Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.52.39
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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vṛtaḥ patiḥ
—
chosen (as) husband
Phrase: vṛta (chosen) + pati (husband). The same root √vṛ as in svayam-vara. Rukmiṇī's choice has occurred long before any external ceremony — it is recorded here in past participle. The choosing is the marriage's essence; the rākṣasa-vidhāna is only its public ratification.
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ātmā arpitaḥ
—
myself, offered (to You)
Phrase: ātmā (self) + arpita (offered). The technical Gauḍīya phrase ātma-nivedanam — the ninth and culminating limb of bhakti (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ … ātma-nivedanam). Rukmiṇī performs the ninth limb in the very letter that invites the wedding.
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vīra-bhāgam
—
the hero's portion
Compound: vīra (hero) + bhāga (portion, share). In Vedic sacrifice, the choicest oblation is reserved for the hero. Rukmiṇī classes herself as the offering proper to the hero (Kṛṣṇa) alone — Śiśupāla's claim would be a desecration of the yajña-protocol itself.
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gomāyu-vat mṛga-pateḥ balim
—
as a jackal (touching) the lion's tribute
Phrase: gomāyu (jackal) + mṛga-pati (lord of beasts, lion) + bali (tribute). One of the most famous similes in the Bhāgavatam — the image of the jackal sneaking up on the lion's portion. The whole verse turns on the impropriety of Śiśupāla touching what belongs to Kṛṣṇa.
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ambuja-akṣa
—
O lotus-eyed one
Compound vocative: ambuja (lotus) + akṣa (eye). The signature mādhurya-epithet of Kṛṣṇa. Rukmiṇī's letter ends each verse with such a vocative — the prayer is structurally formed of address upon address, like a darśana of the Lord's features one by one.
"Since I am attracted to you, I therefore have chosen you as my husband. It is not just now, but from the first, I have chosen you. Both my soul and body have been offered to your lotus feet. I have sent this letter to inform you of my mental state. If you accept me, I will maintain my life, and if you reject me, I will burn myself up. I will not give myself to anyone else, even if Brahma himself were to ask. But my offering of myself to you is not like the surrender of Bali Maharaja, which was nirbhava, without intense love." With that intention she says, "Accept me as your wife. If someone gives someone some food as says "You should eat this" That is nirbhava. But my surrender is svabhavam, touched with prema and thus superior. You should quickly send back the brahmana with a reply so that I know whether you accept me or not—so that Sisupala will not take the share meant for you. Being moistened by this one hope, my body does not burn up. If Sisupala comes and touches me, then with the destruction of hope for attaining you, the fire of separation will blaze up and burn my body. My fear however is that you will become infamous. Sisupala will take your share, like a jackal stealing from a lion. That impudence towards you will be broadcast everywhere. O lotus eyed Lord, my body though burning n the fire of separation from you, does not feel pain, because I meditate on your lotus eyes."
Since Rukmī has another groom for me, as a woman, my devotion to you will lead to the greatest disaster in this life and the next. But he, as the Lord, will never be indifferent. Overcome with shame she speaks of three successive actions which will solve the problem. She addresses him many times out of feeling lowly. I have offered my ātmā to you, what to speak of my body. The possessive case is used (bhatavaḥ, of you) to indicate her natural position of belonging to him, though usually the dative case would be used (I have offered my soul to you). Do as you wish, and make me your wife. Nothing is impossible since you are capable of anything (vibho). If you do anything else your prowess will be destroyed, O courageous one (vīra)! Please come quickly so because Śiśupāla is close (ārāt). If you do not come it will be shameful for you. A jackal should not steal from a lion. O lotus-eyed lord! Since your very nature is always to manifest your beauty, by seeing you my suffering will be destroyed.
- Where could explicit surrender plus explicit refusal of alternatives strengthen your devotion?
- What 'jackal' must not be allowed to walk away with what is Kṛṣṇa's?
Rukmiṇī's prayer is the most quoted line of the letter — let Śiśupāla not touch the hero's portion the way a jackal seizes the lion's tribute. The image is razor-clean: the lion-king (Kṛṣṇa) and the jackal-pretender (Śiśupāla) cannot share one prey. The bali — tribute — is herself; only the lion may eat.
Rāmāyaṇa's Sītā, abducted by Rāvaṇa, holds herself as belonging to Rāma alone — refusing Rāvaṇa's overtures with the same logic as Rukmiṇī's letter: 'the lion's portion is not for the jackal.' Even her plucked-grass barrier (tṛṇa) between herself and Rāvaṇa is the same gesture of inviolability.
Gauḍīyas pair Sītā and Rukmiṇī as two great expressions of pātivratya-prema: the wife who is unequivocally fixed on the Lord even when physically held by another. The lion-jackal image and the grass-blade gesture are both icons of the same heart.
My note
Source: vedabase.io