Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 15
Draupadī Meets Kṛṣṇa’s Queens — Narratives of the Lord’s Marriages and the Queens’ Bhakti
श्रीभद्रोवाच पिता मे मातुलेयाय स्वयमाहूय दत्तवान् । कृष्णे कृष्णाय तच्चित्तामक्षौहिण्या सखीजनै: ॥ १५ ॥ अस्य मे पादसंस्पर्शो भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि । कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणाया येन तच्छ्रेय आत्मन: ॥ १६ ॥
śrī-bhadrovāca pitā me mātuleyāya svayam āhūya dattavān kṛṣṇe kṛṣṇāya tac-cittām akṣauhiṇyā sakhī-janaiḥ
シュリー・バドラは語った――愛しきドラウパディよ、父は自らの意志で甥のシュリー・クリシュナを招き、すでに心を捧げていたそのクリシュナに、私を妻として差し出した。父は一アクシャウヒニーの護衛軍と女友だちの一行を添えて、私を主に献じた。私の究極の成就はこれである――業に縛られ生から生へとさまよおうとも、あらゆる生においてシュリー・クリシュナの蓮華の御足に触れることを許されますように。
With the word ātmanaḥ, Queen Bhadrā speaks not only for herself but for all living entities as well. The soul’s perfection ( śreya ātmanaḥ ) is devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, both in this world and beyond, in liberation.
FAQs
Bhadrā is speaking, describing how her father arranged her marriage by personally giving her to Kṛṣṇa, along with an akṣauhiṇī of soldiers and her companions, while her mind was already devoted to Kṛṣṇa.
An akṣauhiṇī is a complete military division (a large, standard formation of chariots, elephants, cavalry, and infantry) mentioned in epic and Purāṇic contexts as a measure of army strength.
It highlights single-pointed devotion—keeping one’s mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa—while accepting life’s arrangements in a dharmic way, seeing relationships and duties as supportive to bhakti.