Canto 10 - Chapter 58: Sri Krsna's espousal with (the rest of) His eight principal Spouses

Discourse LVIII

Śrī Kṛṣṇa's espousal with (the rest of) His eight principal Spouses

Śrī Śuka began again : Once upon a time the glorious Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the foremost among men), accompanied by Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) and others, drove to Indraprastha (the modern Delhi) to see Yudhiṣṭhira and his (four) brothers (the sons of Pāṇḍu), who had been seen (at the court of Drupada, having once been taken to have been reduced to ashes within a house of shellac). (1)
Seeing Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of Liberation), the Ruler of all, arrived (at their door), the valiant sons of Pṛthā (Śrī Kṛṣṇa's aunt) rose (from their seat) at once (even) as the senses become active (again) on finding respiration returned. (2)
Embracing the immortal Lord, with (all) their sins (of previous lives) wiped off by the (all-purifying) touch of His (divine) person, the heroes were transported with joy to gaze on His countenance bright with loving smiles. (3)
Bowing at the feet of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma (both of whom were senior to Him), and then hugging Arjuna (who was born on a day when the constellation Pūrvāphālguni was in the ascendant and was thus senior to the Lord only by eight days, the latter's advent being marked by the ascendancy of Rohini, but was nevertheless treated as His equal), He was (in His turn) saluted by Nakula and Sahadeva (the twin-born half-brothers of Yudhiṣṭhira, who were the youngest and junior to the Lord). (4)
Slowly approaching Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was seated on an excellent seat. Kṛṣṇā (Draupadi, so-called because she had a dark-brown complexion and thus bore affinity to the Lord in hue as well as in appellation), who had been newly wedded and (therefore) felt a little abashed, and was (absolutely) free from reproach (though espoused by all the five brothers), bowed low (to Him). (5)
Honoured and greeted in the same way by the sons of Pṛthā, Sātyaki made Himself comfortable in his (own) seat. Treated with respect, others too sat in a circle near by. (6)
Having met and greeted His father's sister—Pṛthā, whose eyes were moistened through excessive love—and hugged by her (in turn) and questioned about (the welfare of) His kinsfolk, He (gave suitable replies to her and) made inquiries (in return) about her (own) health as well as about that of her daughter-in-law (Draupadi). (7)
Recalling her numerous past sufferings, Kunti, whose throat was choked with nervousness occasioned by affection and whose eyes were wet with tears, spoke (as follows) to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who reveals Himself (to His devotees) in order to end their miseries:—(8)
"Happiness returned to us, and we were blessed with a protector the very moment my cousin (Akrūra) was despatched by You (to enquire about our welfare the other day), remembering us, Your relatives, O Kṛṣṇa ! (9)
The mistaken notion recognizing one individual as one's own and another as alien does not exist in You—who are the friend, nay, the very Soul of the universe; yet constantly present in the heart of those who remember You, You end their sufferings." (10)

Yudhiṣṭhira said : "I do not know what meritorious act has been performed by us, O supreme Lord, in that You, who cannot easily be perceived (even) by masters of Yoga, have come within our sight, men of perverse understanding that we are." (11)
Entreated thus by the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), the said Lord happily spent (there all) the (four) rainy months, bringing joy to the eyes of the residents of Indraprastha (by His divine presence). (12)

Once upon a time (after the Khāṇḍava forest had been consumed by a huge conflagration) the all-conquering Arjuna, the slayer of hostile warriors, accompanied by Śrī Kṛṣṇa and clad in an armour, mounted his chariot, distinguished by its flag bearing the device of a monkey, and, taking his (famous) Gāṇḍīva bow and a pair of quivers containing an inexhaustible stock of arrows, entered a dense forest, infested with carnivorous and other (innocent) beasts, for the sake of sport. (13-14)
There he pierced with his shafts (a number of) tigers, boars, bisons, Rurus (a species of deer), Sarabhas (a species of eight-footed animals now extinct), Gavayas (a species of quadrupeds resembling the cow), rhinoceroses, deer, hares and porcupines. (15)
His attendants took such of them as were useful for sacrifice to the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), the full moon (which is considered specially sacred for sacrifices) having approached. Overcome with thirst and fully exhausted, Arjuna (who abhorred detestable acts) went to (the bank of) the Yamunā. (16)
When they had bathed in the river and drunk of its crystal water, the two great car-warriors, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, (both of whom had a dark-brown complexion and accordingly bore the epithet 'Kṛṣṇa') noticed a maiden of comely appearance strolling about (on the river bank). (17)
Sent by his (divine) Comrade, Phālguna (Arjuna) went up to that beautiful and excellent damsel with well-set teeth and a charming countenance and questioned her (thus):—"Who are you and whose daughter may you be, O fair damsel ? Where do you come from and what do you mean to do ? I infer you to be in quest of a (suitable) match. (Pray,) relate everything (to me), O good maiden !" (18-19)

Kālindī (for such was her name) replied : Daughter of the glorious sun-god, I seek Lord Viṣṇu, the Bestower of boons of one's choice, who is worth wooing (in everyway), for my husband and am (accordingly) engaged in the severest (form of) austerities. (20)
I would choose for my spouse none else than that Abode of Śrī (the goddess of fortune), O gallant one! May that Lord, the Bestower of Liberation and the Refuge of the helpless, be propitious to me. (21)
Known by the name of Kālindī, I dwell in a palace constructed by my father under the water of the Yamunā and propose to stay there till I am able to see that immortal Lord." (22)
Arjuna (who had conquered sleep) spoke accordingly to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (son of Vasudeva) and He too, who knew of it (already), picked her up into the chariot and drove (back) into the presence of the king (Yudhiṣṭhira). (23)
Śrī Kṛṣṇa had, as soon as requested, got built (long ago) by Viśwakarmā (the architect of the gods) a most wonderful and picturesque city for the sons of Pāṇḍu. (24)
Residing there in order to oblige His own people (the Pāṇḍavas as well as their mother and wife), the Lord had (some time before) acted as the charioteer of Arjuna in order to consign (the forest of) Khāṇḍava (owned by Indra) to the god of fire. (25)
Pleased (with the aforesaid service), the said god of fire had conferred on Arjuna, O king, the bow (Gāṇḍiva), (four) white horses as well as a chariot (drawn by them), a pair of inexhaustible quivers and an armour which could not be pierced by archers. (26)
Nay, rescued from the (said) conflagration (which consumed the forest of Khāṇḍava), Maya (the architect of the demons) had (built and) presented (as a token of gratitude) to his friend (and benefactor, Arjuna) an assembly hall, in which optic illusion seized Duryodhana, who mistook a sheet of water for a paved floor and vice versa. (27)

Duly permitted by Arjuna and with the consent of His (other) friends and relatives (Emperor Yudhiṣṭhira and so on), the Lord, accompanied by Sātyakī and others, returned to Dvārakā. (28)
Now, on a certain day, when the planets exerted a favourable influence and when the season (too) was most propitious and a most auspicious star was in the ascendant, the Lord, who was supreme felicity (personified), espoused Kālindī, (thereby) bringing highest joy to His own people. (29)

Vinda and Anuvinda, the rulers of Avanti (the modern Ujjain), who followed the will of Duryodhana, deterred their sister, who was devoted to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, from making her own choice (in a gathering of princes invited for the purpose). (30)
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (however) forcibly snatched away Mitravindā (as such was her name), daughter of Rājādhidevī (His own father's sister*), in the midst of (other) princes, who stood gazing (helplessly), O king ! (31)

There was a very pious king of Kosala, Nagnajit by name. He had a brilliant daughter, Satyā, nicknamed Nāgnājitī (after the name of her father), O Parikṣit ! (32)
Princes could not win her without subduing seven excellent, though wicked, bulls with pointed horns, that were most formidable and could not bear (even) the smell of heroes. (33)
Hearing that she could be gained (only) by one who was able to subdue the bulls, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Protector of the Yadus), accompanied by a huge army, drove to Ayodhyā (the capital of the kings of Kosala). (34)
Full of delight, the said king of Kosala was hailed with joy (by Śrī Kṛṣṇa) while welcoming Him by going forth to meet Him, offering Him a (high) seat and valuable articles of worship too. (35)
Beholding Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Spouse of Lakṣmī)—who was not only after her heart but was worth wooing (in every way)—arrived in state, the princess sought Him (as her husband) and prayed (as follows):—"If He has been (constantly) cherished by me as the goal of my sacred vows, let Him grant my innocent prayers and be my husband. (36)
Through what effort (of mine) can that almighty Lord be pleased with me, the dust of whose lotus-feet do Lakṣmī (the goddess of beauty and prosperity) and Brahmā (the lotus-born) as well as Lord Śiva (who dwells on Mount Kailāsa) and the (other) guardians of the world bear on their head, and who assumes from time to time embodied (divine) forms suited to His (various) pastimes with intent to maintain the standards of morality set up by Himself." (37)
To Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who had now been (duly) worshipped, the king (of Kosala) spoke as follows:—"O Nārāyaṇa, O Lord of the universe what can I, an extremely poor fellow, do for You, sated as You are with the Bliss of Your very Self ? (38)

Śrī Śuka continued : Full of delight, the Lord, who had (now) taken His seat, smilingly replied to him in a voice deep as the rumbling of a cloud (as follows), O scion of Kuru ! (39)

The Lord said : Solicitation has been condemned by the wise on the part of the humblest Kṣatriya, sticking to his own duty, O ruler of men ! Yet in My eagerness to secure your friendship I ask (of you) your daughter, since we are not prepared to pay any price (for the match). (40)

The king replied : "Who else can be a more welcome match for my girl, O Lord, than You, the one Abode of (all) excellences, on whose bosom dwells Śrī (the goddess of beauty and fortune) as an inseparable companion. (41)
With intent, however, to secure a (good) match for our daughter a vow has already been made by us, O Chief of the Yadus, for testing the prowess of suitors. (42)
Here are seven excellent bulls, O gallant One, (so) difficult to tame and (so) hard to hold in check. Good many princes have been worsted by them and have had their limbs broken. (43)
Since these animals must be curbed by You alone, O Scion of Yadu, You will be the acknowledged bridegroom for my daughter, O Spouse of Śrī !" (44)
Hearing of this vow and tightening His girdle, nay, revealing Himself in seven forms, the Lord brought them (all) under His control by way of sport. (45)
Tying them with cords (after passing them through their nose), now that their pride had been curbed and their spirit broken, Śrī Kṛṣṇa (a scion of Śūra), drew them, when tied, by way of sport even as a child would draw toy-bulls made of wood. (46)
Amazed and delighted at that (feat), the king gave away his daughter to Śrī Kṛṣṇa; and the almighty Lord (too) espoused her with due ceremony, worthy as she was of Him. (47)
Having secured Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the beloved husband of their daughter, the queens too derived supreme joy and there was great rejoicing (over this happy event). (48)
Conchs, kettledrums and big drums sounded; there was vocal and instrumental music and the benedictions of Brāhmaṇas (the sacerdotal class) were pronounced. Men and women clad in fine clothes and decked with garlands felt highly rejoiced. (49)
The king gave away as dowry ten thousand newly calved cows and three thousand finely dressed young maid-servants decked with a string of gold coins, nine thousand elephants, a hundred times as many chariots, horses a hundred times the number of chariots, and men-servants hundred times the number of horses. (50-51)
Placing the (married) couple in a chariot, the king of Kosala, whose heart was moistened through affection, sent them attended with a large army. (52)

Hearing of this, the highly envious kings, even though they had their spirit broken by the Yadus (the followers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa) and earlier by the lusty bulls, intercepted Śrī Kṛṣṇa, while He was taking the bride (with Him), on the road. (53)
Arjuna, the wielder of the Gaṇḍīva bow, who was (accompanying the Lord and was) keen to oblige his friend and cousin, repulsed them even as they came discharging volleys of arrows (at the Lord), (just) as a lion would drive away small beasts (before it). (54)
Reaching Dvārakā with the dowry, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Son of Devakī), the foremost of the Yadus, delightfully spent His time with Satyā. (55)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (next) married Bhadrā, a princess of Kekaya, daughter of His father's sister, Śrutakīrti* offered (to Him) by her brothers, the foremost of whom was Santardana. (56)
He (further) carried away single-handed, in an assemblage called for self-election of a husband, Lakṣmaṇā, daughter of the (then) ruler of the Madra territory, endowed with auspicious marks, (even) as Garuḍa (the king of birds) snatched away (the jar of) nectar (from Indra's paradise). (57)
There were other such consorts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, (all) good-looking and numbering thousands (sixteen thousand) rescued from the captivity of Bhaumāśura†(the son of Mother Earth) after killing him. (58)

Thus ends the fifty-eighth discourse entitled "Śrī Kṛṣṇa's marriage with (the rest of) His eight principal spouses", in the latter half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarīhitā.

† The demon was born of Mother Earth through her touch with the Lord manifested as the divine Boar at the time of His lifting her up from the depths of the ocean (vide III, xiii. 31). Mother Earth herself acknowledges this in the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa when she says as above.