This chapter relates a conversation between Draupadi and Lord Krishna's foremost queens, in which each of them describes how the Lord married her.

Lord Sri Krishna returned from His meeting with the gopis and asked King Yudhishthira and His other relatives whether they were well. They replied, "My Lord, anyone who has just once imbibed through his ears the honey of Your pastimes can never know misfortune."

Then Draupadi inquired from Lord Krishna's wives how the Lord had come to marry them. Queen Rukmini spoke first: "Many kings, headed by Jarasandha, were intent on giving me in marriage to Sisupala. Thus at my wedding they all stood with bows in hand, ready to support Sisupala against any opponents. But Sri Krishna came and forcibly took me away, as a lion takes his prey from amidst goats and sheep."

Queen Satyabhama said, "When my uncle Prasena was killed, my father, Satrajit, falsely accused Lord Krishna of murder. To clear His name, Krishna defeated Jambavan, recovered the Syamantaka jewel and returned it to Satrajit. Repentant, my father presented the Lord with both the jewel and myself."

Queen Jambavati said, "When Sri Krishna entered my father's cave in search of the Syamantaka jewel, at first my father, Jambavan, did not understand who He was. So my father fought with Him for twenty-seven days and nights. Finally, Jambavan understood that Krishna was none other than Lord Ramacandra, his worshipable Lord. Thus he gave Krishna the Syamantaka jewel, along with me."

Queen Kalindi said, "To obtain Krishna as my husband, I performed severe austerities. Then one day Lord Krishna came to me in the company of Arjuna, and at that time the Lord agreed to marry me."

Queen Mitravinda said, "Sri Krishna came to my svayam-vara ceremony, where He defeated all the opposing kings and took me away to His city of Dvaraka."

Queen Satya said, "My father stipulated that to win my hand, a prospective suitor would have to subdue and tie up seven powerful bulls. Accepting this challenge, Lord Krishna playfully subdued them, defeated all His rival suitors and married me."

Queen Bhadra said, "My father invited his nephew Krishna, to whom I had already given my heart, and offered me to Him as His bride. The dowry was an entire military division and a retinue of my female companions."

Queen Lakshmana said to Draupadi, "At my svayam-vara, as at yours, a fish-target was fastened near the ceiling. But in my case the fish was concealed on all sides, and only its reflection could be seen in a pot of water below. Several kings tried to hit the fish with an arrow but failed. Arjuna then made his attempt. He concentrated on the reflection of the fish in the water and took careful aim, but when he released his arrow it only grazed the target. Then Sri Krishna fixed His arrow on the bow and shot it straight through the target, knocking it to the ground. I placed the victory necklace on Sri Krishna's neck, but the kings who had failed raised a violent protest. Lord Krishna valiantly fought them, cutting off the heads, arms and legs of many and sending the rest fleeing for their lives. Then the Lord took me to Dvaraka for our lavish wedding."

Rohini-devi, representing all the other queens, explained that they were daughters of the kings defeated by Bhaumasura. The demon had held them captive, but when Lord Krishna killed him He had released them and married them all.