Chapter 142 - The Greatness of Rukmiṇī Tīrtha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-7. Thereafter, O great king, a person should go to the excellent Rukmiṇī Tīrtha. By taking the holy bath only therein, one shall become handsome and fortunate.

If a devotee takes his holy bath on the eighth, fourteenth or the third lunar day in particular, he will never be born here again.

He who takes his holy bath and makes the gift of gold, will never incur sorrow due to the power of that Tīrtha.

Yudhiṣṭhira said:

O great sage, how did this Tīrtha come to possess such a great efficacy? Kindly tell me how this Tīrtha became capable of according beauty and good fortune.

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

O descendant of Bharata, I shall recount the old legend in the manner it occurred and also as traditionally narrated by elders from early days. That I shall recount to you. Listen with concentration of mind.

Bhīṣmaka was a ruler of the city named Kuṇḍina.^[1] He was richly endowed with horses, elephants and chariots. He was wealthy and very powerful. Shining in the midst of a thousand women, he administered the splendid kingdom.

8-15. Mahādevī (‘great queen’) was his wife dear to him more than his own very vital breaths. He begot of her a son named Rukmaka.

The second child born was a daughter named Rukmiṇī. At that time an unembodied etherial voice told him, “O Bhīsmaka, this girl should be given to a Four-armed One (born) on this earth.”

On hearing these words, he and his beloved became delighted. Along with learned Brāhmaṇas, he entered the lying-in-chamber and made them recite the Svastika prayers and the girl was duly named Rukmiṇī.

O descendant of Bharata, she was proclaimed Rukmiṇī by the Brāhmaṇas then because she had a freckle golden in colour congenitally.

As time passed on she became a girl of eight years. The king recollected the words of the unembodied being and became worried. ‘To whom shall I give this daughter? Who will be the four-armed one?’

In the meantime Damaghoṣa, the chieftain of Cedi came there from the excellent mountain Raivata^[2].

16-27. He entered the royal palace where King Bhīṣmaka was present. On seeing him arrived in the abode, the king duly adored him.

He was taken to the Royal Court and given a proper seat. ‘This day has dawned meritoriously. I was eager to see you. O great king, my daughter has come to the age of eight years. The ethereal voice of an unembodied being has told that she should be given to a Four-armed One”.

On hearing the words of Bhīṣmaka, Damaghoṣa said thus: “My son is well known in all the three worlds as Four-armed One (Caturbhujā). O Bhīṣmaka, let this girl be given to Śiśupāla.”

On hearing the words of Damaghoṣa, O king, Rukmiṇī was betrothed to Śiśupāla by Bhīṣmaka.

The auspicious ceremonial beginning was made by Bhīṣmaka, O Yudhiṣṭhira. All the kinsmen and members of the family who were staying in far-off countries in every direction, were invited and they duly arrived.

Then Bala and Keśava, the distinguished members of the Yādava clan, were also invited. They came to the city of Kuṇḍina of Bhīṣmaka. The most excellent scions of the family of Yadu were duly received and honoured by Bhīṣmaka.

At the time of dusk, Rukmiṇī, the bride of seductive charms, went out of the city accompanied by her female companions for the worship of Aṃbikā.

There she saw Hari, the Lord of Devas, in the guise of a cowherd. On seeing him, she was excited by the god of Love and became completely fascinated.

On seeing her, Keśava said to Saṅkarṣaṇa, “O dear brother, in my view the excellent jewel of a girl should be taken away.”

28-40. On hearing the words of Keśava, Saṅkarṣaṇa said: “Go ahead, O Kṛṣṇa, O mighty one. Let the jewel of a girl be seized quickly. I shall follow you closely behind causing much havoc unto all these demons.”

On getting the consent of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Keśava, the slayer of Keśin, seized the girl, immediately put her on the chariot and went off.

Setting off in quick speed like wind, O king, he went ahead. There arose a great hue and cry in the city of Bhīsmaka.

The enraged demons came out like billows (of flowtide) in the great ocean. All of them were perfectly armed and they roared as they ran after the chariot along the highway.

They overtook Baladeva who was following the chariot along the highway. A battle that threatened annihilation of all the worlds ensued between them and Bala, as in the case of an earlier well-known battle for Tārā (Bṛhaspati’s wife).

Wielding the club in his hand, Bala, the mighty one, had no match in all the three worlds. He forcefully dragged them by means of his ploughshare and struck them down with blows of the club.

The powerful Balabhadra could not be struck by the Dānavas. He smashed all the demons and stood there unshakeable like a mountain.

On seeing Bala much infuriated and unassailable even by gods, the highly refulgent son of Bhīṣmaka, the well-renowned warrior named Rukmin, took an Akṣauhiṇī (large divisions of chariots, horses etc.) of men of great heroism, attacked and tried to repulse Balabhadra.

Accompanied by Rukmiṇī Lord Keśava hurried along the path in the chariot dodging the arena of the battle.

Crossing Vindhya, the immutable preceptor of the three worlds came to the banks of Narmadā where he had earlier achieved perfection and invincibility by the power of this Tīrtha.

41-48. It is for this reason, O dear one, that it is called Yodhanīpura. Rukma (Rukmin) the leading Dānava too came to that excellent spot.

He furiously spoke (challengingly): “Stop! Stop! Do not go away. I shall despatch you unto the abode of Yama by means of sharp arrows.”

Both of those heroes roared like this against each other. Their fight became terrible like that between Tāraka and Skanda (who was born of Agni). The demon discharged volleys of arrows against Keśava. Ignoring them, Keśava, the slayer of Keśin, too discharged arrows against him.

The infuriated Rukma took up an excellent bow and pierced his chest with a sharp arrow. Thereupon Viṣṇu himself became furious, seized his discus Sudarśana and was about to hurl it at Rukma when he was restrained by Rukmiṇī.

“The fellow does not know you as the four-armed Janārdana, the Lord of Devas. Reveal your own real form taking pity on me.”

On being requested thus by Rukmiṇī, the Lord revealed his form, O descendant of Bharata. On seeing that form the Devas stationed in the sky began to eulogize. At that time, O descendant of Bharata, the Lord granted to Rukma the divine vision.

Rukma said:

49-57. O Lord Keśava, unlucky and sinful that I am, I had hit your chest with arrows. It behoves you to forgive me.

Formerly Jānakī was given over to you by Janaka himself. Now, O Lord of Devas, Rukmiṇī is offered unto you by me. Marry her duly in accordance with the injunctions.

On hearing the words of Rukma, the Preceptor of the universe became pleased. The Lord of the chiefs of Devas spoke thus to Rukmin, the son of Bhīṣmaka: “Go back to your own city. Do not be afraid. Rule the kingdom free from thorns (hindrances from enemies).”

On hearing the words of Keśava, Rukma, the leading Dānava^[3], bowed down to the Lord of the universe and went back to the abode of his father.

When Rukma went back Kṛṣṇa invited excellent Brāhmaṇas. They were the seven mental sons of Brahmā, namely Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasiṣṭha, the highly honoured one. These seven have been mentioned decisively in the Purāṇa.

O highly intelligent one, these sons of Brahmā are truthful, men of fortitude, great ones endowed with progeny. They were embellished by the great ones. They have come down to the banks of Narmadā to stay. They have conquered the sense-organs. They are engaged in penance and self-study of the Vedas. They are devoted to Japa and Homa.

58-67. They were invited, O great king, by the noble-souled Keśava. After duly performing the Śrāḍdha in accordance with the injunctions of Brahmā, Hari honoured those seven great Brāhmaṇa-sages.

Janārdana granted them twelve villages there. “The gift offered by me shall be yours as long as the moon and the sun shine and the earth remains. There shall never be any enemy. I shall bestow welfare on those kings of no sins, who will keep up what has been offered by me. I will grant them the greatest goal.

Those who preserve what has been given by me rejoice in heaven as long as the five great elements move about in the worlds.

A fool who deprives you of what has been given on the earth, will have to live invariably in Naraka until the annihilation of all living beings.

The earth has to be protected whether bequeathed by one’s own men or others. The benefit belongs to the person to whom the earth belongs for the nonce.

He who takes away the earth bequeathed by one’s own men or others, becomes a worm in faeces and sinks along with his Pitṛs (ancestors).

If the land is illegally confiscated or illegally caused to be confiscated, the primary confiscates and the other who caused it to be confiscated, are born as worms in faeces.

He who gifts a plot of land stays in heaven for sixty thousand years. The confiscator (usurper) and he who abets it, shall stay in Naraka for as many years.

68-79. Which gentle (good) man will take back the gifts made over earlier by leading men, causing religious merit, wealth and renown? They are on a par with the remnants of the offerings made unto a deity.”

In this manner the Slayer of Madhu honoured them duly and perfectly and then grasped the hand of Rukmiṇī in marriage.

After finishing his task splendidly i.e. after conquering the leading Dānavas, Musalin (i.e. Balarāma) came back to his abode. Both of them, Kṛṣṇa and Saṅkarṣaṇa, set off to Dvārakā.

On seeing Keśava, the destroyer of sufferings, going away, the truthful Brāhmaṇas of esteemed holy vows also started.

On seeing those Brāhmaṇas closely following the chariot along its path, Keśava stopped for a short while and spoke these words:

“O excellent Brāhmaṇas, speak out everything, what makes you come along? Your duty towards me yet remains. Do carry out your own tasks.”

On hearing the words of the Lord, the sages spoke thus: “You have been venerated by us with truthful mental fervour for thousands and crores of Kalpas. You are very difficult to be attained by men but attained (now) by us; why do you abandon us (summarily)?”

On hearing the words of the Brāhmaṇas, the Lord spoke thus: “This is the truth, the sole truth. Again and again I repeat this that I shall come on three occasions (everyday) to Mathurā, Dvārakā and Yodhanīpura.”

On hearing this, the Brāhmaṇas returned to Yodhanīpura. After manifesting himself in Mathurā, the Lord incarnate, manifested himself in three ways.

Thus everything past, present and future connected with the origin of the Tīrtha has been recounted to you. On hearing this, one is sure to be rid of all sins undoubtedly.

80-89. He who takes his holy bath there in that Tīrtha^[4] and worships Bala and Keśava has actually venerated the sustainer of the universe, the soul of three Guṇas.

A man who observes fast and then circumambulates it shall be liberated from all sins. No worry or hesitation be entertained in this respect.

Those men who see even the trees growing there in that Tīrtha are rid of sins though they may be as heinous as the sin of foeticide.

Those who see Bala and Keśava after getting up in the morning shall become equal to the Lord of Devas, the wielder of the discus. They are worthy of being adored, worthy of being bowed to. Their life is an excellent life.

O king, the Dāna, the holy bath and the adoration of the Lord there in that Tīrtha shall entirely be everlasting. So said Śaṅkara.

O excellent king, listen to the merit cited as accruing to those who die there entering fire. It shall be recounted completely.

They shall go to the palace of Agni-god by means of an aerial chariot shining with tinkling bells and solar splendour. He shall rejoice there for as much time as he pleases.

Those who die getting drowned in water within the precincts of Yodhanīpura shall stay in Varuṇa-Loka until the annihilation of all living beings.

If people die in that Tīrtha by ritualistic fast and starvation, O king, their departure shall be one without return. There is no hesitation or worry in this respect.

90-102. Listen to the benefit of this also, namely the excellent gift of a Kapilā (tawny-coloured) cow there at that Tīrtha in accordance with the injunctions.

They shall be honoured with the fulfilment of all their desires. They will rejoice in heaven for as many years as there are hairs on that cow and her calf.

He is honoured (in heaven) for as many years as there are hairs on the cow. After slipping down from heaven on the Trilokī (one of the three worlds) he shall be born in the family of those with plenty of cows.

He who gifts silver or gold there in that Tīrtha is transported to Viṣṇuloka in a golden aerial chariot and he is honoured there.

He who gifts a pair of sandals or garments there at that Tīrtha obtains the desired Svarga by the power of the gift.

There at that Tīrtha, one obtains by means of Gāyatrī, that benefit which is usually obtained by the study of the passages of Ṛk, Yajus and Sāmaveda.

Undoubtedly one obtains by merely bathing in that Tīrtha all the benefits of the following: the merit accruing from Prayāga, Gayā, Tripuṣkara, Kurukṣetra when the sun is swallowed by Rāhu, O great king, and the merit accruing from Someśvara at the time of a lunar eclipse.

If a man takes his holy bath on the twelfth lunar day and bows down tojanārdana, the Pitṛs are redeemed by him. The fruit of his birth has been obtained by him.

If someone feeds a single Brāhmaṇa there at the time of Saṅkrānti (Transit of the Sun), Vyatīpāta and particularly on the twelfth lunar day, it shall then become one on a par with the feeding of a crore of Brāhmaṇas.

All the Tīrthas and the holy oceans on the earth are present there on Dvādaśī day, O son of Pāṇḍu.

Ordinary Dāna, Yajña, Bali (oblation) and other rites may get lost but, O great king, what is performed there in that Tīrtha never gets lost.

Everything connected with the greatness of the Tīrtha, past and future, has been recounted to you in detail, O descendant of Bharata.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Kundinapura [Kuṇḍinapura?] near Amaravati in Vidarbha (Maharashtra).

[2]:

Cedi is Bundelkhanda and Raivata or Girnar is in Gujarat. The author has faint ideas about Indian Geography.

[3]:

Rukma (Rukmi in Harivaṃśa) was not a Dānava but a bonafide Kṣatriya. But to this Purāṇa all opponents of Kṛṣṇa are Dānavas or Rākṣasas.

[4]:

Though Skanda follows Harivaṃśa in the story of the abduction of Rukmiṇī by Kṛṣṇa, the creation of Rukmiṇī Tīrtha on Narmadā is a Skanda contribution.