368 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

waning of the moon we think that the moon is decreasing. Factually the
moon, as it is, is always the same; it has nothing to do with such visible
waxing and waning activities.

“Consciousness of material existence can be compared to sleeping and
dreaming. When a man sleeps, he dreams of many nonfactual happenings,
and as a result of dreaming he becomes subjected to different kinds of
distress and happiness. Similarly, when a person is in the dreaming
condition of material consciousness, he suffers the effects of accepting a
body and giving it up again in material existence. Opposite to this material
consciousness is Krsna consciousness. In other words, when a man is
elevated to the platform of Krsna consciousness he becomes free from
this false conception of life.”

In this way, Sri Balarama instructed them in spiritual knowledge. He
addressed his sister-in-law thus: “Sweet, smiling Rukmini, do not be
agerieved by false motives caused by ignorance. Due to false notions only
one becomes unhappy, but this unhappiness is immediately removed by
discussing the philosophy of actual life. Be happy on that platform only.”

After hearing such enlightening instruction from Sri Balarama, Rukmini
immediately became pacified and happy and adjusted her mental condition,
which was very much afflicted by seeing the degraded position of her
brother, Rukmi. As far as Rukmi was concerned, neither was his promise
fulfilled nor his mission successful. He had come from home with his
soldiers and military phalanx to defeat Krsna and release his sister, but on
the contrary, he lost all his soldiers and military strength. He was personally
much degraded, and in that condition he was very sorry; but by the grace
of the Lord he could continue his life to the fixed destination. Because he
was a ksatriya, he could remember his promise that he would not return
to his capital city, Kundina, without killing Krsna and releasing his sister,
which he had failed to do; therefore, he decided in anger not to return
to his capital city, and he constructed a small cottage in the village known
as Bhojakata and began to reside there for the rest of his life.

After defeating all the opposing elements and forcibly carrying away
Rukmini, Krsna brought her to His capital city, Dvaraka, and then
married her according to the Vedic ritualistic principle. After this marriage,
Krsna became the King of the Yadus at Dvaraka. On the occasion of His
marriage with Rukmini, all the inhabitants were happy, and in every house
there were great ceremonies. The inhabitants of Dvaraka City became so
pleased that they dressed themselves with the nicest possible ornaments
and garments, and they went to present gifts according to their means to
the newly married couple, Krsna and Rukmini. All the houses of Yadupuri
