Chapter 28 - Pradyumna’s son Aniruddha; Balarāma slays Rukmin

Parāśara

Cārudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, brave Cārudeha, Suṣeṇa, Cārugupta, Bhadracāru, 1

Cāruvinda, Sucāru and Cāru, strongest of the strong, were the sons of Rukmiṇī. She also bore a daughter, Cārumatī. 2

Kṛṣṇa had seven other splendid wives: Kālindī, Mitravindā, Nagnajit’s daughter Satyā, 3

Divine Jāmbavatī, shape-changing Rohiṇī, the king of Madra’s decorous daughter Suśīlā and Satrājita’s daughter Satyabhāmā. 4

The discus-wielder also wedded sweetly smiling Lakṣmaṇā and sixteen thousand other women. 5

Mighty Pradyumna fell for Rukmin’s lovely daughter at her svayaṃvara, the tournament for suitors, and she chose that son of Hari as her husband. 6

She and Pradyumna had a son named Aniruddha, brave and strong, a sea of courage when met in battle, a destroyer of his enemies. 7

Keśava chose Rukmin’s granddaughter for his grandson Aniruddha, even though Rukmin advised against it. 8

On the occasion of their wedding, Hari, Balarāma and the other Yādavas came to Rukmin’s city, brahmin, Bhojakaṭa by name. 9

After the marriage of Pradyumna’s powerful son, several monarchs led by the king of Kaliṅga gave this advice to Rukmin: 10

‘Plough-wielding Balarāma is a gambling addict but doesn’t have much skill. Why don’t we beat him in a game of dice, your majesty?’ 11

Parāśara:

Mighty Rukmin agreed to this, and a match with Balarāma was held in the assembly hall. 12

In the first round, Rukmin won a thousand pieces of gold from Balarāma and, in the second, another thousand. 13

Balarāma then staked ten thousand pieces, but Rukmin, an expert gambler, won that as well. 14

The king of Kaliṅga laughed so loud that you could see his teeth, brahmin, and unwise Rukmin, puffed up with excitement, said, 15

‘I’ve beaten foolish Balarāma in this match. Blind with pride in gambling, he vainly insulted all the experts.’ 16

When the wielder of the plough saw the monarch’s teeth and heard Rukmin’s slander, he was filled with rage. 17

Balarāma, mad with fury, then staked ten million pieces, and Rukmin rolled the dice. 18

Balarāma won the throw and called, ‘It’s mine!’, but Rukmin cried aloud, ‘No, it’s mine, Balarāma. Don’t lie! 19

It’s true you staked the bet, but I did not accept it. If you won like this, then am I not a winner, too?’ 20

Parāśara:

At that moment, a deep voice sounded in the heavens, further stirring mighty Balarāma’s wrath: 21

‘Balarāma won this fairly. What Rukmin said is wrong. Even though he didn’t accept the challenge with his words, he accepted with his actions.’ 22

That mighty warrior Balarāma leapt up; his eyes were red with rage. He struck Rukmin with the game-board, killing him. 23

Furious Balarāma then seized the trembling king of Kaliṅga and smashed the very teeth that he’d revealed before. 24

He grabbed a massive golden pillar and slew the other royals who sided with the Kaliṅgan king. 25

All the monarchs cried aloud, brahmin, as they tried to flee from Balarāma’s fury. 26

When Madhu’s subduer heard that Balarāma had slain Rukmin, Maitreya, he said nothing as he feared both Rukmiṇī and his brother. 27

Keśava then led newly married Aniruddha and the Yadu clansmen back to Dvārakā, best of brahmins. 28

So ends Chapter Twenty-Eight in Book Five of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.