Editing Rukmini (section)

===Marriage to Krishna===
[[File:Krsna Takes Rukmini Away from Devi Shrine.jpg|thumb|A painting depicting Rukmini eloping with Krishna from a temple of Ambika ([[Parvati]]).]]

In the [[Harivamsa]], a supplement to Mahabharata, (Vishnu Parva, Chapter 59, Verse 35-40), it is stated about Rukmini that {{block quote|"Her lips, eyes and the corners were coppery, thighs, hips and breast were plump, her body was tall but thin and beautiful; her countenance was like the moon, her nails were red; eye-brows were charming, hairs were curling and black and her beauty was highly picturesque. Her face was beautified by rows of equal and white teeth."<ref>{{Cite web |title=A PROSE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF HARIVAMSHA. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/61937/61937-h/61937-h.htm#chapter-cxvvi-an-account-of-rukshmi-krishna-takes-away-rukshmini |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.gutenberg.org}}</ref>{{secondary source needed|date=November 2024}}}} However, according to another translation of the [[Harivamsa Purana]] text by [[Gita Press]] in Hindi, Rukimini's age when Krishna first sees her and later elopes with her she is described as being sixteen in the commentary and the translation but this is not stated in the original [[Sanskrit]] text. According to the [[Skanda Purana]], Rukmini was eight years old when she married Krishna. Her father had a dream when his daughter was born she would marry a being with four arms when Rukmini was eight he had announced that she was ready for marriage, and that she was set to marry [[Shishupala]] the crown prince of [[Chedi Kingdom|Chedi]], but Rukmini did not wish to marry [[Shishupala]] this is when she wrote a letter to [[Krishna]] to save her. It was during this time that [[Krishna]] came and eloped with and then married her.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2020-10-22 |title=The Greatness of Rukmiṇī Tīrtha [Chapter 142] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc425871.html |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Harivamsha Purana (Supplement to Mahabharata)|url=https://archive.org/details/harivamshapurana/page/n466/mode/1up|year=2014|publisher=Gita Press|pages=1169}}</ref> {{secondary source needed|date=November 2024}}

According to another translation of the [[Harivamsha Purana]] by [[Manmatha Nath Dutt]], Rukimini's age is not stated. {{block quote|"Krishna saw, near the temple, Rukshmini, the best of beauties, like unto the burning flame of fire, as if she were the goddess of illusions descended on earth, or the goddess earth herself coming out of the nether region, or the very goddess Shri (the goddess of prosperity) the foremost of damsels, gentle like the rays of the moon, and separated from her lotus, coming down on earth as his wife. That damsel of dark-blue hue and large eyes, Rukshmini, was seated on a car. And though the gods even could not see her with their mind Krishna could see her. Her lips, eyes and the corners were coppery, thighs, hips and breast were plump, her body was tall but thin and beautiful; her countenance was like the moon, her nails were red; eye-brows were charming, hairs were curling and black and her beauty was highly picturesque. Her face was beautified by rows of equal and white teeth. Seeing the beautiful Rukshmini, the foremost of damsels, clad in a blue raiment, matchless in the world at that time for her beauty, fame and grace Krishna’s desire grew powerful like fire to which clarified butter is offered and his mind was attracted by her. Thereupon consulting with Rama before the Vrishnis he made up his mind for stealing her away." (Vishnu Parva, Chapter 60, Verse 35-44)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/harivamsha-purana-dutt/d/doc485601.html | title=An Account of Rukshmi: Krishna Takes Away Rukshmini &#91;Chapter 60&#93; | date=14 November 2020 }}</ref>}}

It is stated in the [[Brahma Vaivarta Purana]] (Krishna Janma Khanda, Chapter 105, Verses 9–14) she had reached [[puberty]] and was ready for marriage according to her father.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.veducation.world/library/Sastra-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0/purana/brahma-vaivarta-purana/brahma-vaivarta-purana-english | title=Veducation Library : Read Sanatan Shastras Online }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Brahma Vaivarta Purana|url=https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation/page/648/mode/2up|year=2003|publisher=Chaukamba Publications|pages=648}}</ref> {{secondary source needed|date=November 2024}}

In the [[Bhagavata Purana]] (Dasama Skandha, Chapter 53, Verse 51), she has been described as having budding breasts.<ref>{{cite book|title=Shrimad Bhagavata Purana (Nepali)|url=https://archive.org/details/shreemad-bhagwat-mahapuran/page/n4491/mode/2up|year=1955|publisher=Gita Press|pages=4492}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Shrimad Bhagavatam|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/10/53/51-55/|date=1970|publisher=Bhaktivedanta Book Trust|page=4491}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/ | title=Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-bhagavata-purana | title=Bhagavata Purana | date=27 May 2022 }}</ref>{{secondary source needed|date=November 2024}}

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. The episode of ''Rukmini Kalyanam,'' and the devotion of Rukmini towards her desired husband is narrated by the sage [[Shuka]] to King [[Parikshit]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&dq=rukmini+purana&pg=PA29 |title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated |date=1982 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0151-2 |pages=29 |language=en}}</ref>

Rukmini's parents rejoiced and gave their permission, but Rukmi – who was an ally of Jarasandha – strongly opposed it. Instead, he proposed that she marry his friend [[Shishupala]]— the crown prince of [[Chedi Kingdom]], and a cousin of Krishna.<ref name="Mani" /><ref name="Ch51">{{Cite web|title=CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/10/52/|access-date=2021-06-14|website=vedabase.io|language=en}}</ref>{{efn|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 [[Brahmin]] and asked him to deliver a message to [[Krishna]].<ref name="Mani" /> In the message, she wrote to Krishna about her love and asked him to abduct her when she visited the temple of Goddess [[Ambika (goddess)|Ambika]] ([[Parvati]]) before her wedding. Krishna, having received the message in [[Dvārakā|Dvaraka]], told the messenger to inform Rukmini that he had received her letter and would come to make her his wife. Krishna then immediately set out for Vidarbha with [[Balarama]], his elder brother.<ref name="Ch51" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&dq=rukmini+purana&pg=PA29 |title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated |date=1982 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0151-2 |pages=32 |language=en}}</ref>

Meanwhile, in Vidarbha's capital [[Kundina]], Bhishmaka had prepared for Rukmini's marriage. Rukmini grew anxious as she observed the host of kings, wondering if the Brahmin she had dispatched had not reached safely or not, and if the Almighty would assist her in her efforts. Her face grew pale and her thoughts grew distressed as she shunned herself from the rest of the world. Her sorrow of Krishna not having yet arrived to marry her yet was so immense that she refused to eat, sing to her parrot, or play her lyre.<ref name="Ayyar 1982 332"/> Shishupala, along with his allies including Jarasandha had arrived. Krishna and Balarama had also arrived, and Bhishmaka welcomed them. At the palace, Rukmini had lost all hope, but the messenger turned up and informed that Krishna had accepted her request. The next day, she went to the temple to offer her prayers to [[Ambika (goddess)|Ambika]]. As she proceeded towards the wedding venue, 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 repulsed by Balarama and his army.<ref name = "Shyam" />
<!---In an account slightly differing from that of the [[Bhagavat Purana]], in the play "Rukmini Horon" by the 15th-century [[Assamese Language|Assamese]] playwright [[Sankardev|Srimanta Sankaradeva]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Neog|first=Maheswar|title=Early History of the Vaiṣṇava Faith and Movement in Assam: Śaṅkaradeva and His Times|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|year=1980|location=Delhi|pages=162–207}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajan|first=Anjana|date=10 November 2017|title=Beyond the nine rasas|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/beyond-the-nine-rasas/article20033870.ece|access-date=22 May 2021}}</ref> [[Uddhava]] too accompanies Krishna in his campaign."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kashyap|first=Uruli|date=10 September 2018|title=''Rukmini Horon natot natyokar Srimanta Sankardevor moulikota''|url=https://nilacharai.com/rukmini-haran-naatat-srimanta-sankardevar-moulikata/|url-status=live|access-date=22 May 2021|website=Nila Charai}}</ref>--->
Rukmi chased after Krishna and Rukmini.<ref name="bg">{{cite book|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kathiawar (Public Domain text)|url=https://archive.org/details/1884GazetteerByBombayPresidencyVol8Kathiawar349D|year=1884|publisher=Printed at the Government Central Press, Bombay|volume=VIII|pages=380–381}}</ref> He challenged Krishna to a fight, but was easily overpowered by the former. Rukmini begged Krishna to spare her brother's life, and the latter agreed. However, he shaved Shishupala's hair and moustache as a mark of punishment, and let him go free. Krishna and Rukmini reached Dvaraka, where they were welcomed with great pomp and ceremony, followed by a wedding.

[[File:Indian School, late 18th century - The marriage of Krishna and Rukmini. - RCIN 1005113.w - Royal Collection.jpg|thumb|upright|Late 18th century painting of the wedding of [[Krishna]] and Rukmini]]