________________
DECEMBER, 1907.)
RUKMINI KALYANAM.
881
"At this juncture, while the soldiers fully armed were accompanying the dancing-women and were advancing with offerings for the god, the Brahman women wearing flowers, fruita, sandalwood, cloths, and jewels, were proceeding singing, while there was a tremendous noise caused by the beating of drums, the playing of different kinds of music, and while damsels were following, Rukmini, with the utmost feminine modesty, with ringlets falling on her forehead, proceeded from the palace to worship Parvati. While a host of people of various sorts were accompanying her, she was all the while thinking of Krishna in her mind, and went to the temple of Gaurt, wasbed her hands and feet, sipped water thrice, and with a pure heart approached and stood before her. Then the Brahman women bathed Gauri and Siva, applied sandalwood, worshipped them with flowers, offered various offerings which were brought for the purpose, and made Rukmini prostrate. Then Rukmini said :
I fully believe in my mind the everlasting, time-honoured couple of Pârvati and Mahesvara. I pray you to bless me. You are the chiefest and oldest of all mothers. You are the ocean of mercy. Whoever conscientiously and firmly believes in you will not suffer. Kindly, therefore, have mercy on me and bless me that I may have Kộishịa as my husband.'
"Rukmint then worshipped the Brahman couples with pan-rupari, salted cakes, fruits, and sugar-canes, upon which they were exceedingly delighted and blessed Rukmint when she again prostrated before Pârvati, and quitted the temple and came out. As a spark of lightning in the wintry sky, as the animal in the orbit of the moon, as the mokini which appears on the scene when the curtain is drawn by Brahma, as Lakshmi who came out from the milky sky when it was churned by the angels and rdkshasas, using Mount Manthara as the churning staff and Vasuki as the chord, glittering with the rays of the finest ornaments, Rukmint came out of the temple of Gauri with the pace of the fattened swan that lives in the golden lotuses of Manasasarovara, with the waist which is troubled by the weight of her heavy breasts which resembled a pair of golden pots, with her diamond-ringed hands twisted round the hands of a maiden, with chins sparkling with the lustre of diamond ear-rings, with ringlets which cover the round forehead liko fattened wild bees which encircle sweet-scented lotuses, with beautiful smiles which shed lustre of moonlight at an anseasonable moment, with lips red as ruby which shed a ruddy lustra to the rows of teeth white as jasmine, with the apper garment resembling the flag of Capid, with precious stones glittering in the gold belt as rainbow out of season, with sight resembling the glitter of arrows drawn by Cupid from his sheath which broke open the hearts of valorous kings, with measured step and slow eagerly waiting for the arrival of Krishna and attracting the hearts of all brave rdjús. With ringlets black as wild bees, with face resembling the full moon, with the eyes of the hare with coral lips, with the voice of the nightingale, with feet soft as tendrils, with breasts resembling the frontal lobes of the fattened elephants, with sand-heaped buttocks, with the best elephant gait, with red lotus bands, with rose-scented body, with lion's waist, Rukmini came and was seen by all the brave rajas, who were troubled in their hearts very much.
"Rukmini passed by the post of kings who were confused when the smiling look, indicative of feminine bashfulness, fell upon them. They lost their valoar, nobility, and honour, lost their senses, let slip the weapons from their hands. They were not able to mount their elephants, horses, or chariots. They were so much bewildered that they leaned towards the ground. Rukmini removed the ringlets from the forehead with the nails of her left hand, and, looking askance at this host, saw Sri Krishņa, with face resembling the rays of the full moon, with waist resembling that of the lion, with eyes broad as the lotus, with beautiful chest, with body shining as a newly-formed cloud, with shoulders resembling the trank of Airavata, with cloths of gold and best ornaments, and with neck tarned like a conch. Rukmin saw this world-enchanter and was delighted with the beauty, age, character, nobility, valour, and glitter of Krishna, and being enraptured with love she intended to climb his chariot when he saw her and with the face of' fattened elephant approached and lifted her up and placed her in his chariot, not caring a straw for the host of kings who were
