The Holy place itself panca saptama, a specific area of Kuruksetra, is five lakes built by Lord Parasurama to hold the blood of all the kshatriyas killed by him. Lord Parasurama killed the leaders of the world not just once but twenty one times. And later Kuruksetra becomes the battlefield where again all the kshatriyas of the world, who are now actually assembled there for the festival, are later again slaughtered...That up and coming battle ushers in the Kali yuga... which is devoid of qualified brahmanas and devoid of qualified kshatriyas. The only yajna for the age... sankirtan yajna.
In this chapter Draupadi, the Queen of the great devotees, the five Pandavas, inquired from Lord Krishna's Queens how they were accepted as wives of Lord Krishna. We hear from the eight chief Queens about their svayamvaras and also from a representative of the sixteen thousand captive princesses. They all pray not to forget the lotus feet of the Lord life after life.
Two of Lord Krishna's Queens were simply given as gifts to the Lord by their fathers to make up for offenses. King Satrajit defamed Lord Krishna about the theft of the Syamantaka jewel and to make amends offered his daughter Satyambhama. Also related to the Syamantaka jewel was Jambavan who fought with the Lord not recognizing Him at first as His eternal master Lord Ramachandra and then offering his daughter Jambavati.
Two marriages were relatively uneventful. At least there was no fighting. How could marriage to Lord Krishna ever really be uneventful? Kalindi was first approached by Arjuna who understanding her desire brought her to Lord Krishna and Bhadra whose father understood her desire and arranged for her marriage to Krishna.
Satya's father arranged a test so impossible that only Lord Krishna could pass it.. the seven bulls with serpentine horns.
Mitravinda was openly given to Lord Krishna but there was opposition from family members who were defeated.
In each case we see the fathers are very happy to marry their daughters to Lord Krishna.
Most of the accounts given by the Queens are in a short summary form, but Queen Laksmana goes into great detail of the events surrounding her marriage with Lord Krishna. We are there with Her as she remembers and shares the events.
After Lord Krishna's arrow successfully hits the target by only seeing it in a reflection of water, a fish hanging from the ceiling covered by a cloth, Laksmana enters the assembly to greet her new husband:
"At that time, I entered the arena of competition, and the ankle bells on my legs were sounding very melodiously as I walked. I was nicely dressed with new silken garments, flowers were decorating my hair, and because of Lord Krishna's victory, I was in ecstatic joy and smiling very pleasingly. I was carrying in my hands a golden necklace bedecked with jewels, which was glittered at intervals. My curling hair encircled my face, which was shining with a bright luster due to the reflection of my various rings. My eyes blinking, I first of all observed all the princes present, and when I reached my Lord I very slowly placed the golden necklace on His neck." KB 2.28
Queen Rohini (different from Rohini the mother of Balarama) speaks beautifully on behalf of the sixteen thousand:
"Our only ambition is to bear on our heads life after life the dust particles attached to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. The goddess of fortune also desired to keep that dust on her breast along with the fragrant saffron. We simply desire this dust, which accumulates underneath the lotus feet of Krishna as He travels on the land of Vrndavana as a cowherd boy. The gopis especially, and also the cowherd men and the aborigine tribeswomen, always desire to become the grass and straw on the street of Vrndavana, to be trampled on by the lotus feet of Krishna. My dear Queen, we wish to remain as such life after life, without any other desire." KB 2.28
All glories to the glorious Queens of Lord Krishna. I am just barely able to appreciate what I am hearing. I take shelter at their Lotus Feet
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