Once he came there, Rukmi saw dust arising from the magnificent Yadava army which was now triumphantly going back home. Rukmi looked around as he was specifically looking for one chariot. Rukmi was disgusted as he spotted Krishna’s chariot which was almost towards the end of the army. Rukmi spurred his horses faster as he drove towards Krishna and Rukmini.

Hearing the galloping of the horses, Krishna looked back surprised. He knew his brother had effectively destroyed the armies of the three kings. Despite this there were sounds of fresh horses.

That meant….Krishna sighed as he turned and saw Rukmi coming straight for him looking furious, with his sword raised.

Seeing Krishna suddenly looking grim and hearing the galloping of the horses, Rukmini turned.

She was shocked and terrified when she saw her own brother coming straight for them.

Terrified she turned to Krishna with pleading eyes. She was not even remotely bothered about Krishna. She feared for her brother.

“Krishna, he is my brother. Please!” She pleaded with the Dark Lord, shaking her head, blinking back tears.

Krishna looked at the beautiful and terrified face of Rukmini and smiled sadly.

Krishna however nodded his head and turned his chariot and drove it further away trying to distance himself from Rukmi.

He drove through another path, away from the Yadava army to make sure Rukmi was not able to find them.

**************
Balarama heard the galloping of the fresh horses and the sudden change. He saw Rukmi and Krishna move away from the main army. Seeing that it was only Rukmi with his small battalion, Balarama hesitated.

He then ordered a small platoon to take care of Rukmi’s army as he himself went after Krishna and Rukmi, who were now quite far away from the main army.

**************

Rukmi was now beyond furious. Krishna was refusing to fight him! And people called him a brave man!

Rukmi was disgusted. He was now more than convinced that his sister had made the wrong choice by choosing this man, who refused to even fight back bravely. Rukmi pushed his horses almost to the limit trying to reach Krishna.

Rukmi was almost close to Krishna, when he saw Krishna focused on driving the horses away. For some reason the scene made him even more angry as he yelled at Krishna and Rukmi called Krishna everything from a coward to the thief.

The Dark Lord tried his best not to get distracted at the continuous outpourings of hatred from Rukmi and focused on driving the chariot.

However, Rukmi was now within striking distance. Rukmi pulled out his swords and slashed at their chariot.

The sword missed both Krishna and Rukmini by a whisker.

Krishna took a deep breath decided that enough was enough - Brother-in-law or no, this matter could not be solved by talk. It needed force.

Krishna brought the horses to a standstill.

Rukmi looked surprised and almost drove his horses past Krishna as Krishna stopped suddenly. Rukmi furiously brought the horses to a stop as he looked at Krishna venomously. “ Krishna,” he bellowed. “I hope atleast now, you have the guts to fight me, one on one. You coward! You can’t even fight another person in an honest battle, and you dare aspire to marry my sister!”

Both Krishna and Rukmi got down from their chariot and took out their swords, advancing towards each other.

Rukmini realizing that Krishna had no choice but to fight with her brother, prayed to all the Gods hoping, praying that the matter would get resolved without any bloodshed.

Rukmi was a good warrior but unfortunately he was not the same class as Krishna and to add to his problems, Rukmi was very angry. To fight a battle, what was needed was a calm mind with a clear thought process. Many battles had been lost even before it began because of the emotional attachment of the warriors - Rukmi discovered that in his fight with Krishna.

Rukmi was shocked when he found Krishna matching all his attacks and parrying him very well. Krishna was able to tire Rukmi so easily - who was gasping and trembling as Krishna’s calm face flitted in and out of his sight. Rukmi realized that Krishna was not just a warrior. Krishna was a class apart.

Rukmi struggled to match Krishna’s attack.

Rukmi realized that Krishna was toying with him and finally he fell down as Krishna’s sword met his with great force and his sword clattered and fell a few feet away. Krishna came forward with his sword raised, when Rukmini shouted, “No, Krishna! No, please!”

Rukmi was having trouble focusing as he saw Rukmini get down of the chariot and run towards them. Krishna looked at Rukmini and his grim face suddenly changed to a calm one. It was at that instant that Rukmi realized that Krishna had refused to fight him for Rukmini.He was embarrassed to the core when another hard realization came to him. If he survived this battle it was only and only because of his sister - Saved by a woman…Rukmi decided that he would rather die and live through this humiliation.

Rukmini was looking at Krishna and standing close to him. Rukmi realized that no matter what he did, Rukmini would always belong to Krishna. She was his, the way he was hers! His sister had made her choice.

Waves of bitter defeat washed through him as he saw Krishna and Rukmini.

Krishna came forward his sword raised and said. “The only reason I am letting you live is because of Rukmini,” Krishna came forward with his sword.

Rukmini screamed as she saw the sword straight for her brother’s head. Rukmini blinked as the sword stopped and instead of the head, Rukmi’s hair went with it. [The hair being chopped off by the opponent was a mark of great disrespect in battle]

Balarama was almost within range as he looked at the entire scene. He saw Rukmi who looked like he was incapable of speech as Balarama turned to Krishna. “Krishna, you should not have done that!” He admonished his younger brother as Balarama looked at Rukmini who was also looking petrified, scared and relieved at the same time.

Krishna slowly nodded his head and turned to Rukmini and held her. She was trembling like a leaf. Krishna quietly led her towards the chariot. Krishna did not even bother looking back at the defeated prince. Rukmi was of no concern to him anymore.

(Rukmi, who had promised that he would never go back to his own kingdom without his sister, kept his word. He never went back to Vidharba. He became the king of another area, right there where he was defeated by Krishna.

Rukmini and Krishna had a son Pradhyumna and they lived very happily.

As a sub-story, Pradhyumana when he grew up fell in love with Princess Rukmavathi, Rukmi’s daughter, who also loved him. Pradhyumana carried off Rukmavathi exactly the same way as Krishna had carried away Rukmini.

Rukmi was defeated the second time too)