In Dvārakā, the all-pervading Lord Hari, who is the teacher of the world, dwelled in the homes of each of His wives, upholding the duties of a householder as if He were Himself a householder. In this way, He set the highest example for all. In time, each of Krishna’s wives bore Him ten sons, each one possessing strength and qualities equal to their illustrious father, and in addition, a ninth son. These sons inherited the virtues and prowess of Krishna Himself. Although Acyuta, the infallible Lord, never left His home, He was always present in each of His wives’ palaces. The royal princesses, His wives, considered Him their dearest beloved, though they did not truly comprehend His divine nature. With faces like blooming lotuses, long arms and eyes, and with loving glances and sweet, enchanting words, Krishna captivated their hearts. Even the women, renowned for their own beauty and charm, found themselves powerless before His majesty. With smiling glances, subtle gestures that revealed His inner thoughts, and affectionate words conveyed through the movement of His brows, Krishna enchanted His sixteen thousand wives. Though they tried with all their feminine arts to disturb His senses, like shooting arrows of desire, they could not sway Him, for He remained ever self-controlled. Having thus attained the Lord of Lakshmi as their husband—a path even Brahmā and the other gods cannot fathom—these women joyfully served Krishna with unceasing devotion. They eagerly awaited His smile, His glance, His touch, and His embrace. Hundreds of maidservants attended the Lord, performing services such as welcoming Him, offering seats, washing His feet, providing betel, arranging His rest, fanning Him, offering fragrant garlands, arranging His hair, preparing His bed, bathing Him, and making other offerings. Among Krishna’s wives, the foremost eight queens each had ten notable sons. I shall recount their names, beginning with Pradyumna. Rukmini’s sons were Pradyumna, Charudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Charudeha the mighty, Suchāru, Charugupta, Bhadracāru, Charucandra, Vichāru, and Charu. All were not inferior to their father. Satyabhāmā bore Bhānu, Subhānu, Svarbhānu, Prabhānu, Bhānumān, Chandra Bhānu, Bṛhadbhānu, Ratibhānu, Śrībhānu, and Pratibhānu. Jāmbavatī’s sons, led by Sāmba, were Sāmba, Sumitra, Purujit, Shatajita, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasumān, Draviḍa, and Kratu, all esteemed by Krishna. 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 and Rukmavatī, the mighty daughter of Rukmi, was born Aniruddha, in the city of Bhojakaṭa. The sons and grandsons of Krishna numbered in the tens of millions, and the mothers of these children were sixteen thousand in number. At this point, King Parīkṣit inquired: “How did Rukmi, though once insulted by Krishna and harboring enmity, give his daughter in marriage to Krishna’s son in battle? Please tell me, O wise one, the story of this wedding between rivals.” Śuka replied: “O King, yogis can perceive clearly what is past, present, future, or hidden. In the svayamvara, Rukmavatī, endowed with beauty, chose Pradyumna—Cupid incarnate—among the assembled kings. Pradyumna, defeating all, carried her away alone in his chariot during the battle. Although Rukmi remembered his enmity with Krishna and had been insulted by Him, he gave his daughter to the son of his sister, thus pleasing his sister Rukmini. The powerful son of Kṛtavarma also married a daughter of Rukmini, a maiden of wide eyes and renowned beauty. Furthermore, Rukmi gave his granddaughter, Rocana, to Aniruddha, Krishna’s grandson, despite their ongoing feud, wishing to please his sister. Though aware the union was improper, he was bound by ties of affection. At that auspicious event, Rukmini, Balarama (Rāma), Krishna, Sāmba, Pradyumna, and others went to the city of Bhojakaṭa. After the wedding was complete, the kings led by the haughty ruler of Kalinga challenged Rukmi to defeat Balarama in a game of dice. Though Balarama was unfamiliar with the game, he was drawn in. Rukmi and Balarama played dice, and at first, Rama staked a hundred, a thousand, and then ten thousand coins. Rukmi won those rounds, and the king of Kalinga laughed at Balarama, baring his teeth, which Halāyudha (Balarama) could not tolerate. Then Rukmi staked a hundred thousand coins, and this time Balarama won. Rukmi, relying on deceit, falsely claimed victory. Filled with wrath, Balarama, his eyes red with anger, staked ten million coins. Again Balarama won by fair means, but Rukmi, resorting to trickery, insisted he had won and called for witnesses. At that moment, a voice from the sky declared, “The wager was won by Balarama alone; Rukmi speaks falsely, claiming victory by words, not by righteousness.” Yet Rukmi, ignoring this heavenly voice and urged on by wicked kings and fate, mocked Balarama 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, Balarama, enraged, raised his club and struck Rukmi in the assembly. He seized the king of Kalinga as he tried to flee, and with a blow, knocked out his teeth—the very king who had laughed so openly. The other kings, their arms, thighs, and heads broken and bloodied by Balarama’s club, fled in terror. When Rukmi, Krishna’s brother-in-law, was slain, Krishna, fearing a break in affection between Rukmini and Balarama, neither praised nor condemned the act. Thus, the Lord maintained peace among His own, even in the midst of such tumult.