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Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna
Krishna, the eternal lover, is believed to have charmed the heart of every woman he came across, and his marriage with 16,100 women is the stuff of numerous ballads that have enthralled us over ages. But who amongst them all did Krishna love? Who ruled his heart and influenced his life? Not one, but there were eight women whom Krishna married solely on the basis of mutual love and respect. Each of these wives—the Ashtabharyas—contributed to making Krishna what he was. While their names figure in the text of the great epic Mahabharata, not much has been discussed about them. Who are these women, and what was that special ‘something’ in each of them that won Krishna over? What were each of those relationships like? Radha Viswanath delves deep into the great Hindu epics, puranas, and other ancient texts, weaving nuggets of information with rich imagination to give us a fascinating picture of Krishna’s life with these eight extraordinary women.
- GenresMythology
197 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 34 reviews
November 24, 2018
The writing style of Radha Vishwanath is different. Her first novel "Ravanaleela" reminded me the Asura and Ajaya by Anand Neelkanthan. Though Anand has shown Ravana from a positive point of view, Radha has shown Ravana from a neutral point of view. I was really impressed by her writing style and storytelling. So when I saw next book by her which was "Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna" I cannot say no, even though we were knee deep in book-load of review copies. Though Diwali & festivities has affected our review deadline, the book needed its due focus. So here we are with the review of the Ashtamahishi.
As the name suggest, the book revolves around lesser-known facts about Krishna and his home-affairs (I am using this word specifically) with his 8 principle wives. The stories about each wife are intermingled, which tells us how Krishna met with each of his wives, how they got married. The story covers various phases of Krishna's life, starting from migration to Dwarika to Mahabharata (which cover him as a son, brother, husband, father). Just like Ravanaleela, the character of Krishna is shown as neutral one (not good or bad) and as a normal human being (not directly as a god).
My take from the story
1) Unparallel poetic narration style.
2) Wonderful storytelling
3) Slight slow pace could have been fast
4) Characterization is also awesome, Krishna & his wives 9 principal characters got required canvas to leave the impact
5) The relationship between Krishna with his wives were shown nicely
6) Good choice of words and vocabulary (though it affected my overall experience it needed said attention)
Once can give it a try for sure. A good addition to Mythological Shelf for sure.
I will give 4 out of 5 for this wonderful book.
Detailed Review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/...
As the name suggest, the book revolves around lesser-known facts about Krishna and his home-affairs (I am using this word specifically) with his 8 principle wives. The stories about each wife are intermingled, which tells us how Krishna met with each of his wives, how they got married. The story covers various phases of Krishna's life, starting from migration to Dwarika to Mahabharata (which cover him as a son, brother, husband, father). Just like Ravanaleela, the character of Krishna is shown as neutral one (not good or bad) and as a normal human being (not directly as a god).
My take from the story
1) Unparallel poetic narration style.
2) Wonderful storytelling
3) Slight slow pace could have been fast
4) Characterization is also awesome, Krishna & his wives 9 principal characters got required canvas to leave the impact
5) The relationship between Krishna with his wives were shown nicely
6) Good choice of words and vocabulary (though it affected my overall experience it needed said attention)
Once can give it a try for sure. A good addition to Mythological Shelf for sure.
I will give 4 out of 5 for this wonderful book.
Detailed Review link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/...
October 23, 2018

Ashtamahishi - the Eight Wives of Krishna by Radha Viswanath
Genre - Fiction
Total pages - 190
Publisher - Rupa Publication
About the author :
Radha Viswanath was born in Andhra Pradesh and spent most of her life in Delhi. Trained as a teacher, Radha entered journalism late in life. After a distinguished career as a political correspondent spanning three decades, she retired from active journalism. She has the honour of being the first woman journalist to be admitted in the long and distinguished category of Parliamentary journalists, in 2006.
An avid reader with a keen interest in Hindu mythology, she aims to bring the complexities of the Indian political discourse into intricate and rich mythological narratives.
About the book
Krishna is one of the most criticised and popular indian mythological character . The life of him in Dwarka , his kingdom is most mysterious among all . After ages there are still humours and stories about Krishna's marriage life . He had married 16,100 women. His charm had made him the eternal lover . But among all , there are eight women who Krishna married for the sake of mutual love and respect . These women are called - Asthamahishi . This book is about them and their relationships with Krishna .
My views
1. First of all, the story telling style of the author is really nice which has given the book a new dimension .
2. Here Krishna has described mostly as a Human charecter . Unlike other mythology stories , he hasn't been worshiped. Here he has treated like a main of an Indian household .
3. The Relationship notes , given at the end is really helpful . It can give the story a new rise.
The book is no doubt interested and pretty engaging read !
I want to give it 4/5
And I want to thank the publishers for this review copy !
Ashtamahishi - the Eight Wives of Krishna by Radha Viswanath
Genre - Fiction
Total pages - 190
Publisher - Rupa Publication
About the author :
Radha Viswanath was born in Andhra Pradesh and spent most of her life in Delhi. Trained as a teacher, Radha entered journalism late in life. After a distinguished career as a political correspondent spanning three decades, she retired from active journalism. She has the honour of being the first woman journalist to be admitted in the long and distinguished category of Parliamentary journalists, in 2006.
An avid reader with a keen interest in Hindu mythology, she aims to bring the complexities of the Indian political discourse into intricate and rich mythological narratives.
About the book
Krishna is one of the most criticised and popular indian mythological character . The life of him in Dwarka , his kingdom is most mysterious among all . After ages there are still humours and stories about Krishna's marriage life . He had married 16,100 women. His charm had made him the eternal lover . But among all , there are eight women who Krishna married for the sake of mutual love and respect . These women are called - Asthamahishi . This book is about them and their relationships with Krishna .
My views
1. First of all, the story telling style of the author is really nice which has given the book a new dimension .
2. Here Krishna has described mostly as a Human charecter . Unlike other mythology stories , he hasn't been worshiped. Here he has treated like a main of an Indian household .
3. The Relationship notes , given at the end is really helpful . It can give the story a new rise.
The book is no doubt interested and pretty engaging read !
I want to give it 4/5
And I want to thank the publishers for this review copy !
November 21, 2018
Lord Krishna had 16,108 wives among of whom only eight were his principal wives called as Ashtamahishi or Ashtabharya, and other 16,100 were called as junior wives. Though various books have written on him and his role in Mahabharata war but very few talks about his personal life and his wives.
Ashtamahishi is a book which narrates how Krishna married his eight principal wives and his relationship with each of them. It is centered only on Krishna and his eight main wives namely Rukmani, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra, and Lakshana.
This book beautifully details the warmth and passion with which Krishna is being loved by his all eight wives and how he totally reverts the same love equally. The portrayal and characterization of all the eight wives were all pleasing and endearing.
The plot has been intertwined with smooth and impressive narration and reading it was all satisfying.
If you want to know the stories and tales behind Krishna’s marriage to his eight principal wives and the circumstances that lead to these marriages. Also, if you’ve got the interest in mythological tales. Then, this book is for you.
Ashtamahishi is a book which narrates how Krishna married his eight principal wives and his relationship with each of them. It is centered only on Krishna and his eight main wives namely Rukmani, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra, and Lakshana.
This book beautifully details the warmth and passion with which Krishna is being loved by his all eight wives and how he totally reverts the same love equally. The portrayal and characterization of all the eight wives were all pleasing and endearing.
The plot has been intertwined with smooth and impressive narration and reading it was all satisfying.
If you want to know the stories and tales behind Krishna’s marriage to his eight principal wives and the circumstances that lead to these marriages. Also, if you’ve got the interest in mythological tales. Then, this book is for you.
November 28, 2018
'God is nothing but the sum total of the essence of prema,gyana and samardhya- love,knowledge and skill- qualities present in all of us, the only difference being in degree.Humans, on account of their ego and the influence of material desires, fail to realize their potential for love ,knowledge and skill.Those who rise above ego and understand who and what he or she is God.'
Lord Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva,in the Dwapara yug and brought up in the abode of Nanda Baba and Yasoda of the Yadava Clan near Mathura. He is famous for his Childhood antics, raasleela with gopikas,victorious feats against ferocious demons and sermons to Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Krishna,the eternal lover is depicted here as a householder, fine diplomat and expert strategist.The story reflect on the internal dynamics of the household, his relation with his eight wives and his close relatives.His eight wives who plays important role in his life at different stages are Rukmini of Vidarbha,Jambavati, Satyabhama of Dwarka,Mitravinda of Avanti,Kalindi of Yamuna,Nagnajiti of Kosala,Bhadra of Kekaya and Lakshana of Madra. Each of them blessed with a strong personality and distinct characteristics embodies the various elements of nature and complements the personality of Krishna in their own unique way.
Narrated in a simple language the author projects the less explored facet of Lord Krishna as a family man. A beautiful intricate web of love,devotion,brotherhood,jealousy, rivalry,competition and politics awaits the reader.Strong characters and water tight plot-line kept me glued to the end.The changing socio-political equation in the Yadava clan and the shift in power can be patently witnessed through the story.
The main protagonist Krishna painstakingly work towards establishing peace and dharma in the world as a social reformer.It is quite amusing to read,the way as a common human being he sorts out the internal disputes with his sharp intellect,maintain domestic harmony and deliver all his worldly duties. A reader will find answers to many important questions which frequently hounds the human mind.
The writer has deftly summed the teachings of Vedic scriptures,epics and Puranas and presented them in a comprehensive manner. Being a mythology lover, I found the story quite interesting although its just the tip of an iceberg. I would have loved to read a more detailed and elaborate story about Lord Krishna's family life.
I would like to thank the author for the amazing story.I will recommend the book to every mythology lover and other readers who want to read something different.
Lord Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva,in the Dwapara yug and brought up in the abode of Nanda Baba and Yasoda of the Yadava Clan near Mathura. He is famous for his Childhood antics, raasleela with gopikas,victorious feats against ferocious demons and sermons to Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Krishna,the eternal lover is depicted here as a householder, fine diplomat and expert strategist.The story reflect on the internal dynamics of the household, his relation with his eight wives and his close relatives.His eight wives who plays important role in his life at different stages are Rukmini of Vidarbha,Jambavati, Satyabhama of Dwarka,Mitravinda of Avanti,Kalindi of Yamuna,Nagnajiti of Kosala,Bhadra of Kekaya and Lakshana of Madra. Each of them blessed with a strong personality and distinct characteristics embodies the various elements of nature and complements the personality of Krishna in their own unique way.
Narrated in a simple language the author projects the less explored facet of Lord Krishna as a family man. A beautiful intricate web of love,devotion,brotherhood,jealousy, rivalry,competition and politics awaits the reader.Strong characters and water tight plot-line kept me glued to the end.The changing socio-political equation in the Yadava clan and the shift in power can be patently witnessed through the story.
The main protagonist Krishna painstakingly work towards establishing peace and dharma in the world as a social reformer.It is quite amusing to read,the way as a common human being he sorts out the internal disputes with his sharp intellect,maintain domestic harmony and deliver all his worldly duties. A reader will find answers to many important questions which frequently hounds the human mind.
The writer has deftly summed the teachings of Vedic scriptures,epics and Puranas and presented them in a comprehensive manner. Being a mythology lover, I found the story quite interesting although its just the tip of an iceberg. I would have loved to read a more detailed and elaborate story about Lord Krishna's family life.
I would like to thank the author for the amazing story.I will recommend the book to every mythology lover and other readers who want to read something different.
February 9, 2021
Not much going for this book. Apart from Satyabhama and Rukmini, the other co-wives were unidimensional. Half the book was spent on narrating the going on in Hastinapur-Indraprastha, it would have added weight to the storyline had it linked to or moved the narration forward. Some of the timelines was also off.
I expected to read more on the eight wives and how they were the strength and the moving force behind the God's avatar but the author didn't touch that part for most of the mahishis.
I expected to read more on the eight wives and how they were the strength and the moving force behind the God's avatar but the author didn't touch that part for most of the mahishis.
November 8, 2018
This is a great read about the lesser-known wives of Krishna, how he married them. It was like Raas-Leela where each one of them felt Krishna was with them always and He was! The part about Satyabhama's jealousy was beautifully explained too. Loved the way the author has narrated each story!
November 3, 2018
Ashtamahishi - The eight wives of Krishna
This book sheds light on Maritial relationships of Lord Krishna. According to mythological books, Lord Krishna had 16 thousand and eight wives. This book is about those eight wives who played important roles in his life. Before reading this book I was unaware of certain stories about him which I came to know after reading this book. This book is an excellent choice if you are looking for a good Indian mythology novel. This book sheds light on how Lord Krishna married these eight women an in what conditions. Their names were - Rukmini, Jambavanti, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra devi, Lakshana.
Though we mostly have heard the name of Queen Rukmini only as the wife of Lord Krishna, according to Hindu Mythology all these 8 wives have played important roles in the life of Krishna and helped him all the time. All of these women had taken birth for the sole purpose of marrying Krishna. When Lord Vishnu took birth as Lord Rama he took only one wife Sita as his Vahini so all these women took another birth to get married to Lord Krishna as their wish was not fulfilled in the previous births. This book contains all the stories of how they became Krishna's wife. This book also contains a part of Mahabharata as Lord Krishna played a major role in that war for Dharma. All the stories are interlinked to one another hence it was a great experience for me to read this book and I Absolutely loved it.
the front cover of the book is really beautiful having a picture of Lord Krishna and his eight Mahishis. The narration of the book was good and kept me hooked until the end. If you love reading Hindu mythology then you must try this wonderful book.
This book sheds light on Maritial relationships of Lord Krishna. According to mythological books, Lord Krishna had 16 thousand and eight wives. This book is about those eight wives who played important roles in his life. Before reading this book I was unaware of certain stories about him which I came to know after reading this book. This book is an excellent choice if you are looking for a good Indian mythology novel. This book sheds light on how Lord Krishna married these eight women an in what conditions. Their names were - Rukmini, Jambavanti, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra devi, Lakshana.
Though we mostly have heard the name of Queen Rukmini only as the wife of Lord Krishna, according to Hindu Mythology all these 8 wives have played important roles in the life of Krishna and helped him all the time. All of these women had taken birth for the sole purpose of marrying Krishna. When Lord Vishnu took birth as Lord Rama he took only one wife Sita as his Vahini so all these women took another birth to get married to Lord Krishna as their wish was not fulfilled in the previous births. This book contains all the stories of how they became Krishna's wife. This book also contains a part of Mahabharata as Lord Krishna played a major role in that war for Dharma. All the stories are interlinked to one another hence it was a great experience for me to read this book and I Absolutely loved it.
the front cover of the book is really beautiful having a picture of Lord Krishna and his eight Mahishis. The narration of the book was good and kept me hooked until the end. If you love reading Hindu mythology then you must try this wonderful book.
October 26, 2018
Krishna is one of the most interesting characters from Indian Mythology.
A lot of us have read and heard the stories of his childhood, his adventures, his love interest- Radha, his friendship with Arjuna and his role in the great war of Mahabharata.
But not much has written about his personal life. When I first read the title and the topic of the book, I knew I had to read this, I didn’t even read the blurb of the book at that time😅
And the book turned out to be an amazing read, better than I expected.
Special mentions: Just look at the beautiful, gorgeous cover😍 It is very aptly designed, the golden spine of the book just adds more charisma to the book😍
Coming back to the story, this book shows us the lesser known side of Krishna.
Different phases of his life like a son, a father, a brother, a husband, a lover have been depicted so very beautifully.
The book majorly covers Krishna’s relationship and bond with his 8 ‘principle’ wives.
These eight principle wives are:
The eight principle wives are Rukmini of Vidarbha, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Bhadra of Kekeya, Mitravinda of Avanti, Satya of Kosala and Lakshmana of Madra.
I loved loved reading this gripping story!!!
The narrations and the language are so mesmerising that I just couldn’t get enough of the book.
The author has done such a brilliant job. Her knowledge of the subject, the beautiful narrations and the imaginary touch to the story definitely make it a must read.
I am so glad that I got my hands in this book. Being a fan of Mythology, this sure was a treat for me.
And I definitely recommend it to all the readers, this surely is a masterpiece that you MUST MUST READ✌
Courtesy: I was a sent a review copy of this book by the publishers.😊
A lot of us have read and heard the stories of his childhood, his adventures, his love interest- Radha, his friendship with Arjuna and his role in the great war of Mahabharata.
But not much has written about his personal life. When I first read the title and the topic of the book, I knew I had to read this, I didn’t even read the blurb of the book at that time😅
And the book turned out to be an amazing read, better than I expected.
Special mentions: Just look at the beautiful, gorgeous cover😍 It is very aptly designed, the golden spine of the book just adds more charisma to the book😍
Coming back to the story, this book shows us the lesser known side of Krishna.
Different phases of his life like a son, a father, a brother, a husband, a lover have been depicted so very beautifully.
The book majorly covers Krishna’s relationship and bond with his 8 ‘principle’ wives.
These eight principle wives are:
The eight principle wives are Rukmini of Vidarbha, Satyabhama, Jambavati, Kalindi, Bhadra of Kekeya, Mitravinda of Avanti, Satya of Kosala and Lakshmana of Madra.
I loved loved reading this gripping story!!!
The narrations and the language are so mesmerising that I just couldn’t get enough of the book.
The author has done such a brilliant job. Her knowledge of the subject, the beautiful narrations and the imaginary touch to the story definitely make it a must read.
I am so glad that I got my hands in this book. Being a fan of Mythology, this sure was a treat for me.
And I definitely recommend it to all the readers, this surely is a masterpiece that you MUST MUST READ✌
Courtesy: I was a sent a review copy of this book by the publishers.😊
January 5, 2022
Ashtamahishi:The Eight Wifes of Krishna
⭐⭐⭐(3.5)
The book is based on the Eight Principal wives of Shri. Krishna. In Indian Mythology Shri krishna is the avatar of Lord Vishnu and all the prominent scriptures talk about various act of Shri Krishna especially his role in epic Mahabharata and less is known about his personal life, his relationship with his wives. It is said that he had sixteen thousand and eight wives out of which Eight were his principal wives also known as Ashtabharya and sixteen thousand were his junior wives.
With under 200 pages the book is a fast read which sheds unknown facts of the life of Shri krishna. It was good to know about his other wives other than the two famous wives Rukmini and Satyabhama. It was refreshing to read a book where we saw Krishna as human rather than the divine entity that he is known to us, giving the story a new dimension.
The book in no way is perfect, or even close to perfect. I found certain differences between the time line that is mentioned in the book with what I had heard, and there is no way to corroborate which is true. I even felt that there could be few more pages as some of the wives didn't receive due limelight in the book.
I would certainly suggest the book to anyone who is interested in Indian mythology to read the book
On a side note: The cover is so pretty, and is the primary reason for my interest in the book
⭐⭐⭐(3.5)
The book is based on the Eight Principal wives of Shri. Krishna. In Indian Mythology Shri krishna is the avatar of Lord Vishnu and all the prominent scriptures talk about various act of Shri Krishna especially his role in epic Mahabharata and less is known about his personal life, his relationship with his wives. It is said that he had sixteen thousand and eight wives out of which Eight were his principal wives also known as Ashtabharya and sixteen thousand were his junior wives.
With under 200 pages the book is a fast read which sheds unknown facts of the life of Shri krishna. It was good to know about his other wives other than the two famous wives Rukmini and Satyabhama. It was refreshing to read a book where we saw Krishna as human rather than the divine entity that he is known to us, giving the story a new dimension.
The book in no way is perfect, or even close to perfect. I found certain differences between the time line that is mentioned in the book with what I had heard, and there is no way to corroborate which is true. I even felt that there could be few more pages as some of the wives didn't receive due limelight in the book.
I would certainly suggest the book to anyone who is interested in Indian mythology to read the book
On a side note: The cover is so pretty, and is the primary reason for my interest in the book
August 10, 2024
This book offers valuable insights into the life of Krishna. However, while it met my expectations in terms of content, the writing style felt average. The book is relatively short, and I felt that a longer, more detailed exploration—especially about each of Krishna's wives—would have provided more depth to their story. The story seemed rushed, with important events like the marriages being described briefly and then quickly concluded. I felt like something was missing that kept the book from being truly captivating. Nonetheless, I found it admirable that the author chose to focus on this less-explored aspect of Krishna's life, which isn’t commonly highlighted in other books, series, or movies. It felt like a fresh perspective on a part of the story that deserves more attention.Also, the lack of a glossary or key words section made it less accessible for readers to understand the meaning of Sanskrit words. Overall, while I appreciated the knowledge it provided, I liked the book a lot.
March 10, 2019
A book about the lesser known women(wives) in Krishna's life who make him the man he was.An interesting read over all.I liked the way how Krishna was portrayed as human and not entirely divine.
September 14, 2023
"Have faith in your love! The strength of your faith is what will bring Krishna to you."
Krishna, the eternal lover, charms the heart of every woman he comes across. His mesmerizing personality entralls them and provokes them to desire him as their husband, choose him as their lover, want him as their soul-mate. And Lord Krishna always honored their desire, granting their wish to be with him. For, his heart belongs to those who lose their hearts to him.
The women whom Lord Krishna married exhibited great qualities. They were indeed very special, being strong, bold, intelligent, determined and unique in their own ways. Yet not much has been written or recorded about them. While there names do feature in the ancient epics, nothing much is said about them beyond that.
"We make bonds of different kinds with different people during a lifetime. These come back to claim our affection in our later births."
Author Radha Viswanath in her remarkable book "Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna" makes an innovative attempt to explore the personalities of those extraordinary women in her magnificent reimagination and ardently bring them to the limelight, showering them with the respect, power and reverence that they truly deserve.
The book traces the journey of eight women-- Rukmini, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravrinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra Devi and Lakshana-- whom Krishna married solely on the basis of mutual love and respect. Krishna never disrespected, belittled or underestimated any of his wives. He always held them in high regard, treated them with all the love, care and respect that they deserved and considered all of them as special jewels-- each beautiful in their own different ways and each contributing towards making Krishna who he was.
"Each jewel is special in its own way, and adorn the same neck."
The writer delves deep into the ancient texts and picks up disparate episodes from the Indian mythology which are crucial to Lord Krishna's story and then meticulously adds the vibrant colour of her own rich and artistic imagination to elaborate the scenes in the most astounding fashion.
Several nuggets of information, tiny episodic bits and small traces of scenes from the great epic Mahabharata are also weaved into the fascinating narration along with some special Krishna Gyan which seeps in time and again to enlighten the readers and guide them towards the right path in life.
"Everything happens for a purpose and everything happens at the right time, even though we are unable to appreciate it when seemingly negative things happen to us."
Krishna, the eternal lover, charms the heart of every woman he comes across. His mesmerizing personality entralls them and provokes them to desire him as their husband, choose him as their lover, want him as their soul-mate. And Lord Krishna always honored their desire, granting their wish to be with him. For, his heart belongs to those who lose their hearts to him.
The women whom Lord Krishna married exhibited great qualities. They were indeed very special, being strong, bold, intelligent, determined and unique in their own ways. Yet not much has been written or recorded about them. While there names do feature in the ancient epics, nothing much is said about them beyond that.
"We make bonds of different kinds with different people during a lifetime. These come back to claim our affection in our later births."
Author Radha Viswanath in her remarkable book "Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna" makes an innovative attempt to explore the personalities of those extraordinary women in her magnificent reimagination and ardently bring them to the limelight, showering them with the respect, power and reverence that they truly deserve.
The book traces the journey of eight women-- Rukmini, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravrinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra Devi and Lakshana-- whom Krishna married solely on the basis of mutual love and respect. Krishna never disrespected, belittled or underestimated any of his wives. He always held them in high regard, treated them with all the love, care and respect that they deserved and considered all of them as special jewels-- each beautiful in their own different ways and each contributing towards making Krishna who he was.
"Each jewel is special in its own way, and adorn the same neck."
The writer delves deep into the ancient texts and picks up disparate episodes from the Indian mythology which are crucial to Lord Krishna's story and then meticulously adds the vibrant colour of her own rich and artistic imagination to elaborate the scenes in the most astounding fashion.
Several nuggets of information, tiny episodic bits and small traces of scenes from the great epic Mahabharata are also weaved into the fascinating narration along with some special Krishna Gyan which seeps in time and again to enlighten the readers and guide them towards the right path in life.
"Everything happens for a purpose and everything happens at the right time, even though we are unable to appreciate it when seemingly negative things happen to us."
September 13, 2020
Fun fact, after purchasing this book I found out I already own this author's previous book, Ravana-Leela. I might finally rescue it from my tbr pile after this one.
Now the premise of this book was obviously something unique. Being generally averse to the 'Mytho-Fic' genre, preferring translits/retellings over commercialised potboilers, I was generally apprehensive.
The book tries to shed light on a part of Krishna's life, often cast in relative darkness. Out of the fabled 16,108 wives of the blue god, the book focuses on his eight primary wives or the 'Ashtamahisi'. His marriage to each women, and the subsequent part each one of them plays in adding to his character, forms the crux of this book.
Radha Vishwanath's writing style is different to say the least. She lacks a poetic lean, however that doesn't mean, the prose is completely stripped of nuance. What she fails to achieve according to me, was fleshing out the primary nine characters on a deeper level. On that regard, the book could have enjoyed a higher page count.
I will accept the fact that I was only aware of Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jamvabati before this book. The other five wives were more or less interesting, specially Mitravinda and Kalindi. The rest fails to leave a stronger mark. And being unaware of these characters (a fault of mine) I can't verify their mythological authenticity.
The author had seemingly drawn her research from several Telegu works on Krishna (according to the acknowledgement), and the minor inaccuracies might be the result of regional discrepancies. Specially the ones that catch the eye relate to the Mahabharata.
For example, Rajmata Satyavati staying on in Hastinapur and planning a major role in saving the Pandavas from the Jatugriha incident. (Not departing to Vanaprastha much before, with her son Vyasa, like in the original text), similarly Vidur's silence during Draupadi's insult in the kurusabha, doesn't go accordance to his repeated protests on the said day, according to the original text.
However the focus solely lies on Krishna here. Him as a lover, a husband and a friend. The famed prize, so madly yearned. This underlying philosophy of love and devotion, around it's primary character is the novel's biggest takeway.
I'll recommend.
3 stars💫
Now the premise of this book was obviously something unique. Being generally averse to the 'Mytho-Fic' genre, preferring translits/retellings over commercialised potboilers, I was generally apprehensive.
The book tries to shed light on a part of Krishna's life, often cast in relative darkness. Out of the fabled 16,108 wives of the blue god, the book focuses on his eight primary wives or the 'Ashtamahisi'. His marriage to each women, and the subsequent part each one of them plays in adding to his character, forms the crux of this book.
Radha Vishwanath's writing style is different to say the least. She lacks a poetic lean, however that doesn't mean, the prose is completely stripped of nuance. What she fails to achieve according to me, was fleshing out the primary nine characters on a deeper level. On that regard, the book could have enjoyed a higher page count.
I will accept the fact that I was only aware of Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jamvabati before this book. The other five wives were more or less interesting, specially Mitravinda and Kalindi. The rest fails to leave a stronger mark. And being unaware of these characters (a fault of mine) I can't verify their mythological authenticity.
The author had seemingly drawn her research from several Telegu works on Krishna (according to the acknowledgement), and the minor inaccuracies might be the result of regional discrepancies. Specially the ones that catch the eye relate to the Mahabharata.
For example, Rajmata Satyavati staying on in Hastinapur and planning a major role in saving the Pandavas from the Jatugriha incident. (Not departing to Vanaprastha much before, with her son Vyasa, like in the original text), similarly Vidur's silence during Draupadi's insult in the kurusabha, doesn't go accordance to his repeated protests on the said day, according to the original text.
However the focus solely lies on Krishna here. Him as a lover, a husband and a friend. The famed prize, so madly yearned. This underlying philosophy of love and devotion, around it's primary character is the novel's biggest takeway.
I'll recommend.
3 stars💫
April 5, 2025
Book Review: Ashtamahishi
Author: Anuradha Viswanath
The mythological fiction by name Ashtamahishi , meaning eight principal wives ( of Krishna) by Smt Anuradha Viswanath is an interesting addition to the growing crop of mythological fiction books.
Though the title indicates it is the story of eight wives of Krishna, the author had covered a whole lot of subject by way of conversations into flash back events to provide the readers the full taste of epics of Bhagavata and Mahabharata, without letting them feel that they were fed with extraneous matters diverging from the subject.
Most of the readers of epics are aware of eight wives of Krishna, but most of them know more about Rukmini and Satyabhama and to some extent Jambavati, but not of all.
Each marriage is an interesting story itself, and it is thrilling to relive those scenes. As an author of Naimisha series, where I too enjoyed dealing with this subject of eight marriages, in brief, I can understand the immense pleasure the author would have derived while she used her literary imagination to spin beautiful stories of these eight wedlocks and the conversations between Krishna and his wives.
Though the story had fictional elements, the essense of the story was not disturbed and Krishna's marriages were shown rooted in his idealistic conviction that marriage alliances should not be misused for political purposes undermining the will of the young brides.
The book is studded with philosophical views, and the percieved connotations of godhood. It finally ends in a philosophical discussion of Krishna explaining the finer points to his wives. Readers might feel that story has come to a sudden end, but the author has stopped once she conveyed the message she wanted, having exhaustively covered the right marriages which was her major objective.
Narrative style makes readers to turn pages effortlessly. It is interesting to note that the author has made the characters use south Indian words like Anna, Peddanna, Chinnanna etc., as well as Sanskrit words for denoting relationships.
Overall, the book can be enjoyed by mythological fiction buffs.
Author: Anuradha Viswanath
The mythological fiction by name Ashtamahishi , meaning eight principal wives ( of Krishna) by Smt Anuradha Viswanath is an interesting addition to the growing crop of mythological fiction books.
Though the title indicates it is the story of eight wives of Krishna, the author had covered a whole lot of subject by way of conversations into flash back events to provide the readers the full taste of epics of Bhagavata and Mahabharata, without letting them feel that they were fed with extraneous matters diverging from the subject.
Most of the readers of epics are aware of eight wives of Krishna, but most of them know more about Rukmini and Satyabhama and to some extent Jambavati, but not of all.
Each marriage is an interesting story itself, and it is thrilling to relive those scenes. As an author of Naimisha series, where I too enjoyed dealing with this subject of eight marriages, in brief, I can understand the immense pleasure the author would have derived while she used her literary imagination to spin beautiful stories of these eight wedlocks and the conversations between Krishna and his wives.
Though the story had fictional elements, the essense of the story was not disturbed and Krishna's marriages were shown rooted in his idealistic conviction that marriage alliances should not be misused for political purposes undermining the will of the young brides.
The book is studded with philosophical views, and the percieved connotations of godhood. It finally ends in a philosophical discussion of Krishna explaining the finer points to his wives. Readers might feel that story has come to a sudden end, but the author has stopped once she conveyed the message she wanted, having exhaustively covered the right marriages which was her major objective.
Narrative style makes readers to turn pages effortlessly. It is interesting to note that the author has made the characters use south Indian words like Anna, Peddanna, Chinnanna etc., as well as Sanskrit words for denoting relationships.
Overall, the book can be enjoyed by mythological fiction buffs.
October 29, 2018
Follow Just A Girl High On Books for more reviews.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna by Radha Viswanath is a mythological re-telling of Krishna's original story, only, this time focusing on his wives and his relation with them alone—no, not the whole lot—just the eight major ones of them.
The thing that attracted the most to me was the fact that this book was about a lesser known aspect of Krishna's life—his household and how things worked there. Krishna is definitely one of the most famous and most interesting character in the Hindu mythology, thanks to his naughtiness and amazing intellect. Needless to say, this book proved to be equally interesting then.
The story, like the name suggests, focuses on his wives and how he got about marrying them. Some were abducted, some were given to him and well, some he just wanted to marry because they loved him. The book showcased Krishna as a common household name, as someone who believed in dharma, wanted to exercise dharma but was no more important than a common man of a council—he wasn't even the head or king of any clan because he had given up the post and the idea!
What appealed to me the most while reading the book was Viswanath's beautiful writing style. I have read her previous book as well and I can easily say that I am a fan of her words. The way she portrays a story is just so enchanting that you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into the web she has interwoven. I find that to be the most endearing part about her work.
Overall, I rather enjoyed reading about Krishna and his wives. It was such a change from the usual Radha-Krishna story! No more boys chasing after girls older than him. No, no, here he will learn to fall in love with the person he can have and keep for his own! <3
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ashtamahishi: The Eight Wives of Krishna by Radha Viswanath is a mythological re-telling of Krishna's original story, only, this time focusing on his wives and his relation with them alone—no, not the whole lot—just the eight major ones of them.
The thing that attracted the most to me was the fact that this book was about a lesser known aspect of Krishna's life—his household and how things worked there. Krishna is definitely one of the most famous and most interesting character in the Hindu mythology, thanks to his naughtiness and amazing intellect. Needless to say, this book proved to be equally interesting then.
The story, like the name suggests, focuses on his wives and how he got about marrying them. Some were abducted, some were given to him and well, some he just wanted to marry because they loved him. The book showcased Krishna as a common household name, as someone who believed in dharma, wanted to exercise dharma but was no more important than a common man of a council—he wasn't even the head or king of any clan because he had given up the post and the idea!
What appealed to me the most while reading the book was Viswanath's beautiful writing style. I have read her previous book as well and I can easily say that I am a fan of her words. The way she portrays a story is just so enchanting that you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into the web she has interwoven. I find that to be the most endearing part about her work.
Overall, I rather enjoyed reading about Krishna and his wives. It was such a change from the usual Radha-Krishna story! No more boys chasing after girls older than him. No, no, here he will learn to fall in love with the person he can have and keep for his own! <3
March 31, 2021
So I am back with another mythology book. By now you already know that I am a huge fan of this genre.
Ashtamahishi is about the main 8 wives of Krishna. Krishna had 16108 wives in total but the main 8 wives are talked about here who came into his life for a purpose and each had their own significance.
The book tells about how he married them and the circumstances of their wedding. It talks about the relationship between Krishna and each of his wife and also the relationship between the wives themselves.
What I liked about the book was that I got to know about the stories of all the 8 wives of Krishna and before ai only knew about Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jambhanti. It also highlighted the fact that even while having so many wives he valued and loved them equally and was also present with them individually.
What disappointed me was the nature of storytelling. It skipped a lot of details about the wedding itself and focused more on the events before and after it which gradually declined the interest. The author seemed to rush on points that are important and stressed on points not needed.
The language was simple and the whole plot isn't complicated but I will reccomend this book to mythology lovers only. Though it is beginner friendly it may put off the genre for you altogether.
Rate 🌟 🌟 🌟 /5
Ashtamahishi is about the main 8 wives of Krishna. Krishna had 16108 wives in total but the main 8 wives are talked about here who came into his life for a purpose and each had their own significance.
The book tells about how he married them and the circumstances of their wedding. It talks about the relationship between Krishna and each of his wife and also the relationship between the wives themselves.
What I liked about the book was that I got to know about the stories of all the 8 wives of Krishna and before ai only knew about Rukmini, Satyabhama and Jambhanti. It also highlighted the fact that even while having so many wives he valued and loved them equally and was also present with them individually.
What disappointed me was the nature of storytelling. It skipped a lot of details about the wedding itself and focused more on the events before and after it which gradually declined the interest. The author seemed to rush on points that are important and stressed on points not needed.
The language was simple and the whole plot isn't complicated but I will reccomend this book to mythology lovers only. Though it is beginner friendly it may put off the genre for you altogether.
Rate 🌟 🌟 🌟 /5
September 11, 2021
When i was young, I asked my mother, "maa, how many wives does Krishna have? " and she said "i only know Sathyabhama"
I was stumped. I never really had the answer to the question, until i finally got my hands on Asthamahishi. Astha means eight, and Krishna, thus had 8 wives. He married each of them in different conditions, and situations.
I love the author's portayal of Krishna in this book. We are often exposed to his leelas as a gopala im Vrindavan, and his role as an ally to the pandavas. But we rarely get an insight to his life as a householder. That is what this book provides. We see Krishna as a husband, and a householder.
The book is not too lengthy, just the right number of pages, with a lot of explanation on dharma, which was the sole objective of the Krishna avatar, to impart the wisdom of dharma to humans.
It was an enlightening read, and i did learn something new from the book. Jai Shree Krishna. He is the jagannath, or the husband of the world. He is the eternal lover. #jaishreekrishna
I was stumped. I never really had the answer to the question, until i finally got my hands on Asthamahishi. Astha means eight, and Krishna, thus had 8 wives. He married each of them in different conditions, and situations.
I love the author's portayal of Krishna in this book. We are often exposed to his leelas as a gopala im Vrindavan, and his role as an ally to the pandavas. But we rarely get an insight to his life as a householder. That is what this book provides. We see Krishna as a husband, and a householder.
The book is not too lengthy, just the right number of pages, with a lot of explanation on dharma, which was the sole objective of the Krishna avatar, to impart the wisdom of dharma to humans.
It was an enlightening read, and i did learn something new from the book. Jai Shree Krishna. He is the jagannath, or the husband of the world. He is the eternal lover. #jaishreekrishna
June 20, 2020
We all are well aware of Lord Krishna, he was born to Devaki and Vasudeva and brought up by Yashoda maa and Nanda baba. Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is well know for stories accumulated over the centuries which describes his eventful youth. Krishna was married to around 16100 women but there were eight women who played important role in his life. This book says about the eight wives of Krishna whom he married only due to mutual love and respect. The eight wives were Rukmini, Jambavati, Saytabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadradevi, Lakshana. Krishna being an eternal lover married them because they loved Krishna unconditionally. The book says about how the wives shaped his life and what impact they caused in his life.
I love reading mythology, and I have received this book as a giveaway prize. I'm glad that I won it and got to read this amazing book which sheds light on Krishna marital relationships and his teachings on the same.
Happy Reading 💙
I love reading mythology, and I have received this book as a giveaway prize. I'm glad that I won it and got to read this amazing book which sheds light on Krishna marital relationships and his teachings on the same.
Happy Reading 💙
October 25, 2018
Ashtamahisi (ashta-eight ; Mahishi- Queen) as the name suggests it has all took a detailed look one the women who were married to krishna the lord and being beside him for forever with love and respect. From the very beginning the narrative style captivated me.
The way author has described about each Queen and how their relationship begins and bloomed into a beautiful marriage. I love it how author has enlightened the life of krishna and his wife whom he loved instead of retelling the classic saga of Radha-Krishna author showed the other side of Krishna's life.
I would recommend this book to absolute mythology bluffs as well as each reader out there...As this book really brings out a whole new perspective of love devotion and sacrifice through the tale of eight Queens who shared the same husband Lord Krishna.
The way author has described about each Queen and how their relationship begins and bloomed into a beautiful marriage. I love it how author has enlightened the life of krishna and his wife whom he loved instead of retelling the classic saga of Radha-Krishna author showed the other side of Krishna's life.
I would recommend this book to absolute mythology bluffs as well as each reader out there...As this book really brings out a whole new perspective of love devotion and sacrifice through the tale of eight Queens who shared the same husband Lord Krishna.
October 31, 2018
‘Ashtamahishi’ focuses on the eight wives who played an imperative role in Krishna’s life. The story describes Krishna’s bond shared with these eight women. While some he earned, some were abducted and some given, these eight entered his life because of mutual love and respect. ‘He who has no attachments can really love others, for his love is pure and divine.’ This line by Krishna further substantiates his polygamous personality. The story exemplifies the personality of Krishna as a lover, husband and as an individual. He is caring and dutiful; he devotes himself earnestly to each of his partners. At the same time, he showcases the ability to use his wit to thrive in the complexities of life.
Read the complete review here: http://aliveshadow.com/category-bookr...
March 20, 2025
Book about krishna's 8 principle wives made me want to pick this book, just to know him more personally. This book is about how he married his eight wives.
I had a starting trouble with this one, but I dont want to let go cos of krishna. Slowly, i can pick it up. After the first few chapters, i can easily pick up and read with flow. Actually, i feel the story is fast pahased.
Liked : easy to read sentences and chapters. No unwanted exasperation. Vocabulary is simple and easy to understand.
Disliked : not talking about the charterstic of the 8 women. Even in some instances, we can understand them without knowing. Yet i expected all the wives' qualities could be explained. This book is about just how krishna marries all his wifes thats it. I expected more from this book.
I had a starting trouble with this one, but I dont want to let go cos of krishna. Slowly, i can pick it up. After the first few chapters, i can easily pick up and read with flow. Actually, i feel the story is fast pahased.
Liked : easy to read sentences and chapters. No unwanted exasperation. Vocabulary is simple and easy to understand.
Disliked : not talking about the charterstic of the 8 women. Even in some instances, we can understand them without knowing. Yet i expected all the wives' qualities could be explained. This book is about just how krishna marries all his wifes thats it. I expected more from this book.
January 6, 2022
📚 Ashtamahishi
📖 𝐛𝐲 Radha Viswanath
QOTD: Do you judge a book by it's cover!?🤭
🔖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Indian Mythology
🔖 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Krishna, the eternal lover, is believed to have charmed the heart of every woman he came across and his marriage with 16,100 women is the stuff of numerous ballads that have enthralled us over ages. But who amongst them all did Krishna love? Who ruled his heart and influenced his life?
Not one, but there were eight women whom Krishna married solely on the basis of mutual love and respect. Each of these wives—the Ashtabharyas—contributed to making Krishna what he was.
🔖𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔖𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: The picturesque Cover!!✨ So beautifully devine it is 🦋This book narrates the story of Krishna and his relationship with his wives- not all of them but the 8 principle wives- Rukmini, Jambavanti, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra devi, Lakshana. It gives us the details of how he met them and wed them (under what conditions) and how they helped him in his life. ✨
Impressive plotline with well researched appealing and informative. With simple narration and only 190 pages this is like a great Indian Mythology read for the one's in love with the amazing persona and intriguing thoughts of Krishna ✨🦋
📖 𝐛𝐲 Radha Viswanath
QOTD: Do you judge a book by it's cover!?🤭
🔖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Indian Mythology
🔖 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Krishna, the eternal lover, is believed to have charmed the heart of every woman he came across and his marriage with 16,100 women is the stuff of numerous ballads that have enthralled us over ages. But who amongst them all did Krishna love? Who ruled his heart and influenced his life?
Not one, but there were eight women whom Krishna married solely on the basis of mutual love and respect. Each of these wives—the Ashtabharyas—contributed to making Krishna what he was.
🔖𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔖𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: The picturesque Cover!!✨ So beautifully devine it is 🦋This book narrates the story of Krishna and his relationship with his wives- not all of them but the 8 principle wives- Rukmini, Jambavanti, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra devi, Lakshana. It gives us the details of how he met them and wed them (under what conditions) and how they helped him in his life. ✨
Impressive plotline with well researched appealing and informative. With simple narration and only 190 pages this is like a great Indian Mythology read for the one's in love with the amazing persona and intriguing thoughts of Krishna ✨🦋
January 23, 2022
This book very succinctly deals with, as the title goes, the eight wives of Krishna: Rukmini, Kalindi, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Mitravinda, Bhadra Devi, Nagnajiti and Lakshana (not necessarily in the order I have written, though). I'll be honest, I didn't know about any of the wives except Rukmini, so of course this book intrigued me. But the book fails to really grip with its narrative so after a while, it was just about finding out who's the next one and how. Also, many of the popular narratives regarding Krishna which we know, has been found to be totally different from the one written here, so that's where different conflicts lie too.
So yeah, that's all about this short book.
So yeah, that's all about this short book.
January 19, 2026
i just loved reading, this ❤️
'if you sink your personality &rise above your ego, you will see that there is no difference between you & ME'---- it just hit me hardly
it's difficult to experience this as we are mere humanbeings, enslaved by our desires.
strong will power is needed for suppression of our ego &detachment. i wish... to connect more with divine forms 🙏🙏
i loved the simple style, got to know much more about our Krishna's personal life, only focusing on his wives, just saw how those lives were.
love you, Radha Viswanath ❤️God bless
'if you sink your personality &rise above your ego, you will see that there is no difference between you & ME'---- it just hit me hardly
it's difficult to experience this as we are mere humanbeings, enslaved by our desires.
strong will power is needed for suppression of our ego &detachment. i wish... to connect more with divine forms 🙏🙏
i loved the simple style, got to know much more about our Krishna's personal life, only focusing on his wives, just saw how those lives were.
love you, Radha Viswanath ❤️God bless
January 23, 2019
As the name suggests this book is about the eight important women in the life of Lord Krishna who mattered to him the most.What really got me hooked to the book was the way the author has narrated the whole story .It is very engrossing.Krishna is the most versatile Hindu God and had a very colourful life. The book took me to a visual treat where I could see everything in front of my eyes.For those who love Hindu mythology,it’s a must read ...
June 30, 2019
Ashtamahishi, the Eight wives of Krishna is a story of Krishna's married life.
It is a story of each and every situation which led to Krishna's marriage with a new girl for 8 times.
Each Gopi had a purpose in being a part of Krishna's life.
This book talks about the values and teachings of Shri Krishna.
It tells us that Krishna is an external lover and one who loves Krishna, gets to be with him.
Krishna is within us, only if we love him honestly.
It is a story of each and every situation which led to Krishna's marriage with a new girl for 8 times.
Each Gopi had a purpose in being a part of Krishna's life.
This book talks about the values and teachings of Shri Krishna.
It tells us that Krishna is an external lover and one who loves Krishna, gets to be with him.
Krishna is within us, only if we love him honestly.
February 21, 2020
This book is beautiful. The writing style is very good. Enjoyed reading this alot. Since I had read previous reviews I was expecting the ending to be abrupt, but I am happy with the ending. Since the focus was the eight women in Krishna's life, getting them in the same place with a discussion was a lovely way too end this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2018
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Must read for those who love reading mythology.
Must read for those who love reading mythology.
June 9, 2020
Good Read..
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