When you, Rukmiṇī, sent a secret messenger to Me, longing to obtain Me as your husband, and when you feared I might abandon this unworthy body, you remained unwavering in your devotion. For such steadfastness, I respond in kind, offering you My own constancy. In this way, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord of the universe, spoke affectionately with Rukmiṇī, delighting her with His gentle words. Though He is the Lord of all, He playfully imitated the ways of ordinary people, sharing loving exchanges with His dear wife. Just as He did with Rukmiṇī, the all-pervading Lord Hari, teacher of the worlds, resided in the homes of each of His wives, upholding the duties of a householder as if He were an ordinary man, though in truth He is beyond all such roles. In time, each of Krishna’s wives bore Him ten sons, each one equal to their father in strength and virtue, as well as a ninth son, all endowed with His noble qualities. Acyuta, who never leaves home, was always present in the houses of His royal consorts. Though the princesses considered Him their dearest beloved, they did not truly comprehend His divine nature. With faces blooming like lotuses, long arms and eyes, loving glances, and sweet words, Krishna captivated the hearts of His wives. Before His majesty, their own charms could not sway their minds, for He enchanted them beyond measure. Though all sixteen thousand wives tried to disturb His senses with the arts of love, casting the arrows of Cupid, Krishna remained unmoved. He responded with smiling glances, gestures revealing His inner feelings, and skillful words laced with affection, but His senses could not be shaken. Having attained the Lord of Lakṣmī as their husband, these women—whose path even Brahmā and the other gods cannot fathom—joyfully served Him with unwavering love, ever eager for His smile, glance, touch, and embrace. Hundreds of maidservants attended Krishna, performing all the duties of royal service: welcoming Him, offering seats, washing His feet, bringing betel, providing rest, fanning Him, offering fragrant garlands, arranging His hair, preparing His bed, bathing Him, and making other offerings. Among Krishna’s wives, eight queens were foremost, and each had ten sons. I will name their sons, beginning with Pradyumna: Charudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Charudeha the mighty, Suchāru, Charugupta, Bhadracāru, and another; Charucandra, Vichāru, and Charu. These ten, headed by Pradyumna, were born to Rukmiṇī and were not inferior to their father. Satyabhāmā’s sons were Bhānu, Subhānu, Svarbhānu, Prabhānu, Bhānumān, Chandra Bhānu, Bṛhadbhānu, Ratibhānu, Śrībhānu, and Pratibhānu. Jāmbavatī’s sons, headed by Sāmba and esteemed by Krishna, were Sāmba, Sumitra, Purujit, Shatajita, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasumān, Draviḍa, and Kratu. 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. Mitravindā’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, by Rukmavatī, the mighty daughter of Rukmi, in the city of Bhojakaṭa. The sons and grandsons of Krishna thus numbered in the tens of millions, O King, for the mothers of Krishna’s children were sixteen thousand. At this, King Parīkṣit inquired: “How did Rukmi, though insulted by Krishna and seeking an opportunity to kill Him, give his daughter in marriage to Krishna’s son in battle? O wise one, tell me the story of the wedding between these rivals.” Śuka replied, “Yogis can perceive clearly what is past, future, present, beyond the senses, distant, or hidden. Listen, O King: At the svayamvara, Rukmavatī, endowed with great beauty and many virtues, chose Pradyumna, who was like Cupid himself. Defeating all the assembled kings, he carried her away alone in his chariot during the battle. Though Rukmi remembered his enmity with Krishna, and though he had been insulted by Him, he gave his daughter to the son of his sister, thus pleasing his sister Rukmiṇī. O King, the powerful son of Kṛtavarmā married Rukmiṇī’s daughter, a maiden famed for her beauty and wide eyes. Rukmi also gave his granddaughter, Rocanā, to Aniruddha, Krishna’s grandson, despite the ongoing feud, wishing to please his sister. Though he knew the union was improper, he was bound by ties of affection. At that auspicious wedding, Rukmiṇī, Balarāma (Rāma), Krishna, Sāmba, Pradyumna, and others went to the city of Bhojakaṭa. When the wedding was complete, the kings, led by the ruler of Kaliṅga—proud and arrogant—challenged Rukmi to defeat Balarāma at dice. Though Balarāma was told, ‘This one does not know dice, O King, yet even so, the loss is great,’ he was summoned, and Rukmi played dice with him. Rāma staked a hundred, a thousand, and then ten thousand coins, and Rukmi defeated him. The king of Kaliṅga laughed loudly at Balarāma, baring his teeth, which Halāyudha (Balarāma) could not tolerate. Then Rukmi staked a hundred thousand coins, and Balarāma won that wager. Rukmi, relying on deceit, declared, ‘I have won.’ Filled with wrath, glorious Balarāma, his eyes red with anger, staked ten million coins. He won that wager too by fair means, but Rukmi, resorting to trickery, again claimed victory and called for witnesses. At that moment, a voice from the sky declared, ‘The wager was won by Balarāma alone; Rukmi speaks falsely, claiming victory by words, not by righteousness.’ Yet Rukmi, ignoring the heavenly voice and incited by wicked rulers and fate, mocked Sankarṣaṇa (Balarāma) and spoke derisively: ‘You are not skilled in dice, you cowherds who wander the forests; kings play dice and shoot arrows, not men like you.’ Thus insulted by the kings and mocked by Rukmi, Balarāma, enraged, raised his club and struck Rukmi down in the assembly of men. Then, seizing the king of Kaliṅga swiftly by his tenth step, Balarāma, furious, knocked out his teeth—the very same king who had laughed at him with exposed teeth.