Shloka 42

Kṛṣṇa Arrives at Kuṇḍina and Abducts Rukmiṇī

Rukmiṇī-haraṇa Prelude

Devanagari script

नानोपहारबलिभिर्वारमुख्या: सहस्रश: । स्रग्गन्धवस्‍त्राभरणैर्द्विजपत्न्‍य: स्वलङ्कृता: ॥ ४२ ॥ गायन्त्यश्च स्तुवन्तश्च गायका वाद्यवादका: । परिवार्य वधूं जग्मु: सूतमागधवन्दिन: ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

nānopahāra balibhir vāramukhyāḥ sahasraśaḥ srag-gandha-vastrābharaṇair dvija-patnyaḥ sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ

Translation

Hinter der Braut folgten Tausende vornehmer Damen mit vielfältigen Opfergaben und Geschenken. Auch die geschmückten Frauen der Brāhmaṇas gingen mit, mit Girlanden, Düften, Gewändern und Schmuck zum Darbringen.

Synonyms

• नाना-उपहार-बलिभिः: with various gifts and offerings
• नाना-उपहार-बलिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक) + बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (उपहार + बलि) with qualifier नाना ‘various’; ‘with various gifts and offerings’

• वार-मुख्याः: chief courtesans
• वार-मुख्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: वाराणां मुख्याः—‘chief courtesans’

• सहस्रशः: by the thousands
• सहस्रशः: Saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa (संख्याविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; distributive/quantitative adverb ‘by thousands’

• स्रक्-गन्ध-वस्त्र-आभरणैः: with garlands, perfumes, clothes, and ornaments
• स्रक्-गन्ध-वस्त्र-आभरणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (garlands, perfumes, garments, ornaments)

• द्विज-पत्न्यः: wives of brāhmaṇas
• द्विज-पत्न्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: द्विजानां पत्न्यः

• स्व-अलङ्कृताः: adorned (themselves)
• स्व-अलङ्कृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त, √कृ with alam-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: स्वयम् अलङ्कृताः—‘self-adorned’; क्त/PPP

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that from her own quarters up to the temple of Bhavānī, Rukmiṇī went by palanquin and thus was easily protected. Only for the last twelve to fifteen feet, from the palace to the temple area, did she go on foot, with royal bodyguards stationed outside the temple on all sides.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmiṇī
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Rukmini’s wedding procession in Canto 10?

It describes an auspicious, grand public procession with gifts and offerings, where even respected brāhmaṇa wives and prominent women participate, reflecting the scale and sanctity of the event leading to Kṛṣṇa’s līlā.

Why are brāhmaṇa wives mentioned alongside the courtesans in this verse?

Śukadeva highlights that women from different social circles joined the festive procession; the brāhmaṇa wives are specifically noted as honorably adorned, indicating religious propriety and auspiciousness within the wedding celebrations.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Sanctify major life events with gratitude, generosity, and auspicious remembrance of God—making celebration an offering rather than mere display.