a poem for Rukmini Dvadasi

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Talks Between Lord Krishna and Rukmini

 

Krishna, the best of all persons,

Gives knowledge to both great and small.

Sitting on Rukmini's bedstead,

The Lord was served by one and all.

 

Acting as the perfect husband,

He showed His supreme perfection,

Though beyond the mind's concoction,

He'd come to protect religion.

 

Rukmini's beauty was striking,

Though her grown sons proved her quite old.

Wishing to cool Krishna's body,

She grasped the fan's handle of gold.

 

A golden necklace and earrings

Enhanced her beautiful face.

Her ankle bells tinkled softly

As she fanned Lord Krishna with grace.

 

Rukmini and Krishna's pastimes

Are full of endless opulence,

While those of Radha and Krishna

Have a simple, rural, essence.

 

Surrounded by costly jewels,

Blooming flowers, and fine incense,

Krishna enjoyed in the palace

Accepting service from His servants.

 

Rukmini's characteristics,

Appearing unusually bright,

Along with her fine behavior,

Gave her Lord Krishna great delight.

 

Once a sage gave her a flower,

Her co-wife demanded the tree.

Rukmini, happy in service,

Remained simple and envy-free.

 

Krishna likes to joke with His wives,

And to provoke His queen's anger,

Addressing her as the princess,

He praised her former suitor.

 

"Sishupala is most exalted.

I'm nothing in comparison.

You're beautiful, sober, and grave.

How did you made your decision?

 

"Out of fear of Jarasandha,

I built this city in the sea.

I, by fighting with many kings,

Made all inimical to Me.

 

"Once I killed My uncle Kamsa,

Yet for his throne I had no right,

It was meant for Ugrasena,

Although I won it in My fight.

 

"Some say I'm just a cowherd boy,

While others claim that I'm a prince.

Some think I'm just a vagabond,

And even others have no hints.

 

"I am not a polished husband.

I should be happy with one wife.

But, instead, I married thousands,

And always cause them endless strife.

 

"Women, who are attached to Me,

Certainly lead a life of grief.

Radharani and the gopis

Cry day and night without relief.

 

"It is bad enough I'm heartless,

And yet I am a pauper, too.

Though tending Nanda's many cows,

I did not own even a few.

 

"Having had nothing in My past,

Why lament I have nothing now.

For even My dear devotees

Have almost nothing, anyhow.

 

"All these things considered, My dear.

You made a terrible mistake!

Better you find a qualified prince,

And give Me up for your own sake!"

 

Such shocking words from Lord Krishna,

To Rukmini, seemed quite insane.

Fearing her Lord's separation.

She felt ever increasing pain.

 

Asking her to marry another,

He said He loved her not at all.

He married her just to chastise

Demonic kings like Sishupala.

 

"I know You've always loved Me,

But I care not for home and wife,

And neither do My devotees.

Self-knowledge is our goal of life."

 

Krishna's speech suddenly stopped.

Rukmini began to reflect,

Concluding because of her pride,

Krishna spoke such words of neglect.

 

Those words of uncommon harshness,

Convinced her that Krishna might go,

Crying torrents of anxious tears,

She scratched the floor with her toe.

 

Choked with tears, she couldn't speak.

Her mind confused with anxiety,

She fell unconscious to the ground,

As wind blows down a banana tree.

 

Seeing Rukmini's reaction

To the words He'd spoken in jest,

Krishna raised Her up with His hands,

And then embraced her to His chest.

 

Krishna, who's expert in speaking,

To servants blessed with devotion,

Retracting his former statements,

Spoke to remove her confusion:

 

"O daughter of King Vidarbha!

O beloved! Please understand!

The words I spoke were not truthful.

They were part of a joke I'd planned.

 

"I thought you'd speak chastising words,

With your angry, but charming face.

But you took Me seriously,

Never dreamed that would be the case.

 

"As householders we are busy

With our duties throughout the day.

Thus We long for time together

During which to joke and to play."

 

Hearing the sweet words of Krishna

Rukmini ceased being fearful.

Seeing that Krishna was joking,

Smiling, her face became cheerful.

 

"My dear lotus-eyed Lord Krishna

You're right, I'm no fit match for You.

Master of all good qualities,

You do what no other can do.

 

"Fearing the kings ruling this world,

You say that You hid in the sea.

Here the modes of nature are kings,

But as Supersoul, You are free.

 

"You say You hate these worldly kings,

But what are the kings of these lands.

I think in truth the senses are kings,

And yet You can curb their demands.

 

"You say You've no worldly power,

And Your servants have none as well.

That is a sign of Your wisdom.

For worldly might leads one to hell.

 

"You say You live without purpose,

And Your servants are aimless too.

People think You're mysterious.

Yet all opulence rests in You.

 

"You say that You're impoverished,

But what is that poor condition?

Since You Yourself are everything,

You have no other possession!

 

"You say rich men don't care for You,

And I certainly must agree.

Due to planning for sense pleasure

Their spiritual urges flee.

 

"But those having no possessions,

Are exclusively dear to You,

And for those renounced devotees

Your Lordship is the most dear, too.

 

"You say partners in a marriage

Should have many traits the same.

But You're the source of opulence

Like beauty, wisdom, wealth, and fame.

 

"Those persons who have good motives

Desire nothing other than You.

And thus they give up everything,

And become worthy to meet You, too.

 

"In Your servants' society,

The pale pleasures of lust aren't missed,

For when You are in the center

Does real happiness exist.

 

"You say only beggars praise You,

But exalted beggars they are.

Forgiving the worst offenders,

They glorify You near and far.

 

"O my dear, beloved husband,

In choosing You, I'm not naive.

I accepted Your lotus feet

Following these saints whom I believe.

 

"You claim that You are penniless,

And I can see how that is true.

You give Yourself in charity

To those who give themselves to You.

 

"Controlled by Your feature of time,

All beings are born and then die,

Compared to Your mighty power,

Any prince is hardly a fly.

 

"You say You hid in the ocean

Out of fear of these rulers of men,

And yet, You bravely kidnapped me,

And taught those princes a lesson.

 

"My Lord, how is it that You say

Your surrendered souls are sad.

Giving up false pleasures for You,

Your servants are certainly glad.

 

"According to past fruitive acts,

You can throw me in any species.

I just want attachment for You,

Who give Yourself to devotees.

 

"You asked me to choose another prince,

But what's their real position?

Dishonored dogs, miserly cats,

And hard-working beasts of burden.

 

"Women who don't know Your glories

May choose one of those other men,

And yet I desire You alone,

Who are praised from here to heaven.

 

"A man in this world of matter

Is a bag of mucus and stool.

A woman who loves such a man

Is certainly an outright fool.

 

"O Lord, You are self-satisfied,

And indifferent to beauty, too.

Whether You care for me or not,

I just want devotion for You.

 

"Passion's mode is Your creation,

Thus Your glance in a passionate way

Fulfills all my heart's ambitions,

For such auspicious times I pray."

 

"O My dear chaste wife, I desired

Such a perfect explanation,

In response to My joking words;

I approve your presentation.

 

"O most beautiful Rukmini,

I'm pleased by your great love for Me.

Thus I'm always at your service,

Whatever you desire shall be.

 

All My dearmost friends and servants

Are free from contamination.

If they do ask Me for something

It is a source of liberation.

 

"O, chaste and pious, Rukmini,

I have tested your love for Me.

You've passed My examination,

Having done most successfully.

 

"I have tried to make you angry

By speaking insults all untrue,

However to My great surprise,

I saw pure love abide in You.

 

"I'm the source of benedictions,

Up to that of liberation,

But fools ask for money and sex

And remain in tribulation.

 

"Sex pleasure can be had by hogs,

A most degraded form of life,

Why should the foolish people then,

Worship Me to attain such strife.

 

"O, foremost of My many queens,

You have no false motivation.

I see you just want to serve Me,

And you do so without cessation.

 

"Pure service frees from matter's bonds

And leads one to Godhead, our home.

The polluted just make a show,

So again in this world must roam.

 

"Although I have thousands of wives,

Your love surpasses any queen.

Hearing My glories, stole your heart,

Yet My form you had never seen.

 

"Ignoring rich and famous princes

Insisting on marrying Me,

You prayed that I would kidnap You,

Confident of My victory.

 

"When I came to take you away,

Your poor brother tried to fight Me.

Mercilessly defeating him,

I disfigured Rukmi's body,

 

"During Aniruddha's marriage

And while disputing who was right,

My brother, angry with Rukmi,

Finally killed him in a fight.

 

"Silently you suffered, O queen,

Fearing separation from Me.

And by this glorious silence,

You bought Me for eternity.

 

"A brahman came with your request

'O, Lord Krishna, please come take me.'

And when delayed in his return,

You felt the whole world was empty.

 

"You thought Your beautiful body

Should be touched by no one but Me,

And thinking that I was not coming,

Wished to die immediately.

 

"O best of My queens, Rukmini,

Your love is unforgettable,

And for Me to repay such love.

I think is just not possible."

 

Lord Krishna at no time requires

To be a husband or a son,

The Lord, because He is complete,

Doesn't need help from anyone.

 

Adventing Himself, He plays roles,

For devotees' satisfaction,

Showing, as Rukmini's husband,

Conjugal love in perfection.

 

O Krishna, You are glorious;

Rukmini's love for You, sublime.

Please let us recall Your pastimes

>From now until the end of time.

 

Your pastimes break our karmic bonds,

And end our material lust.

For souls looking for love of God,

Hearing Your pastimes is a must.

 

Goddess of fortune, Rukmini,

Upon this most auspicious day,

Bless us with pure love for Krishna!

For devotion like yours we pray!

 

(written by Krishna-kripa dasa

based on Srila Prabhupada's Krishna book)