During the process of the churning of the ocean, the gods received parijata, the tree, with divine fragrance. This tree was planted in Indra’s garden. One day, sage Narada went to this garden and collected some flowers that had fallen from the tree and gave them to Rukmini, Krishna’s wife. Rukmini was very happy but when another wife of Krishna, Satyabhama, smelled its fragrance, she asked Krishna to bring her the tree. To please her wife, Krishna went to the abode of Indra. Indra did not allow Krishna to take the parijata tree with him. He asked Krishna to battle with him in order to win the parijata tree. Soon a fight ensued between Krishna and Indra. Indra started firing thunderbolts towards Krishna though he could not injure Krishna. But Krishna did not use his sudarshan chakra over Indra. Impressed with Krishna, Indra permitted him to take the parijata tree to Dwarka. Taking the tree, Krishna brought it on earth. But a quarrel started between Rukmini and Satyabhama, as both of them wanted the tree. Krishna planted the tree in Satyabhama’s courtyard in such a way that its flowers fell down in Rukmini’s house and in this way both his wives were happy and satisfied.
KRISHNA AND THE PARIJATA TREE
