We should collectively retire this version of Rukmini as the timid, passive, saintly housewife who spent her days quietly folding laundry while everyone else had all the fun with Krishna.
My girl chose her own husband by writing Krishna a love letter asking him to abduct her, defying her entire clan to become his chief wife, and then had eleven children.
Eleven, that is 1 less than a dozen
We all know how babies are made. This math of 11 requires a staggering amount of regular, highly enthusiastic bedroom activity. Doesn't it? Do not say to me she used some mantras.
Also, there seems to be this unspoken assumption in a lot of medieval poetry works and cinematic adaptations alike . It goes like Rukmini was the first wife, so it automatically makes her older, deeply saint-like devotee. Hence conclude her comfortably as less exciting to Krishna. hmm.
Well, this is not even scripturally accurate to begin with.
Rukmini was married at a very young age. She must be younger than at least Krishna's first three subsequent wives. Now the whole "old, faded first wife" trope becomes pure invention
But for argument's sake, even if she had been older, I want to scream when did maturity mean a lack of passion? A seasoned woman brings her own irresistible fire.
We must consider that many traditions place Radha a little older than Krishna... cough, cough.
The man clearly appreciated a woman with experience. Doesn't he?
And the Srimad Bhagavatam itself tells us that Rukmini hated the auspicious Brahmamuhurta . She literally disliked sunrise because it stole him from her embrace. The scripture doesn't need to narrate every detail as it trusts the audience to connect the dots.
So no, I don't buy the "safe, boring, domestic wife" narrative for a second. Even if Rukmini had been older,Iam convinced that he would still choose her every time.
