Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 1.10.29
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Responds to Humble Prayers
“The children of these ladies are Pradyumna, Sāmba, Amba, etc. Ladies like Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā and Jāmbavatī were forcibly taken away by Him from their svayaṁvara ceremonies after He defeated many powerful kings, headed by Śiśupāla. And other ladies were also forcibly taken away by Him after He killed Bhaumāsura and thousands of his assistants. All of these ladies are glorious.”
What the purport teaches
- A svayaṁvara allowed a qualified princess to choose her bridegroom through an open competition among princes. Kṛṣṇa’s unrivalled prowess brought Him victory over Śiśupāla and other princes.
- The princesses held captive by Bhaumāsura prayed fervently to Kṛṣṇa for deliverance. The merciful Lord answered their prayers and released them by defeating their captor.
- Although society regarded the captive princesses as fallen, the all-powerful Lord accepted their humble prayers. He married them and honored them as queens.
Try this today
Offer one simple, sincere prayer to Kṛṣṇa for His mercy.
Ask yourself
What does Kṛṣṇa’s response to the captive princesses teach me about approaching Him sincerely?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.