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Revision as of 04:52, 18 June 2021 by Seyamar (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Chief consort of the Hindu god KrishnaFor other uses, see Rukmini (disambiguation).
| Rukmini | |
|---|---|
 12th–13th century sculpture of Rukmini from Tamil Nadu. | |
| Other names | Vaidarbhi, Bhaishmi, Rakhumai |
| Devanagri | रूक्मिणी |
| Affiliation | Avatar of Lakshmi, Devi, Ashtabharya |
| Abode | Dvarka, Pandharpur |
| Texts | Vishnu Puran, Bhagavata Puran, Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Rukminisha Vijaya, Skanda Purana |
| Festivals | Rukmini Ashtami, Rukmini Dwadashi |
| Genealogy | |
| Born | Vidarbha Kingdom |
| Died | Dwaraka |
| Parents |
|
| Siblings | Rukmi and four other brothers |
| Consort | Krishna |
| Children | Ten children including Pradyumna |
| Dynasty | Vrishni Yadavas (by marriage) |
Rukmini (Template:Lang-sa, IAST: Rukmiṇī, lit. 'radiant or adorned with gold') is a Hindu goddess and the first queen consort of Krishna—an avatar of the god Vishnu. She is described as an avatar of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.
Born to King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha kingdom, Rukmini is described to be beautiful, intelligent and virtuous. When her brother Rukmi tried to forcefully get her married to Shishupala, she asked Krishna to abduct her. Krishna heroically eloped with her and they had ten children including Pradyumna.
Rukmini is mainly worshipped in Maharashtra and South India. The people of Maharashtra venerate her with Vitthala (a regional form of Krishna) and call her Rakhumai. In South India, she is worshipped along with Krishna and her co-wife Satyabhama.
Etymology and epithets
The name Rukmini is derived from the Sanskrit word Rukma which means 'radiant', 'clear' or 'bright'. The name can also mean 'decorated with gold ornaments'. Other names and epithets include:
- Shree – Lakshmi, Goddess of Fortune
- Ruciranana – One who has a beautiful face, expanding like a lotus flower
- Vaidarbhi – she who is from the kingdom of Vidarbha.
- Bhaishmi – Daughter of Bhishmaka.
- Rakhumai – Mother Rukmini.
- Chiryauvana – One who is forever young. Rukmini was given the boon of staying young forever by Rishi Durvasa who was pleased by Her hospitality during His visit to Dwaraka.
- Pradyumna Jananī – Mother of Pradyumna
Legends
According to the epic Mahabharata and other Puranic scriptures, Rukmini was born to Bhishmaka—the king of Vidarbha kingdom—and had five elder brothers, among whom Rukmi was the eldest. Many Puranas such as Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, and Padma Purana praise her as an incarnation of Lakshmi, the wife of the god Vishnu.
Marriage
The Bhagavata Purana narrates that Rukmini once heard about Krishna's beauty, strength, virtues as well as his heroic deeds such as slaying the tyrant king Kamsa and opposing the evil king Jarasandha. She fell in love with him and desired to marry him. Rukmini's parents rejoiced and gave their permission but Rukmi—who was an ally of Jarasandha—strongly opposed it. Instead, he proposed that she be married to Shishupala, the crown prince of Chedi kingdom and a cousin of Krishna. Shishupala was also a vassal and close associate of Jarasandha and hence an ally of Rukmi. Bhishmaka agreed and a distressed Rukmini immediately sent for a trusted brahmina and asked him to deliver a letter to Krishna. Rukmini had crafted a plan for her abduction. In the letter, she told Krishna that she would visit the temple of Goddess Ambika (Parvati) on the day before her wedding and this was a perfect opportunity to abduct her. Krishna, having received the message in Dwarka, told the brahmin to inform Rukmini that he had also heard about her intelligence and beauty and was ready to make her his wife. Krishna then immediately set out for Vidarbha with Balarama, his elder brother.
Meanwhile, in Vidarbha's capital Kundali, Bhishmaka had prepared everything for Rukmini's marriage. Shishupala, along with Jarasandha and his allies, reached there. Krishna and Balaram had also arrived and Bhishmaka—unaware of the abduction plan—welcomed him. However, Jarasandha felt that Krishna would certainly come to snatch Rukmini away and prepared his army. At the palace, Rukmini had lost her hopes, but the brahmana messenger came and informed that Krishna had accepted her request. She went to the temple to offer her prayers to Goddess Ambika, the kuldevta (family deity) of her family. As she stepped out, she saw Krishna and he soon swept her into his chariot with him. They both started to ride off when others noticed them. All of Jarasandha's forces quickly started chasing them, but they were stopped by Balarama and his army. However, Rukmi chased after Krishna and Rukmini. He challenged Krishna for a fight, but was easily overpowered by Krishna. Rukmini begged to Krishna to spare her brother's life and he agreed. However, he shaved Rukmi's hair and moustache as a mark of punishment and let him go free. Krishna and Rukmini reached Dvarka, where they were welcomed with great pomp and ceremony. A wedding was then conducted.
Children
The Bhagavata Purana states that Rukmini and Krishna had ten sons—Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Charudeha, Sucharu, Charugupta, Bhadracharu, Charuchandra, Vicharu and Charu. Of them, Pradyumna was the crown prince of Dwaraka. A different listing is found in the Mahabharata, where the names of Rukmini's children are Charudeshna, Sucharu, Charuvesa, Yasodhana, Charusravas, Charuyasas, Pradyumna and Sambhu.
Marital life
Though Krishna married many other women, Rukmini remained his chief consort and the queen of Dvarka. Many scriptures and folktales mention that Satyabhama, Krishna's another wife, was jealous of her and used to quarrel a lot.
This story is absent in the main scriptures pertaining to Krishna's life. According to a folktale of Odisha, The Tulabharam is an incident in the life of Rukmini, that reveals the extent to which humble devotion is worth more than material wealth. Satyabhama, another queen of Krishna, prides herself on the love Krishna has for her and her grasp over his heart. Rukmini, on the other hand, is a devoted wife, humble in her service of her Lord. Her devotion is her real inner beauty. On one occasion, sage Narada arrived in Dwaraka and in the course of conversation hinted to Satyabhama that the love that Krishna exhibits towards her is not all that real and in fact, it is Rukmini who has real control over his heart. Unable to bear this, Satyabhama challenges Narada to prove it. Narada, with his way with words, tricked her into accepting a Vrata (ritual) where she has to give Krishna away in charity to Narada and reclaim him by giving the weight of Krishna in wealth. Narada lures her into accepting this vrata by telling her that Krishna's love for her will increase many folds if she succeeds in performing this Tulabharam. He also instigates her ego by hinting that her wealth may not be sufficient to equal the weight of Krishna. With Satyabhama's ego duly raised, she tells Narada that she can mobilize so much wealth that it is a child's play for her to outweigh Krishna. Narada warns her that if she is not able to do this, Krishna will become his slave to be done with as he pleases.
The scene is soon set for the vrata. Satyabhama gives Krishna away in charity in spite of the other wives' pleadings. Krishna, always the mischievous cowherd, meekly submits to this drama. After donating Krishna to Narada, Satyabhama arranges for a big scale to be put up and sends with all assurance for her huge treasure of gold and jewelry. All that she has is soon put on the scale, but it doesn't budge. Narada starts taunting her and threatening her that if she can't put enough gold or diamonds, he will be forced to auction Krishna as a slave to someone else. Satyabhama, in frantic panic, swallows her pride and begs all the other wives to give their jewels. They agree out of love for Krishna but alas, it is of no use.
Krishna remains a mute witness to all this drama and rubs salt into the open wounds of Satyabhama's ego that the king of Dwaraka will now become a slave to some rishi and will have to suffer the separation from his dear wife. Narada suggests to Satyabhama that Rukmini may be able to get her out of the predicament. She finally swallows her pride and appeals to the devoted first wife of Krishna. Rukmini comes and with a prayer to her husband puts a single leaf of the sacred Tulasi on the scale (Tula). The scales then become all at once so heavy that even after removing all the jewels, the scales are weighed down on the side of the Tulasi leaf.
While there are different versions in different texts as to why the weighing was arranged, the story of the Tulsi leaf placed by Rukmini being worth more in weight than that of Satyabhama's wealth is a common ending. This story is often repeated to enunciate the significance of Tulsi and how a humble offering to God is greater than any material wealth.
Sudama
Another well-known incident in Rukmini's married life is when Krishna's childhood friend, Sudama, visited Dwarka. Rukmini welcomed Sudama and gave him food. She and Krishna fanned him as he rested from his long journey. This type of devotion is a characteristic of Rukmini, that was very prevalent.
Death
After the disappearance of Krishna, after the Yadu massacre, Rukmini along with Jambavati ascends herself on a pyre.
Worship and influence
Rukmini is mainly worshipped in west and south Indian states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. Rukmini's kingdom, Vidarbha, is believed to be located in the present day Maharashtra. Along with Vitthala (a regional form of Krishna), Rukmini is worshipped as "Rukhamai" in Pandharpur region.
The Mishmi people of Arunanchal Pradesh believe that Rukmini belonged to their tribe. The plays and dances on ‘Rukmini Haran’ are common. There is a legend that Lord Krishna asked the Mishmi people to cut their hair as a form of punishment for not allowing him to marry Rukmini. Due to this Idu-Mishmi people are also called "chulikata" (chuli-hair, kata- cut).
In 1480, Rukmini Devi's servant messenger is believed to have appeared in this world as Vadirajatirtha (1480–1600), the greatest saint in the Madhvacharya tradition. He composed a famous work Rukminishavijaya glorifying Rukmini and Krishna in 1240 verses spread over 19 chapters.
Kantanagar Temple, commonly known as Kantaji Temple or Kantajew Temple at Kantanagar, is a late-medieval Hindu temple in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The Kantajew Temple is one of the most magnificent religious edifices belonging to the 18th century. This beautiful temple is dedicated to Krishna and his wife Rukmini Built by Maharaja Pran Nath, its construction started in 1704 CE and ended in the reign of his son Raja Ramnath in 1722 CE. It boasts one of the greatest examples of terracotta architecture in Bangladesh and once had nine spires, but all were destroyed in an earthquake that took place in 1897.
Rukmini is believed to have been born on eighth day of the month of Pausha Krishna Paksha and this day is celebrated as Rukmini Janmashtami.
In Jagannath Puri she is worshipped as Suvarnlaxmi or Shridevi, her marriage with Lord Jagannath (Krishna) is celebrated. Hera Panchami festival is dedicated to her.
References
- ^ Monier-Williams, Monier (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Clarendon. p. 847.
- Chandra, Suresh (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7625-039-9.
- ^ Louis-Frédéric (1977). Encyclopaedia of Asian Civilizations: N-R. L. Frédéric. p. 492. ISBN 978-2-85893-050-0.
- ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. p. 657.
- ^ "CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO". vedabase.io. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Pattanaik, Devdutt (1 July 2018). Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5305-100-6.
- ^ Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kathiawar (Public Domain text). Vol. VIII. Printed at the Government Central Press, Bombay. 1884. pp. 380–381.
- Sinha, Purnendu Narayana (1950). A Study of the Bhagavata Purana: Or, Esoteric Hinduism. Library of Alexandria. ISBN 978-1-4655-2506-2.
- "The Mahabharata, Book 13: Anusasana Parva: Anusasanika Parva: Section XIV". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- Vemsani, Lavanya (13 June 2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
- Pattanaik, Devdutt (September 2000). The Goddess in India: The Five Faces of the Eternal Feminine. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. ISBN 978-0-89281-807-5.
- Mani 1975, p. 437.
- Dio Mahabharate. „Rukmini, the princess of Gandhara, Saivya, Haimavati, and queen Jamvabati ascended the funeral pyre.”
- Pillai, S. Devadas (1997). Indian Sociology Through Ghurye, a Dictionary. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7154-807-1.
- Roychowdhury, Adrija (29 March 2018). "Fact Check: Did Rukmini come from Arunachal Pradesh? Here is what we know". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
Bibliography
- Rajachudamani Dikshita; English introduction, P.P. Subramanya Sastry (1920). Rukmini Kalyanam (Sanskrit). Sri Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam.
External links
| Hindu deities and texts | ||
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| Gods |  | |
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| Other deities | ||
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| Krishna | ||
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