Canto 10: The Summum Bonum
SB10.90

Canto 10 · Chapter 90 · 50 verses

Summary of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Glories

Kṛṣṇa’s queens express their loving absorption, and His household life, descendants, and glories are summarized.

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From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Connected storiesThe gopīs and the rāsa danceNarakāsura and the captive princessesRukmiṇīDiti and Kaśyapa
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitEvery voice in this chapter ›

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

Chapter summary

This chapter describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with His queens in the lakes of Dvārakā. It also relates the queens’ ecstatic prayers in the mood of intense separation from Him, and summarizes the Lord’s pastimes.

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued to reside in His opulent capital of Dvārakā, together with the Yadus and His queens. He would enjoy sporting with His wives in the ponds on the palace grounds, squirting water on them with a syringe and being squirted in turn. With His graceful gestures, loving words and sidelong glances, He would enchant their hearts. In this way the queens would become totally absorbed in thoughts of Him. Sometimes, after playing with the Lord in the water, they would address various creatures — kurarī and cakravāka birds, the ocean, the moon, a cloud, a cuckoo, a mountain, a river and so on — declaring their great attachment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa on the pretext of commiserating with these creatures.

Lord Kṛṣṇa begot ten sons in the womb of each of His queens. Among these sons, Pradyumna was foremost, being equal to His father in all transcendental qualities. Pradyumna married Rukmī’s daughter, and from her womb Aniruddha was born. Aniruddha then married Rukmī’s granddaughter and begot Vajra, who was the only Yadu prince to survive the battle of iron clubs at Prabhāsa. From Vajra descended the remainder of the Yadu dynasty, beginning with Pratibāhu. The members of the Yadu dynasty are virtually innumerable; indeed, just to educate their children the Yadus employed 38,800,000 teachers.

Before Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared, many demons took birth in human families to harass the people of the world and destroy brahminical culture. To subdue them, the Lord ordered the demigods to descend into the Yadu dynasty, which then expanded into 101 clans. All of the Yadus recognized Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and had unflinching faith in Him. While resting, eating, walking and so on, which they often did in His company, they would forget their own bodies in their transcendental happiness.

The Tenth Canto concludes with this promise of success for the sincere hearer: “By regularly hearing, chanting and meditating on the beautiful topics of Lord Mukunda with ever-increasing sincerity, a mortal being will attain the divine kingdom of the Lord, where the inviolable power of death holds no sway.”

This chapter has no story of its own in the story guide; these are the stories it connects to.

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

Despite her eagerness to participate in the rāsa dance and other pastimes enacted by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and despite the severe austerities she underwent to achieve that end, she could not transcend her natural mood of reverence.

Specifically, in the opinion of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, their love of God matured into the ecstasy of madness in pure love ( bhāvonmada ), just as the gopīs’ love did when Kṛṣṇa disappeared from their midst during the rāsa dance.

Read the story in SB 10.20–22

Narakāsura and the captive princesses

SB 10.59 · The captive princesses are freed

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa removes the distress of those who seek refuge in Him. His mercy extends even to the frightened son of the enemy He has defeated.

**Lord Kṛṣṇa was the sole beloved of His sixteen thousand wives.

While fulfilling the highest standards of religious householder life, Lord Kṛṣṇa maintained more than 16,100 wives.

Read the story in SB 10.59

What it teaches · Hearing Kṛṣṇa’s qualities can awaken firm attachment to Him. The episode also warns that pride in power and possessions leads people to offend others.

The queens ask, “Is the unconquerable Lord doing well?” The swan replies, “How can Lord Kṛṣṇa be doing well without you, His beloved consorts?” “But does He even remember what He once told one of us, Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī?

Among these jewellike women were eight principal queens, headed by Rukmiṇī.

Read the story in SB 10.52–54

What it teaches · Diti’s account shows how lust can lead to forbidden action and trouble for others. The Lord who would descend to kill her sons is described as the well-wisher of all living entities.

The savage descendants of Diti who had been killed in past ages in battles between the demigods and demons took birth among human beings and arrogantly harassed the general populace.

Read the story in SB 3.14–15

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa’s unlimited power remains present even in His infant pastimes. Hearing these activities cleanses the mind.

“My Lord, You have already given Yourself to Pūtanā and her family members simply because she dressed herself as a devotee.” ( Bhāg. 10.14.35) Third, Goddess Lakṣmī, Lord Nārāyaṇa’s constant companion, whom great demigods serve menially to win her slight…

Read the story in SB 10.5–7