Hare krsna everyone.. This is yet another series in the Rukmini pastime.. Hope you would like the theme as well as the painting, which did take me quite a while to finish as I was battling with my lazy mind..but somehow by the Lord's mercy my mind didn't overpower my feeling to finish this work. The story for this painting is as below. Please read to better get a grasp of what's going on:
" Rukmini was a very beautiful and chaste princess of a devotee king named Maharaja Bhismaka. She was to be given in marriage to Sri Krsna, but due to the political diplomacy of her brother Rukmi, she was being prepared to be given in marriage to Sisupala, one of Krsna's enemy. Rukmini was not at all happy on hearing this news, and became sad and morose. She decided to write a letter to her beloved, Sri Krsna, and in that letter she expressed her desire to be voluntarily kidnapped by Krsna when she is being prepared for marriage outside of the palace.
Krsna, understanding the heart of Rukmini, also wanted her to be His wife, and so decided to do the needful. He asked His driver, Daruka to harness the horses for His chariot and prepare to go to the kingdom of Vidarbha (Bhismaka's kingdom). Meanwhile, all preparations for marriage was being done on Rukmini's end. Damaghosa, Sisupala's father had arranged for thousands of men - personalities like Jarasandha, Dantavakra, Paundraka, etc. It was an open secret that Rukmini was meant to be married to Krsna; therefore the soldiers suspected that Krsna might cause a disturbance by attempting to kidnap Rukmini.
As Rukmini was nicely decorated with flowers and jewels, all the chivalrous princes assembled there were so overwhelmed by her beauty that they became almost unconscious and fell from their horses and elephants. Krsna, who by the time had already reached her kingdom, immediately took the opportunity to place Rukmini on His chariot and proceeded slowly, without fear, taking Rukmini away exactly as a lion takes a deer from the midst of jackals. Meanwhile, Balarama appeared on the scene with soldiers of the Yadu dynasty.
Jarasandha, who had many times experienced defeat by Krsna, roared,'How is this? What is the use of our being chivalrous fighters with arrows? My dear princes, just look! We are losing our reputation." So, picking up their bows and arrows, they began to chase Krsna on their chariots, horses and elephants. To check their progress, the soldiers of Yadu dynasty turned and faced them. The princes, opposing Krsna, shot their arrows at the Yadu soldiers just as a cloud splashes the face of a mountain with torrents of rain (as shown in the painting).
When the enemy were gradually being defeated by the Yadu soldiers, they ceased fighting and dispersed since they didn't think it wise to give up their armies for sake of Sisupala. This whole event enraged Rukmini's brother Rukmi. He took a vow to capture Krsna and teach Him a lesson for kidnapping his sister. He immediately got on his chariot and told his chariot driver to pursue Krsna, only to be humiliated and defeated by Krsna later on as a result of his arrogance and cockiness."
May you relish this nectarean pastime and be blessed by the Lord with spiritual ecstasy..
Hare krsna
Tools: PS CS5, Intuos4 tablet
Time taken: approx. 10-11 hours
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