Vp5 26

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Jul 2011 12:19 and updated at 22 Jul 2011 12:19

VISHNU PURANA

BOOK 5.

CHAPTER 26.

Krishna carries off Rukmini: the princes who come to rescue her repulsed by Balarama. Rukmin overthrown, but spared by Krishna, founds Bhojakata. Pradyumna born of Rukmini.

Bishmaka was king of Vidarbha, residing at Kundina 1. He had a son named Rukmin, and a beautiful daughter termed Rukmini. Krishna fell in love with the latter, and solicited her in marriage; but her brother who hated Krishna, would not assent to the espousals. At the suggestion of Jarasandha, and with the concurrence of his son, the powerful sovereign Bhishmaka affianced Rukmini to sisupala. In order to celebrate the nuptials, Jarasandha and other princes, the friends of sisupala, assembled in the capital of Vidarbha; and Krishna, attended by Balabhadra and many other Yadavas, also went to Kundina to witness the wedding. When there, Hari contrived, on the eve of the nuptials, to carry off the princess 2, leaving Rama and his kinsmen to sustain the weight of his enemies. Paundraka, the illustrious Dantavakra, Viduratha, sisupala, Jarasandha, salya, and other kings, indignant at the insult, exerted themselves to kill Krishna, but were repelled by Balarama and the Yadavas. Rukmin, vowing that he would never enter Kundina again until he had slain Kesava in fight, pursued and overtook him. In the combat that ensued, Krishna destroyed with his discus, as if in sport, the host of Rukmin, with all its horse, and elephants, and foot, and chariots, and overthrew him, and hurled him on the ground, and would have put him to death, but was withheld by the entreaties of Rukmini. "He is my only brother," she exclaimed, "and must not be slain by

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thee: restrain your wrath, O divine lord, and give me my brother in charity." Thus addressed by her, Krishna, whom no acts affect, spared Rukmin 3; and he (in pursuance of his vow) founded the city Bhojakata 4, and ever afterwards dwelt therein. After the defeat of Rukmin, Krishna married Rukmini in due form, having first made her his own by the Rakshasa ritual 5. She bore him the gallant Pradyumna, a portion of the deity of love. The demon Sambara carried him off, but he slew the demon.

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