| Rukmini | |
|---|---|
12th–13th century sculpture of Rukmini from Tamil Nadu. | |
| Other names | Dwarkeshvari,Vaidarbhi, Bhaishmi, Rakhumai |
| Devanagri | रूक्मिणी |
| Affiliation | Incarnation of Lakshmi, Devi, Ashtabharya |
| Abode | Dvārakā, Pandharpur, Vaikuntha |
| Texts | Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharat, Harivamsa, Rukminisha Vijaya, Skanda Purana |
| Festivals | Rukmini Ashtami, Rukmini Dwadashi |
| Personal information | |
| Born | |
| Died | |
| Parents |
|
| Siblings | Rukmi and four other brothers |
| Consort | Krishna (Vithoba) |
| Children | |
| Dynasty | Vrishni (by marriage) |
Rukmini (Sanskrit: रुक्मिणी, IAST: Rukmini, lit. 'radiant or adorned with gold') is a Hindu Goddess and the first queen consort of Krishna—an incarnation of Vishnu. She is considered as the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.
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 Vithoba (a regional form of Krishna) and call her Rakhumai.[1] In South India, she is worshipped along with Krishna and his co-wife Satyabhama.
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The name Rukmini is derived from the Sanskrit word Rukma which means 'Radiant', 'Clear' or 'Bright'.[2] The name can also mean 'decorated with gold ornaments'.[3][2] Other names and epithets include:
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 Goddess Lakshmi, the wife of the God Vishnu.[5]
The Bhagavata Purana narrates that Rukmini once heard about Krishna and 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 his friend Shishupala—the crown prince of Chedi Kingdom and a cousin of Krishna.[5][6][a] Bhishmaka agreed and a distressed Rukmini immediately sent for a trusted Brahmina and asked him to deliver a message to Krishna.[5] In the message, she told Krishna about her love and asked him to abduct her when she would visit the temple of Goddess Ambika (Parvati) before her wedding. Krishna, having received the message in Dvarka, told the brahmin to inform Rukmini that he had also heard about her and was ready to make her his wife. Krishna then immediately set out for Vidarbha with Balaram, his elder brother.[6]
Meanwhile, in Vidarbha's capital Kundina, Bhishmaka had prepared everything for Rukmini's marriage. Shishupala, along with his allies including Jarasandha reached there. Krishna and Balaram had also arrived and Bhishmaka welcomed them. At the palace, Rukmini had lost her hopes, but the brahmana messenger came and informed that Krishna had accepted her request. The next day, she went to the temple to offer her prayers to Ambika. As she proceeded towards the wedding place, she saw Krishna and he soon swept her into his chariot with him. All of Jarasandha's forces quickly started chasing them, but they were stopped by Balarama and his army.[7] However, Rukmi chased after Krishna and Rukmini.[8] He challenged Krishna for a fight, but was easily overpowered by him. Rukmini begged 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.[7][5][8]
The Bhagavata Purana states that Rukmini and Krishna had ten sons—Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Charudeha, Sucharu, Charugupta, Bhadracharu, Charuchandra, Vicharu and Charu.[5][9] In the Harivamsa, Rukmini's sons are Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Charuchandra, Charugarbha, Sudangstra, Druma, Sushena, Charugupta, Charuvinda and Chharuvahu. A different listing is found in Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata, where Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Sucharu, Charuvesa, Yasodhana, Charusravas, Charuyasas and Sambhu are Rukmini's sons.[5][10] These scriptures also mention that Rukmini had a daughter named Charumati.[11]
Though Krishna married many other women, Rukmini remained his chief consort and the queen of Dwarka. Many scriptures have mentioned that Rukmini and other wives of Krishna lived like sisters.
According to a folktale of Odisha, the divine-sage Narada once arrived in Dwaraka and asked for Krishna to be given to him as alms. Krishna's queens requested him to take anything else and Narada asked them to give wealth equal to Krishna's weight. They arranged for a big scale (Tulabharama) to be put up. Satyabhama put all of her coins, gems and jewellery on the scale, but it doesn't budge. Other wives gave their jewels, but it was of no use. At last, Rukmini came and put a single leaf of Tulsi on the scale and chanted that it represented her love for Krishna. The scales then became balanced. Though this story is absent in the main scriptures pertaining to Krishna's life, it is often repeated to enunciate the worth of Rukmini's love over Satyabhama's material wealth. The only known versions of this story are from Padma Puran and Devi Bhagwat Puran, where Satyabhama succeeds in weighing Krishna normally with gold items.
In the Bhagavata Puran, another well-known incident in Rukmini's married life is narrated. 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.[12]
After the disappearance of Krishna, after the Yadu massacre, Rukmini along with Jambavati ascends herself on a pyre.[13][14]
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 Vithoba (a regional form of Krishna), Rukmini is worshipped as "Rukhamai" in Pandharpur region.[15][7] She is also worshipped in Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple as the chief goddess, with Krishna being the primary deity.
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 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).[16]
In 1480, Vadiraja Tirtha (1480–1600), one of the prominent saints in the Tattvavada tradition of Sri Madhvacharya has composed a famous work Rukminisha Vijaya glorifying Rukmini and Krishna in 1241 verses spread over 19 chapters.[17]
The 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.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
