sisupala who was disturbed like a person whose wife was stolen. “O tiger among men! give up this distressed state of mind . O King! The desirable and undesirable things are never permanent . In the battle with Krishna, I with twenty three Akshahaunis lost seventeen times. I won once only. Even then I do not lament or rejoice knowing that it is driven by fate. Now their enemies have conquered us because the time is favoring them”. Thus persuaded by his friends, King of Chedi returned to his capital.

However Rukmi, intolerant and extremely angry swore in front of all the kings,” I shall not enter the city of Kundina without bringing back Rukmini “. Having said this he ordered his charioteer to follow Krishna. He wanted to battle Krishna directly. ” Today with my sharp arrows, I shall remove the pride of the cowherd, whose mentality is most wicked “. Not knowing the powers of Krishna, approaching him alone in his chariot, Rukmi challenged Krishna to stand and fight and struck Krishna with three arrows. Thus challenged Krishna with his arrows broke Rukmi's bow and the destroyed Rukmi's chariot too. Rukmi took another bow and continued the fight. There upon Krishna again broke his bow. Krishna thus smashed to bits whatever weapon Rukmi took up. Then Krishna picked a sword and prepared to kill Rukmi.

Seeing Krishna ready to kill her brother Rukmini agitated and fearing for her brother's life fell at the feet of Lord Krishna spoke, “O Lord, O lord of Lords, please do not kill my brother.” Lord Krishna feeling compassionate desisted. Then he tied him with a piece of cloth and disfigured him by shaving his head partly and leaving part of his hair. By then the Yadu army having crushed the enemies reached where Krishna was. When they saw Rukmi in that condition they felt sorry. Balaram out of compassion immediately released him and spoke to Krishna.

“Krishna! This is most improper. What has been done by you is terrible for us. The shaving of his mustache and hair as well as disfigurement of a family member is equal to death.

Oh Saintly lady, please indeed do not feel inimical towards us for the disfigurement of your brother. The happiness and unhappiness are not due to anybody but own self since a man is sufferer of his own actions.

O Krishna, a relative should not be killed, even if his wrong doing merits death. Rather he should be cast out by his own fault and is not to be killed again

O Saintly Lady, the warrior code of conduct established by the original progenitor, may require a brother to kill his own brother, and that indeed is terrible part of the warrior's dharma.

Oh Krishna, only men blinded by conceit of kingdom, land, wealth, honor, power and women indeed commit insult in their intoxication.

O Saintly Lady! your attitude of being good towards all those living beings who have ill intentions towards your well wishers is like that of an ignorant person.

O Intelligent Lady! It is indeed Maya that creates the identities of friend, enemy and neutral entities. This material body which has a beginning and an end is composed of senses and sense effects. The body imposed on the self by ignorance causes one to experience the cycle of birth and death. The soul never undergoes contact or separation with anything other than itself. The body undergoes cycle of death and birth never the soul.

Oh princess, therefore your lamentation is born out of ignorance, with this truth and knowledge dispel the grief and reinstate your natural mood “.

Instructed in this way by Lord Balaram, Rukmini abandoned the sorrow of her heart and steadied her mind with intelligence.

Barely left with life, defeated by enemy, his strength destroyed, remembering his disfigurement, Rukmi did not go back to Kundini. He built a city named Bhojakas.

Lord Krishna having defeated all enemies brought Rukmini the daughter of King Bhishmaka to Dwaraka and married her according to Vedic rites

O King at that time of Krishna's marriage with Rukmini, there was great rejoicing in each and every home in the Yadu kingdom, for each of them had exclusive love for Krishna, the chief of Yadus. All the men and women brought wedding presents to the bride and groom. The city of Vrishni's celebrated the marriage with great pomp and in fact the city appeared most beautiful decorated with arches, banners and colorful flags. The royal families of Kurus, Srijaya, Kaikeya, Vidarbha, Yadu and Kunti joyfully met one another.

Everybody was totally astonished to hear the story of Rukmini's abduction and marriage which was being glorified in song every where

In Dwaraka there was great joy for the inhabitants of the city, seeing Rukmini the goddess of Brahmans joined with Lord Krishna

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In Dwaraka there was great joy for the inhabitants of the city, seeing Rukmini the goddess of Brahmans joined with Lord Krishna