#lakshmi narayan

[shotsyfeather]

Trusting Him is the greatest gift you can give yourself

[friend-shaped-but]

Marathi Rukmini Jewellery Breakdown

Ok so I found this art of Krishna and Rukmini by Himanshu Bankar where rukmini is shown in marathi traditional attire and it made me SO SO HAPPY to see that because she's rarely depicted like that! And thenI saw it being shared on tumblr by a lot of ppl who didn't know that whatever clothes/jewellery rukmini is wearing is traditional marathi bridal attire.

So I thought I'd do a deep dive into this painting and talk about her clothes, hair, and jewellery! This is a long post, imma put everything under the cut! Tagging @cyndaquillt because you asking me about marathi miku made me learn a lot more about marathi jewellery, @sharngapani for showing me this image in the first place, and @chahaa-piun-ja for cheering me on!

Hair:

Her bun is a hairstyle called "Khopa" (खोपा) and the gold pin in her hair is called a Juda(जुडा). These can either be gold pins or have strings of pearls attached to them and I'm thinking that the latter is what she is wearing. Then the maang tika is pretty standard across cultures. The golden band between the maang tika and the juda is called a Bijwara(बिजवरा) and it's not used much in the modern day so I did have to do a bit of research to find out what it was.

Images, from left to right: Khopa, juda, and a minimalist maang tika/bindi.

Face

On her forehead, and hanging on either side of her face are Mundavalya(मुंडावळ्या), a forehead ornament worn by Maharashtrian brides & grooms. It is made from pearl & has two pearls strings which stand for the togetherness of bride & groom. Chandrakor is actually my ABSOLUTE fave part about maharashtrian culture it's the crescent moon on her forehead. Then on her nose is a pearl Nath(नथ). She's also wearing Kanpatti(कानपट्टी) aka ear strips on her ears and they're attached to her normal earrings. Fun fact btw the kanpatti in her ears looks a lot like the one my mom has.

Images from left to right: mundavalya+chandrakor, nath, kanpatti(without earrings)

Neck:

Generally what I've seen people wear at their fanciest is three-four necklaces, one right at the throat, one slightly lower, and a couple hanging almost down to mid-chest or upper stomach. Rukmini in that drawing is following that pattern. The choker-style necklace she's wearing in the picture isn't super clear but I think it's a thushi(ठुशी). It is a choker necklace crafted out of gold beads in varying sizes and is adjustable thanks to a soft thread that can be adjusted according to the wearer’s convenience. The next one seems to be a plain golden chain but the fact that she's wearing a mangalsutra at the time Krishna is taking her away is icing on top!

Thushi, mangalsutra and mohanmal in the picture below!

Arms:

There is a shela around her shoulders. These are generally made of silk and worn by brides.

Rukmini is wearing a vaki(वाकी) or bajuband(बाजूबंद).

Maharashtrian women generally wear green glass bangles(I've heard north indians wear red ones someone pls confirm this), and for weddings and festivities they're layered with gold bangles. Today, for everday wear, some people wear only one golden bangle on each arm(like my mom) or they might wear glass bangles(my grandma does this), and only do the gold-glass layering during special occassions.

The names of these bangles differ according to the way they're made and where they're placed on the layering. The thickest gold bangles nearest to the hand are called Tode(तोडे) and they're pair of heavy gold bangles that feature intricate designs that go all around the bangle. Since they keep the layering in place, they're generally smaller than the actual wrist and include a screw and hinge to fasten them. The gold bangles in the middle and back are called Patlya(पाटल्या), are a type of traditional gold bangles and are often decorated with intricate designs on the outside.

She also has a kamarbandh on her waist but ig that's also pretty standard so I didn't include separate pictures

[janaknandini-singh999]

After Krishna left for Dwarka, Radha used to keep herself a lot busier than usual; doing her chores back in Vrindavan, talking to the trees finding Krishna in everything, taking care of the people and animals. At night she would go to her room and sit in front of the mirror, sigh and take out her shringaar. Tonight, as soon as she looked into her reflection, it was her Kanha smiling at her.

"How's Dwarka dheesh doing?" she carefully kept her tone as teasing, afraid that if he suspects even a little bit of sadness then he will come running to her right away, leaving everything behind

"Oh please, Radhe. You should come sometime, you used to before but you barely do now."

Radha cupped Kanha's cheek in the mirror

"My sweet mohana, you know I can't. It's my duty to give you and your ashtabharya all the space and love," laughing, she added a little wistfully "As it is I don't really have a good reputation out here. Krishna's lover. But why? Krishna has millions of lovers. The whole brahmaand is his lover. Why worship one exclusively with him? If he loves all his lovers equally then why just worship this Radha with him? She isn't even his wife. Unlike Mahadev and Parvati, they aren't even legitima-"

"Radhe." Krishna stopped her with tears in his eyes

Radha, hurting as much as him, apologized and continued "but it is true, my love. People only view love as black or white. They think marriage is sanctity when it is the bond that is. Not the label."

Nodding, Krishna whispered "do you miss me?"

She laughed till there were tears in her eyes too "Oh Kanha, you are everywhere I look. Every time I breathe."

"Then why talk to me like this? Why summon me here?"

"Because you are everywhere. Everywhere but right here."

Kanha's eyes softened "I am within you, sakhi. Always."

Nodding and smiling, she looked away to wipe her tears "yes yes, I know that." she looked back in Kanha's eyes "only if I could somehow tell that to Yashoda maiya, Nand baba and all the gopiyan and people here. Maiya is inconsolable, kanha. She cries and says 'that boy always tricks me. I saw the universe in his mouth when he was a child. Now wherever I look, I see him. But I just want him to come steal my makhan. Kanha, where are you? I promise I'll never scold you.'

Krishna touches the mirror ever so gently

"Kanha, they think you are not real when you are everywhere. They think it's an illusion and all they do is weep."

"But they forgot that Maya is Krishna and Mohana is Krishna. Everything that involves krishna is as real as the morpankh falling from the sky quietly into their palms when they think of Him." Radha and krishna whisper at the same time

"Tomorrow the Pandavas and Kauravas fight and I'm Arjuna's saarthi. After killing Kansa mama, the trajectory of my life has changed completely. But I miss Vrindavan, Kishori. I honestly don't even know what to do. They call me God but forget I'm a human in this avatar too. All I can feel is Gandhari's pain. Even if she hates me with everything she has and cursed me for my existence but I just can't help but feel for her so deeply. What can I do?" he sobs

"What Kauravas did was wrong but Gandhari is a mother, kanha. Her pain can't be measured. It is unbearable but justified. But so is your karma and dharma. Whatever you do will be remembered forever. They all need you. So go, sakha. Do what needs to be done. I believe in you. I love you. We all do."

Krishna smiled through the tears

Radha whispered "we parted physically to fulfill our dharma in this lifetime but you know? I.. I'm just so tired, Kanha. It's been so long. I just want to go home. To Goloka. Our home. I feel my purpose here is coming to an end..."

"So is mine, Radhe.. so is mine. We are One." Kanha clutched the mirror closer to his chest and Radha did too - both of them in an eternal embrace.

"We will go home very soon. To everyone we love, finally. It's my vachan, sakhi."

[zeherili-ankhein]

Tell me Im wrong

OMG SO REAL LIKE REALLY

That's why I think they'd be perfect as ballet duo and fight clubs bros

[jayshrisitaram108]

Jay Maa Mahalakshmi🪷🦉🐘🌾🙏🧘

Jay Shrimannarayan🦚🪷🏹🚩🙏📿🧘

[moonywiitch]

( a letter to god)

What I want in a man🖤-:

💌Someone who can understand my poetry because if he can't he can never understand me or my heart ❤️

💌Someone whose presence is enough to calm the storms in my soul🤍

💌Someone who loves me so much that the gods of l💓ve even find it nauseating 🖤like the devil loved Lilith 🦋🥺 and made hell a home 🏠

💌 Someone who can understand this complex paradox I call my mind 💀 and my nonsensical ❤️ heart

💌 Someone who ignites passion in my body and soul and heart 💜

💌 Someone who knows HOW to love me 💓who makes me feel perfectly loved 💞, who knows How to CALM me🌕🤍, how to admire me , how to appreciate me , who makes me feel seen in ways even I can't imagine ❤️, how to make me laugh my heart out, someone whose heart belongs to me 💋 and only me

💌 Someone to carry more than just my secrets 🖤, to carry love ❤️, to carry children of our own🥑🎢☃️

💌 when I look at him I feel like there's not a more handsome, more hot, more loving , more funny, more brave,more attractive, more powerful, more chivalrous, more charming,more loveable, more amazing, more ethereal,more kind man ♂️ ever born🌻

Manifesting 🤍🦋

[ganseycyan]

[un-onnie-mousse]

My Roman Empire is the story of how "The Treasure of Sri" fell for the "The Beloved of Vishnu"

One was the beloved's treasure and the other was the treasure for their love.

[94shasha]

जय लक्ष्मी माता

[bhagavanbhakthi]

Goddess Lakshmi - Virtuous (Satvik) Wealth Provider

[murli-kii-dhun]

Source : Page 5, Vishnu Purana; Translated by Bibek Debroy; First published in Penguin Books by Penguin Random House India 2022

[shotsyfeather]

Give your सुख - दुःख in the hands of the पालनहार

[ssmoortiart11]

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[janaknandini-singh999]

"AAAAAAAAAAA!!" Krishna shrieked, closing his eyes

"HAPPY BIRTHDAYY" everyone came out

He slowly opened his eyes to look around and find his family and friends all in shining new clothes, clapping their hands together. All his wives and children folding their hands and touching his feet, he immediately hugged them. He touched Balram's feet and also got a fierce and emotional hug in return.

Radha watched, smiling and holding something in her hands

"Is that A CAKE?! HEY, MAHADEV- IT'S A MAAKHAN CAKE OMGG???" Krishna jumped

He took the cake, put it on the table and embraced Radha who grinned widely and hugged him back tighter. The cake cutting took place, everyone singing and cheering their kanha as he finished it and fed everyone the cake with his own hands.

"See, dau? I told you! Bhaybheet hone ki koi baat hi nahi thhi, they were all preparing for my birthday!"

"Haa, KANHA I-" Balram suddenly got cut off by the mysterious look Radha and all of Krishna's wives gave him

Radha cleared her throat "Well, it is like this.. Kanha, all your sakhis and wives discussed with me so I'm their representative. And I know it is your birthday but this time we all wish for something from you."

"Sakhi ki ichha-" Krishna started

"AREY, OH!? RUKO. Don't you "sakhi ki iccha hi satya vachan" it away! I've always had first hand experience of this leela of yours aur sabse PEHLE PHASSTA HOON MAIN-" Balram fumed but stopped at the soft, pitiful look everyone was giving him now "Haa Haa ab aise bhi matt dekho. Main toh bas keh raha thha ki pehle sunn toh lo Radha kya maang rakhna chaahti hain?"

Getting her opening at last, Radha clapped her hands enthusiastically and blurted "We all want to swap roles with you and your sakhas, Kanha!"

Pradyumnn and Sambha jumped, Balram almost choked "Wh- WHAT!??"

"But Radha, I already do that! Remember in lath maar Holi etc where you all make me a gopi and I dance for all of you?" Krishna put his finger on his chin, thinking something amusedly and smiling. He knew where she was going with this.

"Tch, but that's just you! Kanha ki leela involves the jagat so why should anybody be spared? Especially today on Janmashtami?? Aaj toh leeladhar ka hi din hain! We want all the men and gwalas swapped with the women and gopis. Just for a day, please!"

Sambha carefully signaled Pradyumnn to slip away unnoticed but they got caught by Rukmini. "Where do you think you're going, my boys?" she giggled, looking over at Radha

"Matashri, I know what you all and Radha ji are doing! You want to make the gwalas and pitashri pay with how they messed with you by doing the same with them through this kreeda! But what have WE done!? We never mistreated any woman! LET US GOO-"

"HAA, KANHA- you CAN'T do THIS!!!" Balram agreed, instantly coming to their side "Why should we reap the fruits of the seeds YOU AND YOUR BELOVED GWALAS SOWED?! BAHOT KARMA KA GEET GAATEY HO NA, KANHA? AB BHUKTOO HAHA. But leave us OUT of this. Punishing one innocent is a worse crime than letting million criminals go scot free."

Krishna suppressed his grin and looked at Radha, who said "Ugh, accha baba, we will soften it on you! You all will be queens living in the comfort of the palace while the gwalas outside get transformed into gopis, is that fine?"

"DHANYAVAAD, RADHA JI." they all bowed to her

Radha couldn't help but chuckle "Let's see how you handle even that, though." she winked

Krishna smiled and looked at everyone, then finally at Radha as he chanted like a mantra: "Sakhi ki iccha, mere liye aadesh. Tathastu!" and snapped his fingers as a ray of light emanated, covering them all

Everyone in Dwarka had been swapped. Vrindavan's gopis and gwalas had also been teleported here and swapped. Men turned into beautiful women while the women turned into handsome men. The women marvelled at their now male bodies

"This physique can help us do ANYTHING! LET'S GO" as they worked enthusiastically and many times harder in their male bodies than what the men had. The men stared and struggled at just wearing their clothes: heavy jewellery and saris "HOW can ANYONE do ANYTHING in this attire!?" For the village ones, they couldn't even balance the matka on their heads. The cooking, looking after their children, working tirelessly throughout the day without expecting anything in return. Many of then collapsed "how can anyone be subjected to THIS? It's too much, it's MADNESS!" Lying under the sun in that utterly exhausted condition, they found a new respect for their wives and promised to always help them from now on. They folded their hands silently and bowed.

Jambavanti, daughter of the bear king Jambavant, was already powerful as a woman, who now after turning into a man had become unstoppable. In her male form, she had ripped muscles and wearing a dhoti, was in the akhaada - knocking all pehelwaans out one after the other.

"Can't anyone beat me?" she giggled

Balram approached his favourite place and paused after seeing this warrior, taking time to recognizing his sister in law who smiled and bowed upon seeing him. He gulped. Suddenly a sharp pain tore through his abdomen, he grabbed his mouth with his hands and rushed to the palace.

In the jewellery store, someone stepped in with the air of a king. It was Satyabhama. In her male form, she wore a bright turban and dazzling merchant's clothes. A moustache adorned her face with a glint in her eyes. The store was operated all by women - just the men who had turned into women. She nodded at them and ordered to be shown the best of gems.

"Hmm, this one's fake." she was examining a diamond studded in a ring

As if slapped, she was met with a hue and cry of "That's impossible! It's the heirloom of the famous jeweler who opened this very store decades ago."

"Take it for testing." she muttered with the same confidence of someone who was an expert because she was. She and her father had been the keeper of the alokik syamantak mani, she's always had a keen eye for gems all her life. One of them hurriedly went outside with it and came back after half an hour with it, shaking and baffled.

"It IS FAKE! We've been blind for so long!"

Everyone turned to face Satyabhama, questions filling every part of their essence "Who are you, O Great Jauhari?"

Rukmini was beaming with the happiness of a fulfilled artist. She had just finished painting a myriad of pieces. They included: a full moon alighting a heavenly forest at night, a peacock dancing in the rain, a tiny candle slowly melting away silently placed on a table, its dim but warm light falling on a fluttering page which was alongside it, pressed in place from flying away by the feverish and tired hand of a girl whose only back was visible, while her other hand was passionately writing on it, as it mercilessly thundered away outside her window.

All of these paintings had a part of her in them, a part of her swami in them. She took it to the common people art gallery in her male form, a place she wouldn't have been allowed to visit so casually had she been in her female form as the queen. It was soon crowded. Everyone stared numb, hypnotized by these paintings. Each one of them evoked a different and wide range of emotions through them. Some people were crying, some were smiling. Some were doing both. Everyone present as if momentarily had been teleported to Rukmini's heart to the time she had experienced all these memories which she had so fondly put on canvas - experiences of all kind. Of her childhood innocence, playing in the palace, then slowly oppression, misery, helplessness, hope, devotion and finally joy and peace.

But one piece that stood out was a portrait. A magnificent picture of their Dwarkadheesh, captured in his most divine form as the gentle hands of a woman placed the crown on his head, lovingly. He was smiling. Everyone instantly bowed and a murmur went around "Who is this godly artist?"

Balram was lying down on his bed, wailing.

Revati immediately rushed inside

"Kya hua, swami?"

"REVATI JI-- MUJHSE KHOON NIKAL- Aisa lag raha hain ki main YUDDH BHOOMI MEIN HOONN PARANTU SHATRU BAAHAR NAHI BALKI MERE SHAREER KE ANDARRR SE VAAR KAR RAHA HAIN!!? Yeh kaisa SHRAAP, YEH KAISI MRITYU-"

"Yeh shraap nahi, jeevan dene ka bhaag hain." Revati smiled silently and put her hand on her swami's head, stroking it and soothing him

"JEEVAN? YEH MRITYU HAIN! Yeh kab tak chalega!?"

"4-5 din.."

"KYA!? Humare toh yuddh MEIN BHI DHARM HAIN KI SURYAAST KE BAAD koi nahi ladta. Yeh kaisa atyaachaar, anyaay-" that's when he realized and fell the ground to bend and touch his wife's feet who gasped and carried him to the bed again

"Yeh aap kya kar rahe hain, swami!? You're in this state please don't-"

"Aap sab deviyan param pujy mahaan hain. Mera naman kripya sweekar kijiye."

Revati smiled

Radha and her sakhis, now in the form of gwale, were having the time of their lives. They burst matke, stole maakhan and laughed at the gwale who had all turned into gopiyan now. When they were bathing, Radha whistled from her hiding spot and they all stole their robes, giggling and running away. Krishna and his friends saw their clothes missing and screamed, draping their chest with their hands in horror.

Extremely mad, Krishna and everyone avoided Radha's toli. But that's when a sweet melody sounded through the atmosphere. Radha was playing the flute. Forgetting and dropping everything, Krishna ran to her. Radha nodded at Krishna who smiled and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, many such Krishnas in the form of a gopi emerged and came towards the gwale! And they all danced.

Nar naari ka roop badalke, khele radhakrishna! "Prem se badhke vishwa mein kya hain?" poochhe nand govinda, poochhe nand Gopala

Gwala ho ya gopi ho, sabme ek wahi toh hain samaaya

Chandni ho ya Surya ki kirne, woh hi toh hain Maya, dharm bhi samjhaya!

Vrindavaneshwari, raas rachaiyyaa

Jhoome jiski dhun pe kanhaiya!

Radharani sabki pyaari,

Thaame humari naiyaa!

Krishna leaned his head on Radha's shoulder peacefully as they silently swung slowly on the jhoola together in the vann, soaking the moonlight.

"Is this everything you and your sakhis felt when we always used to mess with you all in Vrindavan?" Krishna whispered

Half asleep but blissful, Radha nodded

"I promise to never make you all feel this way ever again."

"Oh no, we quite enjoy your maya." Radha whispered back, admitting it finally "We'd rather be tricked and surprised by you than face the dreadful mundane humdrum of life without your mischievous smile and charm to guide us."

Before he could say anything, Radha suddenly got up, held his hands and took him somewhere. After a while, they reached and Krishna froze. A colourful house with lots of trees around and a big aangan, where tulsi ji was placed, her leaves swaying softly in the breeze. A woman was there with a matki in her hands, staring blankly above at the moon.

Krishna had come into his baal roop, as he sobbed and called out "maiya?"

The emotions flooded back into the woman as if after an eternity. She turned around in a flash "Lalla?"

He ran and hugged his mother who softly pulled his ears and sobbed, whispering "Kahan chala gaya thha, ha? Kitna dhundha! Apni maiyaa ko pareshan karna bahot pasand hain na tujhe?"

Little krishna pinched both his ear lobes and innocently lowered his head in apology and hugged her again "shamaa kar do na, pyaari maiyaa..?"

Yashoda laughed, drying away her tears "Bas yahi toh karta hain na yeh maakhan chor? Ab bhala tumse rootha bhi koi kitni hi der tak reh sakta hain?"

Radha, who had also turned into her child form, looked on and cried little tears silently from a polite distance, smiling

"Aaja, Kanha. Janmdin ki dher saari badhaai, mere lalla! Yeh le tera mannpasand maakhan- arey, Radha? Wahan kyu khadi hain? Bina kahe iss natkhat ke liye maakhan banane mein roz mere paas aake haath bat'aati hain. Aaja khaa le, maine tere liye bhi kheer banaayi hain aaj!"

Little Radha ran in Yashoda maiya's arms who gently kissed her forehead. They both fed maakhan and kheer to maiya also and the three laughed and embraced each other.

[saarejahasejudaasamerayaarhai]

If I had good drawing skills I would have drawn siyaram sitting near a lake with their shadow being lakshminarayan and reflection being Radhakrishna/rukminikrishna, but I just have good imagination so I'll just keep imagining that

[jayshrisitaram108]

Jay Shriman Narayan 🙏🧘😌Sri Ranganatha Swamy Kalyanam At Kukatpally Hyderabad