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CHAPTER SIX
thus orders.” Hearing that, the false sādhu filled a basket with their hair and sent them to Bhāmā. Asked by Bhāmā, “What's this?” they said, “Do you not know, mistress,
Like master, like servants.” Then Bhāmā, excited, sent barbers to Rukmiņi's house. The sādhu shaved them and cut the skin on their heads. When she saw that the barbers had returned bald, Bhāmā went to Hari angrily and said: “You were the guarantor of Rukmiņi's hair. Let the wager of giving the hair be paid me now, Keśava. You yourself get up, summon Rukmiņi, and make her bald.” Hari laughed and said, “ You yourself are here shaved.” She said, “ Enough of joking, et cetera. Have her hair given to me today.”
Rāma was sent by Kțşņa to Rukmiņi's house and then Pradyumna created there a Křşņa-form by means of a magic art. Embarrassed, Rāma returned to the former place and, seeing Kșşņa there too, said: “Why do you ridicule (me)? After sending me for the hair, you have gone there yourself and have come here. Your wife and I have been shamed inconsiderately by you at the same time.” Hari said, “I did not go there," and took an oath to that effect. Saying, “ There is certainly some deceit on your part,” Bhāmā went to her own house. Viņņu went to her house and tried to make her believe him.
Nārada said to Rukmiņi, " This is your son Pradyumna.”. Making visible his own form which resembled a god, Pradyumna fell at his mother's feet, the sun to the darkness of her long pain. Rukmiņi embraced him with both arms, her breasts oozing, and kissed him on the head many times, her eyes dripping tears of joy. Pradyumna said to her, “I must surely not be announced, until I have shown my father some miracle.” Rukmiņi, distracted from joy, did -not reply and he put her in a fictitious chariot and set out. Blowing his conch, terrifying the people, Pradyumna said: “I am abducting Rukmiņi. Let Krşņa, if he is strong, protect her.” Janārdana, saying, “ Who is this idiot who wishes to die?” pursued him with an army and twanged Śärniga repeatedly. Pradyumna scattered
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