During the final attack on Mathura by King Jarasandha, Krishna received a letter from Rukmini the exquisitely beautiful and delicate daughter of the King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha Kingdom, requesting Him to accept her as his wife. Thus Krishna and Balarama decided to leave the battlefield and climbed atop the mountain Pravarsana pretending to be afraid of the Jarasandha’s military. Jarasandha followed them and set it on fire from all sides hoping to kill his enemy. However the two brothers jumped off from the 88 miles high mountain and escaped to Dwarka unscathed, where Balarama married Revati the virtuous daughter of king Raivata of Anarta province. The story of Krishna’s marriage to Rukmini is as follows: The king of Vidarbha had 5 sons eldest being Rukmi and a precious daughter named Rukmini, an incarnation of Goddess Laxmi, who was sought after by many princes for her godly qualities. However, Rukmini had heard of the super excellent qualities of Lord Krishna and had secretly desired Lord Krishna as her husband. Krishna also decided that she was fit to be his wife. King Bhishmaka as well as all his relatives also decided that she should be married to Krishna, the prince of Dwarka. However Rukmi, the elder brother of Rukmini, had arranged his sister’s marriage to Sisupala, a sworn enemy of Lord Krishna. King Bhishmaka blinded by affection towards his son could only comply. On hearing, the black eyed Rukmini was heartbroken but decided to send a letter to Krishna, via a messenger, confessing her feelings for Him and requesting him to kidnap her the very next day before being touched by the evil Sisupala. She besought Krishna to fight and conquer Sisupala, knowing well that Krishna was undefeatable. The intelligent Rukmini Devi who was also well trained in diplomacy, suggested that Krishna kidnap her while she with her family visited the Goddess Durga temple the next day before the consecration of the marriage ceremony. She wanted to prevent an unnecessary bloodshed of innocent family members in a skirmish within the palace premises. Rukmini also made known her determination to win Krishna’s favour in her next life, through severe austerities and fasting unto death,  if it was not possible to have His favour now. On hearing Rukmini devi’s message, Krishna was overwhelmed and professing his own love for his beloved devotee, left immediately from Dwarka, on his chariot to teach a lesson to Sisupala and his company. Krishna’s charioteer Daruka took Him to Vidarbha within a night, to find the city fully decorated and lit up for their princess’s wedding. Sisupala’s father, Damaghosa who had already anticipated Krishna’s intervention was prepared to receive Him with hordes of cavalry and infantry. Meanwhile Lord Balarama also reached the spot with his strong divisions of military, out of affection for His younger brother, on learning about Krishna’s adventure. As the time was the marriage drew closer, with no signs of Krishna or her messenger appearing, Rukmini devi felt despondent and began to shed tears helplessly and praying to God. Just then she saw her messenger and Krishna arriving on the scene, and in her elation wanted to give in charity everything she possessed to her Brahmana messenger, but had to content herself with offering only her respects. King Bhishmaka also welcomed Krishna and Balarama to witness the royal wedding of his daughter without having any hint of what was going to come. Soon after Rukmini devi along with her bridesmaids started walking towards the Goddess Durga temple, praying all the while to get Krishna as her husband. While in temple she offered many royal items to the deity such as incense, garments, garlands and foodstuffs, which were later distributed to her and her bridesmaids as prasadam. While she departed from the temple all the princes who had assembled to witness her wedding fell unconscious on seeing her beauty, elegance and humility. While she was thus walking towards her house she happened to gaze at Krishna present among all the princes and had no difficulty in recognizing him since she was always absorbed in his thoughts. Losing no time Krishna grabbed her by her hand and placed her on his chariot and began to slowly drive away without any fear of anyone, exactly as a lion takes a deer from the midst of jackals. Meanwhile Balram along with his Yadu soldiers gave a cover to Krishna and Rukmini. The belligerent princes who could not see Rukmini carried away by Krishna began to attack the Yadu soldiers who made a short work of them killing them in huge numbers. Rukmini Devi looked at Krishna with feelings of gratitude and felt sorry for all the risk Krishna undertook for her. Krishna reassured her of his love and her safety expressing his confidence in the Yadu soldiers. Sisupala, the groom-to-be, who himself had no courage to face Krishna and Balarama, returned home in despair like one who has lost his wife.  However, the envious Rukmi who was frustrated on witnessing the insulting defeat in the hands of Krishna, decided to teach Krishna a lesson. Rallying his troops he began to follow the couple towards Dwarka, and with fake bravado proclaimed before the assembled princes - “You could not help Sisupala marry my sister, Rukmini, but I cannot allow Rukmini to be taken away by Krishna.” He further began boasting of his commandership and vowed to not return to his capital city Kundina without killing Krishna and freeing his sister from His clutches. In his stupidity he reached where Krishna was and began threatening Him repeatedly with foolish insults. A short battle ensued when Krishna dexterously aimed arrows and cut off all his weapons reducing him with just a sword. Then just as soon as Lord Krishna withdrew his sword to sever his head, Rukmini devi fell to the ground and implored her husband as Yogeshwara – one who possesses all energy and opulence – to spare her brother who after all was just wishing the best for his sister. Krishna immediately became compassionate on his young wife and left her brother unscathed but in order to teach him a lesson, He tied him up and sniped at his moustache, beard and hair leaving some spots here and there as a reminder of his transgression. Lord Balarama who returned to the along with the Yadu soldiers scene after making a short work of Rukmi’s army could not see the pathetic condition of Rukmi and in order to pacify his sister-in-law, chastised Krishna before her, for His un-hero-like towards a Kshatriya prince for whom the shaving-off of hair at the hands of an enemy was worse than death. Balaram further consoled the crying Rukmini devi with some enlightening instructions on ethics of war and of the temporary nature of bodily relations, highlighting the permanency of relationship with God only.  Rukmini was pacified but her brother, granted life, in anger decided to stay put at the same spot in a cottage never to return to his kingdom. Krishna brought his newly wedded wife to Dwarka where they were crowned the king and queen to the joy of all the citizens. A great festival was celebrated by the inhabitants to commemorate this special occasion, decorating the city with the auspicious banana and betel nut trees. A large number of elephants carrying the friendly kings who came over, began uprooting and throwing the trees in frivolity hither and tither. King Bhishmaka also happily joined the marriage celebrations and everyone was excited to see the Goddess of Fortune, Laxmi united with the Supreme God Vishnu.