Shloka 11

रुक्मिणी-हरणम्, विरोधि-राजगणः, रुक्मी-प्रतिज्ञा-पराजयः, प्रद्युम्न-जन्म

Devanagari script

निर्जित्य रुक्मिणं सम्यग् उपयेमे स रुक्मिणीम् राक्षसेन विवाहेन संप्राप्तां मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

nirjitya rukmiṇaṃ samyag upayeme sa rukmiṇīm rākṣasena vivāhena saṃprāptāṃ madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

Having decisively subdued Rukmin, Madhusūdana duly took Rukmiṇī as his wife—she who had been obtained by the rākṣasa mode of marriage, by forceful carrying away.

Word by Word

• निर्जित्य: having defeated
• निर्जित्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having conquered’

• रुक्मिणम्: Rukmī
• रुक्मिणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly, thoroughly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — properly, completely

• उपयेमे: he married/took (as wife)
• उपयेमे: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘उपयम्’ = विवाहं कर्तुम्/ग्रहणम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रुक्मिणीम्: Rukmiṇī
• रुक्मिणीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• राक्षसेन: by the rākṣasa-type
• राक्षसेन: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying vivāhena)

• विवाहेन: by marriage
• विवाहेन: Karana (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संप्राप्ताम्: obtained, won
• संप्राप्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (qualifying rukmiṇīm)

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Krishna)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु-सूदन (प्रातिपदिक; मधु + सूदन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To accept Rukmiṇī as His consort after defeating opposition, thereby protecting her devotion and establishing a dharmic, divinely willed union.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Sanctioned union and protection of the devotee; restraint of adharma born of pride and coercion.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord (Madhusūdana) receives the devoted soul (Rukmiṇī as Śrī-like consort) after subduing obstructing pride, showing grace as the culmination of divine protection.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Approach the Lord with steadfast devotion and integrity; let divine grace, not social pressure or ego, determine life’s highest commitments.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī’s presence with the Lord is implied through Rukmiṇī; union signifies the Lord as savior and the soul’s belonging to Him, while He remains the supreme cause (jagat-kāraṇa).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Madhusūdana (Krishna/Vishnu)
• Rukmini
• Rukmin

FAQs

What is the significance of rākṣasa vivāha in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse it marks Rukmini’s being carried away from an opposed royal arrangement, highlighting Krishna’s sovereign agency in restoring a dharmic union despite political resistance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the conflict with Rukmin here?

Parāśara frames it succinctly as Krishna’s decisive victory over Rukmin, after which the marriage is established as properly concluded, emphasizing outcome and legitimacy within the narrative.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna “Madhusūdana” in this context?

The epithet identifies Krishna with Vishnu’s supreme, world-ordering power—his personal action in history is presented as the Lord’s protective sovereignty, not merely a human royal conquest.