Shloka 39

निहते रुक्‍मिणि श्याले नाब्रवीत् साध्वसाधु वा । रक्‍मिणीबलयो राजन् स्‍नेहभङ्गभयाद्धरि: ॥ ३९ ॥

nihate rukmiṇi śyāle nābravīt sādhv asādhu vā rakmiṇī-balayo rājan sneha-bhaṅga-bhayād dhariḥ

അല്ലയോ രാജാവേ, അളിയനായ രുക്മി കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടപ്പോൾ, രുക്മിണിയുമായോ ബലരാമനുമായോ ഉള്ള സ്നേഹബന്ധത്തിന് കോട്ടം തട്ടുമെന്ന് ഭയന്ന് ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ അനുകൂലമായോ പ്രതികൂലമായോ ഒന്നും മിണ്ടിയില്ല.

nihatewhen (he) was slain
nihate:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative absolute)
TypeAdjective
Rootnihata (कृदन्त, √han हन् + नि, क्त/PPP)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)
rukmiṇiRukmī
rukmiṇi:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootrukmin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; संबन्ध: ‘in/with Rukmī’ (locative absolute continuation)
śyāle(his) brother-in-law
śyāle:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootśyāla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘brother-in-law’ (wife’s brother)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
abravītsaid, spoke
abravīt:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√brū (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
sādhugood (approval)
sādhu:
Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsādhu (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable adverbial use)
asādhunot good (disapproval)
asādhu:
Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootasādhu (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable adverbial use)
or
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle ‘or’)
rakmiṇī-balayōḥof Rukmiṇī and Balarāma
rakmiṇī-balayōḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootrakmiṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व); षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual)
rājanO king
rājan:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
sneha-bhaṅga-bhayātfrom fear of breaking affection
sneha-bhaṅga-bhayāt:
Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootsneha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘स्नेहस्य भङ्गस्य भयम्’ → ‘स्नेहभङ्गभय’); पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग
hariḥHari (Krishna)
hariḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roothari (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Hari)
R
Rukmiṇī
B
Balarāma
K
King Parīkṣit

FAQs

Kṛṣṇa stayed silent to prevent a rupture of affection—protecting harmony with both Rukmiṇī and Balarāma—showing discretion in a delicate family conflict.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse to King Parīkṣit while narrating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes surrounding Rukmiṇī’s marriage and its aftermath.

In tense situations, wise restraint can prevent relationships from breaking; sometimes maintaining harmony and devotion-centered priorities is better than taking sides impulsively.