इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo रुक्मिण्यु- द्वाहेऽष्टाधिकशाततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and eighth chapter of the great Brahmavaivarta Purana, in the section of Krishna's birth, the excellent narration by Narada of the marriage of Rukmini.
अथ नवाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः नारायण उवाच एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राज्ञी रुक्मिणीजननी शभा । पतिपुत्रवतीभिश्च साध्वीभिः सहिता मुदा
Then, at that moment, the queen, mother of Rukmini, together with virtuous women who had husbands and sons, joyfully entered the hall.
आगत्य मङ्गलं कृत्वा तत्र निर्मञ्छनादिकम् । दंपती वेशयामास रत्ननिर्माणमन्दिरम्
Arriving there, performing auspicious rites and cleansing rituals, she led the couple into a palace crafted of jewels.
नानाचित्रविचित्राढ्यं हीरहारेण भूषितम् । मुक्तामाणिक्यरत्नेन मुदीप्तं दर्पणेन च
It was adorned with various wondrous paintings, decorated with necklaces of diamonds, and shone with pearls, rubies, and a radiant mirror.
ददर्श कृष्णस्तत्रैव दुर्गां दुर्गतिनाशिनीम् । सरस्वतीं च सावित्रीं रतिं च रोहिणीं सतीम्
There, Krishna beheld Durga, the destroyer of misfortune, as well as Sarasvati, Savitri, Rati, Rohini, and Sati.
देवपत्नीं राजपत्नीं मुनिपत्नीं पतिव्रताम् । रत्नमिहानस्थां च रत्नभूषणभूषिताम्
He saw the wives of the gods, the wives of kings, the wives of sages, all devoted to their husbands, and those adorned with jewels, standing there.
उत्तस्थुराराद्दृष्ट्वा च श्रीकृष्णं जगतीपतिम् । रत्नसिहासने रम्ये वारयामास तां मुदा
Having seen Shri Krishna, the Lord of the universe, they rose up with devotion and joyfully restrained him on the beautiful jeweled throne.
स्तुतिं चक्रुश्च देवाश्च मुनिपत्न्यश्च माधवम् । पुटाञ्जलियुतास्तत्र त्रमेण च पृधक्पृथक्
The goddesses and the wives of the sages offered praises to Madhava, their hands joined in reverence, each in turn and separately.
भोजयामास राज्ञी च वरेण सह कन्यकाम् । सकर्पूरं सताम्बूलं प्रददौ वासितं जलम्
The queen, along with the maiden, served food, offering fragrant water with camphor and betel leaves.
दुर्गा कृष्णाय प्रददौ तत्र मङ्गलपत्रिकाम् । सर्वासामाज्ञया देवी पठेति तमुवाच सा
There, Durga gave Krishna the auspicious letter; by the command of all, the goddess told him to read it.
पपाठ पत्रिकां कृष्णो देवीसंसदि सस्मितः । लक्ष्मी सरस्वती दुर्गा सावित्री राधिका सती
Krishna, smiling, read the letter in the assembly of goddesses: Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Durga, Savitri, Radhika, and Sati.
तुलसी पृथिवी गङ्गाऽरुन्धति यमुनाऽदितिः । शतरूपा च सीता च देवहूतिश्च मेनका
Tulasi, Earth, Ganga, Arundhati, Yamuna, Aditi, Shatarupa, Sita, Devahuti, and Menaka were also present.
दैव्यश्चैताश्च दंपत्योः कुर्वन्तु परम् । पपाठ चेति कृष्णश्च शुश्रुवुर्जहसुश्च ताः
May these divine couples bestow supreme blessings; thus Krishna read, and the goddesses listened and laughed.
पार्वत्युवाचरुक्मिणीं रुक्मिणीकान्त त्वां पश्यन्तीं च सस्मिताम् । पश्य प्रौढां रुपवतीं सुन्दरीं नवयौवनाम्
Parvati said: O beloved of Rukmini, see her smiling at you—behold her, mature, beautiful, lovely, and in the bloom of youth.
शच्युवाच तव योग्या च युवती रत्नभूषणभूषिता । त्वां प्रार्थयन्ती सुचिरमवमन्यान्यमीश्वरम्
Shachi said: She is a worthy young woman for you, adorned with jeweled ornaments, who has long desired you and disregarded other lords.
सावित्र्युवाच यथा वरस्तथा कन्या विधिना योजिता पुरा । विदग्धाया विदग्धेन सर्वत्र संगमः शुभः
Savitri said: As is the groom, so is the bride, joined by destiny from before; for the wise, union with the wise is always auspicious.
रत्युवाच ईश्वरेण परीहासं का वा कर्तुं क्षमा भुवि । ध्यानासाध्यो दुराराध्यश्चावमन्यान्यमीश्वरम्
Rati said: Who on earth is able to jest with the Lord? He is attainable only through meditation, difficult to worship, and she has disregarded other lords.
गायत्र्युवाच यथा वरस्तथा कन्या चाक्षुब्धे भैष्मके गृहे
Gayatri said: As is the groom, so is the bride, in the untroubled house of Bhishmaka.
रोहिण्युवाच सत्यं ब्रूहि जगन्नाथ कामिनीनां च संसदि । कीदृशी राधिका रम्या रुक्मिणी चापि कीदृशी
Rohini said: Speak the truth, Lord of the world, in the assembly of women: What is Radhika like, and what is Rukmini like?
सरस्वत्युवाच राधायां यादृशी प्रीती रुक्मिण्यां नैव तादृशी । सा सङ्गिनी पूर्वकाले सर्वक्रीडासु वर्धिनी
Sarasvati said: The love found in Radha is not present in Rukmini; she was a companion in former times, excelling in all pastimes.
प्राणाधिष्ठातुदेवी सा पञ्चप्राणाधिका सती । रुक्मिणी कमला साक्षात्संपदामधिदेवता
She, Sati, is the presiding goddess of life, surpassing the five vital airs; Rukmini is Kamala herself, the presiding deity of all prosperity.
सर्वशक्तिस्वरूपा च कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः । बुद्धेरप्यधिदेवी च दुर्गा नारायणी परा
She is the embodiment of all powers of Krishna, the Supreme Soul; Durga, the supreme Narayani, is also the presiding goddess of intellect.
देवाधिष्ठातृदेवी त्वं सावित्री वेदमातृका । विद्याधिदेवताऽहं च ततोऽन्याश्च कलाकलाः
You are the goddess who presides over the gods, Sāvitrī, mother of the Vedas; I am the deity of knowledge, and then there are other portions and aspects.
न ब्रह्मणि शिवे शेषे गणेशे च दिनेश्वरे । न भक्तेषु च पद्मायां न शिवायां च मय्यपि
Such grace as is found in her is not present in Brahmā, Śiva, Śeṣa, Gaṇeśa, the sun, nor in the devotees, nor in Padmā, nor in Śivā, nor even in me.
प्रसादो यादृशस्तस्यामन्येषु च न तादृशः । त्रैलोक्ये पृथिवी धन्या सुपुण्यं भारतं यतः
The favor that is in her is not found in others; among the three worlds, the earth is blessed, for the land of Bhārata is supremely holy.
तत्र वृन्दावनं धन्यं राधापादाब्जचिह्नितम् । सर्वासामपि देवीनां राधा पुण्यवती सती
There, Vṛndāvana is blessed, marked by the lotus feet of Rādhā; among all goddesses, Rādhā is the most virtuous and chaste.
राधापादाब्जनखरे ददौ स्निग्धमलक्तकम् । अयमेवमिति श्रुत्वा जहसुः सर्वयोषितः
With the nail of Rādhā’s lotus foot, she applied tender red dye; hearing this, all the women laughed.
ध्यायन्ते दूर्तः सर्वा राधा वक्षःस्थलस्थिता । तस्माद्राधां नमस्कृत्य तुलनां मन्यते किल
All the women, their minds absorbed, meditate on Rādhā, who dwells upon the chest; therefore, after bowing to Rādhā, they consider her incomparable.
सरस्वतीवचः श्रुत्वा सावित्री पार्वती सती । अन्याश्च योषितः सर्वाः साध्वित्यूचुश्च संसदि
Hearing the words of Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī, Pārvatī, Satī, and all the other women said, 'Well spoken!' in the assembly.
लोपामुद्राऽनसूया चाप्यहल्याऽरुन्धती तथा । सर्वास्ता मुनिपत्न्यश्च रभसं चक्रुरीश्वरम्
Lopāmudrā, Anasūyā, Ahalyā, Arundhatī, and all the wives of the sages eagerly honored the Lord.