Rukmini was fasting for Ekadashi and also observing 'maun vrat' (a fast in which one does not speak at all). She sat silently as the maidens prepared her for the wedding.
Hearing the instruments being played, Rukmini got up and went to her balcony. She saw huge number of people gathered in the city as well as palace. Rukmini saw King Jarasandh and king Damaghosha. Rukmini searched for the Brahmin in the crowd but to no avail.
Rukmini came inside her room and sat in front of the mirror.
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Only 3 yamas (9 hours) more are left for my marriage but still neither the Brahmin has arrived nor Krishna. Maybe Keshava (Krishna) found something undesirable in me that he did not arrive here to take my hand. What a misfortune! Maybe the destiny is against me.. maybe lord Shiva and Parvati are upset with me...
Thousands of thoughts rushed in Rukmini's mind. Her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Come inside", Uma whispered as she brought the Brahmin in Rukmini's room from the back doors hiding him from the soldiers.
Rukmini got up from her seat and went near the Brahmin. With anxious eyes she looked at the Brahmin.
Noticing his joyful face and the relaxed movements of his body Rukmini understood that he had brought some auspicious news.
"Devi, Lord Yadunandan has arrived in the city. He is waiting for you.."
Rukmini's happiness knew no bounds. She searched in her room to find something that she could offer as a reward to the Brahmin. Finding nothing worthy enough as a reward for the Brahmin who had provided her the best news, she simply bowed down to him with utmost respect.
The Brahmin joined his hands and left the room. Uma went with the Brahmin to help him reach outside the palace safely.
Rukmini then left her inner palace along with the maidens. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅, 𝒄𝒚𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒔, 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒓𝒚, 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒃𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒃𝒚 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒅𝒔. She walked to the temple of Ambika (Girija Devi). Although she was going there to worship the feet of the Goddess Girija, Rukmini's mind was continuously absorbed in the lotus feet of Krishna. Rukmini walked slowly with a desire to spot Krishna. As she walked, her long hair swayed in the wind. She continuously put the hair strands behind her ear so that she does not miss the glance of her Manmohana..
