Nithaivesha jaganmaataa vishnoh sreeranapaayine
Yathaa sarvagato vishmuh tathaiveyam dvijottama
The Vishnu Purana categorically states that jaganmaata – the Mother of the universe – Sri, always inseparable from Vishnu incarnates along with her Lord moulding Herself in accordance to His manifestation.
In His avatar as Krishna, Sri is Rukmini – ‘Rukmini Krishna janmani’
She was the only daughter born to king Bhusmaka along with five sons-Rukmi, Rukmartha, Rukmabahu, Rukmakesa and Rukmamala. She was the virtuous sister of these five brothers [svasaa sati]. She is described variously in the Bhagavata purana as anavadyangi [faultless form], asitapangi [youthful form], ruchinanana [beautiful faced], varanana [excellet faced], sudau [of beautiful teeth] all extolling her charm and grace. She heard of the rupa [handsome appearance], virya [valor], guna [excellent nature] and sreyas [prosperity] of Krishna from varied sources and started to mentally contemplate on Him as her Lord Upamiya is the term used meaning thereby thar she had very intently and closely heard of Krishna’s excellences from many a quarter and thought of Him as her befitting husband – mene sadrusam patim. And what about Krishna? He too made up His mind to marry her [sadrusi barya] having come to know of her buddhi [intellect], lakshana [quality], audarya [excellence and generosity], rupa [fine form], seela [good conduct] and sreyas. Both have nor set eyes on each other but they had set heir heam in unison. The matchless coupIe [advandva dvandava] do make a well-matched pair [sadrusa dvandva]. If she is a beauty, the Lord is sakshat manmatha manmathah so very arrestingly handsome that He distracts and stirs the hearts of those who see Him. So they are samana tulya guna vadu vara-the perfect pair.
Rukmini comes to how that her father was planning to give her in marriage to Sisupala. So without losing time she desperately dispatches a trusted Brahmin to the Lord with the secret message [guhya sandesha]. In this love epistle of seven verses Rukmini pours out her heart to the Lord stressing the urgency of the situation and the need to take her away in marriage at the earliest. She begins with the terms srutva gunaan meaning thereby that all that she knows of the Lord was hearsay [karna vivara] but is not guna-sravana [hearing the excellencies] the first step in worshipping the Lord? She addresses Him as bhuvana sundara [the most handsome person in the universe], achyuta[one who never lets go of anyone in distress], ambujekshana, ambujaksha [lotus-eyed] all epithets exclusive to Lord Vishnu! And last but not least is the oft – quoted epithet – kale nrisimha. Why would this young girl call upon the fearful man-lion? The answer lies in the fact
that He is kale – instant god. Did He not emerge instantaneously [tat kshana] from the pillar that Hiranyakasipu struck with his palm? Did He not emerge that very moment to prove the truth in bhagavatottama Prahlada’s words that Lord Hari alone was ornnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent and that no power In the world could disprove it? Well, she calls upon rhat insrant God to rescue her from distress as she knows the measure of His strength and capabilities It is also indicative of the fact that she is fully aware of her avatar as also the Lord’s and wants to be united In wedlock with Him. She pours out her heart and says that she has submitted whole heartedly in body mind and soul to Him and she too 1s equally well matched in kula[family], seela[disposition], rupo[form], vidya[learning], vayo[youthfulness], dravina[opulence], dhama[glory]. Her intellectual acumen too comes to light as she advises the Lord to carry her away when she will come to pray at the temple of Parvati, according to her family custom. She has chosen the Lord as her husband mentally and she submits whole heartedly to Him alone. She pleads to be wedded wth Him in the rakshasa type of marriage as no other recourse was possible. Her choice of words is immaculate. Ajita [invincible] is the term she uses to address her Lord meaning thereby that her desire and mission will be accomplished.
Rukmini stands out as the perfect example for a devotee [bhakta]: making the rlght choice first and unswerving in her purpose to obtain her Lord, chalking out the course of action and submitting whole-heartedly to the Lord with the greatest confidence [maha visvasa] that He alone is capable of affording protection and will do that at the right time, she sets her mind at rest after concluding her request with the words that He alone wilI be her husband even if it takes a hundred births to reach Him.
Source:
SrI Nrisimha Priya
