Krishna and his wives

Indian history is one of the world's most manipulated by the outsiders and some money-minded inside influencers in a very dirty way blaming Hindu gods with their cheap theories.  And in this race of blaming the idols of great culture, Shri Ram and Shri Krishna were always held on top by these manipulators. 

I always try to post the truth on Indian history on my website, and in various debates. I have also made a video justifying the truth of Shri Ram and Ramayan on YouTube in Hindi. I also thought of making a video on Shri Krishna as well. But I am getting less time to make a video due to my fully packed writing schedule. 

So, I thought why not post an article on the 9th incarnation of Vishnu (Yes, Krishna is the 9th incarnation, 8th was Balaram… There are debates on this as well which can be discussed later, now concentrate on Krishna and his life with his women), and bring on his life and teachings into the knowledge of everyone. People always playfully joke about Krishna as a womaniser or playboy, who made Raasleela and had 16000+ wives.

The points which I am justifying below will surely change such opinions on Shri Krishna. 

Before discussing his wives let us flash some light on his teenage years. Krishna is known for playing Raas Leela (in English, romantic dance with women!) with Radha and other gopis in Brindavan, when he was a teen. But the truth is Krishna never played any Raasleelas in his teenage years or later!  And the next truth might shock some of the readers.

 Radharani never existed as per the ancient epics!

I know, this will hurt the sentiments of many devotees who worship Radha Krishna, I am also one of them. 

Vyasa, who lived during Dwaparyug and saw the life of Krishna, wrote not only Mahabharata but also wrote- Harivamsa, Bhagwatam, and Vishnu Purana.

Harivamsa - An account of Krishna's birth life and his family history.

Bhagwatam- Explains Krishna's Prema leela and Veera leela.

Vishnu Puran- Explains the various avatars chapters of Vishnu, including the Krishna avatar.

None of them contain any mention of Radha!

Nor any other's work that is attributed to be written or composed in the time of Krishna, does  mention Radha.

AdiShankaracharya in the 8th century, in one of his shlokas mentioned a gopi, who was devoted to Krishna so much that she visited the banks of Yamuna every day to see him due to her spirituality. Adi Shankara mentioned a name as Aradhana (which means devotion), through which might be Radha is originated.

Then Radharani was mentioned in Bramhanda Purana. And later Radha got famous in the epic kavya Geeta Govinda by Jaidev in the 12th century.  In that she was glorified for her devotion and love for Krishna, later Radha Krishna Parampara became the most famous parampara of devotion in Hinduism. 

Although, TV serials show Radha Krishna's story in Mahabharata are all folk stories. However, real or not love and devotion of Radha Krishna is still exist for all. But the point is as per Mahabharata and other epics, Krishna never played any Raasleela, as his childhood was all filled with fighting the demons sent by Kansa to assassinate him.

Krishna’s marriages -

Krishna had 8 chief wives or principal queens popularly knows and Ashtabharya in epics, and 16100 subordinate wives! Yes, and with this line, people tagged him as womaniser! Make it a point, he is not any normal human or a messenger of god,  he is GOD!! An incarnation of the protector of the universes, Vishnu, who doesn’t need women to satisfy his needs, he has the goddess of prosperity and life, Laxmi as his wife, whom everyone worships to please and get her blessings. People perform thousands of years of austerity and penance to see him or spend time with him or to get him as a husband. 

Let us make it clear that his 8 wives were 8 avatars of Laxmi (Ashta Laxmi). There is a story which says, after Ram avatar, Laxmi wished Vishnu that she wants to lead a happy life with him in the next human incarnation with no struggles or separation like in Ram avatar, and Laxmi wanted to please him in all her avatars with love and care, Vishnu granted her wish. As a result, Laxmi took 8 human avatars in Dwaparyug to marry her eternal husband Vishnu, i.e., in his Krishna avatar. So let us know who all they were and how did they marry Krishna.  

1. Rukmini - Princess of Vidarbha, sister of Rukmi and daughter of King Bhishmaka. 

Rukmi wanted his sister to marry his friend Shishupal (who happens to be one of the cousin of Krishna). But Rukmini, a main avatar of Laxmi, knew her worldly life on earth, and she always loved Krishna. She sent a message to Krishna to take her away with him and escape the marriage. After receiving her message, Krishna went to Vidarbha immediately, and on the day of Rukmini’s marriage with Shishupal, he met her for the first time in the temple, where she came for Gauri Puja before the marriage, and Rukmini eloped with Krishna with her wish. They came to Dwaraka and got married and Rukmini became the first wife and chief of all wives of Krishna.

2. Jambuwati - She was given as wife to Krishna by her father Jambuwant. He served Shri Krishna in his Ram avatar. There is a story of Samyantaka Mani, in the next point. Krishna went in search of Samyantak Mani and finds it with Jambuvant, who do not recognise Krishna and fights with him and get defeated, then he realises that Krishna is none other than Shri Ram’s incarnation. He wished Krishna to marry his daughter Jambuvati so that he can finish his responsibility and attain salvation.

3. Satyabhama - A fearless warrior, and a beautiful Princess of the Yadava dynasty, ruled by King Satrajit, who blamed Krishna as a thief of precious Samyantak Mani, which was in his kingdom. To prove him wrong Krishna brings back that Mani from Jambuvant. Then Satrajit, embarrassed by his deed, apologised to Krishna and requested him to marry his loving pampered daughter, Satyabhama. Thus, Satyabhama was given in marriage to Krishna by her father. She was the second most loving wife of Krishna after Rukmini. Satyabhama was an incarnation of Bhudevi, who was known as an embodiment of Laxmi. 

4. Kalindi- 4th wife was an incarnation of river Yamuna, which again happens to be the embodiment of Laxmi. Yamuna performed austerity for thousands of years to get Vishnu as her husband. And it gets fulfilled in Dwaparayuga.

5. Nagnajiti- Princess of Kaushalya or Kosala, she loved Krishna and wished him as her husband.  Her father king of Kosala Nagnajit was a pious king who followed Vedic scriptures with great devotion, set condition for the marriage of Nagnajiti that her to be husband should win her by defeating his seven ferocious bulls in battle, and no prince or kings could control the bulls. When Krishna came into the swayamvar, Nagnajit welcomed him and honoured him his throne as he knew his divinity. Naganjiti was also very joyful to see Krishna and prayed that Krishna should win the swayamvar and be her husband, with the wish of Nagnajiti, Krishna entered the showground expanding into seven forms and easily put a noose around the seven bulls, humbling them all at one time, he won the swayamwara and married to Nagnajiti.

6. Mitravinda- She was a princess of Avanti (present Madhya Pradesh state), daughter of King Jayasena. King invited Krishna to the swayamvara of Mitravinda, which was also the wish of his beloved daughter. Mitravinda was a very virtuous, noble, and beautiful girl, she was devoted to Krishna and wished him to be her husband. During her swayamvara, Duryodhana and other kauravas were also present to win the beautiful princess’s heart which was already stolen by Krishna. Her brothers wished her to marry Duryodhana, but she chose Krishna in Swayamwara, her brothers disapproved Krishna and raised a fight against him along with Duryodhana and Kauravas, but Krishna defeated all her brothers and eloped with Mitravinda and married her.  

7. Lakshmana- Some say she was Princess of Gandhar and some say she was a princess of South Indian kingdoms. She is also known as Madra. She had a beautiful smile and played Veena very well. She loved Krishna, but her family did not invite Krishna to her swayamvar. She wished Krishna to be present in her swayamvar by sending him a message. During her Swayamvar, Durodhana and Jarasandha were present. The challenge of swayamvara was acing an archery contest. Krishna won the challenge which was missed by all the kings and princes like Jarasandha and Duryodhana. Yet Lakshamana’s family didn’t approve of Krishna to give their daughter in marriage with him. With the wish of Lakshmana, Krishna had to elope with her by flying on his Vahana Garuda, and married her in Dwaraka.

8. Bhadra- The 8th chief wife of Krishna was a princess of Kaikeyi. Bhadra was a daughter of King Dhrishtaketu and his wife Shrutakirti, who was a sister of Kunti and the cousin of Vasudeva (Krishna’s father) and thus, Bhadra was Krishna’s distant cousin and loved him since childhood. She chose Krishna in Swayamvar and was happily given in marriage to Krishna by her brothers.

So this was the story of Krishna’s marriage with all his chief queens. 

The story of 16100 wives. 

As per Bhagavat Purana, there was a demon named Narakasura who was born out of mother earth, king of Pragjyotisha, a kingdom away from earth. He got the boon from Bramha that he could only be killed by his mother, as he knew mother earth never kill anybody in rage.

He attacked many kingdoms, and stole all the princesses and girls of those kingdoms, and kept them all in his palace for his needs. They were the 16100 princesses and girls. Encouraged by his success on earth, in ambition to take over heaven he turned towards Amaravati the swargalok and defeated the mighty Indra, forced him to leave heaven by insulting him. In victory, Narakasura stole the precious earrings of the heavenly mother of Indra and the other devas, Aditi. 

Enraged Aditi, approached Krishna’s wife Satyabhama for help, knowing that Satyabhama was an incarnation of Bhudevi. Outraged by Narakasura’s evil deeds, Satyabhama agreed for the war against him, and pursued her husband for an ally. Krishna who was aware about Narakasura’s boon by Brahma, decides to help Satyabhama as her charioteer in her battle against Narakasura. As promised to the Devas and Aditi, Krishna attacked the unassailable fort at Pragjyotisha, riding his mount Garuda with his wife Satyabhama.


Satyabhama a strong warrior queen not only killed Narakasura and won the war, but also recovered the precious earrings and freed all the 16,100 girls. Narakasura, while dying asked the boon to Satyabhama, an embodiment of his mother Bhudevi, that his death should be celebrated as equality in marriage, the day when a man and woman come together to fight a battle against evil and win a war, everyone should celebrate his death with colourful light. Thus, this day is celebrated as 'Naraka Chaturdashi' the day before Diwali.

Krishna and Satyabhama asked all the girls to go back to their hometown and live peacefully as they are free now. But those girls told Krishna that they will not be accepted in their home, as their chastity was destroyed by Narakasura. They all surrendered before Krishna and asked for respect and a place to live where their chastity will not be questioned. So, Krishna married them all and gave them a place to live in his Dwaraka, where they all lived respectfully as wives of Krishna, but he never had any physical relationship with any of them. 

Krishna had children only from his 8 chief queens. He respected and loved all his wives, but even after marrying so many girls, he was always known as Bramhachari, a chaste man since he was never attached to the desires. So this is the story of Krishna and his wives. I hope now people will understand the depth of the story of Krishna, and spread the word to the world.

Post a Comment

0 Comments