Kṛṣṇa Teases Rukmiṇī; Her Devotional Reply and the Lord’s Assurance
प्रमृज्याश्रुकले नेत्रे स्तनौ चोपहतौ शुचा । आश्लिष्य बाहुना राजननन्यविषयां सतीम् ॥ २७ ॥ सान्त्वयामास सान्त्वज्ञ: कृपया कृपणां प्रभु: । हास्यप्रौढिभ्रमच्चित्तामतदर्हां सतां गति: ॥ २८ ॥
pramṛjyāśru-kale netre stanau copahatau śucā āśliṣya bāhunā rājan ananya-viṣayāṁ satīm
Wahai Raja, Sang Prabhu menyeka mata yang penuh air mata dan dada yang basah oleh tangis duka, lalu memeluk istri suci yang hanya menginginkan Dia semata. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, pelindung para sādhū dan ahli menenteramkan, dengan kasih sayang menghibur Rukmiṇī yang malang, yang pikirannya terbingungkan oleh gurauan-Nya, padahal ia tidak pantas menderita demikian.
This verse portrays Kṛṣṇa as sāntva-jña (expert at comforting) and satāṁ gati (refuge of the saintly), personally embracing and consoling Rukmiṇī when His joking caused her distress.
Kṛṣṇa’s playful, bold joking bewildered Rukmiṇī and made her sorrowful; seeing her tears and pain, He compassionately reassured her because she was a chaste, exclusive-hearted devotee who did not deserve such distress.
Rukmiṇī’s “ananya-viṣayā” focus shows steadiness in love for the Lord alone; in daily life it means keeping one’s spiritual center in Kṛṣṇa despite emotional ups and downs, trusting Him as the ultimate shelter.