Shloka 23

Kṛṣṇa’s Queens, Their Sons, and Balarāma’s Victory over Rukmī at Dice

Aniruddha–Rocanā Marriage Context

Devanagari script

यद्यप्यनुस्मरन् वैरं रुक्‍मी कृष्णावमानित: । व्यतरद् भागिनेयाय सुतां कुर्वन् स्वसु: प्रियम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

yady apy anusmaran vairaṁ rukmī kṛṣṇāvamānitaḥ vyatarad bhāgineyāya sutāṁ kurvan svasuḥ priyam

Translation

Obwohl Rukmī stets seine Feindschaft im Sinn trug, da der Herr Kṛṣṇa ihn beleidigt hatte, billigte er doch, um seine Schwester zu erfreuen, die Heirat seiner Tochter mit seinem Neffen.

Synonyms

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तसूचक-अव्यय)

• api: even/though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic

• anusmaran: remembering
• anusmaran: Karta (कर्ता; participial subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; from anu+smṛ ‘to remember’

• vairam: enmity
• vairam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• rukmī: Rukmī
• rukmī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rukmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• kṛṣṇa-avamānitaḥ: insulted by Krishna
• kṛṣṇa-avamānitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + avamānita (कृदन्त; √man/avamān ‘to dishonor’, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; past passive participle (क्त) ‘insulted by Kṛṣṇa’ qualifying rukmī

• vyatarat: gave/bestowed
• vyatarat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√tṝ (धातु)
• Form: Aorist/Imperfect-like past (लुङ्), Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• bhāgineyāya: to (his) nephew
• bhāgineyāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāgineya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular

• sutām: daughter
• sutām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• kurvan: doing/making
• kurvan: Karta (कर्ता; participial qualifier of rukmī)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; ‘doing/making’

• svasuḥ: of (his) sister
• svasuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• priyam: what is pleasing/favor
• priyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; used as object of kurvan

Purport

The answer to King Parīkṣit’s question is given here. Ultimately Rukmī approved his daughter’s marriage to Pradyumna in order to please his sister, Rukmiṇī.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmī
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about enmity toward Krishna (vaira) and its effects?

This verse shows that even after being humiliated by Kṛṣṇa, Rukmī continued to remember his rivalry; the Bhāgavatam highlights how pride-born enmity can persist, shaping one’s decisions even within family and social duties.

Why did Rukmi give his daughter to his sister’s son despite his hostility toward Krishna?

Śukadeva explains that Rukmī acted to please his sister—so family obligation and political alliance overrode his personal resentment, even though his heart still carried enmity from Kṛṣṇa’s earlier defeat of him.

How can this Bhagavatam verse be applied in modern life?

It cautions that unresolved resentment can linger beneath outwardly proper actions; devotees can practice humility, forgiveness, and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa to prevent ego-based grudges from directing relationships and decisions.