tasyāḥ syur acyuta nṛpā bhavatopadiṣṭāḥ
strīṇāḿ gṛheṣu khara-go-śva-viḍāla-bhṛtyāḥ
yat-karṇa-mūlam an-karṣaṇa nopayāyād
yuṣmat-kathā mṛḍa-viriñca-sabhāsu gītā
tasyah -- of her; syuh -- let them become (the husbands); acyuta -- O infallible Krishna; nripah -- kings; bhavata -- by You; upadishtah -- mentioned; strinam -- of women; griheshu -- in the homes; khara -- as asses; go -- oxen; sva -- dogs; vidala -- cats; bhrityah -- and slaves; yat -- whose; karna -- of the ear; mulam -- the core; ari -- Your enemies; karshana -- O You who vex; na -- never; upayayat -- come near; yushmat -- concerning You; katha -- discussions; mrida -- of Lord Siva; virinca -- and Lord Brahma; sabhasu -- in the scholarly assemblies; gita -- sung.
O infallible Krishna, let each of the kings You named become the husband of a woman whose ears have never heard Your glories, which are sung in the assemblies of Siva and Brahma. After all, in the households of such women these kings live like asses, oxen, dogs, cats and slaves.
According to Srila Sridhara Svami, these fiery words of Queen Rukmini's are a response to Lord Krishna's opening statement, found in Text 10 of the chapter. The Supreme Lord had said, "My dear princess, You were sought after by many kings as powerful as the rulers of planets. They were all abundantly endowed with political influence, wealth, beauty, generosity and physical strength." According to Sridhara Svami, Queen Rukmini here speaks with anger, pointing her index finger at the Lord. She compares the so-called great princes to asses because they carry many material burdens, to oxen because they are always distressed while performing their occupational duties, to dogs because their wives disrespect them, to cats because they are selfish and cruel, and to slaves because they are servile in family affairs. Such kings may appear desirable to a foolish woman who has not heard or understood the glories of Sri Krishna.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti adds that such kings are like asses because their wives sometimes kick them, like dogs because they behave inimically toward outsiders in order to protect their homes, and like cats because they eat the remnants left by their wives.
