Rukmi's Death at the Dice-Game

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.28.1)

पराशर उवाच । चारुदेष्णं सुदेष्णं च चारुदेहं च वीर्यवान् । सुषेणं चारुगुप्तं च भद्रचारुं तथा परम्

parāśara uvāca cārudeṣṇaṁ sudeṣṇaṁ ca cārudehaṁ ca vīryavān suṣeṇaṁ cāruguptaṁ ca bhadracāruṁ tathā param

Parashara said: Upon Rukmini the mighty Krishna begot these sons — Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Charudeha, Sushena, Charugupta, and excellent Bhadracharu —

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.28.2)

चारुविन्दं सुचारुं च चारुं च बलिनां वरम् । रुक्मिण्य् अजनयत् पुत्रान् कन्यां चारुमतीं तथा

cāruvindaṁ sucāruṁ ca cāruṁ ca balināṁ varam rukmiṇy ajanayat putrān kanyāṁ cārumatīṁ tathā

— Charuvinda, Sucharu, and Charu, foremost among the mighty — and also a daughter, Charumati.

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.28.3)

अन्याश्च भार्याः कृष्णस्य बभूवुः सप्त शोभनाः । कालिन्दी मित्रविन्दा च सत्या नाग्नजिती तथा

anyāśca bhāryāḥ kṛṣṇasya babhūvuḥ sapta śobhanāḥ kālindī mitravindā ca satyā nāgnajitī tathā

Krishna had seven other beautiful wives as well: Kalindi, Mitravinda, Satya, Nagnajiti,

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.28.4)

देवी जाम्बवती चापि रोहिणी कामरूपिणी । मद्रराजसुता चान्या सुशीला शीलमण्डना

devī jāmbavatī cāpi rohiṇī kāmarūpiṇī madrarājasutā cānyā suśīlā śīlamaṇḍanā

and queen Jambavati, and Rohini who could assume any form at will, and yet another — the virtuous daughter of the king of Madra, an ornament of good conduct —

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.28.5)

सात्राजिती सत्यभामा लक्ष्मणा चारुहासिनी । षोडशासन् सहस्राणि स्त्रीणाम् अन्यानि चक्रिणः

sātrājitī satyabhāmā lakṣmaṇā cāruhāsinī ṣoḍaśāsan sahasrāṇi strīṇām anyāni cakriṇaḥ

Satrajiti's daughter Satyabhama, and sweet-smiling Lakshmana. Besides these, the wheel-bearing Krishna had sixteen thousand other wives.

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.28.6)

प्रद्युम्नोऽपि महावीर्यो रुक्मिणस्तनयां शुभाम् । स्वयंवरस्थां जग्राह सा च तं तनयं हरेः

pradyumno'pi mahāvīryo rukmiṇastanayāṁ śubhām svayaṁvarasthāṁ jagrāha sā ca taṁ tanayaṁ hareḥ

The mighty Pradyumna likewise won Rukmi's fair daughter at her svayamvara, and she in turn chose him, the son of Hari, as her husband.

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.28.7)

तस्याम् अस्याभवत् पुत्रो महाबलपराक्रमः । अनिरुद्धो रणे रुद्धो वीर्योदधिररिंदमः

tasyām asyābhavat putro mahābalaparākramaḥ aniruddho raṇe ruddho vīryodadhirariṁdamaḥ

From her he had a son of immense strength and valor — Aniruddha, never checked in battle, an ocean of prowess, a tamer of foes.

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.28.8)

तस्यापि रुक्मिणः पौत्रीं वरयाम् आस केशवः । दौहित्राय ददौ रुक्मी तां स्पर्धन्न् अपि शौरिणा

tasyāpi rukmiṇaḥ pautrīṁ varayām āsa keśavaḥ dauhitrāya dadau rukmī tāṁ spardhann api śauriṇā

Keshava then sought, for Aniruddha, the hand of that same Rukmi's granddaughter — and Rukmi, though still rivalrous toward the Shaurin, gave her to his own daughter's son.

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.28.9)

तस्या विवाहे रामाद्या यादवा हरिणा सह । रुक्मिणो नगरं जग्मुर्नाम्ना भोजकटं द्विज

tasyā vivāhe rāmādyā yādavā hariṇā saha rukmiṇo nagaraṁ jagmurnāmnā bhojakaṭaṁ dvija

For that wedding, O twice-born, Balarama and the other Yadavas, together with Hari, journeyed to Rukmi's city, named Bhojakata.

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.28.10)

विवाहे तत्र निर्वृत्ते प्राद्युम्नेः सुमहात्मनः । कलिङ्गराजप्रमुखा रुक्मिणं वाक्यम् अब्रुवन्

vivāhe tatra nirvṛtte prādyumneḥ sumahātmanaḥ kaliṅgarājapramukhā rukmiṇaṁ vākyam abruvan

When there the wedding of Pradyumna's great-souled son had been completed, the kings led by the king of Kalinga said this to Rukmi:

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.28.11)

अनक्षज्ञो हली द्यूते तथास्य व्यसनं महत् । न जयामो बलं कस्माद् द्यूते नैनं महाद्युते

anakṣajño halī dyūte tathāsya vyasanaṁ mahat na jayāmo balaṁ kasmād dyūte nainaṁ mahādyute

'Balarama does not know the game of dice, and that is a great weakness of his. O illustrious one, why should we not defeat Bala at dice?'

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.28.12)

पराशर उवाच । तथेति तान् आह नृपान् रुक्मी बलसमन्वितः । सभायां सह रामेण चक्रे द्यूतं च वै तदा

parāśara uvāca tatheti tān āha nṛpān rukmī balasamanvitaḥ sabhāyāṁ saha rāmeṇa cakre dyūtaṁ ca vai tadā

Parashara said: 'So be it,' Rukmi told those kings, and then, in the assembly hall, he played at dice with Bala.

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.28.13)

सहस्रम् एकं निष्काणां रुक्मिणा विजितो बलः । द्वितीयेऽपि पणे चान्यत् सहस्रं रुक्मिणा जितः

sahasram ekaṁ niṣkāṇāṁ rukmiṇā vijito balaḥ dvitīye'pi paṇe cānyat sahasraṁ rukmiṇā jitaḥ

Rukmi defeated Bala for a stake of one thousand nishkas [gold coins]; in a second wager too, Rukmi defeated him for another thousand.

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.28.14)

ततो दशसहस्राणि निष्काणां पणम् आददे । बलभद्रोऽजयत् तानि रुक्मी द्यूतविदां वरः

tato daśasahasrāṇi niṣkāṇāṁ paṇam ādade balabhadro'jayat tāni rukmī dyūtavidāṁ varaḥ

Then Balabhadra staked ten thousand nishkas — and Rukmi, foremost among masters of dice, won that stake as well.

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.28.15)

ततो जहास स्वनवत् कलिङ्गाधिपतिर्द्विज । दन्तान् विदर्शयन् मूढो रुक्मी चाह मदोद्धतः

tato jahāsa svanavat kaliṅgādhipatirdvija dantān vidarśayan mūḍho rukmī cāha madoddhataḥ

Then, O twice-born, the lord of Kalinga laughed loudly, foolishly baring his teeth, and Rukmi, swollen with pride, said:

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.28.16)

अविद्योऽयं मया द्यूते बलदेवः पराजितः । मुधैवाक्षावलेपान्धो योऽवमेनेऽक्षकोविदान्

avidyo'yaṁ mayā dyūte baladevaḥ parājitaḥ mudhaivākṣāvalepāndho yo'vamene'kṣakovidān

'This ignorant Baladeva has been defeated by me at dice — blinded in vain by pride in his own play, he who once scorned the masters of the game.'

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.28.17)

दृष्ट्वा कलिङ्गराजानं प्रकाशदशनाननम् । रुक्मिणं चापि दुर्वाक्यं कोपं चक्रे हलायुधः

dṛṣṭvā kaliṅgarājānaṁ prakāśadaśanānanam rukmiṇaṁ cāpi durvākyaṁ kopaṁ cakre halāyudhaḥ

Seeing the king of Kalinga baring his teeth, and hearing Rukmi's harsh words as well, Halayudha grew angry.

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.28.18)

ततः कोपपरीतात्मा निष्ककोटिं हलायुधः । ग्लहं जग्राह रुक्मी च तदर्थेऽक्षान् अपातयत्

tataḥ kopaparītātmā niṣkakoṭiṁ halāyudhaḥ glahaṁ jagrāha rukmī ca tadarthe'kṣān apātayat

Then Halayudha, overcome with anger, staked a crore of nishkas, and for that wager Rukmi cast the dice.

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.28.19)

अजयद् बलदेवस्तं प्राहोच्चैस्तं जितं मया । मयेति रुक्मी प्राहोच्चैरलीकोक्तैरलं बल

ajayad baladevastaṁ prāhoccaistaṁ jitaṁ mayā mayeti rukmī prāhoccairalīkoktairalaṁ bala

Baladeva won, and cried out loudly, 'I have won it!' But Rukmi, with a false claim, cried out just as loudly, 'No — by me! Enough, Bala!'

Verse 20 (vishnu.5.28.20)

त्वयोक्तोऽयं ग्लहः सत्यं न मयैषोऽनुमोदितः । एवं त्वया चेद् विजितं मया न विजितं कथम्

tvayokto'yaṁ glahaḥ satyaṁ na mayaiṣo'numoditaḥ evaṁ tvayā ced vijitaṁ mayā na vijitaṁ katham

'This wager was indeed proposed by you, but I never agreed to it. If you can claim to have won in this way, then why have I not won as well?'

Verse 21 (vishnu.5.28.21)

पराशर उवाच । अथान्तरिक्षे वाग् उच्चैः प्राह गम्भीरनादिनी । बलदेवस्य तं कोपं वर्धयन्ती महात्मनः

parāśara uvāca athāntarikṣe vāg uccaiḥ prāha gambhīranādinī baladevasya taṁ kopaṁ vardhayantī mahātmanaḥ

Parashara said: Then, from the sky, a deep, resounding voice spoke aloud, further stoking the great-souled Baladeva's anger:

Verse 22 (vishnu.5.28.22)

जितं बलेन धर्मेण रुक्मिणा भाषितं मृषा । अनुक्त्वापि वचः किंचित् कृतं भवति कर्मणा

jitaṁ balena dharmeṇa rukmiṇā bhāṣitaṁ mṛṣā anuktvāpi vacaḥ kiṁcit kṛtaṁ bhavati karmaṇā

'It was justly won by Bala; Rukmi has spoken falsely. Even without a word being said, the deed itself settles the matter.'

Verse 23 (vishnu.5.28.23)

ततो बलः समुत्थाय कोपसंरक्तलोचनः । जघानाष्टापदेनैव रुक्मिणं स महाबलः

tato balaḥ samutthāya kopasaṁraktalocanaḥ jaghānāṣṭāpadenaiva rukmiṇaṁ sa mahābalaḥ

Then Bala, rising up, his eyes red with fury, that mighty one struck Rukmi down with the very gaming-board itself.

Verse 24 (vishnu.5.28.24)

कलिङ्गराजं चादाय विस्फुरन्तं बलाद् बलः । बभञ्ज दन्तान् कुपितो यैः प्रकाशं जहास सः

kaliṅgarājaṁ cādāya visphurantaṁ balād balaḥ babhañja dantān kupito yaiḥ prakāśaṁ jahāsa saḥ

And seizing the king of Kalinga, who writhed in his grasp, the enraged Bala forcibly broke the very teeth with which he had laughed so openly.

Verse 25 (vishnu.5.28.25)

आकृष्य च महास्तम्भं जातरूपमयं बलः । जघान येऽन्ये तत्पक्षाः भूभृतः कुपितो बलः

ākṛṣya ca mahāstambhaṁ jātarūpamayaṁ balaḥ jaghāna ye'nye tatpakṣāḥ bhūbhṛtaḥ kupito balaḥ

Then, tearing up a great golden pillar, the enraged Bala struck down the other kings as well who had sided with Rukmi.

Verse 26 (vishnu.5.28.26)

ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं पलायनपरं द्विज । तद् राजमण्डलं सर्वं बभूव कुपिते बले

tato hāhākṛtaṁ sarvaṁ palāyanaparaṁ dvija tad rājamaṇḍalaṁ sarvaṁ babhūva kupite bale

Then, O twice-born, with Bala so enraged, that entire assembly of kings cried out in dismay and fled.

Verse 27 (vishnu.5.28.27)

बलेन निहतं श्रुत्वा रुक्मिणं मधुसूदनः । नोवाच किंचिन् मैत्रेय रुक्मिणीबलयोर्भयात्

balena nihataṁ śrutvā rukmiṇaṁ madhusūdanaḥ novāca kiṁcin maitreya rukmiṇībalayorbhayāt

Hearing that Rukmi had been slain by Bala, Madhusudana, O Maitreya, said nothing at all — out of regard for both Rukmini and Bala.

Verse 28 (vishnu.5.28.28)

ततोऽनिरुद्धम् आदाय कृतोद्वाहं द्विजोत्तम । द्वारकाम् आजगामाथ यदुचक्रं स केशवः

tato'niruddham ādāya kṛtodvāhaṁ dvijottama dvārakām ājagāmātha yaducakraṁ sa keśavaḥ

Then, O foremost of the twice-born, Keshava, taking the newly-married Aniruddha with him, returned to Dvaraka together with the whole company of Yadavas.