Krishna Goes To Claim His Bride, And Orders His Charioteer,
Darak, To Prepare His Chariot.
Darak quickly yokes four horses.
Then
the divine Krishna, having ascended, and seated the Brahmin, departs
from Duarika to Kundalpore. On coming forth from the city, behold! "on
the right hand herds upon herds of deer are moving, and in front,
a lion and lioness, carrying their prey, are advancing, roaring."
Having seen this auspicious event, the Brahmin, having mentally
reflected, said, "Sire, from beholding, at this time, this good
omen, it appears to my mind that, just as these are advancing,
having accomplished their object, just so you will return, having
effected yours." Arrived at Kundalpore, he finds preparations made
for the marriage:
"Swept were the streets, the crossings o'er-canopied, and with perfumes
sprinkled and sandal oil;
Clusters were formed of flowers of white and of red, and interspersed
with cocoa-nuts of gold.
The green foliage, fruits, and flowers, were in profusion, and from
house to house flowering wreaths.
Banners and pennons and flowers, in golden tissues, were suspended,
and well-fashioned vessels of gold
And in every house reigned joy!"
"As for Rukminee, with agitated frame, she gazed in every direction,
as the moon is dimmed by the morn. Extreme anxiety showed in the
heart of the fair one; she gazed, standing in a lofty balcony; her
frame was agitated, her heart most sad; she drew deep sighs. While,
through distress, tears rain from her eyes, she says, "Why has not
Krishna arrived?" When the marriage-day dawns, she sends, by a Brahmin,
to Krishna: "Receptacle of favour, - When two hours of the day remain
I shall go to perform worship in the temple of Dewee, to the east of
the city." Her companions and attendants, arriving, first filled a
square place in the courtyard with pearls, and spread a seat of gold
set with pearls, on which they caused Rukminee to sit, and anointed
her with oil by the hands of seven married women whose husbands
were alive. Afterwards, having rubbed her with fragrant paste, they
adorned her with sixteen ornaments, and put on her twelve trinkets,
and having arrayed her in a red boddice they seated her, fully
adorned. Then the young Rukminee, accompanied by all her handmaidens,
went, with the sound of music, to perform her devotions. Screened by
a curtain of silk, and surrounded by crowd upon crowd of companions,
she appeared among the swarthy group who accompanied her as beautiful,
as amid dark blue clouds, the moon with its company of stars!"
Having arrived at the temple of Dewee, the royal maiden, having washed
her hands and feet and sipped water, proceeded to offer sandal oil,
unbroken grains of rice, flowers, incense, lamps, and consecrated food,
and with earnest faith performed the worship of Dewee according to
the prescribed ritual.
"After which she fed women of the Brahmin caste with delectable food,
and having attired them in fair garments, she drew a mark on their
foreheads with a mixture of rice, alum, turmeric, and acid, and
having caused to adhere some unbroken grains of rice, she received
their benediction. Hearing from an attendant that Krishna has
arrived, the Princess is filled with ecstatic delight, so that she
cannot contain herself; and leaning on the arm of an attendant, in a
graceful attitude, remains slightly smiling, in such a manner that no
description can express her beauty. The guards become fascinated and
remain immoveable. With trembling frame and coy of heart she finally
departs with Krishna."
The domestic life and appearance of Krishna and Rukminee is still
further characteristically described in the imaginative pages of the
"Ocean of Love:" - "Once on a time, in a palace of gold, studded with
jewels, a gem-adorned bedstead, with curtains, was spread, on which a
bedding white as foam, and adorned with flowers, with pillows for the
cheek and for the head, continued to exhale perfumes. On all four sides
of the bed vessels containing camphor, rose-water, saffron, sandal
oil, and other ingredients, were placed; various kinds of marvellous
pictures were delineated on the walls on all sides. In recesses, here
and there, flowers, fruits, sweetmeats, and confections were placed,
and all that could be required for enjoyment was at hand. Clothed in
a petticoat and a full loose robe of dazzling splendour, embroidered
with pearls, and a sparkling boddice, and a long refulgent wrapper,
and wearing a glittering veil, covered with ornaments from head to
foot; with red lines drawn across the forehead, having a nose-ring of
the largest pearls, ornaments for the head, earrings, ornamental line
at the parting of the hair, marks between the eyebrows, ornaments for
the ears and forehead, a necklace composed of circular pieces of gold,
a string of gold beads and coral, a breast ornament, a necklace of five
strings and of seven, a pearl necklace, double and triple bracelets
of nine gems, armlets, wristlets, and other kinds of fastenings for
the arm; bangles, seals; seal rings, a girdle of bells, rings for the
great toe, toe ornaments, anklets, and other ornaments of all kinds
studded with jewels; the moon-faced, tulip-complexioned, gazelle-eyed,
bird-voiced, elephant-gaited, slim-waisted, divine Rukminee, and the
cloud-coloured, lotus-eyed Krishna, ocean of beauty, splendour of
the three worlds, root of joy, wearing a diadem like the crest of a
peacock, and a necklace of forest flowers, a silken robe of yellow
hue, and a scarf of the same, were reposing, when, all of sudden,
the divine Krishna said to Rukminee, 'Listen, fair one,' " &c.
Krishna afterwards takes 16,100 wives, and always at early dawn,
one would wash his face, another would apply a fragrant paste to
his body, another would prepare for him and give him to eat food of
six flavours, another would make nice betel, with cloves, cardamums,
mace, and nutmegs, for her beloved. "Each produced a daughter fair as
Rukminee; each ten sons, brave sons were they!
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