The Lord spoke, “There are those who worship Me within the bonds of marriage, performing austerities and taking vows, yet remain attached to their own desires. Deluded by My maya, they see Me as the Lord of liberation, but their hearts are still drawn to worldly fulfillment. Even after attaining Me—the Supreme Lord and the treasure of liberation—if out of pride they still crave material prosperity or a husband, such souls are indeed unfortunate. So strong is their attachment to their own kind that even hell itself seems pleasant to them. “O mistress of the house,” the Lord continued, addressing Rukmini, “by great fortune, you have always acted in harmony with My wishes—a path so rare that it liberates one from birth and death, even for women who are difficult to please, whose desires are many, and who may resort to deceit. Among all households, I see no wife as devoted as you. At your own wedding, you paid no heed to the assembled kings, but secretly sent the brahmin who had heard of My glories to invite Me. “When your brother was disfigured in battle and later killed at the gambling arena during the wedding festival, you bore that unbearable grief in silence, fearing only separation from Me. In this way, you have conquered even Us. “When you sent a secret messenger to win Me, and when you thought I might abandon this unworthy body, still you remained steadfast in your devotion. For such unwavering love, I respond in kind.” Śuka then said: In this manner, the Lord of the universe, through affectionate words, delighted Rukmini, enjoying her company and playfully imitating the ways of ordinary mortals. In the same way, the all-pervading Lord Hari, as the world’s teacher, resided in each of His wives’ homes, upholding the duties of a householder as if He were simply a householder Himself. Each of Krishna’s wives bore ten sons, and a ninth son as well—each one equal in strength and endowed with their father’s qualities. The royal princesses, seeing Acyuta ever present in their homes, cherished Him as their dearest, though they did not truly comprehend His divine nature. With faces like blooming lotuses, long arms and eyes, the Lord enchanted these women with loving glances and sweet words. Their own charms, which could bewilder anyone, were powerless before His majesty. With smiling glances, gestures that revealed His inner feelings, and skillful words filled with love, sent with the movement of His brows, the sixteen thousand wives could not disturb Krishna’s senses, no matter how they tried with all the arts of Cupid. Thus, having attained the Lord of Lakshmi as their husband—a path even Brahma and the gods cannot fathom—these women joyfully served Him with unceasing affection, ever eager for His smile, His glance, His touch, and His embrace. Hundreds of maidservants attended the Lord, performing every service: welcoming Him, offering seats, washing His feet, providing betel, fanning Him, bringing fragrant garlands, arranging His hair, preparing His bed, bathing Him, and offering other comforts. Of Krishna’s wives, the foremost among the ten sons were born to eight principal queens. Their names, beginning with Pradyumna, were Charudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Charudeha the mighty, Suchāru, Charugupta, Bhadracāru, and others. Charucandra, Vichāru, and Charu were also among the ten sons of Hari born to Rukmini, all not inferior to their father. To Satyabhama were born Bhānu, Subhānu, Svarbhānu, Prabhānu, Bhānumān, Chandra Bhānu, Bṛhadbhānu, Ratibhānu, Śrībhānu, and Pratibhānu. Jāmbavatī’s sons were Sāmba, Sumitra, Purujit, Shatajita, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasumān, Draviḍa, and Kratu—all esteemed by their father. Nāgnajit’s sons were Vīra Chandra, Ashvasena, Citragu, Vegavān, Vṛṣa, Āma, Shaṅku, Vasu, Śrīmān, and Kuntir. Kālindī’s sons were Śruta, Kavi, Vṛṣa, Vīra, Subāhu, Bhadra, Ekala, Śānti, Darśa, and Pūrṇamāsa, with Somaka as the youngest. Mādrī’s sons were Praghoṣa, Gātravān, Siṃha, Bala, Prabala, Ūrdhvaga, Mahāśakti, Saha, Oja, and Aparājita. Mitravinda’s sons were Vṛka, Harṣa, Anila, Gṛdhra, Vardhana, Annāda, Mahāśa, Pāvana, Vahni, and Kṣudhi. Bhadrā’s sons were Saṅgrāmajit, Bṛhatsena, Śūra, Praharaṇa, Arijit, Jaya, Subhadra, Vāmāyu, and Satyaka. Rohiṇī’s sons included Dīptimān, Tāmra, Taptā, and others. From Pradyumna was born Aniruddha, whose mother was Rukmavatī, the mighty daughter of Rukmi, in the city of Bhojakaṭa. Their sons and grandsons numbered in the tens of millions, O King, for Krishna’s children were born of sixteen thousand mothers. King Parikshit then inquired, “How did Rukmi, though insulted by Krishna and ever seeking to kill Him, give his daughter in marriage to Krishna’s son in battle? Please tell me, O wise one, the story of the wedding between these rivals.” Śuka replied, “O King, yogis can clearly perceive what is past, future, present, even that which is beyond the senses, distant, or hidden. At the svayamvara, Rukmavatī herself chose Pradyumna, who shone with the beauty of Cupid incarnate. Defeating all the assembled kings, he carried her away in his chariot amidst the tumult of battle. “Though Rukmi still remembered the insult he had suffered from Krishna, he gave his daughter to the son of his sister, thus pleasing his beloved sister Rukmini. The powerful son of Kritavarma also married a daughter of Rukmini, a maiden of wide eyes and renowned beauty. Rukmi gave his granddaughter, Rocana, to Aniruddha, the grandson of Hari, even though their feud continued, for he wished to please his sister and was bound by ties of affection, though he knew the union was improper. “At that auspicious event, O King, Rukmini, Balarama, Krishna, Samba, Pradyumna, and others journeyed to the city of Bhojakaṭa. When the wedding was completed, the kings, led by the ruler of Kalinga, proud and arrogant, challenged Rukmi to defeat Balarama in a game of dice. “Though Balarama was not skilled in dice, he was summoned, and Rukmi played with him. Rama staked a hundred, a thousand, and then ten thousand coins, and each time Rukmi defeated him. The king of Kalinga laughed at Balarama, baring his teeth loudly—a sight Halayudha could not tolerate. “Then Rukmi staked a hundred thousand coins, and Balarama won that wager, but Rukmi, relying on deceit, claimed victory for himself. Filled with wrath, Balarama’s eyes reddened by anger, he staked ten million coins. Again, Balarama won fairly, but Rukmi, resorting to trickery, insisted, ‘I have won; let the witnesses declare it so.’” Thus unfolded these divine events in the house of Krishna, the Supreme Lord, who delighted His devotees and upheld dharma in every aspect of life.