CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
This chapter tells how Pradyumna was born as the son of Lord Kṛṣṇa and then kidnapped by the demon Śambara. It also describes how Pradyumna killed Śambara and returned home with a wife.
Kāmadeva (Cupid), an expansion of Lord Vāsudeva, had been burned to ashes by Lord Śiva’s anger and was reborn as part and parcel of Pradyumna from the womb of Rukmiṇī. A demon named Śambara, thinking Pradyumna his enemy, kidnapped Him from the maternity room even before He was ten days old. Śambara threw Pradyumna into the ocean and returned to his kingdom. A powerful fish swallowed Pradyumna and was caught by fishermen in a net. They presented the huge fish to Śambara, and when his cooks cut it open they found a child within its belly. The cooks gave the infant to the maidservant Māyāvatī, who was astonished to see Him. Just then Nārada Muni appeared and told her who the infant was. Māyāvatī was actually Kāmadeva’s wife, Ratidevī. While waiting for her husband to be reborn in a new body, she had taken employment as a cook in the household of Śambara. Now that she understood who the infant was, she began to feel intense affection for Him. After a very short time, Pradyumna grew to youthful maturity, entrancing all the women with His beauty.
Once, Ratidevī approached Pradyumna and playfully moved her eyebrows in a conjugal mood. Addressing her as His mother, Pradyumna commented that she was putting aside her proper maternal mood and behaving like a passionate girlfriend. Rati then told Pradyumna who they both were. She advised Him to kill Śambara, and to help Him she instructed Him in the mystic mantras known as Mahā-māyā. Pradyumna went to Śambara and, after angering him with various insults, challenged him to fight, upon which Śambara angrily took up his club and marched outside. The demon tried various magic spells against Pradyumna, but Pradyumna fended off all of them with the Mahā-māyā mantras and then beheaded Śambara with His sword. At that moment Ratidevī appeared in the sky and took Pradyumna away to Dvārakā.
When Pradyumna and His wife entered the inner chambers of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s palace, the many beautiful ladies there thought He was Kṛṣṇa Himself, so much did His appearance and dress resemble the Lord’s. Out of shyness the ladies ran here and there to hide themselves. But after a little while they noticed small differences in Pradyumna’s and Kṛṣṇa’s appearances, and once they understood that He was not Lord Kṛṣṇa, they gathered around Him.
When Rukmiṇī-devī saw Pradyumna, she felt overwhelmed with motherly love, and milk began to flow spontaneously from her breasts. Noting that Pradyumna looked exactly like Kṛṣṇa, she became eager to find out who He was. She remembered how one of her sons had been abducted from the maternity room. “If He were still alive,” she thought, “He would be the same age as this Pradyumna standing before me.” While Rukmiṇī reflected in this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa arrived in the company of Devakī and Vasudeva. Although the Lord understood the situation perfectly well, He remained silent. Then Nārada Muni arrived and explained everything. Everyone was amazed to hear the account and embraced Pradyumna in great ecstasy.
Because Pradyumna’s beauty so closely resembled Kṛṣṇa’s, the ladies in a maternal relationship with Pradyumna could not help thinking of Him as their conjugal lover. He was, after all, the exact reflection of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and therefore it was natural for them to see Him in this way.
Text 1
Devanagari
श्रीशुक उवाच
कामस्तु वासुदेवांशो दग्ध- प्राग् रुद्रमन्युना ।
देहोपपत्तये भूयस्तमेव प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ १ ॥
Verse text
śrī-śuka uvāca
kāmas tu vāsudevāṁśo
dagdhaḥ prāg rudra-manyunā
dehopapattaye bhūyas
tam eva pratyapadyata
Synonyms
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kāmaḥ — Cupid; tu — and; vāsudeva — of Lord Vāsudeva; aṁśaḥ — the expansion; dagdhaḥ — burned; prāk — previously; rudra — of Lord Śiva; manyunā — by the anger; deha — a body; upapattaye — in order to obtain; bhūyaḥ — again; tam — to Him, Lord Vāsudeva; eva — indeed; pratyapadyat — came back.
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Kāmadeva [Cupid], an expansion of Vāsudeva, had previously been burned to ashes by Rudra’s anger. Now, to obtain a new body, he merged back into the body of Lord Vāsudeva.
Purport
In his Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha (Anuccheda 87), Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī cites the following verse of the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.40) to prove that the Pradyumna who is the son of Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī is the same Pradyumna who is a member of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s eternal fourfold plenary expansion, the catur-vyūha:
yatrāsau saṁsthitaḥ kṛṣṇas
tribhiḥ śaktyā samāhitaḥ
rāmāniruddha-pradyumnai
rukmiṇyā sahito vibhuḥ
“There [in Dvārakā] the almighty Lord Kṛṣṇa, endowed with His full potency, resided in the company of His three plenary expansions — Balarāma, Aniruddha and Pradyumna.” The Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha goes on to explain, with reference to the present verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that “the Cupid whom Rudra burned up with his anger is a demigod subordinate to Indra. This demigod Cupid is a partial manifestation of the prototype Cupid, Pradyumna, who is a plenary expansion of Vāsudeva. The demigod Cupid, being unable to attain a new body on his own, entered within the body of Pradyumna. Otherwise Cupid would have had to remain in a perpetual state of disembodiment, a result of Rudra’s having incinerated him with his anger.”
In his English rendering of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.14.30 purport), Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms the absolute status of Pradyumna, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s first son: “Pradyumna and Aniruddha are also expansions of the Personality of Godhead, and thus They are also viṣṇu-tattva. At Dvārakā Lord Vāsudeva is engaged in His transcendental pastimes along with His plenary expansions, namely Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, and therefore each and every one of Them can be addressed as the Personality of Godhead, …”
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Pradyumna took birth from the womb of Rukmiṇī before Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s marriage to Jāmbavatī and the Lord’s other marriages took place. Subsequently, Pradyumna returned from Śambara’s palace. But before Śukadeva Gosvāmī tells of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with His other wives, he will narrate the entire story of Pradyumna for the sake of continuity.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī further notes that Kāmadeva, or Cupid, now appearing within Pradyumna, is a portion of Vāsudeva because he is manifest from the element citta, consciousness, which is presided over by Vāsudeva, and also because he (Cupid) is the cause of material generation. As the Lord states in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.28), prajanaś cāsmi kandarpaḥ: “Of progenitors I am Kandarpa [Cupid].”
Text 2
Devanagari
स एव जातो वैदर्भ्यां कृष्णवीर्यसमुद्भव- ।
प्रद्युम्न इति विख्यात- सर्वतोऽनवम- पितु- ॥ २ ॥
Verse text
sa eva jāto vaidarbhyāṁ
kṛṣṇa-vīrya-samudbhavaḥ
pradyumna iti vikhyātaḥ
sarvato ’navamaḥ pituḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — He; eva — indeed; jātaḥ — taking birth; vaidarbhyām — in the daughter of the king of Vidarbha; kṛṣṇa-vīrya — from the seed of Lord Kṛṣṇa; samudbhavaḥ — generated; pradyumnaḥ — Pradyumna; iti — thus; vikhyātaḥ — known; sarvataḥ — in all aspects; anavamaḥ — not inferior; pituḥ — to His father.
Translation
He took birth in the womb of Vaidarbhī from the seed of Lord Kṛṣṇa and received the name Pradyumna. In no respect was He inferior to His father.
Text 3
Devanagari
तं शम्बर- कामरूपी हृत्वा तोकमनिर्दशम् ।
स विदित्वात्मन- शत्रुं प्रास्योदन्वत्यगाद् गृहम् ॥ ३ ॥
Verse text
taṁ śambaraḥ kāma-rūpī
hṛtvā tokam anirdaśam
sa viditvātmanaḥ śatruṁ
prāsyodanvaty agād gṛham
Synonyms
tam — Him; śambaraḥ — the demon Śambara; kāma — as he desired; rūpī — assuming forms; hṛtvā — stealing; tokam — the child; aniḥ-daśam — not yet ten days old; saḥ — he (Śambara); viditvā — recognizing; ātmanaḥ — his own; śatrum — enemy; prāsya — throwing; udanvati — into the sea; agāt — went; gṛham — to his home.
Translation
The demon Śambara, who could assume any form he desired, kidnapped the infant before He was even ten days old. Understanding Pradyumna to be his enemy, Śambara threw Him into the sea and then returned home.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that according to the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Pradyumna was kidnapped on the sixth day after His birth.
Text 4
Devanagari
तं निर्जगार बलवान् मीन- सोऽप्यपरै- सह ।
वृतो जालेन महता गृहीतो मत्स्यजीविभि- ॥ ४ ॥
Verse text
taṁ nirjagāra balavān
mīnaḥ so ’py aparaiḥ saha
vṛto jālena mahatā
gṛhīto matsya-jīvibhiḥ
Synonyms
tam — Him; nirjagāra — swallowed; bala-vān — powerful; mīnaḥ — a fish; saḥ — he (the fish); api — and; aparaiḥ — others; saha — together with; vṛtaḥ — enveloped; jālena — with a net; mahatā — huge; gṛhītaḥ — seized; matsya-jīvibhiḥ — by fishermen (who gain their livelihood from fish).
Translation
A powerful fish swallowed Pradyumna, and this fish, along with others, was caught in a huge net and seized by fishermen.
Text 5
Devanagari
तं शम्बराय कैवर्ता उपाजह्रुरुपायनम् ।
सूदा महानसं नीत्वावद्यन् सुधितिनाद्भुतम् ॥ ५ ॥
Verse text
taṁ śambarāya kaivartā
upājahrur upāyanam
sūdā mahānasaṁ nītvā-
vadyan sudhitinādbhutam
Synonyms
tam — it (the fish); śambarāya — to Śambara; kaivartāḥ — the fishermen; upājahruḥ — presented; upāyanam — the offering; sūdāḥ — the cooks; mahānasam — to the kitchen; nītvā — bringing; avadyan — cut it up; sudhitinā — with a butcher knife; adbhutam — amazing.
Translation
The fishermen presented that extraordinary fish to Śambara, who had his cooks bring it to the kitchen, where they began cutting it up with a butcher knife.
Text 6
Devanagari
दृष्ट्वा तदुदरे बालं मायावत्यै न्यवेदयन् ।
नारदोऽकथयत् सर्वं तस्या- शङ्कितचेतस- ।
बालस्य तत्त्वमुत्पत्तिं मत्स्योदरनिवेशनम् ॥ ६ ॥
Verse text
dṛṣṭvā tad-udare bālam
māyāvatyai nyavedayan
nārado ’kathayat sarvaṁ
tasyāḥ śaṅkita-cetasaḥ
bālasya tattvam utpattiṁ
matsyodara-niveśanam
Synonyms
dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tat — in its; udare — belly; bālam — a child; māyāvatyai — to Māyāvatī; nyavedayan — they gave; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; akathayat — related; sarvam — all; tasyāḥ — to her; śaṅkita — astonished; cetasaḥ — whose mind; bālasya — of the child; tattvam — the facts; utpattim — the birth; matsya — of the fish; udara — in the abdomen; niveśanam — the entrance.
Translation
Seeing a male child in the belly of the fish, the cooks gave the infant to Māyāvatī, who was astonished. Nārada Muni then appeared and explained to her everything about the child’s birth and His entering the fish’s abdomen.
Texts 7-8
Devanagari
सा च कामस्य वै पत्नी रतिर्नाम यशस्विनी ।
पत्युर्निर्दग्धदेहस्य देहोत्पत्तिं प्रतीक्षती ॥ ७ ॥
निरूपिता शम्बरेण सा सूदौदनसाधने ।
कामदेवं शिशुं बुद्ध्वा चक्रे स्नेहं तदार्भके ॥ ८ ॥
Verse text
sā ca kāmasya vai patnī
ratir nāma yaśasvinī
patyur nirdagdha-dehasya
dehotpattim pratīkṣatī
nirūpitā śambareṇa
sā sūdaudana-sādhane
kāmadevaṁ śiśuṁ buddhvā
cakre snehaṁ tadārbhake
Synonyms
sā — she; ca — and; kāmasya — of Cupid; vai — in fact; patnī — the wife; ratiḥ nama — named Rati; yaśasvinī — famous; patyuḥ — of her husband; nirdagdha — burnt to ashes; dehasya — whose body; deha — of a body; utpattim — the attainment; pratīkṣatī — waiting; nirūpitā — appointed; śambareṇa — by Śambara; sā — she; sūda-odana — of vegetables and rice; sādhane — in the preparation; kāma-devam — as Cupid; śiśum — the infant; buddhvā — understanding; cakre — she developed; sneham — love; tadā — then; arbhake — for the child.
Translation
Māyāvatī was in fact Cupid’s renowned wife, Rati. While waiting for her husband to obtain a new body — his previous one having been burnt up — she had been assigned by Śambara to prepare vegetables and rice. Māyāvatī understood that this infant was actually Kāmadeva, and thus she began to feel love for Him.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains this story as follows: When Cupid’s body was burned to ashes, Rati worshiped Lord Śiva to obtain another body for Cupid. Śambara, having also come to Śiva for a benediction, was recognized by the lord first, who told him, “You should now ask for your benediction.” Śambara, struck with lust at seeing Rati, replied that he wanted her as his benediction, and Śiva complied. Lord Śiva then consoled the sobbing Rati, telling her, “Go with him, and in his very home you will attain what you desire.” Thereupon, Rati bewildered Śambara with her deluding power and, taking the name Māyāvatī, remained in his house untouched.
Text 9
Devanagari
नातिदीर्घेण कालेन स कार्ष्णि रूढयौवन- ।
जनयामास नारीणां वीक्षन्तीनां च विभ्रमम् ॥ ९ ॥
Verse text
nāti-dīrgheṇa kālena
sa kārṣṇi rūḍha-yauvanaḥ
janayām āsa nārīṇāṁ
vīkṣantīnāṁ ca vibhramam
Synonyms
na — not; ati-dīrgheṇa — very long; kālena — after a time; saḥ — He; kārṣṇiḥ — the son of Kṛṣṇa; rūḍha — attaining; yauvanaḥ — full youth; janayām āsa — generated; nārīṇām — for the women; vīkṣantīnām — who looked upon Him; ca — and; vibhramam — enchantment.
Translation
After a short time, this son of Kṛṣṇa — Pradyumna — attained His full youth. He enchanted all women who gazed upon Him.
Text 10
Devanagari
सा तं पतिं पद्मदलायतेक्षणं
प्रलम्बबाहुं नरलोकसुन्दरम् ।
सव्रीडहासोत्तभितभ्रुवेक्षती
प्रीत्योपतस्थे रतिरङ्ग सौरतै- ॥ १० ॥
Verse text
sā tam patiṁ padma-dalāyatekṣaṇaṁ
pralamba-bāhuṁ nara-loka-sundaram
sa-vrīḍa-hāsottabhita-bhruvekṣatī
prītyopatasthe ratir aṅga saurataiḥ
Synonyms
sā — she; tam — Him; patim — her husband; padma — of a lotus flower; dala-āyata — spread wide like the petals; īkṣaṇam — whose eyes; pralamba — extended; bāhum — whose arms; nara-loka — of human society; sundaram — the greatest object of beauty; sa-vrīḍa — bashful; hāsa — with a smile; uttabhita — upraised; bhruvā — and with eyebrows; īkṣatī — glancing; prītyā — lovingly; upatasthe — approached; ratiḥ — Rati; aṅga — my dear (King Parīkṣit); saurataiḥ — with gestures indicative of conjugal attraction.
Translation
My dear King, with a bashful smile and raised eyebrows, Māyāvatī exhibited various gestures of conjugal attraction as she lovingly approached her husband, whose eyes were broad like the petals of a lotus, whose arms were very long and who was the most beautiful of men.
Purport
Māyāvatī exhibited her conjugal attraction for Pradyumna even before revealing their true identities. Naturally this caused some confusion at first, as described in the following verse.
Text 11
Devanagari
तामह भगवान् कार्ष्णिर्मातस्ते मतिरन्यथा ।
मातृभावमतिक्रम्य वर्तसे कामिनी यथा ॥ ११ ॥
Verse text
tām aha bhagavān kārṣṇir
mātas te matir anyathā
mātṛ-bhāvam atikramya
vartase kāminī yathā
Synonyms
tām — to her; āha — said; bhagavān — the Lord; kārṣṇiḥ — Pradyumna; mātaḥ — O mother; te — your; matiḥ — attitude; anyathā — otherwise; mātṛ-bhāvam — the mood or affection of a mother; atikramya — overstepping; vartase — you are acting; kāminī — a girlfriend; yathā — like.
Translation
Lord Pradyumna told her, “O mother, your attitude has changed. You are overstepping the proper feelings of a mother and behaving like a lover.”
Text 12
Devanagari
रतिरुवाच
भवान् नारायणसुत- शम्बरेणहृतो गृहात् ।
अहं तेऽधिकृता पत्नी रति- कामो भवान् प्रभो ॥ १२ ॥
Verse text
ratir uvāca
bhavān nārāyaṇa-sutaḥ
śambareṇa hṛto gṛhāt
ahaṁ te ’dhikṛtā patnī
ratiḥ kāmo bhavān prabho
Synonyms
ratiḥ uvāca — Rati said; bhavān — You; nārāyaṇa-sutah — the son of Lord Nārāyaṇa; śambareṇa — by Śambara; hṛtaḥ — stolen; gṛhāt — from Your home; aham — I; te — Your; adhikṛtā — legitimate; patnī — wife; ratiḥ — Rati; kāmaḥ — Cupid; bhavān — You; prabho — O master.
Translation
Rati said: You are the son of Lord Nārāyaṇa and were kidnapped from Your parents’ home by Śambara. I, Rati, am Your legitimate wife, O master, because You are Cupid.
Text 13
Devanagari
एष त्वानिर्दशं सिन्धावक्षिपच्छम्बरोऽसुर- ।
मत्स्योऽग्रसीत्तदुदरादित- प्राप्तो भवान् प्रभो ॥ १३ ॥
Verse text
eṣa tvānirdaśaṁ sindhāv
akṣipac chambaro ’suraḥ
matsyo ’grasīt tad-udarād
itaḥ prāpto bhavān prabho
Synonyms
eṣaḥ — he; tvā — You; aniḥ-daśam — not yet ten days old; sindhau — into the sea; akṣipat — threw; śambaraḥ — Śambara; asuraḥ — the demon; matsyaḥ — a fish; agrasīt — devoured; tat — its; udarāt — from the belly; itaḥ — here; prāptaḥ — obtained; bhavān — You; prabho — O master.
Translation
That demon, Śambara, threw You into the sea when You were not even ten days old, and a fish swallowed You. Then in this very place we recovered You from the fish’s abdomen, O master.
Text 14
Devanagari
तमिमं जहि दुर्धर्षं दुर्जयं शत्रुमात्मन- ।
मायाशतविदं तं च मायाभिर्मोहनादिभि- ॥ १४ ॥
Verse text
tam imaṁ jahi durdharṣaṁ
durjayaṁ śatrum ātmanaḥ
māyā-śata-vidaṁ taṁ ca
māyābhir mohanādibhiḥ
Synonyms
tam imam — him; jahi — please kill; durdharṣam — who is difficult to approach; durjayam — and difficult to conquer; śatrum — enemy; ātmanaḥ — Your own; māyā — magic spells; śata — hundreds; vidam — who knows; tam — him; ca — and; māyābhiḥ — by magic spells; mohana-ādibhiḥ — of bewilderment and so on.
Translation
Now kill this dreadful Śambara, Your formidable enemy. Although he knows hundreds of magic spells, You can defeat him with bewildering magic and other techniques.
Text 15
Devanagari
परीशोचति ते माता कुररीव गतप्रजा ।
पुत्रस्नेहाकुला दीना विवत्सा गौरिवातुरा ॥ १५ ॥
Verse text
parīśocati te mātā
kurarīva gata-prajā
putra-snehākulā dīnā
vivatsā gaur ivāturā
Synonyms
pariśocati — is crying; te — Your; mātā — mother (Rukmiṇī); kurarī iva — like an osprey; gata — gone; prajā — whose son; putra — for her child; sneha — by love; ākulā — overwhelmed; dīnā — pitiful; vivatsā — deprived of its calf; gauḥ — a cow; iva — as; āturā — extremely distressed.
Translation
Your poor mother, having lost her son, cries for You like a kurarī bird. She is overwhelmed with love for her child, just like a cow that has lost its calf.
Text 16
Devanagari
प्रभाष्यैवं ददौ विद्यां प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने ।
मायावती महामायां सर्वमायाविनाशिनीम् ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
prabhāṣyaivaṁ dadau vidyāṁ
pradyumnāya mahātmane
māyāvatī mahā-māyāṁ
sarva-māyā-vināśinīm
Synonyms
prabhāṣya — speaking; evam — thus; dadau — gave; vidyām — mystic knowledge; pradyumnāya — to Pradyumna; mahā-ātmane — the great soul; māyāvatī — Māyāvatī; mahā-māyām — known as Mahā-māyā; sarva — all; māyā — deluding spells; vināśinīm — which destroys.
Translation
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Speaking thus, Māyāvatī gave to the great soul Pradyumna the mystic knowledge called Mahā-māyā, which vanquishes all other deluding spells.
Text 17
Devanagari
स च शम्बरमभ्येत्य संयुगाय समाह्वयत् ।
अविषह्यैस्तमाक्षेपै- क्षिपन् सञ्जनयन् कलिम् ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
sa ca śambaram abhyetya
saṁyugāya samāhvayat
aviṣahyais tam ākṣepaiḥ
kṣipan sañjanayan kalim
Synonyms
saḥ — He; ca — and; śambaram — Śambara; abhyetya — approaching; saṁyugāya — to battle; samāhvayat — called him; aviṣahyaiḥ — intolerable; tam — him; ākṣepaiḥ — with insults; kṣipan — reviling; sañjanayan — inciting; kalim — a fight.
Translation
Pradyumna approached Śambara and called him to battle, hurling intolerable insults at him to foment a conflict.
Text 18
Devanagari
सोऽधिक्षिप्तो दुर्वाचोभि- पदाहत इवोरग- ।
निश्चक्राम गदापाणिरमर्षात्ताम्रलोचन- ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
so ’dhikṣipto durvācobhiḥ
padāhata ivoragaḥ
niścakrāma gadā-pāṇir
amarṣāt tāmra-locanaḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — he, Śambara; adhikṣiptaḥ — insulted; durvācobhiḥ — by harsh words; padā — by a foot; āhataḥ — struck; iva — like; uragaḥ — a snake; niścakrāma — came out; gadā — a club; pāṇiḥ — in his hand; amarṣāt — out of intolerant anger; tāmra — copper-red; locanaḥ — whose eyes.
Translation
Offended by these harsh words, Śambara became as agitated as a kicked snake. He came out, club in hand, his eyes red with rage.
Text 19
Devanagari
गदामाविध्य तरसा प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने ।
प्रक्षिप्य व्यनदन्नादं वज्रनिष्पेषनिष्ठुरम् ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
gadām āvidhya tarasā
pradyumnāya mahātmane
prakṣipya vyanadan nādaṁ
vajra-niṣpeṣa-niṣṭhuram
Synonyms
gadām — his club; āvidhya — whirling; tarasā — swiftly; pradyumnāya — at Pradyumna; mahā-ātmane — the wise; prakṣipya — threw; vyanadan nādam — creating a resonance; vajra — of lightning; niṣpeṣa — the striking; niṣṭhuram — as sharp.
Translation
Śambara whirled his club swiftly about and then hurled it at the wise Pradyumna, producing a sound as sharp as a thunder crack.
Text 20
Devanagari
तामापतन्तीं भगवान् प्रद्युम्नो गदया गदाम् ।
अपास्य शत्रवे क्रुद्ध- प्राहिणोत् स्वगदां नृप ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
tām āpatantīṁ bhagavān
pradyumno gadayā gadām
apāsya śatrave kruddhaḥ
prāhiṇot sva-gadāṁ nṛpa
Synonyms
tām — that; āpatantīm — flying toward Him; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; pradyumnaḥ — Pradyumna; gadayā — with His club; gadām — the club; apāsya — driving off; śatrave — at His enemy; kruddhaḥ — angered; prāhiṇot — He threw; sta-gadām — His own club; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).
Translation
As Śambara’s club came flying toward Him, Lord Pradyumna knocked it away with His own. Then, O King, Pradyumna angrily threw His club at the enemy.
Text 21
Devanagari
स च मायां समाश्रित्य दैतेयीं मयदर्शितम् ।
मुमुचेऽस्त्रमयं वर्षं कार्ष्णौ वैहायसोऽसुर- ॥ २१ ॥
Verse text
sa ca māyāṁ samāśritya
daiteyīṁ maya-darśitam
mumuce ’stra-mayaṁ varṣaṁ
kārṣṇau vaihāyaso ’suraḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — he, Śambara; ca — and; māyām — magic; samāśritya — resorting to; daiteyīm — demoniac; maya — by Maya Dānava; darśitam — shown; mumuce — he released; astra-mayam — of weapons; varṣam — a rainfall; kārṣṇau — upon the son of Kṛṣṇa; vaihāyasaḥ — standing in the sky; asuraḥ — the demon.
Translation
Resorting to the black magic of the Daityas taught to him by Maya Dānava, Śambara suddenly appeared in the sky and released a downpour of weapons upon Kṛṣṇa’s son.
Text 22
Devanagari
बाध्यमानोऽस्त्रवर्षेण रौक्मिणेयो महारथ- ।
सत्त्वात्मिकां महाविद्यां सर्वमायोपमर्दिनीम् ॥ २२ ॥
Verse text
bādhyamāno ’stra-varṣeṇa
raukmiṇeyo mahā-rathaḥ
sattvātmikāṁ mahā-vidyāṁ
sarva-māyopamardinīm
Synonyms
bādhyamānaḥ — harassed; astra — of weapons; varṣeṇa — by the rain; raukmiṇeyaḥ — Pradyumna, son of Rukmiṇī; mahā-rathaḥ — the powerful warrior; sattva-ātmikām — produced of the mode of goodness; mahā-vidyām — (He utilized) the mystic knowledge called Mahā-māyā; sarva — all; mayā — magic; upamardinīm — which overcomes.
Translation
Harassed by this rain of weapons, Lord Raukmiṇeya, the greatly powerful warrior, made use of the mystic science called Mahā-māyā, which was created from the mode of goodness and which could defeat all other mystic power.
Text 23
Devanagari
ततो गौह्यकगान्धर्वपैशाचोरगराक्षसी- ।
प्रायुङ्क्त शतशो दैत्य- कार्ष्णिर्व्यधमयत्स ता- ॥ २३ ॥
Verse text
tato gauhyaka-gāndharva-
paiśācoraga-rākṣasīḥ
prāyuṅkta śataśo daityaḥ
kārṣṇir vyadhamayat sa tāḥ
Synonyms
tataḥ — then; gauhyaka-gāndharva-paiśāca-uraga-rākṣasīḥ — (weapons) of the Guhyakas, Gandharvas, witches, celestial serpents and Rākṣasas (man-eaters); prāyuṅkta — he used; śataśaḥ — hundreds; daityaḥ — the demon; kārṣṇiḥ — Lord Pradyumna; vyadhamayat — struck down; saḥ — He; tāḥ — these.
Translation
The demon then unleashed hundreds of mystic weapons belonging to the Guhyakas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, Uragas and Rākṣasas, but Lord Kārṣṇi, Pradyumna, struck them all down.
Text 24
Devanagari
निशातमसिमुद्यम्य सकिरीटं सकुण्डलम् ।
शम्बरस्य शिर- कायात् ताम्रश्मश्र्वोजसाहरत् ॥ २४ ॥
Verse text
niśātam asim udyamya
sa-kirīṭaṁ sa-kuṇḍalam
śambarasya śiraḥ kāyāt
tāmra-śmaśrv ojasāharat
Synonyms
niśātam — sharp-edged; asim — His sword; udyamya — raising; sa — with; kirīṭam — helmet; sa — with; kuṇḍalam — earrings; śambarasya — of Śambara; śiraḥ — the head; kāyāt — from his body; tāmra — copper-colored; śmaśru — whose mustache; ojasā — with force; aharat — He removed.
Translation
Drawing His sharp-edged sword, Pradyumna forcefully cut off Śambara’s head, complete with red mustache, helmet and earrings.
Text 25
Devanagari
आकीर्यमाणो दिविजै- स्तुवद्भि- कुसुमोत्करै- ।
भार्ययाम्बरचारिण्या पुरं नीतो विहायसा ॥ २५ ॥
Verse text
ākīryamāṇo divi-jaiḥ
stuvadbhiḥ kusumotkaraiḥ
bhāryayāmbara-cāriṇyā
puraṁ nīto vihāyasā
Synonyms
ākīryamāṇaḥ — being showered; divi-jaiḥ — by the residents of heaven; stuvadbhiḥ — who were offering praise; kusuma — of flowers; utkaraiḥ — with the scattering; bhāryayā — by His wife; ambara — in the sky; cāriṇyā — who was traveling; puram — to the city (Dvārakā); nītaḥ — He was brought; vihāyasā — through the sky.
Translation
As the residents of the higher planets showered Pradyumna with flowers and chanted His praises, His wife appeared in the sky and transported Him through the heavens, back to the city of Dvārakā.
Text 26
Devanagari
अन्त-पुरवरं राजन् ललनाशतसङ्कुलम् ।
विवेश पत्न्या गगनाद् विद्युतेव बलाहक- ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
antaḥ-pura-varaṁ rājan
lalanā-śata-saṅkulam
viveśa patnyā gaganād
vidyuteva balāhakaḥ
Synonyms
antaḥ-pura — the inner palace; varam — most excellent; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); lalanā — lovely women; śata — with hundreds; saṅkulam — crowded; viveśa — He entered; patnyā — with His wife; gaganāt — from the sky; vidyutā — with lightning; iva — as; balāhakaḥ — a cloud.
Translation
O King, Lord Pradyumna and His wife resembled a cloud accompanied by lightning as they descended from the sky into the inner quarters of Kṛṣṇa’s most excellent palace, which were crowded with lovely women.
Texts 27-28
Devanagari
तं दृष्ट्वा जलदश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् ।
प्रलम्बबाहुं ताम्राक्षं सुस्मितं रुचिराननम् ॥ २७ ॥
स्वलङ्कृतमुखाम्भोजं नीलवक्रालकालिभि- ।
कृष्णं मत्वा स्त्रियो ह्रीता निलिल्युस्तत्र तत्र ह ॥ २८ ॥
Verse text
taṁ dṛṣṭvā jalada-śyāmaṁ
pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam
pralamba-bāhuṁ tāmrākṣaṁ
su-smitaṁ rucirānanam
sv-alaṅkṛta-mukhāmbhojaṁ
nīla-vakrālakālibhiḥ
kṛṣṇaṁ matvā striyo hrītā
nililyus tatra tatra ha
Synonyms
tam — Him; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; jala-da — like a cloud; śyāmam — of dark blue complexion; pīta — yellow; kauśeya — silk; vāsasam — whose dress; pralamba — long; bāhum — whose arms; tāmra — reddish; akṣam — whose eyes; su-smitam — with a pleasing smile; rucira — charming; ānanam — face; su-alaṅkṛta — nicely decorated; mukha — face; ambhojam — lotuslike; nīla — blue; vakra — curling; ālaka-ālibhiḥ — with locks of hair; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; matvā — thinking Him; striyaḥ — the women; hrītāḥ — becoming bashful; nililyuḥ — hid themselves; tatra tatra — here and there; ha — indeed.
Translation
The women of the palace thought He was Lord Kṛṣṇa when they saw His dark-blue complexion the color of a rain cloud, His yellow silk garments, His long arms and red-tinged eyes, His charming lotus face adorned with a pleasing smile, His fine ornaments and His thick, curly blue hair. Thus the women became bashful and hid themselves here and there.
Text 29
Devanagari
अवधार्य शनैरीषद्वैलक्षण्येन योषित- ।
उपजग्मु- प्रमुदिता- सस्त्रीरत्नं सुविस्मिता- ॥ २९ ॥
Verse text
avadhārya śanair īṣad
vailakṣaṇyena yoṣitaḥ
upajagmuḥ pramuditāḥ
sa-strī ratnaṁ su-vismitāḥ
Synonyms
avadhārya — realizing; śanaiḥ — gradually; īṣat — slight; vailakṣaṇyena — by the difference of appearance; yoṣitaḥ — the ladies; upajagmuḥ — they came near; pramuditāḥ — delighted; sa — together with; strī — of women; ratnam — the jewel; su-vismitaḥ — very surprised.
Translation
Gradually, from the slight differences between His appearance and Kṛṣṇa’s, the ladies realized He was not the Lord. Delighted and astonished, they approached Pradyumna and His consort, who was a jewel among women.
Text 30
Devanagari
अथ तत्रासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी वल्गुभाषिणी ।
अस्मरत् स्वसुतं नष्टं स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरा ॥ ३० ॥
Verse text
atha tatrāsitāpāṅgī
vaidarbhī valgu-bhāṣiṇī
asmarat sva-sutaṁ naṣṭaṁ
sneha-snuta-payodharā
Synonyms
atha — then; tatra — there; asita — black; apāṅgī — the corners of whose eyes; vaidarbhī — Queen Rukmiṇī; valgu — sweet; bhāṣinī — whose speaking; asmarat — remembered; sva-sutam — her son; naṣṭam — lost; sneha — out of love; snuta — having become moist; payaḥ-dharā — whose breasts.
Translation
Seeing Pradyumna, sweet-voiced, dark-eyed Rukmiṇī remembered her lost son, and her breasts became moist out of affection.
Text 31
Devanagari
को न्वयं नरवैदूर्य- कस्य वा कमलेक्षण- ।
धृत- कया वा जठरे केयं लब्धा त्वनेन वा ॥ ३१ ॥
Verse text
ko nv ayam nara-vaidūryaḥ
kasya vā kamalekṣaṇaḥ
dhṛtaḥ kayā vā jaṭhare
keyaṁ labdhā tv anena vā
Synonyms
kaḥ — who; nu — indeed; ayam — this; nara-vaidūryaḥ — gem among men; kasya — whose (son); vā — and; kamala-īkṣaṇaḥ — lotus-eyed; dhṛtaḥ — carried; kayā — by what woman; vā — and; jaṭhare — in her womb; kā — who; iyam — this woman; labdhā — obtained; tu — moreover; anena — by Him; vā — and.
Translation
[Śrīmatī Rukmiṇī-devī said:] Who is this lotus-eyed jewel among men? What man’s son is He, and what woman carried Him in her womb? And who is this woman He has taken as His wife?
Text 32
Devanagari
मम चाप्यात्मजो नष्टो नीतो य- सूतिकागृहात् ।
एतत्तुल्यवयोरूपो यदि जीवति कुत्रचित् ॥ ३२ ॥
Verse text
mama cāpy ātmajo naṣṭo
nīto yaḥ sūtikā-gṛhāt
etat-tulya-vayo-rūpo
yadi jīvati kutracit
Synonyms
mama — my; ca — and; api — also; ātmajaḥ — son; naṣṭaḥ — lost; nītaḥ — taken; yaḥ — who; sūtikā-gṛhāt — from the maternity room; etat — to Him; tulya — equal; vayaḥ — in age; rūpaḥ — and appearance; yadi — if; jīvati — He is living; kutracit — somewhere.
Translation
If my lost son, who was kidnapped from the maternity room, were still alive somewhere, He would be of the same age and appearance as this young man.
Text 33
Devanagari
कथं त्वनेन सम्प्राप्तं सारूप्यं शार्ङ्गधन्वन- ।
आकृत्यावयवैर्गत्या स्वरहासावलोकनै- ॥ ३३ ॥
Verse text
kathaṁ tv anena samprāptaṁ
sārūpyaṁ śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ
ākṛtyāvayavair gatyā
svara-hāsāvalokanaiḥ
Synonyms
katham — how; tu — but; anena — by Him; samprāptam — obtained; sārūpyam — the same appearance; śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ — as Kṛṣṇa, the wielder of the Śārṅga bow; ākṛtyā — in bodily form; avayavaiḥ — limbs; gatyā — gait; svara — tone of voice; hāsa — smile; avalokanaiḥ — and glance.
Translation
But how is it that this young man so much resembles my own Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the wielder of Śārṅga, in His bodily form and His limbs, in His gait and the tone of His voice, and in His smiling glance?
Text 34
Devanagari
स एव वा भवेन्नूनं यो मे गर्भे धृतोऽर्भक- ।
अमुष्मिन् प्रीतिरधिका वाम- स्फुरति मे भुज- ॥ ३४ ॥
Verse text
sa eva vā bhaven nūnaṁ
yo me garbhe dhṛto ’rbhakaḥ
amuṣmin prītir adhikā
vāmaḥ sphurati me bhujaḥ
Synonyms
saḥ — He; eva — indeed; vā — or else; bhavet — must be; nūnam — for certain; yaḥ — who; me — my; garbhe — in the womb; dhṛtaḥ — was carried; arbhakaḥ — child; amuṣmin — for Him; prītiḥ — affection; adhikā — great; vāmaḥ — left; sphurati — trembles; me — my; bhujaḥ — arm.
Translation
Yes, He must be the same child I bore in my womb, since I feel great affection for Him and my left arm is quivering.
Text 35
Devanagari
एवं मीमांसमानायां वैदर्भ्यां देवकीसुत- ।
देवक्यानकदुन्दुभ्यामुत्तम-श्लोक आगमत् ॥ ३५ ॥
Verse text
evaṁ mīmāṁsamaṇāyāṁ
vaidarbhyāṁ devakī-sutaḥ
devaky-ānakadundubhyām
uttamaḥ-śloka āgamat
Synonyms
evam — thus; mīmāṁsamānāyām — as she was conjecturing; vaidarbhyām — Queen Rukmiṇī; devakī-sutaḥ — the son of Devakī; devakī-ānakadundubhyām — together with Devakī and Vasudeva; uttamaḥ-ślokaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; āgamat — came there.
Translation
As Queen Rukmiṇī conjectured in this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, arrived on the scene with Vasudeva and Devakī.
Text 36
Devanagari
विज्ञातार्थोऽपि भगवांस्तूष्णीमास जनार्दन- ।
नारदोऽकथयत् सर्वं शम्बराहरणादिकम् ॥ ३६ ॥
Verse text
vijñātārtho ’pi bhagavāṁs
tūṣṇīm āsa janārdanaḥ
nārado ’kathayat sarvaṁ
śambarāharaṇādikam
Synonyms
vijñāta — understanding fully; arthaḥ — the matter; api — even though; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tūṣṇīm — silent; āsa — remained; janārdanaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; akathayat — recounted; sarvam — everything; ambara — by Śambara; āharaṇa — the kidnapping; ādikam — beginning with.
Translation
Although Lord Janārdana knew perfectly well what had transpired, He remained silent. The sage Nārada, however, explained everything, beginning with Śambara’s kidnapping of the child.
Text 37
Devanagari
तच्छ्रुत्वा महदाश्चर्यं कृष्णान्त-पुरयोषित- ।
अभ्यनन्दन् बहूनब्दान् नष्टं मृतमिवागतम् ॥ ३७ ॥
Verse text
tac chrutvā mahad āścaryaṁ
kṛṣṇāntaḥ-pura-yoṣitaḥ
abhyanandan bahūn abdān
naṣṭaṁ mṛtam ivāgatam
Synonyms
tat — that; śrutvā — hearing; mahat — great; āścaryam — wonder; kṛṣṇa-antaḥ-pura — of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s personal residence; yoṣitaḥ — the women; abhyanandan — they greeted; bahūn — for many; abdān — years; naṣṭam — lost; mṛtam — someone dead; iva — as if; āgatam — returned.
Translation
When the women of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s palace heard this most amazing account, they joyfully greeted Pradyumna, who had been lost for many years but who had now returned as if from the dead.
Text 38
Devanagari
देवकी वसुदेवश्च कृष्णरामौ तथा स्त्रिय- ।
दम्पती तौ परिष्वज्य रुक्मिणी च ययुर्मुदम् ॥ ३८ ॥
Verse text
devakī vasudevaś ca
kṛṣṇa-rāmau tathā striyaḥ
dampatī tau pariṣvajya
rukmiṇī ca yayur mudam
Synonyms
devakī — Devakī; vasudevaḥ — Vasudeva; ca — and; kṛṣṇa-rāmau — Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; tathā — also; striyaḥ — the women; dam-patī — man and wife; tau — these two; pariṣvajya — embracing; rukmiṇī — Rukmiṇī; ca — and; yayuḥ mudam — they became full of joy.
Translation
Devakī, Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and all the women of the palace, especially Queen Rukmiṇī, embraced the young couple and rejoiced.
Text 39
Devanagari
नष्टं प्रद्युम्नमायातमाकर्ण्य द्वारकौकस- ।
अहो मृत इवायातो बालो दिष्ट्येति हाब्रुवन् ॥ ३९ ॥
Verse text
naṣṭaṁ pradyumnam āyātam
ākarṇya dvārakaukasaḥ
aho mṛta ivāyāto
bālo diṣṭyeti hābruvan
Synonyms
naṣṭam — lost; pradyumnam — Pradyumna; āyātam — returned; ākarṇya — hearing; dvārakā-okasaḥ — the residents of Dvārakā; aho — aḥ; mṛtaḥ — dead; iva — as if; āyātaḥ — come back; bālaḥ — the child; diṣṭyā — by the favor of providence; iti — thus; ha — indeed; abruvan — they spoke.
Translation
Hearing that lost Pradyumna had come home, the residents of Dvārakā declared, “Ah, providence has allowed this child to return as if from death!”
Text 40
Devanagari
यं वै मुहु- पितृसरूपनिजेशभावा-
स्तन्मातरो यदभजन् रहरूढभावा- ।
चित्रं न तत् खलु रमास्पदबिम्बबिम्बे
कामे स्मरेऽक्षविषये किमुतान्यनार्य- ॥ ४० ॥
Verse text
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
Synonyms
yam — whom; vai — indeed; muhuḥ — repeatedly; pitṛ — His father; sa-rūpa — who exactly resembled; nija — as their own; īśa — master; bhāvāḥ — who thought of Him; tat — His; mātaraḥ — mothers; yat — inasmuch as; abhajan — they worshiped; raha — in privacy; rūḍha — full-blown; bhāvāḥ — whose ecstatic attraction; citram — amazing; na — not; tat — that; khalu — indeed; ramā — of the goddess of fortune; āspada — of the shelter (Lord Kṛṣṇa); bimba — of the form; bimbe — who was the reflection; kāme — lust personified; smare — Cupid; akṣa-viṣaye — when He was before their eyes; kim uta — what then to speak of; anya — other; nāryaḥ — women.
Translation
It is not astonishing that the palace women, who should have felt maternal affection for Pradyumna, privately felt ecstatic attraction for Him as if He were their own Lord. After all, the son exactly resembled His father. Indeed, Pradyumna was a perfect reflection of the beauty of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the shelter of the goddess of fortune, and appeared before their eyes as Cupid Himself. Since even those on the level of His mother felt conjugal attraction for Him, then what to speak of how other women felt when they saw Him?
Purport
As Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains, whenever the palace women saw Śrī Pradyumna, they immediately remembered their Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda comments as follows in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has explained that in the beginning all the residents of the palace, who were all mothers and stepmothers of Pradyumna, mistook Him to be Kṛṣṇa and were all bashful, infected by the desire for conjugal love. The explanation is that Pradyumna’s personal appearance was exactly like Kṛṣṇa’s, and he was factually Cupid himself. There was no cause of astonishment, therefore, when the mothers of Pradyumna and other women mistook him in that way. It is clear from the statement that Pradyumna’s bodily characteristics were so similar to Kṛṣṇa’s that he was mistaken to be Kṛṣṇa even by His mother.”
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Fifty-fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The History of Pradyumna.”