Shloka 34
Chapter 54
श्री-शुक उवाच तया परित्रास-विकम्पिताङ्गया शुचावशुष्यन्-मुख-रुद्ध-कण्ठया ।
कातर्य-विस्रंसित-हेम-मालयाः गृहीत-पादः करुणो न्यवर्तत ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca tayā paritrāsa-vikampitāṅgayā śucāvaśuṣyan-mukha-ruddha-kaṇṭhayā / kātarya-visraṃsita-hema-mālayā gṛhīta-pādaḥ karuṇo nyavartata //
Śrī Śuka said: As she spoke—her limbs trembling with fear, her face dried by grief and her throat choked, her golden garland slipping in distress—she seized His feet, and the compassionate Lord desisted.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī now describes the emotional force of Rukmiṇī’s surrender. The Bhāgavata often conveys spiritual truths through vivid devotional psychology: trembling limbs, a choked throat, and a disheveled garland portray not mere sentiment, but śaraṇāgati—taking full shelter. By grasping Kṛṣṇa’s feet, she embodies the ultimate appeal available to the soul: humble dependence on the Lord’s mercy. Kṛṣṇa’s response is equally significant: “karuṇaḥ”—He is compassionate. Even when He is fully capable of decisive action, He allows devotion to guide the outcome. This verse thus teaches that the Supreme Lord is not only the upholder of cosmic order but also deeply responsive to the heartfelt surrender of His devotee. In the narrative context, it underscores that bhakti has the power to soften situations that otherwise would end in harsher consequences, revealing Kṛṣṇa’s personal nature and His readiness to honor the prayers of those who love Him.
FAQs
It signifies complete surrender and an urgent appeal for mercy; taking the Lord’s feet is a classic expression of śaraṇāgati in bhakti.
Because Kṛṣṇa is described as “karuṇa,” compassionate, and He honors the heartfelt surrender of His devotee, choosing mercy over harsher action.
It encourages approaching conflict with prayerful humility and seeking outcomes shaped by compassion, not only by anger or vengeance.