Shloka 55
Kṛṣṇa Arrives at Kuṇḍina and Abducts Rukmiṇī
Rukmiṇī-haraṇa Prelude
तां देवमायामिव धीरमोहिनीं सुमध्यमां कुण्डलमण्डिताननाम् । श्यामां नितम्बार्पितरत्नमेखलां व्यञ्जत्स्तनीं कुन्तलशङ्कितेक्षणाम् । शुचिस्मितां बिम्बफलाधरद्युति- शोणायमानद्विजकुन्दकुड्मलाम् ॥ ५१ ॥ पदा चलन्तीं कलहंसगामिनीं सिञ्जत्कलानूपुरधामशोभिना । विलोक्य वीरा मुमुहु: समागता यशस्विनस्तत्कृतहृच्छयार्दिता: ॥ ५२ ॥ यां वीक्ष्य ते नृपतयस्तदुदारहास- व्रीदावलोकहृतचेतस उज्झितास्त्रा: । पेतु: क्षितौ गजरथाश्वगता विमूढा यात्राच्छलेन हरयेऽर्पयतीं स्वशोभाम् ॥ ५३ ॥ सैवं शनैश्चलयती चलपद्मकोशौ प्राप्तिं तदा भगवत: प्रसमीक्षमाणा । उत्सार्य वामकरजैरलकानपाङ्गै: प्राप्तान् ह्रियैक्षत नृपान् ददृशेऽच्युतं च ॥ ५४ ॥ तां राजकन्यां रथमारुरुक्षतीं जहार कृष्णो द्विषतां समीक्षताम् ॥ ५५ ॥
tāṁ deva-māyām iva dhīra-mohinīṁ su-madhyamāṁ kuṇḍala-maṇḍitānanām śyāmāṁ nitambārpita-ratna-mekhalāṁ vyañjat-stanīṁ kuntala-śaṅkitekṣaṇām
As His enemies watched, Śrī Kṛṣṇa—Acyuta Hari—at once seized Princess Rukmiṇī as she was about to mount the chariot, as though the Bhagavān Himself had stepped forward to protect His devotee.
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Rukmiṇī was anxious that her locks of hair might impede her vision, since she was most eager to see her beloved Kṛṣṇa. The nondevotees, or demons, are bewildered at seeing the opulences of the Lord and think that His potency is meant for their gross sense gratification. But Rukmiṇī, an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s internal pleasure potency, was meant for the Lord alone.
FAQs
In Canto 10, Chapter 53, the Bhāgavatam describes that when Rukmiṇī was about to board her chariot, Kṛṣṇa took her away openly, in full view of the rival kings who had come as hostile suitors.
The narrative presents it as Kṛṣṇa’s decisive protection and acceptance of His devotee, while also humiliating the envious rivals who opposed her choice and sought to claim her by force or political pressure.
Choose what is spiritually right with clarity and courage; sincere devotion and principled resolve help one overcome social pressure and opposition, just as Rukmiṇī’s single-minded surrender led to Kṛṣṇa’s protection.