Parva 2 Chapter 61: pradyumnavivāho rukmivadhashcha - pradyumna's marriage and rukmi's demise

vaiśampāyana said: O the oppressor of enemies (janamejaya)! After a long time, the great valiant rukmi arranged for the svayaṁvara (selection of husband by the maiden) of his daughter. tatrāhūtā hi rājāno rājaputrāścha rukmiṇā | samājagmurmahāvīryā nānādigbhyaḥ śriyānvitāḥ ||2-61-2 As invited by rukmi, great valiant kings and sons of kings, having prosperity, arrived there, from many lands. tatrājagāma pradyumnaḥ kumārairaparairvṛtaḥ | sā hi taṁ chakame kanyā sa ca tāṁ śubhalochanām ||2-61-3 pradyumna went there surrounded by princes. The maiden desired him (pradymna). He desired her (the maiden) having auspicious eyes. śubhāṅgī nāma vaidarbhī kāntidyutisamanvitā | pṛthivyāmabhavatkhyātā rukmiṇastanayā tadā ||2-61-4 The maiden of vidarbhā, named śubhāṅgī, was having beauty and splendour. At that time, the daughter of rukmi had become famous on earth. upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pārthiveṣu mahātmasu | vaidarbhī varayāmāsa pradyumnamarisūdanam ||2-61-5 As the kings with great souls were seated together, the maiden of vidarbhā, chose pradyumna, the slayer of enemies, as her husband. sa hi sarvāstrakuśalaḥ siṁhasaṁhanano yuvā | rūpenāpratimo loke keśavasyātmajo'bhavat ||2-61-6 That youth having a powerful body like a lion was an expert in all sciences. The son of keshava (kṛṣṇa) was unequal in beauty on earth. vayorūpaguṇopetā rājaputrī ca sābhavat | nārāyaṇī candrasenā jātakāmā ca taṁ prati ||2-61-7 The daughter of the king (rukmi) was having qualities suitable for her age and beauty. The princess (named as) nārāyaṇī and candrasenaā, desired the youth (pradyumna). vṛtte svayaṁvare jagmū rājānaḥ svapurāṇi te | upādāya ca vaidarbhīṁ pradyumno dvārakāṁ yayau ||2-61-8 When the selection of husband by the maiden was completed, the kings returned to their own cities. pradyumna bought the maiden of vidarbhā to dvāraka. reme saha tayā vīro damayantyā nalo yathā | sa tasyāṁ janayāmāsa devagarbhopamaṁ sutam ||2-61-9 The valiant (pradyumna) enjoyed with her as (king) nala enjoyed with damayantī. He produced a son, comparable to the son of gods, with her. aniruddhamiti khyātaṁ karmaṇāpratimaṁ bhuvi | dhanurvede ca vede ca nītiśāstre ca pāragam ||2-61-10 He was known as aniruddha. He was unequalled in actions on earth. He was an expert in the science of archery, veda and science of political ethics. abhavatsa yadā rājannaniruddho vayo'nvitaḥ | tadāsya rukmiṇaḥ pautrīṁ śrīmatīṁ rukmasannibhām | patnyarthe varayāmāsa nāmnā rukmavatīti sā ||2-61-11 O king (janamejaya)! When aniruddha became a youth of suitable age, as his wife , he chose the grand daughter of rukmi named rukmavatī, having colour of gold and prosperity. aniruddhaṁ guṇairdātuṁ kṛtabuddhirnṛpastataḥ | prītyā hi raukmiṇeyasya rukminyāścāpyupagrahāt ||2-61-12 Considering that aniruddha was with good qualities , the king (rukmi) then, due to the liking of the son of rukmi's daughter and the relation to rukmiṇī, visparddhannapi kṛṣṇena vairaṁ tyajya mahāyaśāḥ | dadāmītyabravīdrājā prītimāṣjanamejaya ||2-61-13 even though he had enmity with kṛṣṇa, the king of great fame, abandoned his hatred, and O janamejaya (vaiśampāyana said), said that he will give (his daughter to aniruddha). keśavaḥ saha rukmiṇyā putraiḥ saṅkarṣaṇena ca | anyaishcha vṛṣṇibhiḥ sārdhaṁ vidarbhānsabalo yayau ||2-61-14 keshava (kṛṣṇa), along with rukmiṇī and their children, saṅkarṣaṇa (balarāma) and other vṛṣṇi-s arrived at vidarbhā. saṁyuktā jṣātayaścaiva rukmiṇaḥ suhṛdaścha ye | āhūtā rukmiṇā te'pi tatrājagmurnarādhipāḥ ||2-61-15 The kinsmen who were friends of rukmi and the kings also arrived there as invited by rukmi. śubhe tithau mahārāja nakṣatre cābhipūjite | vivāhaḥ so'niruddhasya babhūva paramotsavaḥ ||2-61-16 O great king (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana said) aniruddha's marriage was conducted as a grand festival on an auspicious day on a revered star. pāṇau gṛhīte vaidarbhyāstvaniruddhena tatra vai | vaidarbhayādavānāṁ ca babhūva paramotsavaḥ ||2-61-17 After aniruddha held the hand of the maiden of vidarbhā, the yādava-s celebrated (the marriage) as a great festival at vidarbhā. remire vṛṣṇayastatra pūjyamānā yathāmarāḥ | The vṛṣṇi-s, honoured like the deva-s, enjoyed there. athāśmakānāmadhipo vaiṇudārirudāradhīḥ ||2-61-18 Then king of ashmaka, veṇudāri with a benevolent intellect, akṣaḥ śrutarvā cāṇūraḥ krathaśchaivāṁśumānapi | jayatsenaḥ kaliṅgānāmadhipaścha mahābalaḥ ||2-61-19 akṣa, shrutarva, cāṇūra, kratha, aṁśumān, jayatsena, the powerful king of kaliṅga, pāṇḍyaścha nṛpatiḥ śrīmānṛṣīkādhipatistathā | ete saṁmantrya rājāno dākṣiṇātyā maharddhayaḥ ||2-61-20 king pāṇḍya and the auspicious king of ṛṣika - All these kings of the southern side having great intellect, abhigamyābruvantsarve rukminaṁ rahasi prabhum | assembled and advised lord rukmi in private. bhavānakṣeṣu kushalo vayaṁ cāpi riraṁsavaḥ | priyadyūtaścha rāmo'sāvakṣeṣvanipuṇo'pi ca ||2-61-21 "You are an expert in the dice game. We also wish to play. The game of dice is dear to (bala)rāma as well even though he is not an expert in the dice game. te bhavantaṁ puraskṛtya jetumichcāma taṁ vayam | ityukto rochayāmāsa rukmī dyūtaṁ mahārathaḥ ||2-61-22 Keeping you (as leader) in front, we wish to challenge him." Hearing this, the great chariot fighter rukmi organized a dice game. te śubhāṁ kāṣchanastambhāṁ kusumairbhūṣitājirām | sabhāmāviviśurhṛṣṭāḥ siktāṁ chandanavāriṇā ||2-61-23 (Note 1) Happily, they entered the auspicious assembly, having golden pillars, decorated with flowers and sprinkled with sandal water. tāṁ pravishya tataḥ sarve śubhrasraganulepanāḥ | sauvarṇeṣvāsaneśvāsāṁcakrire vijigīṣavaḥ ||2-61-24 (Note 2) Entering the assembly, all of them, wearing white garlands, with their bodies smeared with pastes, sat on the golden seats, eager for victory. āhūto baladevastu kitavairakṣakovidaiḥ | bāḍamityabravīddhṛṣṭaḥ saha dīvyāma paṇyatām ||2-61-25 baladeva (balarām) who was called by the deceitful kings who were experts in the dice game, also said happily: Let us play. Offer your stake. nikṛtyā vijigīṣanto dākṣiṇātyā narādhipāḥ | maṇimuktāḥ suvarṇaṁ ca tatrāninyuḥ sahasraśaḥ ||2-61-26 The kings of the southern side, eager for victory by cheating, brought thousands of jewels, pearls and gold and others (as stake). tataḥ prāvartata dyūtaṁ teṣāṁ rativināśanam | kalahasyāspadaṁ ghoraṁ durmatīnāṁ kṣayāvaham ||2-61-27 (Note 3) Then the dice game began, leading to destruction of their pleasure, the basis of terrible quarrel, leading to the decline of those with bad intellect. niṣkāṇāṁ ca sahasrāṇi suvarnasya daśāditaḥ | rukmiṇā saha saṁpāte baladevo glahaṁ dadau ||2-61-28 In the game with rukmi, baladeva (rāma) offered ten thousand golden coins as his stake. taṁ jigāya tato rukmī yatamānaṁ mahābalam | tāvadevāparaṁ bhūyo baladevaṁ jigāya saḥ ||2-61-29 Then rukmi won against the highly powerful balarāma who was trying to win. Afterwards, rukmi again defeated baladeva for the same stake. asakṛjjīyamānastu rukminā keśavāgrajaḥ | suvarṇakoṭīrjagrāha glahaṁ tasya mahātmanaḥ || 2-61-30 rukmi defeated the elder brother of keshava (kṛṣṇa) several times and won ten million gold coins from the great soul as stake. jitamityeva hṝṣṭo'tha tamāhvṛtirabhāṣata | ślāghyamānaścha cikṣepā prahasanmusalāyudham ||2-61-31 Then the deceitful rukmi said: I won. Then he congratulated himself (for winning) and ridiculed the one having plough as his weapon (balarāma). avidyo durbalaḥ śrīmānhiraṇyamamitaṁ mayā | ajeyo baladevo'yamakṣadyūte parājitaḥ ||2-61-32 (rukmi said) Today, in the dice game, I have defeated the undefeatable, auspicious baladeva (balarāma) who is a novice and weak and I have won unlimited gold. kaliṅgarājastacchrutvā prajahāsa bhṛśaṁ tadā | dantānsandarśayanhṝṣṭastatrākruddhyaddhalāyudhaḥ ||2-61-33 Hearing this, the king of kaliṅga laughed happily showing his teeth. The one with plough as weapon (balarāma) became angry then. rukmiṇastadvacaḥ śrutvā parājayanimittajam | nigṛhyamāṇastīkṣṇābhirvāgbhirbhīṣmakasūnunā ||2-61-34 Hearing the words of rukmi about the defeat, (balarama felt that) the son of king bhīṣmaka, rukmi, has insuled him with severe words. roṣamāhārayāmāsa jitaroṣo'pi dharmavit | saṁkruddho dharṣaṇāṁ prāpya rauhiṇeyo mahābalaḥ ||2-61-35 The one fixed in morals (balarāma) controlled his anger even though he had won. The highly powerful son of rohiṇī, getting angry, dhairyānmanaḥ sannidhāya tato vacanamabravīt | daśakoṭisahasrāṇi glaha eko mamāparaḥ ||2-61-36 controlling his mind with courage, said the following words: My yet another stake is hundred thousand million (gold coins). enaṁ samparigṛhṇīṣva pātayākṣānnarādhipa | kṛṣṇākṣā.ṇllohitākṣāṁścha deśe'smiṁstvadhipāṁsule ||2-61-37 O king! Accepting this stake, play the dice game. Throw the dice with black and red hues in this sinful place (at this Time of wrath) (see nīlakanṭha commentary). ityevamāhvayāmāsa rukmiṇaṁ rohiṇīsutaḥ | anuktvā vacanaṁ kiṣchidbāḍhamityabravītpunaḥ ||2-61-38 Saying this, the son of rohiṇī (balarāma) called rukmi. First without saying any words as reply, he said, "let it be so" again. akṣānrukmī tato hṛṣṭaḥ pātayāmāsa pārthivaḥ | cāturakṣe tu nirvṛtte nirjitaḥ sa narādhipaḥ ||2-61-39 Then king rukmi threw the dice happily. In the game of dice with four marks, the king was defeated by baladevena dharmeṇa netyuvāca tato balam | dhairyānmanaḥ samādhāya sa na kiṣchiduvāca ha ||2-61-40 baladeva (balarāma) in the right moral way. But the king (rukmi) did not agree. Fixing his mind with courage he (balarāma) did not say anything then. baladevaṁ tato rukmī mayā jitamiti smayan | baladevastu tacchrutvā jihmaṁ vākyaṁ narādhipaḥ ||2-61-41 Then rukmi told baladeva (balarāma), smiling: I have won. O king (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana said) Hearing these deceitful words, bhūyaḥ krodhasamāviṣṭo nottaraṁ vyājahāra ha | tato gaṁbhīranirghoṣā vāguvācāśarīriṇī ||2-61-42 (balarāma) became very angry. But he (balarāma) did not say anything in reply. Then a great loud voice was heard without any body, baladevasya taṁ krodhaṁ vardhayantī mahātmanaḥ | satyamāha balaḥ śrīmāndharmeṇaiṣa parājitaḥ ||2-61-43 by way of increasing the anger of the great soul, baladeva (balarāma): Auspicious bala(rāma) has spoken the truth. He (rukmi) is defeated in the right way. anuktvā vacanaṁ kiṣchitprāpto bhavati karmaṇā | manasā samanujṣātaṁ tatsyādityavagamyatām ||2-61-44 Without saying any words, if an action is done, it should be considered as acceptable to the conscience. iti śrutvā vacastathyamantarikṣātsubhāṣitam | saṅkarṣaṇastathotthāya sauvarṇenoruṇā balī ||2-61-45 Hearing this moral spoken in the sky, saṅkarṣaṇa (balarāma) then got up. The powerful (balarāma), with the golden heavy (board of dice) rukmiṇyā bhrātaraṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ nijaghāna mahītale | vivāde kupito rāmaḥ kṣeptāraṁ kila rukmiṇam | jaghānāṣṭāpadenaiva pramathya yadunandanaḥ ||2-61-46 beat rukmiṇī's elder brother (rukmi) and felled him on the earth. During the argument, angry bala(rāma), the son of yadu, got up and beat rukmi, who was laughing at him, with the dice board having eight parts. tato'pasṛtya saṅkruddhaḥ kaliṅgādhipaterapi | dantānbabhaṣja saṁrambhādunnanāda ca simhavat ||2-61-47 Then, being angry, balarāma also felled the teeth of the king of kaliṅga. With anger, balarāma roared aloud like a lion. khaḍgamudyamya tānsarvāṁstrāsayāmāsa pārthivān | stambhaṁ sabhāyāḥ sauvarṇamutpāṭya balināṁ varaḥ ||2-61-48 Brandishing his sword, balarāma terrified all the kings. The best among the powerful, (balarāma) pulled out all the pillars of the assembly. gajendra iva taṁ stambhaṁ karṣaṇsaṅkarṣaṇastataḥ | nirjagāma sabhādvārāttrāsayāmāsa kaiśikān ||2-61-49 Then saṅkarṣaṇa (balarāma), dragging the pillar, like an elephant, went out of the assembly door, terrifying the kaiśikas. rukmiṇaṁ nikṛtiprajṣaṁ sa hatvā yādavarṣabhaḥ | vitrāsya vidviṣaḥ sarvānsimhaḥ kṣudramṛgāniva ||2-61-50 killing rukmi who desired to cheat, the best of yādava-s terrified the enemies, like a lion terrifying mean animals. jagāma śibiraṁ rāmaḥ svayameva janāvṛtaḥ | nyavedayatsa kṛṣṇāya tatra sarvaṁ yathābhavat ||2-61-51 Surrounded by people, (bala)rāma went to his camp and informed kṛṣṇa about all incidents which took place. novāca sa tadā kṛṣṇaḥ kiṣchidrāmaṁ mahādyutiḥ | nigṛhya ca tadā''tmānaṁ kṛcchrādaśrūṇyavartayat || 2-61-52 kṛṣṇa with great splendour did not say anything to (bala)rāma. Controlling his mind with difficulty, he cried with his eyes full of tears. na hato vāsudevena yaḥ pūrvaṁ paravīrahā | jyeṣṭho bhrātātha rukmiṇyā rukmiṇīsnehakāraṇāt ||2-61-53 vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) did not kill rukmi, the elder brother of rukmiṇī, the killer of enemies, before, due to his love for rukmiṇī. sa rāmakaramuktena nihato dyūtamaṇḍale | aṣṭāpadena balavānrājā vajradharopamaḥ ||2-61-54 The powerful king (rukmi), comparable to the holder of vajra (indra), was killed by the dice board having eight parts, released from the hand of (bala)rāma, during the dice game. tasminhate mahāvīrye nṛpatau bhīṣmakātmaje | drumabhārgavatulye vai drumabhārgavaśikṣite ||2-61-55 As the great valiant king, the son of bhīṣmaka, equal to druma and bhārgava(rāma) and trained by druma and bhārgava(rāma), was killed, kṛtau ca yuddhakushale nityayājini pātite | vṛṣṇayaścāndhakāścaiva sarve vimanaso'bhavan ||2-61-56 the one who is accomplished, one who is expert in battle, one who performs sacrifices daily was killed, all vṛṣṇi-s and andhaka-s, lost their mind (became sad). vaiśampāyana uvāca rukmiṇī ca mahābhāgā vilapantyārtayā girā | vilapantīṁ tathā dṛṣṭvā sāntvayāmāsa keśavaḥ ||2-61-57 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) The illustrious rukmiṇī cried saying sad words. Seeing rukmiṇī crying, keshava (kṛṣṇa) consoled her. etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ rukmiṇo nidhanaṁ yathā | vairasya ca samutthānaṁ vṛṣṇibhirbharatarṣabha ||2-61-58 O the best among bharata (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana continued) I have told you all about the killing of rukmi and how his enmity to vṛṣṇi-s occurred. vṛṣṇayo'pi mahārāja dhanānyādāya sarvaśaḥ | rāmakṛṣnau samāśritya yayurdvāravatīṁ prati ||2-61-59 O king! vṛṣṇi-s, depending on (bala)rāma and kṛṣṇa, with all the wealth gained proceeded to the city of dvāravatī. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi rukmivadho nāmaikaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the sixty-first chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, Khila of śrīmahābhārata, pradyumna's marriage and rukmi's demise. (Note 1) The assembly, the place for dice game (now regarded as a ritual !) is sanctified by sprinkling sandal water. The assembly becomes auspicious. (Note 2) The kings wore garlands and smeared their bodies with pastes, preparing themselves for the ritual of dice game. (Note 3) Study the adjectives used for describing the dice game. (Note 4) A detailed comparison of the description of the dice game and killing of rukmi in harivamsha, viṣṇupurāṇa and bhagavata is given in the article Killing of Rukmi nīlakaṇṭha commentary ekaṣaṣṭitame'dhyāye pradyumnattattanūjayoḥ | vivāhaḥ kathyate tatra rukmiṇaścha tathā vadhaḥ || · 2-61-1 tata iti | kāle mahati || · 2-61-3 sā kanyā chakame kāmitavatī || · 2-61-6 siṁhasaṁhananaḥ siṁhavadatidṛḍhāṅgaḥ | varāṅgarūpopeto yaḥ siṁhasaṁhanano hi saḥ ityuktāṁ vā || · 2-61-25 kitaverdyūtavedibhiḥ || · 2-61-26 nikṛtyā kapaṭena || · 2-61-31 āhvṛtiḥ atyantakuṭilaḥ | hvṛ kauṭilye ityasya rūpaṁ | cikṣepa nininda · 2-61-37 adhipāṁsule adhikarajaske krodhakāle dyūtadeśe chetyarthaḥ · 2-61-39 cāturakṣe caturaṅkāṅkite'kṣe nirvṛtte nipatite sati ubhayordhane pratyekaṁ daśadhākṛte yadi vādo ekāṅkaṁ pādayettadā ekamaṁśaṁ dhanāddharet vyaṅkapāte pūrveṇa saha trīnaṁśān vyaṅkapāte pūrvaistribhiḥ saha ṣaḍaṁśān caturaṅkapāte pūrvaiḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ saha daśāpyaṁśān harediti dyūtavidāṁ maryādayā sarvaṁ dhanaṁ jitamityarthaḥ | · 2-61-44 anuktvā'pi jayaṁ prāpto bhavati rāma ityadyāhṛtya yojyaṁ manasā prativādināmiti śeṣaḥ | manasā'nujṣātamiti vācā nābhyanujṣāyata iti daurātmyaṁ teṣāmiti bhāvaḥ | · 2-61-45 uruṇā mahatā aṣṭāpadeneti vakṣyamāṇatvāt || · 2-61-47 kaliṅgadhipatirjayatsenasya || · 2-61-57 kṛtau satkriyāyāṁ kushale ityekadeshena sambandhaḥ | nityayājinī nityakarmapare || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāmekaṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ || Note: (1) Sloka 18,line 2: mistake corrected - adhipo (2) sloka 39, line 2: is there a spelling mistake here - nirjitaḥ sa ? Please check.