How many wives did Krishna have?
Krishna had eight principal queens, the ashta-bharya, and he also gave the honour of marriage to 16,100 princesses he freed from Narakasura.
Answer
According to the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Shri Krishna had eight principal queens in Dwarka, known as the ashta-bharya. They are Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti (also called Satya), Bhadra and Lakshmana. Rukmini is regarded as an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, and each marriage has its own beautiful story.
In addition, the demon Narakasura, also called Bhaumasura, had imprisoned thousands of princesses. Krishna ended Narakasura and freed 16,100 of them. According to the Bhagavatam these princesses prayed to have Krishna alone as their husband, and tradition holds that, to protect their dignity, Krishna married them all. In this way the total is said to be 16,108.
The Bhagavatam describes how the Lord, through his yogamaya, took many forms and was present in the palace of every queen at the same time. Devotees see this as a sign of his compassion and of his divine nature.
- Source
- Shrimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10
- Ashta Bharya
- Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti (Satya), Bhadra, Lakshmana
- Rescued Princesses
- 16100