Was Satyabhama jealous of other wives of Krishna?

Question

In the "Prabhandam Parijatapaharanam" book, the poet Nandi Thimmana wrote that Satyabhama kicked Lord Krishna with her left leg because of her jealousy that Lord Krishna gave a flower Parijata Pushpam to his other wife Rukmini.

Is there any truth in this story or is it just a poetic imagination?

Answer 1

I would say Satyabhama kicking Shri Krishna is just poetic imagination. Satyabhma was proud of her beauty, chastity and love for Krishna. She always believed Shri Krishna loved her more. So when she heard from her maids that Shri Krishna had given the magnificent parijata flower to Rukmani, she became jealous and arrogant:

rūpayauvanasampannā svasaubhāgyena garvitā
abhimnavatī devī śrutvaiverṣyāvaśaṃ gatā [HP - 2.65.50]

Meaning
The goddess endowed with beauty and youth, proud for her good fortune, became envious after hearing this.

After Shri Krishna went to Satyabhama leaving the company of Narada and Rukmani and talked with her, she said:

madīyastvamiti hyāsīnmama nityaṃ manaḥ prabho
adya sādhāraṇaṃ snehaṃ tvayi tāvadgatāsmyaham [HP - 2.66.47]

Meaning
Oh lord, I had always thought you to be mine. But today I know that your love for me is ordinary.

So she showed haughtiness, but did not kick Shri Krishna. Saints and poets sometimes just spice up things a bit more out of love and mischief.

Answer 2

No, Satyabhama was not jealous with other wives of Kirshna. But she considered herself to be more important than other wives of kirshna. Satyabhama thought that she is the only one who can make Krishna happy and not any other.

So, Satyabhama was not jealous with other wives, but she always wanted Krishna to give more importance to her than any other wives. When krishna spent some time with others, she didn't like it and became angry. Some consider this as jealousy.

I read this from "Krishna Avatar" part 5,6,7,8 by Kanaiyalal Munshi (in Gujarati).