Krsna Defeats All the Princes 369
(Dvaraka) were decorated with flags, festoons and flowers. Each and every
house had an extra gate specifically prepared for this occasion, and on
both sides of the gate there were big water jugs filled with water. The
whole city was flavored by the burning of high quality incense, and at
night there was illumination by thousands of lamps, decorating each and
every building.

The entire city appeared jubilant on the occasion of Lord Krsna’s
marriage with Rukmini. Everywhere in the city there was profuse decora-
tion of banana trees and betel nut trees. These two trees are considered
very auspicious in happy ceremonies. At the same time there was an
assembly of many elephants, who carried the respective kings of different
friendly kingdoms. It is the habit of the elephant that whenever he sees
some small plants and trees, out of his sportive frivolous nature, he
uproots the trees and throws them hither and thither. The elephants
assembled on this occasion also scattered the banana and betel nut trees,
but in spite of such intoxicated action, the whole city, with the trees
thrown here and there, looked very nice.

The friendly kings of the Kurus and the Pandavas were represented by
Dhrtarastra, the five Pandu brothers, King Drupada, King Santardana, as
well as Rukmini’s father, Bhismaka. Because of Krsna’s kidnapping
Rukmini, there was initially some misunderstanding between the two
families, but Bhismaka, King of Vidarbha, being approached by Sri Bala-
rama and persuaded by many saintly persons, was induced to participate in
the marriage ceremony of Krsna and Rukmini. Although the incidence of
Krsna’s kidnapping was not a very happy occurrence in the kingdom of
Vidarbha, kidnapping was not an unusual affair among the ksatriyas. Kid-
napping was, in fact, current in almost all marriages. Anyway, King
Bhismaka was from the very beginning inclined to hand over his beautiful
daughter to Krsna. In one way or another his purpose had been served, and
so he was pleased to join the marriage ceremony, even though his eldest son
was degraded in the fight. It is mentioned in the Padma Purana that Maha-
raja Nanda and the cowherd boys of Vrndavana joined the marriage cere-
mony. Kings from the kingdoms of Kuru, Srijaya, Kekaya, Vidarbha and
Kunti came to Dvaraka on this occasion with all their royal paraphernalia.

The story of Rukmini’s being kidnapped by Krsna was poeticized, and
the professional readers recited it everywhere. All the assembled kings and,
especially, their daughters were struck with wonder and became very
pleased upon hearing the chivalrous activities of Krsna. In this way, all
visitors as well as the inhabitants of Dvaraka City became joyful seeing
Krsna and Rukmini together. In other words, the Supreme Lord, the main-
