Rugmineesha Vijaya

An epic composition by Sri Vaadiraja Tirtha (1480-1600), this lilting, alliterative work in Sanskrit, is a glorious amalgamation of poetry and philosophy, and is regarded as a poem par excellence.

It traces the story of Krishna from his birth and boyhood to his wedding to Rukmini, the princess of Vidarbha, through 19 cantos (sargas) and is said to have been composed in 19 days, as a challenge to ‘Shishupaala Vadhe’, by the poet Magha.

Unhappy with ‘Shishupaala Vadhe’ being considered as the best poem, Vaadiraja Tirtha requested a few weeks for travel-time to fetch the manuscript of RugmineeshaVijaya. In reality, no such grantha was in existence, except in Vaadiraja Tirtha’s head. He wrote the 19 cantos and headed back to Pune and presented the poem. RugmineeshaVijaya was declared a “maha-kaavya” and the grantha was carried in a procession on an elephant.

The English version presented here is largely based on the Kannada translation by the Late Koteshwara Narasimhaachaarya.