Shloka 41

Mucukunda’s Departure; Jarāsandha’s Pursuit; Prelude to Rukmiṇī’s Abduction

Rukmiṇī’s Message Begins

Devanagari script

श्वोभाविनि त्वमजितोद्वहने विदर्भान् गुप्त: समेत्य पृतनापतिभि: परीत: । निर्मथ्य चैद्यमगधेन्द्रबलं प्रसह्य मां राक्षसेन विधिनोद्वह वीर्यशुल्काम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

śvo bhāvini tvam ajitodvahane vidarbhān guptaḥ sametya pṛtanā-patibhiḥ parītaḥ nirmathya caidya-magadhendra-balaṁ prasahya māṁ rākṣasena vidhinodvaha vīrya-śulkām

Translation

Hỡi Đấng không ai khuất phục, ngày mai khi lễ cưới của con sắp bắt đầu, xin Ngài đến Vidarbha một cách kín đáo và được các tướng lĩnh bao quanh. Rồi hãy nghiền nát quân lực của Caidya và Magadhendra bằng sức mạnh; hỡi bậc anh hùng, xin cưới con theo lối Rākṣasa, giành lấy con bằng dũng lực của Ngài.

Synonyms

• śvaḥ: tomorrow
• śvaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śvaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (काल/temporal adverb)

• bhāvini: O (day) that is to come
• bhāvini: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; vocative ‘O future (event)’ used as address to time/day

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana; 2nd person pronoun

• ajita-udvahane: O bearer of Ajita
• ajita-udvahane: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajita+udvahana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; epithet ‘O carrier of Ajita (Kṛṣṇa)’ i.e., Balarāma

• vidarbhān: the Vidarbhas (country/people)
• vidarbhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidarbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; object of sametya (approach)

• guptaḥ: concealed/guarded
• guptaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gup (गुप्/धातु)
• Form: Kta (PPP) from √gup ‘to protect/guard’, Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘hidden/guarded’ (as predicate to tvam)

• sametya: having arrived
• sametya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: i (इ/धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (gerund) from sam+√i ‘to come together/arrive’

• pṛtanā-patibhiḥ: with the commanders
• pṛtanā-patibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛtanā+pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; ‘by/with army-commanders’

• parītaḥ: surrounded
• parītaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: i (इ/धातु)
• Form: Kta (PPP) from pari+√i ‘to surround’, Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nirmathya: having crushed
• nirmathya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: math (मथ्/धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (gerund) from nir+√math ‘to churn/crush’

• caidya-magadhendra-balam: the force of Caidya and the Magadha king
• caidya-magadhendra-balam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caidya+magadha+indra+bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘the army of the Magadha-king (Jarāsandha) and Caidya’ (coordinated within determinative chain)

• prasahya: having overpowered
• prasahya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sah (सह्/धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (gerund) from pra+√sah ‘to overpower’

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• rākṣasena: by the rākṣasa (forcible) rite
• rākṣasena: Karaṇa (करण/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of manner; ‘by the rākṣasa method’ (marriage by force)

• vidhinā: according to the rule
• vidhinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of rule/method

• udvaha: carry off/marry
• udvaha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (वह्/धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; ud+√vah ‘to carry off/marry’

• vīrya-śulkām: (me) whose bride-price is valor
• vīrya-śulkām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya+śulka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying mām; ‘whose bride-price is valor’

Purport

As Śrīla Prabhupāda points out in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Rukmiṇī, being born of royal blood, certainly had a brilliant grasp of political affairs. She advised Śrī Kṛṣṇa to enter the city alone and unnoticed and then surround Himself with His military commanders so He could do what was needed. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī compares the coming fight to the Lord’s churning of the ocean to extract the goddess Lakṣmī. Gorgeous Rukmiṇī, the goddess of fortune, would be gained in the coming turbulence.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Ajita)
• Rukmini
• Shishupala (Caidya)
• Jarasandha (Magadhendra)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna marrying Rukmini by abducting her?

This verse shows Rukmini herself requesting Krishna to come secretly, defeat the opposing kings, and take her by the heroic rākṣasa rite—indicating her full consent and devotion, and Krishna’s protection of dharma against aggressors.

Why did Rukmini ask Krishna to come secretly to Vidarbha?

Rukmini was being forced toward a marriage opposed to her heart and devotion. She therefore asked Krishna to arrive discreetly, supported by His commanders, to overcome the hostile forces and rescue her.

How can devotees apply the lesson of this shloka in modern life?

Like Rukmini, one can take shelter of the Lord with clear, faithful prayer and decisive action—seeking divine protection and choosing dharma even when pressured by society or circumstances.