Satyavama's perfect husband⁸

When Satyavama reached the age for marriage, her parents wanted to find a husband for her. Satyavama said to them, “I will only marry that person who always listens to me. If I say sit down, he will sit down. If I say stand up, he will stand up. If I say eat, he will eat. If I say run, he will run. It has to be that kind of man; only then I will marry him.”

The parents said, “Who needs that kind of wife?”

Satyavama insisted, “No, if you do not find that kind of husband for me, then I am not going to marry.”

Her parents pleaded with her. “We want you to get married. You are grown up. Now that you are of age, what will people think of us? It is not good to keep an unmarried girl at home.”

Satyavama said, “I agree with you, and I am ready to get married, but my husband has to be at my beck and call.”

The parents were helpless. They looked everywhere for a husband for her. They found many handsome and learned men who were willing to marry their daughter. But then they would say, “There is only one unfortunate thing. You have to be at her beck and call and always listen to her.”

“Shame, shame,” the men would reply. “We shall have to listen to our wife’s command? It is the husband who is supposed to lord it over the wife.”

So everybody got angry with the parents. Some laughed at them, some insulted them. “Why are you coming with this kind of proposal?” they asked. The parents were helpless. They were not getting anybody to agree to their proposal.

Then Krishna happened to hear about the situation. He said, “I am the right person for her.” So he went to their home and said, “Satyavama, you are looking for a husband. I am ready.”

At that time Krishna already had a few wives, but he said, “If she wants that kind of husband, I am ready. If she wants me to do something, I am ready to be her perfect slave.”

Satyavama was so happy to have Krishna as her husband. She had said that she would marry anybody who agreed to this proposal. Now, of all people, Krishna wanted to be her husband. He was so venerated by everyone. Although Krishna had other wives and children, he married Satyavama.

As soon as they were married, Satyavama started telling Krishna, “Do this, do this, do this!” Whenever she asked him to do anything, he did it. But Krishna’s smile conquered her. Each time he smiled, she would forget to give him a new job. “O Krishna, what am I going to do?” she said. “As soon as I see your face, as soon as I see your smile, I feel that it is I who have to listen to you. You are all love and joy. By asking you to do things, do I get any joy? Only by looking at your face, do I get satisfaction.”

Krishna said, “I knew it, I knew it.” So Krishna and Satyavama were very happy together.