श्रीशुक उवाच
कामस्तु वासुदेवांशो दग्धः प्राग्रुद्रमन्युना । देहोपपत्तये भूयस्तमेव प्रत्यपद्यत ॥
स एव जातो वैदर्भ्यां कृष्णवीर्यसमुद्भवः । प्रद्युम्न इति विख्यातः सर्वतोऽनवमः पितुः ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: "Dear King! Do you remember the story when Manmatha, the God of Love, was reduced to ashes by Lord Shiva when he disturbed His meditation to invoke interest in Shiva for Parvati? At that time, Manmatha's wife Rati pleaded with Shiva that Manmatha should be brought back to life as he was only discharging his duty. Shiva promised that he will assume a body at the appropriate time until when he would be known as Ananga (body-less)."
"Well, Manmatha now took birth as the son of Sri Krishna in Rukmini's womb! Remember that Manmatha is the son of Bhagavan Narayana, so all this was in the fitness of things. He was a fitting match for Sri Krishna in all qualities."
तं शम्बरः कामरूपी हृत्वा तोकमनिर्दशम् । स विदित्वाऽऽत्मनः शत्रुं प्रास्योदन्वत्यगाद्गृहम् ॥
तं निर्जगार बलवान् मीनः सोऽप्यपरैः सह । वृतो जालेन महता गृहीतो मत्स्यजीविभिः ॥
T:The plot thickened immediately. Shambara, as Asura, knew that this child would be his nemesis. So what he did was simply steal the baby from his cradle and throw him into the ocean! As Fate willed, the baby was swallowed whole by a huge fish. This fish was soon caught by fishermen. They came and presented the prize catch to their king, Shambara! Shambara ordered that the fish be cooked well and served to him. (Shambara was either a Bong or a Mallu and both love fish and their coastline).
दृष्ट्वा तदुदरे बालं मायावत्यै न्यवेदयन् । नारदोऽकथयत्सर्वं तस्याः शङ्कितचेतसः ।
बालस्य तत्त्वमुत्पत्तिं मत्स्योदरनिवेशनम् ॥
सा च कामस्य वै पत्नी रतिर्नाम यशस्विनी । पत्युर्निर्दग्धदेहस्य देहोत्पत्तिं प्रतीक्षती ॥
निरूपिता शम्बरेण सा सूदौदनसाधने ।कामदेवं शिशुं बुद्ध्वा चक्रे स्नेहं तदार्भके ॥
T: The chefs discovered a splendid, royal-looking, baby alive and kicking inside the fish. They simply handed that baby to Mayavati, a maidservant in Shambara's court. Now, the plot thickened further. Mayavati was Rati herself, the goddess born and waiting for Manmatha to return to her. This was told to her by the all-knowing and all-compassionate Narada. Mayavati brought up the kid showering both motherly and wifely love on the baby!
सा तं पतिं पद्मदलायतेक्षणं प्रलम्बबाहुं नरलोकसुन्दरम् ।
सव्रीडहासोत्तभितभ्रुवेक्षती प्रीत्योपतस्थे रतिरङ्ग सौरतैः ॥
T: Pradyumna grew up into a heart-breakingly handsome man. Rati could not hold in check her amorous feelings towards her husband being reborn. She was coquettish, loving, and full of amorous gestures and glances. This was not taken kindly to by Pradyumna, for she was the mother who had raised him! He protested vehemently. Rati then disclosed the sequence of events from Manmatha's annihilation by Shiva's opening of His third eye. and how as Rati she was waiting for the boon that Manmatha would be reborn and united with her. Pradyumna was Manmatha's incarnation as she was Mayavati Rati!
तमिमं जहि दुर्धर्षं दुर्जयं शत्रुमात्मनः । मायाशतविदं त्वं च मायाभिर्मोहनादिभिः ॥
परिशोचति ते माता कुररीव गतप्रजा । पुत्रस्नेहाकुला दीना विवत्सा गौरिवातुरा ॥
प्रभाष्यैवं ददौ विद्यां प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने । मायावती महामायां सर्वमायाविनाशिनीम् ॥
T: Mayavati now disclosed how Queen Rukmini had not gotten over her grief of losing her first born baby from the cradle. Shambara Asura was the one who had abducted Pradyumna! So Mayavati told Pradyumna to attack and kill Shambara. She also taught him the Maha Maya tantra to take care of any Asuric weapons, magic tricks or stealth attacks.
बाध्यमानोऽस्त्रवर्षेण रौक्मिणेयो महारथः । सत्त्वात्मिकां महाविद्यां सर्वमायोपमर्दिनीम् ॥
आकीर्यमाणो दिविजैः स्तुवद्भिः कुसुमोत्करैः । भार्ययाम्बरचारिण्या पुरं नीतो विहायसा ॥
T: Pradyumna now went and shouted to Shambara to come and fight. Shambara was a bit shocked but came with his big bow and shot arrows. Pradyumna countered them. The fight went on with an array of weapons. Soon, Shambara used his Asuric tricks of illusion and disappeared, attacking Pradyumna from the sky. Pradyumna invoked the Maha Maya tantra and got hold of Shambara and decapitated him.
Amidst celebrations and felicitations from the gods and men showered on Pradyumna over his vanquishing Shambara, he now made his way quickly to Dwaraka along with his wife Mayavati. When they entered the city, there was utter confusion. Pradyumna looked a copy of Sri Krishna, except he was even more youthful and radiant in the company of Mayavati. All the womenfolk mused: "Who is this replica of our Sri Krishna!? Which woman was lucky to give birth to this hero!?"
Just then. Queen Rukmini saw Pradyumna with his wife, Mayawati.
मम चाप्यात्मजो नष्टो नीतो यः सूतिकागृहात् । एतत्तुल्यवयोरूपो यदि जीवति कुत्रचित् ॥
कथं त्वनेन सम्प्राप्तं सारूप्यं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः । आकृत्यावयवैर्गत्या स्वरहासावलोकनैः ॥
एवं मीमांसमानायां वैदर्भ्यां देवकीसुतः । देवक्यानकदुन्दुभ्यामुत्तमश्लोक आगमत् ॥
T: "Who is this handsome man? Would he be my baby stolen from the cradle? Indeed, if my son is alive, he would perhaps look like this one. How come this man has so much resemblance to Bhagavan Sri Krishna with his famous Sharnga bow? In build, features, gestures and smiles and glances, he is so much like my lord!?" As Rukmini was feeling all this consternation, Bhagavan Sri Krishna himself arrived in Dwaraka, escorting his parents Devaki and Vasudeva.
विज्ञातार्थोऽपि भगवांस्तूष्णीमास जनार्दनः । नारदोऽकथयत्सर्वं शम्बराहरणादिकम् ॥
देवकी वसुदेवश्च कृष्णरामौ तथा स्त्रियः । दम्पती तौ परिष्वज्य रुक्मिणी च ययुर्मुदम् ॥
T: The mischievous Sri Krishna kept quiet although he knew everything. Just then, Sage Narada arrived by Vande Bharat Express. He narrated everything to a most delighted auidence - Sri Krishna, Rukmini, Balarama, Revati, Devaki and vasudeva. You can imagine their boundless joy! They all heartily embraced Pradyumna and Mayavati.
यं वै मुहुः पितृसरूपनिजेशभावास्तन्मातरो यदभजन् रहरूढभावाः ।
चित्रं न तत्खलु रमास्पदबिम्बबिम्बे कामे स्मरेऽक्षविषये किमुतान्यनार्यः ॥
T: Sage Shuka concludes: "King Parikshit! The queens of Sri Krishna himself would be confused and emotionally stirred whenever Pradyumna came within their view. He was such a perfect replica of the world-bewitching beauty that Sri Krishna, his father, was. Then what do I need to tell you about all the other women of Dwaraka!"
