Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.52.42
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThoughtful Devotion Avoids Harm
“Since I will be staying within the inner chambers of the palace, You may wonder, “How can I carry you away without killing some of your relatives?” But I shall tell You a way: On the day before the marriage there is a grand procession to honor the royal family’s deity, and in this procession the new bride goes outside the city to visit Goddess Girijā.”
What the purport teaches
- Rukmiṇī anticipated that Śrī Kṛṣṇa might hesitate to injure or kill her relatives while entering the palace’s protected inner chambers.
- She explained that the bride would go outside the city in a procession to honor Goddess Girijā on the day before the marriage.
- The procession would give Kṛṣṇa the perfect opportunity to carry Rukmiṇī away without harming her relatives. Her plan joined her desire to be with Him with concern for their safety.
Try this today
Before doing one act of devotional service today, consider how to carry it out without causing unnecessary difficulty for others.
Ask yourself
How can I show greater care for others while pursuing devotional service to Kṛṣṇa?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
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.