Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

कुण्डिनं न प्रवेक्ष्यामि अहत्वा युधि केशवम् कृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां रुक्मी च हन्तुं कृष्णम् अभिद्रुतः

Transliteration

kuṇḍinaṃ na pravekṣyāmi ahatvā yudhi keśavam kṛtvā pratijñāṃ rukmī ca hantuṃ kṛṣṇam abhidrutaḥ

Translation

Rukmī made a fierce vow: “I shall not enter Kundina again until I have slain Keśava in battle.” Thus resolved to kill Kṛṣṇa, he rushed forward in pursuit.

Word by Word

• कुण्डिनम्: Kuṇḍina (city)
• कुण्डिनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नगरनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation)

• प्रवेक्ष्यामि: I will enter
• प्रवेक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• अहत्वा: without killing
• अहत्वा: Purvakala (Condition prior to action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-√हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) with negation-prefix अ-; ‘without killing’

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in battle’

• केशवम्: Keśava (Krishna)
• केशवम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having made’

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: a vow, promise
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रुक्मी: Rukmī
• रुक्मी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — and

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियापद (infinitive)

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभिद्रुतः: having rushed forth
• अभिद्रुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) — ‘having rushed/advanced’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect Rukmiṇī and uphold dharmic marriage by defeating the arrogant opposition led by Rukmī.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of the devotee-bride and the rightful union sanctioned by divine will; curbing kṣatriya pride.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ego-bound vows made in anger (‘I will not enter…’) bind one to adharma and precipitate downfall when opposed to Bhagavān’s will.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Make commitments from clarity and dharma, not from wounded pride; examine whether a vow serves compassion and justice.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī’s devotee (Rukmiṇī) is protected by the Lord; divine grace overrules arrogant human control.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Rukmi
• Krishna (Keśava)
• Kundina (Vidarbha capital)

FAQs

What is the significance of Rukmi’s vow in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights royal pride and the kshatriya obsession with honor, setting the stage for Krishna’s supremacy over worldly power and political retaliation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the conflict around Kundina and Krishna?

Parāśara narrates it as a dynastic-royal episode where human vows and aggression propel the plot, yet the outcome ultimately affirms Vishnu’s (Krishna’s) unassailable sovereignty.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse focuses on a warrior’s threat, Krishna is invoked as Keśava—signaling that opposition to him is opposition to the Supreme Lord, and that dharma and divine order prevail over ego-driven violence.