Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.60.24
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRukmiṇī’s Grief Reveals Her Ecstatic Love
“Rukmiṇī’s mind was overwhelmed with unhappiness, fear and grief. Her bangles slipped from her hand, and her fan fell to the ground. In her bewilderment she suddenly fainted, her hair scattering all about as her body fell to the ground like a plantain tree blown over by the wind.”
What the purport teaches
- Shocked by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s words, Rukmiṇī could not understand that He was only teasing.
- Overwhelmed with unhappiness, fear and grief, she dropped her fan and fainted. Her body fell like a plantain tree blown over by the wind.
- Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī describes these symptoms as sāttvika ecstasies, ranging from becoming stunned to dissolution.
Try this today
Reread the purport once, remembering that it describes Rukmiṇī’s symptoms as devotional ecstasy.
Ask yourself
How does the purport help me understand Rukmiṇī’s grief as an expression of love?
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.