NITAAI-Veda.nyf > Compiled and Imp Scriptures > Shrimad Bhagavatam > Canto-10 > Part-5 > Krishna marries five princesses |
Krishna marries five princesses.
After
escaping from the house of shellac, the Pandavas and their mother, Kuntidevi,
were detected at Draupadi’s svayamvara, and thereafter, they returned to
Hastinapura. Once, desiring to visit the
Pandavas, Lord Krishna journeyed to Hastinapura in royal style, accompanied by
a large entourage.
When the Pandavas saw that the Lord had
come, they quickly stood up all together, like persons awakening from a state
of unconsciousness. Krishna bowed down at Yudhisthira and Bhima’s feet, He
firmly embraced Arjuna, and accepted Nakula and Sahadeva’s obeisances.
After Krishna had been nicely seated, the
Pandavas’ wife, Draupadi, timidly approached and offered her obeisances. Satyaki
also accepted a seat of honor, after being worshiped by the Pandavas, and the
Lord’s other companions were seated in various places.
Later on, Krishna went to see His aunt,
Queen Kunti. After Krishna had touched her feet, Kuntidevi lifted Him up and
embraced Him, her eyes moist with affection. Krishna inquired about her
welfare, and in turn, Kuntidevi asked about Vasudeva and others in Dvaraka.
Becoming choked up with emotion, Kunti remembered the many troubles that she
and her sons had endured, acknowledging that it was only due to Krishna’s mercy
that they were always protected from danger.
Thereafter, at Yudhisthira’s request,
Krishna remained at Hastinapura during the months of the rainy season, thus
enlivening all of the city’s inhabitants, who were thus able to see Him, face
to face.
One day, Krishna and Arjuna mounted
Arjuna’s chariot, which was decorated with the flag of Hanuman, and went to
hunt in a large forest filled with fierce animals. Krishna wanted to see how
Arjuna was mastering the use of weapons, for in the future, he would have to
face many formidable foes. Armed with his bow and two inexhaustible quivers,
Arjuna killed many tigers, boar, buffalo, rurus, sarabhas, gavayas, rhinos,
black deer, rabbits and porcupine. The animals that were fit to be offered in
sacrifice were then sent back to Maharaja Yudhisthira.
After some time, Arjuna felt tired and
thirsty, and so he went, along with Krishna, to the banks of the River Yamuna.
After bathing and drinking the clear water, as the great warriors were
relaxing, they saw a very attractive girl walking nearby. Krishna asked Arjuna
to go and speak to that exceptional young girl, who was possessed of fine
bodily features and a very beautiful face.
After approaching her, Arjuna asked, “My
dear girl, you are so beautiful with your firm breasts. Who are you, where are
you from and why are you loitering here, alone in this secluded place? I can
only guess that you are searching for a suitable husband. If you can disclose
your purpose, I shall try to satisfy you.”
Shri Kalindi replied, “I am the daughter
of the sun-god, and I desire to get as my husband the most excellent and
munificent Lord Vishnu. For this purpose, I have been performing austerities. I
shall accept no husband other than He, the abode of the goddess of fortune.
Please petition the Supreme Personality on my behalf, so that he may be pleased
with me. My name is Kalindi, and I am the presiding deity of this river. I live
in a mansion within the water that was built for me by my father. There, I will
stay until I meet Lord Achyuta.”
Arjuna returned to where Krishna was
seated and relayed the girl’s message to Him. Of course, Krishna was already
aware of everything, and without delay, He placed Kalindi upon Arjuna’s chariot
and all together they returned to Maharaja Yudhisthira.
Sometime thereafter, Maharaja Yudhisthira
requested Lord Krishna to help in the construction of a suitable residence. The
Lord then summoned the celestial architect, Vishvakarma, and ordered him to
construct a wonderful city, just according to Maharaja Yudhisthira’s desire.
After the completion of this city, named Indraprastha, Maharaja Yudhisthira
requested Krishna to remain there for some time, and so the Lord consented.
(When Lord Krishna first came from Dvaraka
to see the Pandavas, it is clearly stated in the Bhagavatam that He came to
Indraprastha. But, as the story unfolds, the construction of Indraprastha is
placed after the marriage of Kalindi with Krishna. Therefore, Shrila Prabhupada
has said that Krishna first of all met the Pandavas at Hastinapura. Shrila Jiva
Gosvami explains that the sequence is this: First, the Khandava forest was
burned, then Kalindi was found, and then Indraprastha was constructed. Shrila
Vishvanatha Chakravarti says that Indraprastha was constructed before the
burning of the Khandava forest, and thus before Krishna married Kalindi. The
disciples of Shrila Prabhupada, who translated this section of Bhagavatam, say
that Shukadeva Gosvami, while describing the construction of Indraprastha, is
describing a previous event.)
One
day, Krishna engaged in the pastime of offering the Khandava forest to Agni.
There were many drugs growing in the forest that were required for Agni’s
rejuvenation, but because the forest belonged to Indra, Agni could not touch
it. Thus, he solicited Krishna’s help, knowing that the Lord was pleased with
him for his gift of the Sudarshana chakra in the past.
To satisfy Agni, Krishna became Arjuna’s
chariot driver, and in this way, He enabled the god of fire to devour the
Khandava forest. Being very pleased, Agni gave Arjuna the Gandiva bow, four
white horses, a wonderful chariot, and a pair of inexhaustible quivers that
contained two special arrows that could not be counteracted.
While the forest was being burned, Arjuna
gave protection to a demon named Maya Danava, who then constructed a wonderful
assembly hall within the city made by Vishvakarma. This assembly hall was made
so cleverly that when Duryodhana visited the Pandavas, he mistook water as
solid floor and vice versa.
After being insulted as a result of his mistakes, Duryodhana became the
determined enemy of the Pandavas.
After some time, Krishna took permission
from Maharaja Yudhisthira and returned to Dvaraka, where He married Kalindi at
an auspicious time.
Vinda and Anuvinda were the kings of
Avantipura (present day Ujjain), and they were followers of Duryodhana. When it
was time for their daughter’s svayamvara, they forbade her to select Krishna,
even though she strongly desired to have the Lord as her husband. Krishna then
appeared at the svayamvara of Princess Mitravinda, who was the daughter of His
aunt, Rajadhidevi, and forcibly carried her away in the presence of the other
princes, who were simply left staring at one another.
The pious Nagnajit, the king of Koshala,
had a lovely daughter named Satya, or Nagnajiti. The King only wanted to give
his daughter to one who could defeat seven very powerful bulls that were
maintained by him, and that could not tolerate the smell of any warrior. Many
princes had tried to defeat the bulls, but were themselves defeated, and when
Lord Krishna heard of this, he went there.
The King was very pleased to see the Lord
and worshiped Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna also greeted
his future father-in-law very respectfully. Satya was very pleased by the
arrival of Shri Krishna, for she had performed austerities for a very long
time, while cherishing the hope of marrying Him.
King Nagnajit said, “O Narayana, Lord of
the universe, You are full in Yourself, and so what can this insignificant
person do for You?”
Being very comfortably seated, Krishna
smilingly replied, “O ruler of men, learned authorities condemn the practice of
begging for a kshatriya who is executing his religious duties. Even so,
desiring your friendship, I ask for your daughter, although, in consideration
of Our family tradition, We cannot offer any gifts in exchange.”
In this way, Krishna wanted to take the
King’s daughter without fulfilling the condition of defeating the bulls.
However, the King did not want to break
his vow, and so he said, “My Lord, who could be a better husband for my
daughter than You? On Your body, the goddess of fortune resides, never leaving
You for any reason. Still, just to ascertain the proper husband for my
daughter, I previously set a condition to test the prowess of her suitors.
These seven bulls are impossible to subdue, and they have already defeated many
princes, breaking their limbs. If You can defeat them, O Lord, then You are the
appropriate husband for my daughter.”
Just to satisfy the King, Krishna tightened
His belt and expanded Himself into seven forms, each one catching a bull and
bringing it under control. The Lord then tied up the bulls and began pulling
them by the ropes, just as a child might play with wooden toys.
Being pleased and astonished, King
Nagnajit immediately presented his daughter to Krishna with great pleasure. The
marriage was then celebrated with great pomp, and all over the city there was
celebration. As dowry, the King gave 10,000 cows, 3000 maidservants, 9000
elephants, 900,000 chariots, 90 million horses, and nine billion slaves.
His heart melting with affection, the King
placed the bride and groom on their chariot and sent them off, surrounded by a
great army. When the rival suitors that had previously been defeated by the
King’s bulls heard of how Krishna had gained Satya’s hand in marriage, they
enviously surrounded the Lord while He was on His way to Dvaraka, showering
their arrows.
Arjuna, being always very eager to
please his friend, Krishna, single-handedly answered the challenge. By driving
off the princes without killing any of them, as easily as a lion chases away
smaller animals.
Krishna then returned to Dvaraka, along with
His dowry and Satya, and began to live there very happily. The Lord then
married Bhadra, the daughter of his aunt Shrutakirti, of the Kekaya province.
She had desired to marry Krishna, and so her brothers handed her over
unconditionally.
Thereafter, Krishna forcibly kidnapped
Lakshmana, the daughter of the king of Madra, from her svayamvara, just as
Garuda once stole nectar from the demigods.