Shloka 22

Kṛṣṇa Teases Rukmiṇī; Her Devotional Reply and the Lord’s Assurance

Devanagari script

इति त्रिलोकेशपतेस्तदात्मन: प्रियस्य देव्यश्रुतपूर्वमप्रियम् । आश्रुत्य भीता हृदि जातवेपथु- श्चिन्तां दुरन्तां रुदती जगाम ह ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

iti trilokeśa-pates tadātmanaḥ priyasya devy aśruta-pūrvam apriyam āśrutya bhītā hṛdi jāta-vepathuś cintāṁ durantāṁ rudatī jagāma ha

Translation

พระนางรุกมินีไม่เคยได้ยินถ้อยคำอันไม่น่ารื่นรมย์เช่นนี้จากพระผู้เป็นที่รัก คือพระกฤษณะ ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งผู้ครองสามโลก ครั้นได้ฟังก็หวาดหวั่น ใจสั่นระรัว และด้วยความกังวลอันหนักหนา นางก็ร่ำไห้

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/quotative particle

• त्रिलोकेश-पतेः: of the lord of the three worlds
• त्रिलोकेश-पतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक + ईश + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; ‘त्रिलोकेशस्य पतिः’

• तद्-आत्मनः: of him who was her very self
• तद्-आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; ‘तस्य आत्मा’ (his very self)

• प्रियस्य: of the beloved
• प्रियस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the person)

• देवी: the goddess (queen)
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• अश्रुत-पूर्वम्: never heard before
• अश्रुत-पूर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + श्रुत (√श्रु धातु; क्त/कृदन्त) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् विशेषण—‘पूर्वं न श्रुतम्’

• अप्रियम्: an unpleasant thing
• अप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• आश्रुत्य: having heard
• आश्रुत्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having heard’

• भीता: frightened
• भीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत (√भी धातु; क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; देवी-विशेषण

• हृदि: in (her) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• जात-वेपथुः: with trembling arisen
• जात-वेपथुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (√जन् धातु; क्त/कृदन्त) + वेपथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; ‘जातः वेपथुः यस्याः’ (tremor arisen) — देवी-विशेषण (gender shift as bahuvrīhi-like usage in sense)

• चिन्ताम्: anxiety
• चिन्ताम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• दुरन्ताम्: hard to overcome
• दुरन्ताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; चिन्ता-विशेषण

• रुदती: weeping
• रुदती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘weeping’

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Rukmiṇī

FAQs

Why did Rukmini cry when Krishna spoke to her in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.60?

Because Kṛṣṇa—her beloved and very life—spoke words that sounded unpleasing and rejecting, which she had never heard from Him before; fearing loss of His favor, she trembled and wept in overwhelming anxiety.

What is the purpose of Krishna’s seemingly harsh words to Rukmini in this chapter?

In this līlā, Kṛṣṇa’s words function as a divine test and revelation of Rukmiṇī’s pure devotion—showing how deeply a perfected devotee depends on the Lord’s grace and cannot tolerate separation in any form.

How can this verse be applied in modern devotional life?

When spiritual life brings moments that feel like rejection or dryness, this verse reminds a devotee to stay sincere and humble, taking refuge in prayer and steadiness rather than resentment—trusting that the Lord’s tests can deepen bhakti.