The History of Pradyumna

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.55.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच कामस्तु वासुदेवांशो दग्धः प्राग् रुद्रमन्युना । देहोपपत्तये भूयस्तमेव प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca kāmas tu vāsudevāṁśo dagdhaḥ prāg rudra-manyunā dehopapattaye bhūyas tam eva pratyapadyata

Shukadeva said: Kama, an expansion of Vasudeva, who had earlier been reduced to ashes by Rudra's wrath, merged back into Him in order to receive a new body.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.55.2)

स एव जातो वैदर्भ्यां कृष्णवीर्यसमुद्भवः । प्रद्युम्न इति विख्यातः सर्वतोऽनवमः पितुः ॥ २ ॥

sa eva jāto vaidarbhyāṁ kṛṣṇa-vīrya-samudbhavaḥ pradyumna iti vikhyātaḥ sarvato ’navamaḥ pituḥ

He took birth from Krishna's own seed in the womb of Vaidarbhi and became renowned as Pradyumna, in no way inferior to His father.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.55.3)

तं शम्बरः कामरूपी हृत्वा तोकमनिर्दशम् । स विदित्वात्मनः शत्रुं प्रास्योदन्वत्यगाद् गृहम् ॥ ३ ॥

taṁ śambaraḥ kāma-rūpī hṛtvā tokam anirdaśam sa viditvātmanaḥ śatruṁ prāsyodanvaty agād gṛham

The shape-shifting demon Shambara stole the infant, not yet ten days old, and, recognizing Him as his own destined enemy, threw Him into the sea and returned home.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.55.4)

तं निर्जगार बलवान् मीनः सोऽप्यपरैः सह । वृतो जालेन महता गृहीतो मत्स्यजीविभिः ॥ ४ ॥

taṁ nirjagāra balavān mīnaḥ so ’py aparaiḥ saha vṛto jālena mahatā gṛhīto matsya-jīvibhiḥ

A powerful fish swallowed Him, and that fish, along with others, was caught by fishermen in a great net.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.55.5)

तं शम्बराय कैवर्ता उपाजह्रुरुपायनम् । सूदा महानसं नीत्वावद्यन् सुधितिनाद्भुतम् ॥ ५ ॥

taṁ śambarāya kaivartā upājahrur upāyanam sūdā mahānasaṁ nītvā- vadyan sudhitinādbhutam

The fishermen presented this remarkable fish to Shambara as a gift; his cooks brought it to the kitchen and began cutting it open with a sharp knife.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.55.6)

दृष्ट्वा तदुदरे बालं मायावत्यै न्यवेदयन् । नारदोऽकथयत् सर्वं तस्याः शङ्कितचेतसः । बालस्य तत्त्वमुत्पत्तिं मत्स्योदरनिवेशनम् ॥ ६ ॥

dṛṣṭvā tad-udare bālam māyāvatyai nyavedayan nārado ’kathayat sarvaṁ tasyāḥ śaṅkita-cetasaḥ bālasya tattvam utpattiṁ matsyodara-niveśanam

Seeing a child within its belly, they gave the infant to Mayavati, who was greatly astonished; Narada then related to her everything — the child's true origin and how He came to be inside the fish.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.55.7)

सा च कामस्य वै पत्नी रतिर्नाम यशस्विनी । पत्युर्निर्दग्धदेहस्य देहोत्पत्तिं प्रतीक्षती ॥ ७ ॥

sā ca kāmasya vai patnī ratir nāma yaśasvinī patyur nirdagdha-dehasya dehotpattim pratīkṣatī

She was in truth the celebrated wife of Kamadeva, named Rati, awaiting a new body for her husband whose form had been burnt away.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.55.8)

निरूपिता शम्बरेण सा सूदौदनसाधने । कामदेवं शिशुं बुद्ध्वा चक्रे स्नेहं तदार्भके ॥ ८ ॥

nirūpitā śambareṇa sā sūdaudana-sādhane kāmadevaṁ śiśuṁ buddhvā cakre snehaṁ tadārbhake

Appointed by Shambara to prepare the vegetables and rice, she recognized the infant as Kamadeva himself, and love welled up in her for that child.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.55.9)

नातिदीर्घेण कालेन स कार्ष्णि रूढयौवनः । जनयामास नारीणां वीक्षन्तीनां च विभ्रमम् ॥ ९ ॥

nāti-dīrgheṇa kālena sa kārṣṇi rūḍha-yauvanaḥ janayām āsa nārīṇāṁ vīkṣantīnāṁ ca vibhramam

Not long after, the son of Krishna attained full youth, and He began to captivate every woman who beheld Him.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.55.10)

सा तं पतिं पद्मदलायतेक्षणं प्रलम्बबाहुं नरलोकसुन्दरम् । सव्रीडहासोत्तभितभ्रुवेक्षती प्रीत्योपतस्थे रतिरङ्ग सौरतैः ॥ १० ॥

sā tam patiṁ padma-dalāyatekṣaṇaṁ pralamba-bāhuṁ nara-loka-sundaram sa-vrīḍa-hāsottabhita-bhruvekṣatī prītyopatasthe ratir aṅga saurataiḥ

O King, with a bashful smile and raised eyebrows, casting loving glances, Rati approached her husband — whose eyes stretched wide like lotus petals, whose arms were long, and who was the most beautiful of men — with gestures of amorous devotion.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.55.11)

तामह भगवान् कार्ष्णिर्मातस्ते मतिरन्यथा । मातृभावमतिक्रम्य वर्तसे कामिनी यथा ॥ ११ ॥

tām aha bhagavān kārṣṇir mātas te matir anyathā mātṛ-bhāvam atikramya vartase kāminī yathā

Pradyumna said: ‘O mother, your disposition has changed; you are overstepping a mother's proper feeling and behaving as if you were a lover.’

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.55.12)

रतिरुवाच भवान् नारायणसुतः शम्बरेणहृतो गृहात् । अहं तेऽधिकृता पत्नी रतिः कामो भवान् प्रभो ॥ १२ ॥

ratir uvāca bhavān nārāyaṇa-sutaḥ śambareṇa hṛto gṛhāt ahaṁ te ’dhikṛtā patnī ratiḥ kāmo bhavān prabho

Rati said: ‘You are the son of Narayana, stolen from Your home by Shambara; I am your rightful wife Rati, for You, my lord, are none other than Kamadeva.’

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.55.13)

एष त्वानिर्दशं सिन्धावक्षिपच्छम्बरोऽसुरः । मत्स्योऽग्रसीत्तदुदरादितः प्राप्तो भवान् प्रभो ॥ १३ ॥

eṣa tvānirdaśaṁ sindhāv akṣipac chambaro ’suraḥ matsyo ’grasīt tad-udarād itaḥ prāpto bhavān prabho

‘This demon Shambara threw You into the ocean when You were not even ten days old; a fish swallowed You, and from its belly, right here, You were recovered, O master.’

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.55.14)

तमिमं जहि दुर्धर्षं दुर्जयं शत्रुमात्मनः । मायाशतविदं तं च मायाभिर्मोहनादिभिः ॥ १४ ॥

tam imaṁ jahi durdharṣaṁ durjayaṁ śatrum ātmanaḥ māyā-śata-vidaṁ taṁ ca māyābhir mohanādibhiḥ

‘Now slay this formidable, hard-to-conquer enemy of Your own, though he knows a hundred magic spells — You can defeat him with bewildering powers of Your own.’

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.55.15)

परीशोचति ते माता कुररीव गतप्रजा । पुत्रस्नेहाकुला दीना विवत्सा गौरिवातुरा ॥ १५ ॥

parīśocati te mātā kurarīva gata-prajā putra-snehākulā dīnā vivatsā gaur ivāturā

‘Your mother grieves for You like an osprey that has lost its young; overwhelmed with love for her child, she is as pitiful as a cow bereft of her calf.’

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.55.16)

प्रभाष्यैवं ददौ विद्यां प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने । मायावती महामायां सर्वमायाविनाशिनीम् ॥ १६ ॥

prabhāṣyaivaṁ dadau vidyāṁ pradyumnāya mahātmane māyāvatī mahā-māyāṁ sarva-māyā-vināśinīm

Shukadeva continued: Speaking thus, Mayavati bestowed upon the great soul Pradyumna the mystic knowledge called Mahamaya, which destroys all other deluding powers.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.55.17)

स च शम्बरमभ्येत्य संयुगाय समाह्वयत् । अविषह्यैस्तमाक्षेपैः क्षिपन् सञ्जनयन् कलिम् ॥ १७ ॥

sa ca śambaram abhyetya saṁyugāya samāhvayat aviṣahyais tam ākṣepaiḥ kṣipan sañjanayan kalim

Approaching Shambara, Pradyumna called him to battle, hurling unbearable insults at him to provoke the fight.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.55.18)

सोऽधिक्षिप्तो दुर्वाचोभिः पदाहत इवोरगः । निश्चक्राम गदापाणिरमर्षात्ताम्रलोचनः ॥ १८ ॥

so ’dhikṣipto durvācobhiḥ padāhata ivoragaḥ niścakrāma gadā-pāṇir amarṣāt tāmra-locanaḥ

Stung by those harsh words, Shambara, like a snake struck by a foot, came rushing out, club in hand, his eyes red with unbearable fury.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.55.19)

गदामाविध्य तरसा प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने । प्रक्षिप्य व्यनदन्नादं वज्रनिष्पेषनिष्ठुरम् ॥ १९ ॥

gadām āvidhya tarasā pradyumnāya mahātmane prakṣipya vyanadan nādaṁ vajra-niṣpeṣa-niṣṭhuram

Whirling his club with great speed, he hurled it at the wise Pradyumna, producing a sound as harsh as the crash of thunder.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.55.20)

तामापतन्तीं भगवान् प्रद्युम्नो गदया गदाम् । अपास्य शत्रवे क्रुद्धः प्राहिणोत् स्वगदां नृप ॥ २० ॥

tām āpatantīṁ bhagavān pradyumno gadayā gadām apāsya śatrave kruddhaḥ prāhiṇot sva-gadāṁ nṛpa

O King, Lord Pradyumna struck down that oncoming club with His own, and then, in anger, hurled His own club at His enemy.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.55.21)

स च मायां समाश्रित्य दैतेयीं मयदर्शितम् । मुमुचेऽस्त्रमयं वर्षं कार्ष्णौ वैहायसोऽसुरः ॥ २१ ॥

sa ca māyāṁ samāśritya daiteyīṁ maya-darśitam mumuce ’stra-mayaṁ varṣaṁ kārṣṇau vaihāyaso ’suraḥ

Then that demon, resorting to the demonic magic taught him by Maya Danava, appeared in the sky and rained down a shower of weapons upon Krishna's son.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.55.22)

बाध्यमानोऽस्त्रवर्षेण रौक्मिणेयो महारथः । सत्त्वात्मिकां महाविद्यां सर्वमायोपमर्दिनीम् ॥ २२ ॥

bādhyamāno ’stra-varṣeṇa raukmiṇeyo mahā-rathaḥ sattvātmikāṁ mahā-vidyāṁ sarva-māyopamardinīm

Beset by that rain of weapons, the mighty warrior son of Rukmini took recourse to the great mystic knowledge born of goodness, which overcomes every kind of magic.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.55.23)

ततो गौह्यकगान्धर्वपैशाचोरगराक्षसीः । प्रायुङ्क्त शतशो दैत्यः कार्ष्णिर्व्यधमयत्स ताः ॥ २३ ॥

tato gauhyaka-gāndharva- paiśācoraga-rākṣasīḥ prāyuṅkta śataśo daityaḥ kārṣṇir vyadhamayat sa tāḥ

The demon then let loose hundreds of weapons belonging to the Guhyakas, Gandharvas, Pishachas, serpents and Rakshasas, but the son of Krishna struck down every one of them.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.55.24)

निशातमसिमुद्यम्य सकिरीटं सकुण्डलम् । शम्बरस्य शिरः कायात् ताम्रश्मश्र्वोजसाहरत् ॥ २४ ॥

niśātam asim udyamya sa-kirīṭaṁ sa-kuṇḍalam śambarasya śiraḥ kāyāt tāmra-śmaśrv ojasāharat

Raising His sharp sword, He forcefully severed Shambara's head, with its copper-hued mustache, helmet and earrings still upon it, from his body.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.55.25)

आकीर्यमाणो दिविजैः स्तुवद्भिः कुसुमोत्करैः । भार्ययाम्बरचारिण्या पुरं नीतो विहायसा ॥ २५ ॥

ākīryamāṇo divi-jaiḥ stuvadbhiḥ kusumotkaraiḥ bhāryayāmbara-cāriṇyā puraṁ nīto vihāyasā

Showered with flowers and praised by the celestials, He was carried through the sky by His wife, who could move through the air, back to the city of Dvaraka.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.55.26)

अन्तःपुरवरं राजन् ललनाशतसङ्कुलम् । विवेश पत्न्या गगनाद् विद्युतेव बलाहकः ॥ २६ ॥

antaḥ-pura-varaṁ rājan lalanā-śata-saṅkulam viveśa patnyā gaganād vidyuteva balāhakaḥ

O King, entering the finest inner chambers of the palace, crowded with hundreds of lovely women, together with His wife from the sky, He resembled a cloud accompanied by lightning.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.55.27)

तं दृष्ट्वा जलदश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् । प्रलम्बबाहुं ताम्राक्षं सुस्मितं रुचिराननम् ॥ २७ ॥

taṁ dṛṣṭvā jalada-śyāmaṁ pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam pralamba-bāhuṁ tāmrākṣaṁ su-smitaṁ rucirānanam

Seeing Him — dark as a rain cloud, clad in yellow silk, His arms long, His eyes reddish, His smile pleasing and His countenance charming,

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.55.28)

स्वलङ्कृतमुखाम्भोजं नीलवक्रालकालिभिः । कृष्णं मत्वा स्त्रियो ह्रीता निलिल्युस्तत्र तत्र ह ॥ २८ ॥

sv-alaṅkṛta-mukhāmbhojaṁ nīla-vakrālakālibhiḥ kṛṣṇaṁ matvā striyo hrītā nililyus tatra tatra ha

His lotus face finely adorned, framed by dark, curling locks — the women there mistook Him for Krishna Himself, and, overcome with bashfulness, hid themselves here and there.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.55.29)

अवधार्य शनैरीषद्वैलक्षण्येन योषितः । उपजग्मुः प्रमुदिताः सस्त्रीरत्नं सुविस्मिताः ॥ २९ ॥

avadhārya śanair īṣad vailakṣaṇyena yoṣitaḥ upajagmuḥ pramuditāḥ sa-strī ratnaṁ su-vismitāḥ

Gradually, from the slight differences in His appearance, the women realized He was not the Lord Himself; delighted and greatly astonished, they came forward to greet Him and His jewel-like wife.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.55.30)

अथ तत्रासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी वल्गुभाषिणी । अस्मरत् स्वसुतं नष्टं स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरा ॥ ३० ॥

atha tatrāsitāpāṅgī vaidarbhī valgu-bhāṣiṇī asmarat sva-sutaṁ naṣṭaṁ sneha-snuta-payodharā

Then dark-eyed, sweet-voiced Vaidarbhi, seeing him there, remembered her lost son, and her breasts grew moist with the milk of affection.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.55.31)

को न्वयं नरवैदूर्यः कस्य वा कमलेक्षणः । धृतः कया वा जठरे केयं लब्धा त्वनेन वा ॥ ३१ ॥

ko nv ayam nara-vaidūryaḥ kasya vā kamalekṣaṇaḥ dhṛtaḥ kayā vā jaṭhare keyaṁ labdhā tv anena vā

Rukmini wondered: ‘Who indeed is this jewel among men, this lotus-eyed one? Whose son is He, in whose womb was He carried, and who is this woman He has taken as His own?’

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.55.32)

मम चाप्यात्मजो नष्टो नीतो यः सूतिकागृहात् । एतत्तुल्यवयोरूपो यदि जीवति कुत्रचित् ॥ ३२ ॥

mama cāpy ātmajo naṣṭo nīto yaḥ sūtikā-gṛhāt etat-tulya-vayo-rūpo yadi jīvati kutracit

‘My own lost son too, taken from the maternity chamber, would today be of just this age and appearance, if he still lived somewhere.’

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.55.33)

कथं त्वनेन सम्प्राप्तं सारूप्यं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः । आकृत्यावयवैर्गत्या स्वरहासावलोकनैः ॥ ३३ ॥

kathaṁ tv anena samprāptaṁ sārūpyaṁ śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ ākṛtyāvayavair gatyā svara-hāsāvalokanaiḥ

‘But how has this young man come to share such an exact likeness with Sharngadhanva — in bodily form and limbs, in gait, in voice, in smile, in glance?’

Verse 34 (bhagavata.10.55.34)

स एव वा भवेन्नूनं यो मे गर्भे धृतोऽर्भकः । अमुष्मिन् प्रीतिरधिका वामः स्फुरति मे भुजः ॥ ३४ ॥

sa eva vā bhaven nūnaṁ yo me garbhe dhṛto ’rbhakaḥ amuṣmin prītir adhikā vāmaḥ sphurati me bhujaḥ

‘Surely he must indeed be that very child I once carried in my womb, since I feel such overwhelming affection for him, and my left arm trembles.’

Verse 35 (bhagavata.10.55.35)

एवं मीमांसमानायां वैदर्भ्यां देवकीसुतः । देवक्यानकदुन्दुभ्यामुत्तमःश्लोक आगमत् ॥ ३५ ॥

evaṁ mīmāṁsamaṇāyāṁ vaidarbhyāṁ devakī-sutaḥ devaky-ānakadundubhyām uttamaḥ-śloka āgamat

As Vaidarbhi pondered thus, the son of Devaki, the Lord of unfailing fame, arrived there together with Devaki and Anakadundubhi.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.10.55.36)

विज्ञातार्थोऽपि भगवांस्तूष्णीमास जनार्दनः । नारदोऽकथयत् सर्वं शम्बराहरणादिकम् ॥ ३६ ॥

vijñātārtho ’pi bhagavāṁs tūṣṇīm āsa janārdanaḥ nārado ’kathayat sarvaṁ śambarāharaṇādikam

Though the Lord Janardana fully knew the whole matter, He remained silent; it was Narada who related everything, beginning with Shambara's abduction of the child.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.10.55.37)

तच्छ्रुत्वा महदाश्चर्यं कृष्णान्तःपुरयोषितः । अभ्यनन्दन् बहूनब्दान् नष्टं मृतमिवागतम् ॥ ३७ ॥

tac chrutvā mahad āścaryaṁ kṛṣṇāntaḥ-pura-yoṣitaḥ abhyanandan bahūn abdān naṣṭaṁ mṛtam ivāgatam

Hearing this remarkable account, the women of Krishna's inner palace joyfully welcomed him who, lost for so many years, had returned as though from death.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.10.55.38)

देवकी वसुदेवश्च कृष्णरामौ तथा स्त्रियः । दम्पती तौ परिष्वज्य रुक्मिणी च ययुर्मुदम् ॥ ३८ ॥

devakī vasudevaś ca kṛṣṇa-rāmau tathā striyaḥ dampatī tau pariṣvajya rukmiṇī ca yayur mudam

Devaki, Vasudeva, Krishna and Balarama, along with the women — Rukmini most of all — embraced the young couple and were filled with joy.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.10.55.39)

नष्टं प्रद्युम्नमायातमाकर्ण्य द्वारकौकसः । अहो मृत इवायातो बालो दिष्ट्येति हाब्रुवन् ॥ ३९ ॥

naṣṭaṁ pradyumnam āyātam ākarṇya dvārakaukasaḥ aho mṛta ivāyāto bālo diṣṭyeti hābruvan

Hearing that lost Pradyumna had returned, the residents of Dvaraka exclaimed, ‘Ah, by providence's grace this child has come back to us as if from death!’

Verse 40 (bhagavata.10.55.40)

यं वै मुहुः पितृसरूपनिजेशभावा- स्तन्मातरो यदभजन् रहरूढभावाः । चित्रं न तत् खलु रमास्पदबिम्बबिम्बे कामे स्मरेऽक्षविषये किमुतान्यनार्यः ॥ ४० ॥

yaṁ vai muhuḥ pitṛ-sarūpa-nijeśa-bhāvās tan-mātaro yad abhajan raha-rūḍha-bhāvāḥ citraṁ na tat khalu ramāspada-bimba-bimbe kāme smare ’kṣa-viṣaye kim utānya-nāryaḥ

It was no wonder that Pradyumna's own mothers, secretly harboring the fullness of that mood, worshiped Him as though He were their Lord Himself, so exactly did He mirror His father — for since He was a very reflection of Krishna, the shelter of the goddess of fortune, appearing before their eyes as Kamadeva incarnate, what then of other women, whose eyes He captivated on sight?