Shloka 37
Mucukunda’s Departure; Jarāsandha’s Pursuit; Prelude to Rukmiṇī’s Abduction
Rukmiṇī’s Message Begins
श्रीरुक्मिण्युवाच श्रुत्वा गुणान् भुवनसुन्दर शृण्वतां ते निर्विश्य कर्णविवरैर्हरतोऽङ्गतापम् । रूपं दृशां दृशिमतामखिलार्थलाभं त्वय्यच्युताविशति चित्तमपत्रपं मे ॥ ३७ ॥
śrī-rukmiṇy uvāca śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam rūpaṁ dṛśāṁ dṛśimatām akhilārtha-lābhaṁ tvayy acyutāviśati cittam apatrapaṁ me
Śrī Rukmiṇī said: O beauty of the worlds, having heard of Your virtues—entering through the ears of those who listen and stealing away the burning distress of the body—and having heard as well of Your beauty, which grants the eyes of the beholder the fulfillment of all they seek, O Acyuta Kṛṣṇa, my shameless heart has entered into You.
Rukmiṇī was a king’s daughter, courageous and bold, and furthermore she would rather die than lose Kṛṣṇa. Considering all this, she wrote a frank, explicit letter, begging Kṛṣṇa to come and take her away.
FAQs
This verse says that hearing Kṛṣṇa’s qualities enters through the ears and removes bodily burning distress—showing śravaṇam as a direct, healing form of bhakti.
Rukmiṇī, having heard of Kṛṣṇa’s virtues and beauty, expresses how both His fame (heard) and His form (seen) irresistibly draw her mind to Him, forming the devotional basis of her plea to be accepted.
Regularly hear and contemplate Kṛṣṇa-kathā (scripture, kīrtan, discourse); it calms inner agitation and redirects the mind from anxiety toward a steady devotional focus.