Posted: 12 years ago
I thought I will open a new thread so that we can discuss about Krishna's wives under one thread... 

From the last few episodes, it is clear that most of us are not happy with the way Rukmini, Rohini and Satyabhama have been portrayed on screen . I will not comment on the actresses' acting limitations, but rather lay the blame on Sagars' doorstep.

First of all, let us gather what we know  about their characters. As far as I know (that is primarily from Srimad Bhagavatham), each of the wives displayed nothing but the highest devotion to Krishna. For the chief queens, at least, it was a culmination of prayers extending across lifetimes. Each of them, (while describing their marriages  to Draupadi - Chapter 83 ) humbly state that their only goal was to able to serve their Lord. 

As far as I know there was no sense of rivalry, inferiority or jealousy amongst them. ( I know there are  some stories of Rukmini- Satyabhama rivalry and i will come to that shortly)  In fact Sage Narada, on hearing that Krishna had wed 16000 women, visited  to Dwaraka to observe how Krishna was able to 'manage' so many wives. The sage found that Krishna had multiplicated his form such that no wife felt she was neglected or left alone.

Even if we take this story to be mere poetic exaggeration (as Vyasa often indulged in) , it is inconceivable that any of His wives would harbour ill feelings towards him or one another. As mortals, we ourselves notice that when we are in the presence of a guru or spiritually advanced person, our behaviour and thoughts improve remarkably . Similarly, when these women were constantly in the presence of God  Himself, won't their thoughts words and actions reflect spiritual maturity ?

Now coming to what the Sagars have been depicting,beginging with the latest. Satyabhama  sword fighting so that she could 'protect herself' was simply galling. Hello madam, you are taking to the One who is going to say "sarva dharaman parityajya ma mekam sharanam vraja...) Will it not be much easier for her to simply take refuge in her Husband? Draupadi,  Arjuna and Uttara are going do it in future. Of course regarding the language used, tone of voice, body language, the less said the better.Can we imagine Sita talking to Ram like this?

Ok, admitting for a moment that the Sagars have to play along with a popular version of Satyabhama being arrogant and defiant. In that case, they should have already shown Rukmini's  love and devotion.Highlighting Rukmini's good qualities only to 'tame' Satyabhama seems cheap. 

In fact I have a problem with showing the three of them bunched together doing nothing but giggling and exchanging glances. Seems like a scene from some Saas Bahu serial.

As such the Sagars have indulged in a lot of Creative licensing. Why not create a few scenes showing some beautiful scenes b/w Krishna and his wives  (separately, please, not bunched together again)? Like the one in AS Ramayan where Sita washed Ram's feet in the river...Fictitious, but conveyed the sentiment perfectly...

What do you feel?...





Posted: 12 years ago
Thanks for opening this thread, vaarali.  It is convenient to have all discussions about the wives under one 'roof' 😆

First the actresses.  Initially, Priya's look didn't seem right for it, but after some episodes, she did get the 'softness' touch to her.  Last night, as Lakshmi, while complaining about Narakasura, she did look angry for the first time.  This looks realistic, putting aside one's disbelief @ Lakshmi-Narayan being in Vaikuntha while Rukmini-Krishna were on Bhulok.  However, while Priya improved in the 'softness' department, her lack of knowledge about how people were addressed in those times is pathetic. For instance, she once addressed Revathy as Bhabi-shree.  Now, the trend of a Hindu woman addressing her Jethani as Bhabi is only recent: my younger cousin's wife addresses my wife as 'Didi', not Bhabi/Boudi, although my sister is addressed by her devrani as boudi. So yeah, milages do vary now, but in those times, it was universal that a Jethani was addressed as a 'Didi'.

It's one thing for Priya and the new Satyabhama actress not to know it, but it's appalling that the directors of the show don't, or chose to put up w/ it.  What makes it worse are the directors making Rukmini both insensitive (when her father was kicked by Rukmi, she didn't even yell @ him in anger) and lacking any faith in Krishna, time after time (starting w/ when Rukmi showed her 'Krishna's' ashes to when they were getting reports of Krishna being stuck in the cave.  In doing so, they've so destroyed her character that when Satyabhama came in, it's a relief to see Krishna w/ her, than w/ Rukmini.

As some people commented yesterday, Satyabhama looks like a girl pulled out of college and forced to marry, and in the serial, she looks like a very reluctant wife of Krishna.  The real Krishna would never have married someone like that, who constantly doubts him.  And as Tan observed, where on earth did she get those pants? 😆 Also, if she's such a fantastic swordswoman, why doesn't she pick a male warrior from Krishna's army and fight him?  I do slightly disagree w/ vaarali that they should have just shown her taking refuge in him, particularly if they plan to show her as killing Narakasura.  I do agree that the manner in which she talks to Krishna is particularly grating, almost like how modern wives in the real world talk to their husbands.  Particularly ugly was her accusing him of lying, or being more attentive to Rukmini or Satyabhama.  The actress would have been more suited for some future role, such as Uttara or Usha.

One thing that I did like about Satyabhama is her lack of superstition (and personally, I liked her haughty and flamboyant attitude as well).  In Rukmini's case, when all those apshakuns were happening during that Ganesh puja, she reacted like Mandodari reacted to every apshakun that happened to Ravan, which was irritating to watch.  But last night, when an empty plate of Krishna's, which Satyabhama was holding, fell to the ground while she was handing it over to her maid, the maid was apshakun struck, but not our Satyabhama - she just coolly asked the maid to pick it up 🤣  Guess this serial's Rukmini could learn some things from her 😆  Maybe Krishna should do future yagnas w/ her. 😆

If one found Rukmini's addressing of Krishna as Giridhar or Murlidhar as insufferable, Satyabhama is even worse - only addresses him as her 'Kanha'.  Hello, this is not Yashoda-maiya!!!  Last night, after she saw clones of Krishna in the other rooms, she returned to her room and fell @ Krishna's feet.  For a change, it was refreshing to watch, before Krishna this time spoiled it.  If he was willing to show his vishwa-roop to Muchkund and Jambavan, why not at least concede that Satyabhama was right about his divinity, instead of denying it and making lame excuses about her servants seeing him everywhere b'cos they loved him? After all, everyone knows (unlike in Rama's original case) that he's Narayan, so why pretend otherwise?  And his explanation was so complicated and convoluted that even I didn't understand it, 🤣 so I don't blame Satyabhama for telling him that he's going around in circles, but is happy that he's hers.

I've never read about whether there was any inter-wife rivalry or not, so can't tell.  But I do agree that jealous or not, Satyabhama wouldn't have been disrespectful to either Rukmini or Jambavati.  Particularly ugly was her wishing that Rukmini was crying @ Krishna's absence.  Only thing I don't understand - now that Krishna has revealed to her his divinity and that he can be everywhere, would it even make sense if they were to, at some point, show the Tulabharam incident?

The only positive thing I'll say about the Rukmini & Satyabhama actresses being so unappealing - people will be less focused on the jodis, and more on the story.  Looks like the scope of this serial to have appealing actresses is gone, since Draupadi is more likely than not to have some Devaki like appearances.  There were stories earlier in the media about this being a male centric show, which any Krishna show (not about his childhood) would be.  However, that would have been the case even if they had picked the best possible actresses for roles like Rukmini & Satyabhama, and kept Devaki, Rohini, introduced Subhadra early and so on.  Speaking of which, I'm guessing that even Balarama & Revathy are from now on likely to be cameo appearances, since Balarama pretty much did his own things for much of Krishna's life, while here, he'd be busy ruling Dwarka.
Edited by _Vrish_ - 12 years ago
Posted: 12 years ago
Thanks for opening this thread.
 
I will defn itely comment on this in a day or two.
Posted: 12 years ago
Originally posted by _Vrish_


 

However, while Priya improved in the 'softness' department, her lack of knowledge about how people were addressed in those times is pathetic. For instance, she once addressed Revathy as Bhabi-shree.  Now, the trend of a Hindu woman addressing her Jethani as Bhabi is only recent: my younger cousin's wife addresses my wife as 'Didi', not Bhabi/Boudi, although my sister is addressed by her devrani as boudi. So yeah, milages do vary now, but in those times, it was universal that a Jethani was addressed as a 'Didi'.

That's news to me. I thought (I am not a North Indian, so I wouldn't know) to a wife,  her husband's relatives stand in the same relation to her as to her husband. So if  the husband calls his sister - in- law as 'bhabhi ', what's wrong in his wife calling her the same? 'Didi' would be reserved for her husband's elder sister (or any sister older than the wife). You call your husband's mama as 'mama', chachi as ' chachi' so why does 'bhabhi' alone metamorphose into 'didi'

Originally posted by _Vrish_


 would it even make sense if they were to, at some point, show the Tulabharam incident


Contrary to popular belief, The Tulabharam incident didn't come out of wifely rivalry. All it did was to show that only Rukmni understood the inherent divinity of Krishna.

When Narada came to Satyabahma seeking alms, she asked him could he ensure that she obtained Krishna as her husband birth after birth. Narada, ever ready for mischief, replied whatever one donates as alms to a Brahmin, comes back to the giver manifold. He suggested that she offer Krishna as 'alms' to him. Without thinking, Satyabhama pulls Krishna out and after pouring a drop of water on His hands, places His hands on Narada's as if giving bhiksha. Done.

Narada pulls his trump card out and announces that she will now get Krishna only in her next birth, for now, He is his(Narad's) slave as she has donated Him. As if to prove his words, Narada begins to drag Krishna out. Realization now dawns on Satyabhama. She tries to catch hold of Narada's feet imploring him to suggest a way out. 

Narada pretends to think and suggests that if she were to offer a quantity of gold equal to that of Krishna's body weight, she may obtain Him back. Satyabhama heaves a sigh of relief. What follows is well known. Not all of Satyabhama's gold or the gold of all the other queens can equal the scale. All the queens are distraught- except Rukmini. She too was quietly enjoying the fun. When Narada asked Satyabhama to approach Rukmini for help, Rukmini plucked a Tulsi Leaf and after first offering it at Krishna's feet, she placed it on the other side of the scale with the words 

"astu ambujaksa mama te charana  anuraga" (May I be blessed with steady devotion to your lotus feet) 

Edited by varaali - 12 years ago
Posted: 12 years ago
Originally posted by varaali


That's news to me. I thought (I am not a North Indian, so I wouldn't know) to a wife,  her husband's relatives stand in the same relation to her as to her husband. So if  the husband calls his sister - in- law as 'bhabhi ', what's wrong in his wife calling her the same? 'Didi' would be reserved for her husband's elder sister (or any sister older than the wife). You call your husband's mama as 'mama', chachi as ' chachi' so why does 'bhabhi' alone metamorphose into 'didi'


^^^ That's b'cos the jethani/devrani are both the DILs of the family, and both address their FIL & MIL as their husbands do i.e. as parents.  Since both the bahus would address the same people as their own parents (since they both belong to their husbands' family), the relationship b/w them is that of sisters.  For a married woman therefore, her bhabi would only be her own brother's wife, not her husband's bhabi.

That's how it's traditionally been, but nowadays, different women use either, like the example I gave above.  Even if we were discussing the last century, it'd look strange.  And we're discussing her the Dwapar Yuga, where it's downright inconceivable.  If you see some of the older serials, Kunti would address Gandhari as Didi, and that's about right.  I can't think of too many other such examples except Revathy vs Krishna's wives: in most cases, you have co-wives, and in Sita's case, her devranis happened to be her sisters as well, so that would be a bad example to use.
Edited by _Vrish_ - 12 years ago
Posted: 12 years ago
i dun find Rukmani that bad but Satyabhama is annoying...not the character but the way this actress is made to play Satyabhama...firstly i find her very disrespectful towards Krishna..specially after she fell to his feet and said realization has dawned on her ke Shri Krishna is an avtar...her tone is too harsh always...she's most of the time ordering Krishna...dun know how Lord is loving all this, as if he's pampering a nursery child who doesn't know what he's speaking ðŸ¤¢ even after knowing that he's God, she again talks back in the same tone ðŸ˜† tdy ordering him to teach her dhanurvidya...the lady must be shown to have sum basic manners and courtesy...her language is like gaon ki gawar types...she cannot pronounce simple hindi words...like "saadharan"..she needs to take a chill pill.Edited by _charu_ - 12 years ago
Posted: 12 years ago
i actually like the way the serial i going..n i dont think we hould compare the way how sita was with Ram .that is completely diffrent n it was said that yes Sathyabhama was the one who wanted Krishna alot to her self. the way they are depicting the wives is fine. Enjoying the serial very much. i think we should stop comparing. no offence.  The quality of the work is soo  good a few mistakes do happen. hope no1 feels bad n stuf..
Posted: 12 years ago
In today's episode, having accepted that this serial is going to distort both characters & messages, I decided that I liked the one Satyabhama gave Krishna - that her job is not just to romance him, but also be @ his side in battle.  Almost like a Kaikeyi.  The back & forth argument b/w Krishna & her about whether she'll need to go to the battlefield was somewhat cute, but if she's that determined, why was she staring @ him, rather than her target? 😆 I'd have liked them to show her using that bow, which incidentally, is a bit odd shaped at the ends.  But all in all, I loved Satyabhama being a Dwapar Yuga Vanessa Williams (in Erasure) or Angelina Jolie (in Mr & Mrs Smith) - now just show her taking Narakasura for a spin 😈

But even for that, I think the actor chosen could have been better, although I must admit that Satyabhama is somewhat growing on me.  At any rate, I like the appearance of Rukmini being 'replaced' by her (even though it didn't happen, but had Rukmini actually been subjected to this, she might have regretted not marrying Sishupala).  Also, today, Satyabhama addressed Krishna as Dwarkadheesh, which is a lot more palatable than Kanha (I've stopped expecting Aryaputra from any of them)
Edited by _Vrish_ - 12 years ago
Posted: 12 years ago
one more link to krishna's wives :
 
 
Dwarkadhish was what he was mostly called by all. only Rukmini called him aarya (bloved and respected hubby). so i read in one of the marathi version on 'bhagvatam' . will let u the name of the book once i remember .
 
anyway, in coming week we should see two more of his wives, Mitravinda and Satya (Nagnajiti).  while going to Pragjyotishpur, he crossed the state of Avanti , where swayamvar of Mitravinda was going on. her brothers hated krishna , just like Rukmi but the princess wanted to marry krishna. so while Satyabhama was resting in the tent before leaving avanti, krishna told her he would visit king of avanti and she should wait for him to come back. the he went to avanti palace where Mitravinda's swayamvar was taking place. he stole her in front of all and send her to dwarika. satyabhama came to know abt this after she comes back from pragjyotishpur.
 
later while after killing narkasura swyaymwar of satya (nagnajiti , princess of kosala was taking place. the king invited krishna. and krishna visited with satyabhama, and won the swayamvar.
 
just think how Satyabhama would have felt, if she was so jealous of other queens, that her husband is getting married in front of her eyes.
 
actually his 8 wives r said to be the 'ashta-laxmis' that is laxmi's 8 diff versions. and Rukmini was first of them.
 
let's see how the show it
Posted: 12 years ago
diksha

All the 8 marriages of Krishna took place before his marriage to the 16,100 captives of Narakasura.  The reason his 8 wives are his 8 principle wives is that he married them before he married the other 16,100.

I doubt that they'll show Krishna's other 5 marriages - they are even less known than Rukmini's, Jambavati's & Satyabhama's, as well as the 16,100 others.

In case of Mitravindya, it was Arjun who was w/ Krishna, and fought and defeated Vinda and Anuvinda while Krishna took Mitravindya back to Dwarka.  Arjun also helped Kalindi find Krishna by discovering her and her desire, and taking her back to him.  One more of Krishna's 8 wives Arjun may have helped Krishna take back home safely, like he did for Mitravindya.  It's therefore a bit of a pity that they didn't show that, b'cos it would have highlighted the closeness of Arjun w/ Krishna even more - Arjun helping Krishna get 3 of his wives, and Krishha helping Arjun get Subhadra.


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