Shloka 17

Mucukunda’s Departure; Jarāsandha’s Pursuit; Prelude to Rukmiṇī’s Abduction

Rukmiṇī’s Message Begins

Devanagari script

भगवानपि गोविन्द उपयेमे कुरूद्वह । वैदर्भीं भीष्मकसुतां श्रियो मात्रां स्वयंवरे ॥ १६ ॥ प्रमथ्य तरसा राज्ञ: शाल्वादींश्चैद्यपक्षगान् । पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां तार्क्ष्यपुत्र: सुधामिव ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

bhagavān api govinda upayeme kurūdvaha vaidarbhīṁ bhīṣmaka-sutāṁ śriyo mātrāṁ svayaṁvare

Translation

O hero among the Kurus, the Supreme Lord Govinda Himself married Vaidarbhī, Bhīṣmaka’s daughter, who is a direct expansion of Śrī, the goddess of fortune, in her svayaṃvara. By Rukmiṇī’s desire He swiftly crushed Śālva and the other kings allied with Śiśupāla, and before all eyes Śrī Kṛṣṇa carried Rukmiṇī away just as Garuḍa boldly seized nectar from the devas.

Synonyms

• प्रमथ्य: having crushed
• प्रमथ्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√मथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having crushed/overpowered’

• तरसा: by force
• तरसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘with force’

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• शाल्व-आदीन्: Śālva and others
• शाल्व-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास: ‘Śālva and others’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• चैद्य-पक्ष-गान्: those belonging to Caidya’s faction
• चैद्य-पक्ष-गान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (चैद्यस्य पक्षः; तस्मिन् गाः/गाः = belonging/going); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘those on Caidya’s side’

• पश्यताम्: of the onlookers
• पश्यताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/अत्) ‘पश्यत्’ का षष्ठी (6th) बहुवचन; ‘of those who were watching’

• सर्व-लोकानाम्: of all people/worlds
• सर्व-लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सर्वे लोकाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• तार्क्ष्य-पुत्रः: the son of Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्य-पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तार्क्ष्यस्य पुत्रः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सुधाम्: nectar
• सुधाम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-sūcaka (उपमासूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक (comparative particle)

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī gives the following profound comments on these two verses: The words śriyo mātrām indicate that beautiful Rukmiṇī is a direct expansion of the eternal goddess of fortune. Therefore she is worthy to be the bride of the Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.56) , śriyaḥ kāntā kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ: “In the spiritual world, all the female lovers are goddesses of fortune and the male lover is the Supreme Personality.” Thus, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains, Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī is a plenary portion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The Kārttika-māhātmya section of the Padma Purāṇa states, kaiśore gopa-kanyās tā yauvane rāja-kanyakāḥ: “In childhood, Śrī Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with the daughters of cowherd men, and in His adolescence He enjoyed with the daughters of kings.” Similarly, in the Skanda Purāṇa we find this statement: rukmiṇī dvāravatyāṁ tu rādhā vṛndāvane vane. “Rukmiṇī is in Dvārakā what Rādhā is in the forest of Vṛndāvana.”

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Rukmiṇī (Vaidarbhī)
• Bhīṣmaka
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Rukmini’s divine position?

This verse describes Rukmiṇī as “śriyo mātrām,” the very embodiment of Śrī (Lakṣmī), indicating her divine, auspicious nature and her eternal connection with the Lord.

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam 10.52.16 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates to King Parīkṣit, addressing him as “kurūdvaha,” the best of the Kurus.

Practical application: what does ‘accepting the Lord’ teach in modern life?

It teaches that sacred commitment and purity of intention—centered on God—transform life events into devotion, dignity, and auspiciousness.