In the previous episode, we were at an important juncture wherein Bhagawan Krishna and Rukmini Devi arrive at King Rukmi’s family deity temple, wherein Rukmini Devi had come to offer her oblations as a customary practice before the marriage ceremony commences. Sishupaala was also on his way to the same place with the dream that he is going to marry Rukmini Devi. We’ve already witnessed how Rukmi was steadfast in marrying Rukmini Devi to Sishupala. All the other kings from various prominent kingdoms had arrived too. It was a pure festive mood at Vidharba. The entire group of Rukmini Devi’s friends had also accompanied her to the temple for the prayer ceremony. As instructed by Rukmini Devi, Bhagawan Krishna too had arrived, but He had hidden Himself from the rest of the crowd. He was waiting for the right moment to seize the opportunity.
As time progressed, the ceremony started and at one hand, Sishupala had arrived and had taken his seat. On the other hand, Rukmini Devi was tensed and was eagerly waiting for Bhagawan Krishna to unleash His divine powers to try and take her off from there. Accordingly, when the time arrived, Bhagawan Krishna takes out the “Paanchajanya” and blows it aloud. Hearing this, Rukmini Devi started walking towards the direction from which the sound of the “Panchajanya” was coming. As Rukmini Devi was walking towards Bhagawan Krishna, He suddenly appeared in front of her and in front of all the people gathered there, including Sishupala. At this time, a comical event took place – Sishupala was damn sure that Rukmini Devi was going to be his wife very soon, and hence, he was full with pride! He was sitting at one corner watching all these proceedings of prayers, dance, etc. He was totally enjoying the moment and all of a sudden, Bhagawan Krishna appeared in front of him! Unexpectedly, as per Rukmini Devi’s plan, Bhagawan Krishna grabbed her, placed her on His chariot and started riding it fast towards Dwaraka!
As Sishupala was looking at this, for the first few moments, he did not understand what was happening! It was very difficult for him to come to terms that someone is abducting his fiance at a time when the marriage ceremony is going to happen within the next few minutes! Whom Sishupala was considering as his, was being taken away by someone else! Sishupala and King Rukmi realized what was going on and they made a quick decision to follow Bhagawan Krishna’s chariot and attack Him then and there. Bhagawan Krishna too rode His chariot at a lightning speed, in such a way that nobody was able to match the speed of His chariot. However, powerful as they were, Sishupala and King Rukmi followed Bhagawan Krishna and started attacking Him with their powerful weapons and artillery. A huge war broke out between Bhagawan Krishna and the rest of them. Bhagawan had to fight a lone battle as nobody was there to help Him at that point. However, Bhagawan Krishna managed to defeat the entire lot of people who had assembled there, and at this point, Rukmini Devi fell on to His feet, seeking to protect her father and not to kill him.
As Rukmini Devi requests thus, Bhagawan Krishna too felt that killing Rukmi and Sishupala at that time wasn’t going to yield anything productive. Moreover, it would be wrong to kill the father-in-law on the very first day of marriage. It is the duty of the son-in-law to respect the father-in-law, isn’t it? Hence for this main reason, Bhagawan Krishna decided to spare King Rukmi. As for Sishupala, he still had many more “Karma” left to be done. Bhagawan Krishna had a plan for Sishupala – When Sishupala insults Bhagawan Krishna for a hundred times, the hundredth time when he is doing so, he would be killed. Perhaps, that hundredth abuse of Sishupala towards Bhagawan Krishna had not arrived as yet, and hence, Bhagawan Krishna spared Sishupala.
With this, Bhagawan Krishna won over the entire opposition camp and thus, rode the chariot victoriously with Rukmini Devi into Dwaraka. A grand wedding ceremony was arranged in due course for the couple to get married! So for today, let us understand and experience this beautiful Rukmini-Kalyana episode of Bhagawan Krishna and let us wait for the final episode of this project till tomorrow! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 