Rukmiṇī, her gaze soft with affection and her smile radiant with modesty, looked upon the Lord and spoke gently to Him, her beloved among men. “O lotus-eyed one,” she began, “every word you have said is true. How could someone as insignificant and ignorant as I ever be a worthy match for you, the master of all opulence, who delights in your own greatness? “O mighty-armed Lord, you dwell within all virtues, yet remain untouched by them, just as the ocean lies beneath the waves. Though ever free from the senses, you take on forms for your devotees, dispelling the dense darkness of ignorance from the hearts of kings. The path to your lotus feet, cherished by sages, is indeed difficult for ordinary men and beasts to comprehend, for your actions are beyond worldly understanding. Only those who follow you, O great one, can grasp your ways. “Truly, you possess nothing, for nothing exists apart from you. Even the powerful offer you tribute, yet those blinded by insatiable desire and wealth cannot know you, beloved Lord. Still, even the mighty are dear to you, and you are dear to them. You are the embodiment of all human goals and their fruits; wise men, desiring only you, renounce everything else. Your association is fitting for such souls, not for those absorbed in the fleeting pleasures and pains of this world. “Sages who have laid aside anger praise your greatness, for you are the soul and giver of souls to all worlds—so I have heard. When your eyebrow signals the force of time, even Brahmā and Śiva lose their blessings; what, then, of others? O elder brother of Gadā, your words may seem simple, but you drove away kings with the twang of your bow and took me as a lion takes his rightful share among the animals. Out of fear of those kings, I sought refuge in the ocean. “Desiring you, O lotus-eyed one, even the foremost of kings—Ambarīṣa, Nahuṣa, Gaya—abandoned their kingdoms and entered the forest. Yet, those who remain here, why do they not follow your path? Who, after smelling the fragrance of your lotus feet, spoken of by the virtuous and granting liberation, would seek any other shelter? Mortal men, blinded by material pursuits, disregard the abode of Lakṣmī, the treasury of virtues. “I have worshipped you, Lord of all worlds, as is proper; you are the fulfiller of desires in this life and the next. May your feet be my only refuge as I wander through the cycles of birth, for you surely come to those who worship you, granting them freedom from falsehood. O Acyuta, in the homes of women, men who have not heard your stories—sung in the assemblies of Śiva and Brahmā—are no better than donkeys, cows, horses, cats, or servants; what use is their life? “A foolish woman, having never tasted the nectar of your lotus feet, cherishes her beloved—whose body is merely skin, hair, nails, and hair, filled with flesh, bones, blood, worms, excrement, phlegm, bile, and wind—a living corpse. O lotus-eyed one, may I have devotion to your feet, for you are self-satisfied and see no one as separate from yourself. When, due to the influence of old age, the mode of passion increases in someone, and you look upon me, that alone is your supreme compassion for us. “O Madhusudana, I do not think your words are false. For a maiden’s love is generally for her mother, and only sometimes for another. Even for a married woman of loose character, her mind turns again and again to something new. A wise man should not keep such a faithless woman; if he does, he loses both sides.” Hearing these words, the Blessed Lord replied, “O chaste one, princess, you have been tested by Me with words meant to see your desire to hear. Everything you have asked about, as I have spoken, is indeed true. O beautiful one, whatever desires you may have, if you are devoted only to Me, O auspicious lady, they are always fulfilled for you, who are My exclusive devotee. “O sinless one, your love for your husband and your fidelity have been proven. Even when you were agitated by My words, your mind did not waver from Me. Those who worship Me in married life, with austerity and vows, but are attached to desires, are deluded by My māyā, thinking of Me as the lord of liberation. “There are those who, after attaining Me—the Lord and the wealth of liberation—still desire material prosperity and a husband; such proud ones are unfortunate. Even in hell, for such people, hell is pleasant because of their attachment to their own kind. O mistress of the house, by good fortune you have repeatedly acted in accordance with Me, which is rare and liberating, even for women who are difficult to please, whose desires are hard to fulfill, and who indulge in deceit. “O proud one, I do not see in any household a wife as devoted as you, who, at the time of your own wedding, did not consider the kings who had come, but secretly sent the brāhmin who had heard My glories to Me. When your brother was disfigured in battle and killed at the gambling arena during the wedding festival, you endured that unbearable sorrow out of fear of separation from Me and did not say anything; thus, you have conquered us. “When you sent a messenger with a secret message to obtain Me, and when you thought I might abandon this unworthy body, you remained steadfast in Me; for that, we respond in kind.” Thus, Śuka said, the Lord of the universe delighted Rukmiṇī with His affectionate words, playfully imitating the ways of mortals. In the same manner, Hari, the all-pervading Lord and teacher of the world, resided in each of His wives’ homes, upholding the duties of a householder as if He were an ordinary householder Himself. Then, each of Krishna’s wives bore ten sons, each one equal in strength, and a ninth son as well, all endowed with their father’s qualities. Seeing Acyuta, who never left home, present in their houses, the royal princesses considered Him their dearest, though they did not truly know His divine nature. The Lord, with a face like a blooming lotus, long arms and eyes, enchanted the women with loving glances and sweet words. They, who could once control others with their charms, found themselves captivated by His majesty. With smiling glances, gestures revealing His inner feelings, and skillful, love-filled words sent with the movement of His brows, the sixteen thousand wives could not disturb His senses with their feminine arts, though they tried with all the arrows of Cupid. Having attained the Lord of Lakṣmī as their husband, these women—whose path even Brahmā and the others do not know—joyfully served Him with unceasing affection, eager for His smile, glance, touch, and embrace. Hundreds of maidservants attended the Lord, performing duties such as welcoming Him, offering seats, washing His feet, providing betel, arranging for rest, fanning Him, bringing fragrant garlands, arranging His hair, preparing His bed, bathing Him, and making other offerings. Of Krishna’s wives, those who were foremost among the ten sons are eight queens; their sons, beginning with Pradyumna, are as follows: Charudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Charudeha the mighty, Suchāru, Charugupta, Bhadracāru, Charucandra, Vichāru, and Charu. These ten, headed by Pradyumna, were born to Rukmiṇī and were not inferior to their father. To Satyabhāmā were born Bhānu, Subhānu, Svarbhānu, Prabhānu, Bhānumān, Chandra Bhānu, Bṛhadbhānu, Ratibhānu, Śrībhānu, and Pratibhānu. To Jāmbavatī were born Sāmba, Sumitra, Purujit, Shatajita, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasumān, Draviḍa, and Kratu, with Sāmba as their leader, esteemed by their father. To Nāgnajit’s queen were born Vīra Chandra, Ashvasena, Citragu, Vegavān, Vṛṣa, Āma, Shaṅku, Vasu, Śrīmān, and Kuntir. Thus, the Lord’s family flourished, each son bearing the mark of their divine father’s qualities.