“Krishna had experienced that when Rukmini was offered a parijata flower by Narada Muni, Satyabhama had become envious of her co-wife and had immediately demanded a similar flower from Krishna. In fact, she could not be pacified until she was promised the whole tree. That was actually done by Krishna; the tree was brought down to the earth planet from the heavenly kingdom. After this episode, Krishna expected that because Satyabhama had been rewarded by a full tree of parijata, Rukmini would also demand something. Rukmini did not mention anything of the incident, however, for she was grave and simply satisfied in her service.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 5)

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The Sanskrit word Bhagavan is more descriptive in the attempt to understand the entity or being we otherwise refer to as Almighty. Almighty God. The God in heaven above. Our God. My God. We try to reference someone who is above this earthly experience, who is not always in trouble like we are, who is not distressed at the negative turn of events or elated at the rise of fortunes. Someone who does not inflict harm on others, unnecessarily.

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च य:
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो य: स च मे प्रिय:

yasmān nodvijate loko
lokān nodvijate ca yaḥ
harṣāmarṣa-bhayodvegair
mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ

“He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 12.15)

The name Bhagavan says that this Almighty being has specific attributes. They are opulences, as we have come to know them. This one entity has all of the opulences, at the same time and to the fullest extent. Bhagavan has beauty, wealth, strength, fame, wisdom, and even renunciation. This means that if He has everything already, He can part with it in the twinkling of an eye, nimesha, resembling the speed with which He once lifted the bow in the contest at Janaka’s kingdom, to win the hand of Sita Devi in marriage.

इत्युक्तस्तेन विप्रेण तद्धनुस्समुपानयत्
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण तदाऽनम्य महाबलः
ज्यां समारोप्य झडिति पूरयामास वीर्यवान्

ityuktastena vipreṇa taddhanussamupānayat
nimeṣāntaramātreṇa tadā’namya mahābalaḥ
jyāṃ samāropya jhaḍiti pūrayāmāsa vīryavān

“Hearing the words of the vipra, my father brought the bow forward. Bending the bow in the twinkling of an eye and applying string to it, the mighty prince Rama, who was full of valor, quickly drew the bow at full length.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 118.47-48)

In His avatara of Shri Krishna, Bhagavan reveals another side to His opulences which might be overlooked. He is unlimited in His distribution. This means that if He should marry a princess, He can stay with thousands of them simultaneously. He does not stay with them as an inanimate figure, a wall decoration, or a printed shloka. He is as much a husband as the attentive and dutiful servant, in providing companionship, guidance, and even fulfilling desires.

There is one such incident where Shri Krishna travels all the way to the heavenly region, svargaloka, in order to pacify one of His wives. Queen Satyabhama saw that the chief queen in Dvaraka, Rukmini, received a parijata flower as a gift from Narada Muni. Satyabhama insisted upon one for herself, and to satisfy that desire Krishna ended up bringing an entire parijata tree back from heaven.

Bhagavata Purana describes that Rukmini was not envious over this incident. She did not then demand a corresponding gift from Krishna. In an attempt to understand the saintly character, we can speculate as to the different reasons for her lack of visible agitation.

1. Her husband went to so much effort

On the one hand, this would be the direct cause of the jealousy. Krishna brought something for Satyabhama that required extraordinary effort. The residents of the heavenly region did not peacefully hand over the parijata plant. Rather, it was like Krishna was a trespasser on someone else’s property, uprooting an item from their carefully maintained garden.

At the same time, a considerate person understands the efforts that someone else goes to. They would rather not put the person through the same ordeal. Why should the husband, who is beloved, be asked to enter danger again for something which was not as valuable as His direct association?

2. Someone else received a nice gift

It is natural to want the same gift. This is the way young siblings might behave in a household. The parents quickly learn that it is better to purchase two of the same when delivering gifts on occasions such as birthdays and religious holidays. Otherwise, a kind of rivalry ensues. There is shouting, yelling, and crying that could have easily been avoided.

At the same time, if I demand the same gift as someone else, it sort of cheapens their experience. That is their gift, after all. Why should I insist on the same thing? I have my own experiences, which are unique to me. Someone else’s happiness should not be a threat to my existence.

3. Why create a rivalry?

Does my significant other love me? Do they have affection? Have I ever doubted their allegiance to me? If the answers are in the affirmative, then what is the need for causing trouble? What is the point to a rivalry? What will I really gain from the struggle, from the constant attention, from looking up to the scoreboard and assessing my position relative to someone else?

4. Better to give than to receive

We can say that this principle is at the foundation of the culture of bhakti-yoga. Rather than expect others to make offerings, we look to give. We feel good in this sacrifice. We want to make others happy. The distinction here is that the beneficiary is someone who already has everything. It is a contradiction puzzling to the average mind, but the approach has the backing of the beneficiary Himself. He is the one who recommends this path, as He knows that it aligns with the essential characteristic of the individual. It is their dharma to worship the Supreme, and any deviation from this dharma is but a perverted reflection of the essential characteristic.

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

5. Simply satisfied in her service

This is the actual explanation we find in the Krishna Book of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is a logically sound justification. What does the parijata tree in the courtyard of the palace of Satyabhama have to do with the service Rukmini Devi offers? It doesn’t. There is no interference to that service.

We see this same mood in the gopis of Vrindavana. There are mini-rivalries, for sure. One cowherd girl might be envious that Krishna spends so much time with Shrimati Radharani. The difference is that the envy is not malicious. There is no interfering. There is no attempt to bring others down. Rather, when these eternal associates of the Supreme Lord see that a devotee is sincere, they give the full recommendation to their beloved. They ask that the devotee be accepted. How can such kindness be repaid?

In Closing:

Harrowing journey made,
For wife’s request obeyed.

Such that bringing back entire tree,
Rukmini from her palace could see.

But not demanding in return,
Already favor to earn.

That husband loving and true,
And by her side too.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, rukmini