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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.53.4

श्रीशुक उवाच उद्वाहर्क्षं च विज्ञाय रुक्‍मिण्या मधुसूदन: । रथ: संयुज्यतामाशु दारुकेत्याह सारथिम् ॥ ४ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
udvāharkṣaṁ ca vijñāya
[udvaaharksham cha vijnaaya]
rukmiṇyā madhusūdanaḥ
[rukminyaa madhusoodanah]
rathaḥ saṁyujyatām āśu
[rathah samyujyataam aashu]
dārukety āha sārathim
[daarukety aaha saarathim]
śrī - śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said udvāha — of the wedding ṛkṣam — the lunar asterism (the measurement that fixes the exact auspicious time) ca — and vijñāya — knowing rukmiṇyāḥ — of Rukmiṇī madhusūdanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa rathaḥ — the chariot saṁyujyatām — should be readied āśu — immediately dāruka — O Dāruka iti — thus āha — He said sārathim — to His driver .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī - śukaḥ uvāca
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
udvāharkṣaṁ ca vijñāya
udvāha
of the wedding
ṛkṣam
the lunar asterism (the measurement that fixes the exact auspicious time)
ca
and
vijñāya
knowing
rukmiṇyā madhusūdanaḥ
rukmiṇyāḥ
of Rukmiṇī
madhusūdanaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa
rathaḥ saṁyujyatām āśu
rathaḥ
the chariot
saṁyujyatām
should be readied
āśu
immediately
dārukety āha sārathim
dāruka
O Dāruka
iti
thus
āha
He said
sārathim
to His driver .
  • udvāha - ṛkṣam — the lunar asterism for the wedding
    Compound: udvāha (marriage) + ṛkṣa (lunar mansion, nakṣatra). Indian marriage hinges on the exact lagna; Bhagavān knows it without consultation, because He is kāla Himself (BG 11.32). The astrology is bent around the līlā, not the other way.
  • madhusūdanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, killer of Madhu
    The same epithet Arjuna uses for Him in the Gītā at moments of crisis (BG 1.35, 2.4, 6.33). The poet names Him 'slayer of Madhu' just as He prepares to ride out and slay obstructing kings — the demon-killing name precedes the demon-killing act.
  • saṁyujyatām — should be readied / yoked
    Passive imperative of sam-√yuj — the same √yuj that yields yoga. Here yoking is literal: horses to chariot. Gauḍīyas savor the wordplay — Kṛṣṇa's only 'yoga' in this canto is the harnessing of horses to carry Him to His devotee.
  • dāruka — O Dāruka
    Vocative. Dāruka is Kṛṣṇa's eternal chariot-driver in Dvārakā-līlā, parallel to Sumantra in the Rāmāyaṇa. The Lord's intimates have names and roles; bhakti is structured by such specific eternal services.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Madhusūdana also understood the exact lunar time for Rukmiṇī’s wedding. Thus He told His driver, “Dāruka, ready My chariot immediately.”
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Madhusūdana also understood the exact lunar time for Rukmiṇī's wedding. Thus He told His driver, "Dāruka, ready My chariot immediately."
Commentary

Understanding through the mouth of a brahmana that the naksatra for marriage would be on two nights in the future, he called his charioteer.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Out of affection, she had told him to come surrounded by soldiers. She also told him to come secretly, unknown to the enemy. It was proper for her to speak in this manner. With desire to protect her, and because of his and her shyness in front of the people, he went alone. That is the intention of this verse. He particularly understood (vi—jñāya) the constellation of the marriage, externally from the messenger and from astronomy, and internally because of his omniscience. In another form he had eagerly destroyed the race of demons (madhusūdanaḥ). This shows his kingly nature and indicates his future victory. It also indicates that like a bee (madhusūdana) becoming unsteady in greed for the fragrance of the lotus, he had become unsteady on thinking of Rukmiṇī. He was equipped with all his weapons (sam—yujyatām).

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He particularly understood (vi—jñāya) the constellation of the marriage, externally from the messenger and from astronomy, and internally because he was directly Nārāyaṇa (madhusūdanaḥ) who had great valor in killing the demon Madhu. Thus though he went alone among a host of wicked Kings, there was no need to worry. Make ready the chariot with all weapons and quickly. Rukmiṇī had written that he should come secretly. Thus Kṛṣṇa called to Daruka alone to prepare the chariot. He would go with Daruka only.

Related values
Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Bhakti (Devotion)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)
Related verses
Knowing the exact lunar time for Rukmiṇī's wedding, Madhusūdana tells Dāruka, 'Ready My chariot immediately.' The Lord is precisely punctual; arrival timed to the muhūrta is part of His care.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you assume the Lord's timing is vague when scripture shows it as precise?
  • What lunar-specific moment in your life might be the right hour for action?

An astronomer reads the night sky like a familiar text and tells his driver, 'Now.' Kṛṣṇa is not informed of the muhūrta by anyone — He is its author. His command to Dāruka is the inside of the cosmos speaking to itself in the language of horses and reins.

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