Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 54
Kṛṣṇa Teases Rukmiṇī; Her Devotional Reply and the Lord’s Assurance
दिष्ट्या गृहेश्वर्यसकृन्मयि त्वया कृतानुवृत्तिर्भवमोचनी खलै: । सुदुष्करासौ सुतरां दुराशिषो ह्यसुंभराया निकृतिं जुष: स्त्रिया: ॥ ५४ ॥
diṣṭyā gṛheśvary asakṛn mayi tvayā kṛtānuvṛttir bhava-mocanī khalaiḥ su-duṣkarāsau sutarāṁ durāśiṣo hy asuṁ-bharāyā nikṛtiṁ juṣaḥ striyāḥ
幸而，家中主母啊，你始终以忠诚的奉爱事奉我，此奉爱能解脱轮回。此事奉对嫉妒的恶人极其艰难，尤其对那心怀邪念、只为肉身欲求而活、沉溺欺诳的女子更是难行。
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī poses the following question: Since devotional service easily awards one liberation, isn’t it possible that everyone will be liberated and the world will no longer exist? The great ācārya answers that there is no such danger, since it is very difficult for envious, duplicitous, sensuous persons to faithfully serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and there is no shortage of such people in the world.
FAQs
This verse calls devotion to Kṛṣṇa “bhava-mocanī”—the kind of bhakti that releases the soul from saṁsāra (material existence) when one repeatedly and faithfully adheres to Him.
After testing Rukmiṇī through playful, sharp words, Kṛṣṇa reassures her by praising her unwavering devotion, emphasizing how rare and difficult such fidelity is amid worldly pressures and hostile influences.
The verse highlights repeated, deliberate adherence to Kṛṣṇa even when surrounded by harmful influences—practically, this means consistent remembrance, prayer, and choosing devotional priorities over fear, manipulation, or social pressure.