Parva 2 Chapter 104: pradyumnaharaṇam - pradyumna abducted

janamejaya said: (O vaiśampāyana) pradyumna was described by you before, as the slayer of shambara. Please tell me about how pradyumna killed shambara. vaiśampāyana uvāca rukmiṇyāṁ vāsudevasya lakṣmyāṁ kāmo dhṛtavrataḥ | śambarāntakaro jajṣe pradyumnaḥ kāmadarśanaḥ | vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) pradyumna, the slayer of shambara, the one who generates desire on sight, the god of desire, the one who has taken vows, was born to the son of vasudeva (kṛṣṇa) from rukmiṇī, who is lakṣmī. sanatkumāra iti yaḥ purāṇe parigīyate ||2-104-2 He is the one who is sung about in old histories as sanatkumāra. taṁ saptarātre saṁpūrṇe niśīthe sūtikāgṛhāt | jahāra kṛṣṇasya sutaṁ śiśuṁ vai kālaśambaraḥ ||2-104-3 When seven nights were completed (after his birth) kālaśambara took away the baby, the son of kṛṣṇa, from the house where he was delivered, in the night. viditaṁ tasya kṛṣṇasya devamāyānuvartinaḥ | tato na nigṛhītaḥ sa dānavo yuddhadurmadaḥ ||2-104-4 kṛṣṇa, who follows the illusion of deva-s, knowing about this, did not kill the demon then, who was proud of his false skill in war. sa mṛtyunā parītāyurmāyayā saṣjahāra tam | dorbhyāmutkṣipya nagaraṁ svaṁ nināya mahāsuraḥ ||2-104-5 The boy was taken away by illusion by the demon whose life span was limited by death. The great demon took up the boy with both his hands and brought him to his own city. anapatyā tu tasyāsīdbhāryā rūpaguṇānvitā | nāmnā māyāvatī nāma māyeva śubhadarśanā ||2-104-6 He had a wife, named māyāvatī, having beauty and good qualities, who was childless. She was auspicious and beautiful to be seen, by illusion. dadau taṁ vāsudevasya putraṁ putramivātmajam | tasyā mahiṣyā māyinyā dānavaḥ kālachoditaḥ ||2-104-7 The demon, prompted by Time, gave the son of vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) to his wife, as if he was her own son, by illusion. māyāvatī tu taṁ dṛṣṭvā saṁprahṛṣṭatanūruhā | harṣeṇa mahatā yuktā punaḥ punarudaikṣata ||2-104-8 On seeing the boy, māyāvatī was thrilled with excitement in her body. With great happiness, she looked at the boy again and again. atha tasya nirīkṣantyāḥ smṛtiḥ prādurbabhūva ha | ayaṁ sa mama kānto'bhūtsmṛtvaivaṁ cānvacintayat ||2-104-9 As she kept looking at him, her old memories were refreshed. Remembering that this is her dear husband during old times, she thought: ayaṁ sa nātho bhartā me yasyārthe'haṁ divāniśam | cintāśokārṇave magnā na vindāmi ratiṁ kvachit ||2-104-10 He is my lord, my husband, due to whom I am immersed in the ocean of thoughts and sorrow, day and night, without having interest in anything else. bhagavatā pūrvaṁ devadevena śūlinā | kheditena kṛto'naṅgo dṛṣṭo jātyantare mayā ||2-104-11 Long ago, the Lord of gods, the one who holds the spear (shiva), because he caused him distress, made him devoid of his body. Now, in my other birth, I am able to see him. kathamasya stanaṁ dāsye mātṛbhāvena jānatī | bharturbhāryā tvahaṁ bhūtva vakṣye vā putra ityuta ||2-104-12 When I know this, how can I feed him breast milk like a mother? Being the wife of my husband, how can I call him as my son? evaṁ saṁchintya manasā dhātryāstaṁ sā samarpayat | rasāyanaprayogaiścha śīghrameva vyavardhayat ||2-104-13 Thinking thus in her mind, she entrusted the boy to a foster mother. Using medicines she made him grow up quickly. dhatryāḥ sakāśātsa ca tāṁ śṛṇvanrukmiṇinandanaḥ | māyāvatīmavijṣānānmene svāmeva mātaram ||2-104-14 Not knowing this, the son of rukmiṇī (pradyumna) heard the foster mother praising māyāvatī and considered her as his own mother. sā ca tam vardhayāmāsa kārṣṇiṁ kamalalocanam | māyāścāsmai dadau sarvā dānavīḥ kāmamohitā ||2-104-15 The son of kṛṣṇa (pradyumna), whose eyes were as beautiful as lotus, was brought up there. She, the wife of the demon, tempted by desire, educated him on all the illusions of the demons. sa yadā yauvansthastu pradyumnaḥ kāmadarśanaḥ | chikīrṣitajṣo nārīṇāṁ sarvāstravidhipāragaḥ ||2-104-16 On becoming a youth, pradyumna appeared beautiful like the love-god to look at. He knew about all desires of women and he became an expert in using all kinds of arrows. taṁ sā māyāvatī kāntaṁ kāmayāmāsa kāminī | iṅgitaiścāpi vīkṣantī pralobhayata sasmitā | māyāvatī, the one who had desires, began to desire her husband. She tempted him with her body movements, looks as well as her smiles. prasajjantīṁ tu tāṁ devīṁ babhāṣe cāruhāsinīm || 2-104-17 The devī (māyāvatī) who smiles beautifully, desired him with her mind and wanted to be with him . Then pradynmna told her: pradyumna uvāca mātṛbhāvaṁ vyatikramya kimevaṁ vartase'nyathā | aho duṣṭasvabhāvāsi strītve chapalamānasā ||2-104-18 pradyumna said: Transgressing mother's nature, why are you behaving differently? Alas! You appear to be wicked. You have the wavering mind of a woman. yā putrabhāvamutsṛjya mayi lobhātpravartase | na tu te'haṁ sutaḥ saumye ko'yaṁ śīlaviparyayaḥ ||2-104-19 Abandoning the feeling towards me as your son, why are you using temptation? It looks like I am not your son? Why there is a change in your behavior? tattvamichcāmyahaṁ devi kathitaṁ ko'nvayaṁ vidhiḥ | vidyutsaṁpātachapalaḥ svabhāvaḥ khalu yoṣitām ||2-104-20 O devī! I want to know the truth. Tell me the reason about your behavior. It is certain that the women's nature is highly wavering like lightning. yā nareṣu prasajjante nagāgreṣu ghanā iva | yadi te'haṁ sutaḥ saumye yadi vā nātmajaḥ śubhe ||2-104-21 Women desire men like clouds desire the mountain peaks. O gentle one! I wish to know whether I am your son or not, O auspicious lady! kathitaṁ tattvamicchāmi kimidaṁ te chikīrṣitam | I want to know the truth. What is your desire? evamuktā tu Sa bhīruḥ kāmena vyathitendriyā ||2-104-22 priyam provāca vacanam vivikte keśavātmajam | (vaiśampāyana continued: O janamejaya !) When māyāvatī was told thus, she, the timid one, whose senses were distressed by desire, spoke these words to her dear, the son of keshava (kṛṣṇa), (pradyumna) in solitude: na tvaṁ mama sutaḥ kānta nāpi te śambaraḥ pitā ||2-104-23 (māyāvtī said) O dear! You are not my son as also, shambara is not your father. rūpavānasi vikrāntastvaṁ jātyā vṛṣṇinandana | putrastvaṁ vāsudevasya rukmiṇyānandavardhanaḥ ||2-104-24 O the son of the vṛṣṇi-s! You are beautiful as well as valiant, by birth. You are the son of vāsudeva (kṛṣṇa) as also the one who generates happiness for rukmiṇī. divase saptame bālo jātamātropavāhitaḥ | sūtikāgāramadhyāttvaṁ śiśuruttānaśāyitaḥ ||2-104-25 On the seventh day of your birth, as you were lying on your back as a baby, you were taken away from the house where you were delivered. mama bhartrā hṛto'si tvaṁ balavīryapravartinā | pituste vāsudevasya dharṣayitvā gṛhaṁ mahat ||2-104-26 pākaśāsanakalpasya hṛtastvaṁ śambareṇa ha | My husband, shambara, having valiance and power, took away and brought you here, trespassing the great house of your father, the son of vasudava, (kṛṣṇa), equal to the punisher of the demon pāka (indra). sā ca te karuṇaṁ mātā tvāṁ bālamanuśochatī ||2-104-27 atyarthaṁ tapyate vīra vivatsā saurabhī yathā | O valiant! Your mother is greatly worrying about you like surabhī worrying about its lost calf. so'pi śakrādapi mahānpitā te garuḍadhvajaḥ ||2-104-28 iha tvām nābhijānāti bālamevopavāhitam | Your father who has greater valiance than śakra (indra), the one who has garuḍa on his flag, does not know that you who were brought as a boy, is here. kānta vṝṣṇikumārastvaṁ na hi tvaṁ śambarātmajaḥ ||2-104-29 O my dear! You are a vṛṣṇi prince. You are not the son of shambara. vīra naivaṁ vidhānputrāndānavā janayanti hi | ato'haṁ kāmayāmi tvāṁ na hi tvaṁ janito mayā ||2-104-30 O valiant! The demons do not have sons like you. You are not born from me. That is why I desire you. rūpaṁ te saumya paśyantī sīdāmi hṛdi durbalā | O gentle one! Seeing your beautiful form, I faint, becoming weak in heart. yanme vyavasitaṁ kānta yattu me hṛdi vartate ||2-104-31 tanme manasi vārṣṇeya pratisandhātumarhasi | O my dear! What I desire and what is in my heart, deserve to be fulfilled by you, O the son of vṛṣṇi-s, by residing in my mind. eṣa te kathitaḥ sarvaḥ sadbhāvastvayi yo mama ||2-104-32 yathā na mama putrastvaṁ na putraḥ shambarasya ca | I have told you all the good feelings I have about you. You are not my son and also you are not the son of shambara. śrutvaivamakhilaṁ sarvaṁ māyāvatyā prabhāṣitam ||2-104-33 (vaiśampāyana continued) After hearing all that was spoken by māyāvatī, cakrāyudhātmajaḥ kruddhaḥ śambaraṁ sa samāhvayat | sarvamāyasvabhijṣo'sau nāma viśrāvya cātmanaḥ ||2-104-34 the son of the one who has the cakra as his weapon (kṛṣṇa), the one who knows all illusions (pradyumna) became angry and decided to call out shambara calling his own name: aho dānavaduṣṭātmā keśavasyātmajaṁ shishum | harate nirbhayashcaiva bhayamadya karomyaham ||2-104-35 (pradyumna said) Alas! The wicked soul, the demon took away the baby son of keshava (kṛṣṇa) without any fear. Today I will make him afraid. kathaṁ vai krodhamāgacchedvadhyate vā kathaṁ mayā | prathamaṁ kiṁ kariṣyāmi yena kupyati mandadhīḥ ||2-104-36 How will he become angry on me? How can he be slayed by me? What shall I do first so that the one with low intellect, will become angry with me? asti cāṣya dhvajaṁ citraṁ siṁhaketuvibhūṣitam | toraṇaṁ gṛhamāsādya ucchritaṁ meruśṛ~gavat ||2-104-37 He has a most beautiful flagstaff, decorated by a flag with lion. This is kept on the arch , tall like the peak of meru mountain. etadunmathya pātiṣye bhallena nishitena vai | dhvajacchedaṁ viditvātha shambaro niṣkramiṣyati ||2-104-38 By shooting a bhalla (an arrow with a special point) I will make it fall. Knowing about the felling of the flagstaff, shambara will come out. tato yuddhena hatvā''jau gantāsmi dvārakāṁ prati | Then, killing him in the battle, I shall return to dvāraka. ityuktvā sajyamācakre saśaraṁ cāpamojasā ||2-104-39 (vaiśampāyana continued: O janamejaya!) Saying this, he (pradyumna) tied the bow and set the arrow with splendor. ciccheda dhvajaratnaṁ tu shambarasya mahābhujaḥ | The one with great arms cut off the flagstaff, the jewel, of shambara. tacchutvā tu dhvajacchedaṁ pradyumnena mahātmanā ||2-104-40 kruddhastvājṣāpayāmāsa putrānvai kālaśambaraḥ | Hearing that the flagstaff has been cut off by the great soul pradyumna, kālaśambara became angry and ordered his sons: jighāṁsadhvaṁ mahāvīrā raukmiṇeyaṁ tvarānvitāḥ ||2-104-41 naivaṁ vai draṣṭumicchāmi mama vipriyakārakam | (shambara said) O great valiants! Try to kill the son of rukmiṇī (pradyumna) quickly. I do not wish to see the one who did what I do not like. śrutvā tu śambarādvākyaṁ sutāste shambarasya ha ||2-104-42 saṁnaddhā niryayurhṛṣṭāḥ pradyumnavadhakāṅkṣayā | (vaiśampāyana continued: O janamejaya!) Hearing the words of shambara, the sons of shambara, desirous of slaying pradyumna got ready happily. citraseno'tisenaścha viṣvaseno gadastathā ||2-104-43 śrutasenaḥ suṣeṇastu somaseno manastathā | citrasena, atisena, viṣvasena, as well as gada, shrutasena, suṣeṇa, somasena as well as mana senānī sainyahantā ca senāhā sainikastathā ||2-104-44 senaskandho'tisenaścha senako janakaḥ sutaḥ | senāni, sainyahanta, senaha, sainika as also senaskandha, atisena and also senaka, janaka, suta, sakālo vikalaḥ śāṁtaḥ sa śātāntakaro vibhuḥ || 2-104-45 kumbhaketuḥ sudaṁṣṭraścha keśirityevamādayaḥ | sakala, vikala, śāṁta, śātāntakara, vibhu, kumbhaketu, sudaṁṣṭra and also keshi and others cakratomaraśūlāni paṭṭiśāni paraśvadhān ||2-104-46 gṛhītvā niryayurhṛṣṭā manyunā paramāplutāḥ | taking the weapons such as, cakra-s, lances and spears, triple pointed spears and axes, started with a happy mind, becoming angry. āhvayantamamitraṁ vai tasthuḥ saṅgrāmamūrdhani ||2-104-47 They stood in the battlefield calling out the enemy. pradyumnastu mahābāhū rathamāruhya satvaram | niryayau cāpamādāya saṅgrāmābhimukhastadā ||2-104-48 The one with powerful arms, pradyumna quickly mounted his chariot and started for the battle, holding his bow. tataḥ pravṛttaṁ yuddhaṁ tu tumulaṁ lomaharṣaṇam | shambarasya tu putrāṇāṁ keshavasya ca sūnunā ||2-104-49 Then there was an exciting battle between the sons of shambara and the son of keshava (kṛṣṇa). tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ samahoragacāraṇāḥ | devarājaṁ puraskṛtya vimānāgreṣu dhiṣṭhitāḥ ||2-104-50 Then the deva-s along with gandharva-s and cāraṇa-s, keeping the king of deva-s (indra) in front, stood on the edges of aerial vehicles (to watch the battle). nāradastumburuścaiva hāhāhūhūścha gāyanāḥ | apsarobhiḥ parivṛtāḥ sarve tatrāvatasthire ||2-104-51 nārada, tumburu as also hāhā and hūhū the singers, surrounded by all the divine women stood there. devarājapratīhāro gandharvashcitramadbhutam | śaśaṁsa devarājāya vajriṇe tadvicheṣṭitam ||2-104-52 The attendant gandharva of the king of deva-s (indra) described the wonderful actions (of pradyumna, the son of kṛṣṇa) to the one who holds vajra, indra. shambarasya śataṁ putrā ekaḥ kṛṣṇasya cātmajaḥ | bahūnāṁ yuddhyatāmeṣa kathaṁ vijayamāpnuyāt ||2-104-53 (gandharva said) There are hundred sons of shambara here and one son of kṛṣṇa. Fighting against so many (enemies) how he (pradyumna) can be victorious? tacchrutvā bhāṣitaṁ tasya prahasya balasūdanaḥ | uvāca vacanaṁ chedaṁ śṛṇu yo'sya parākramaḥ ||2-104-54 Hearing the words spoken by him, the slayer of bala (indra) laughed and spoke the following words: Hear about his valour. kāmo'yam pūrvadehe tu harakrodhāgninā hataḥ | ratyā prasādito devaḥ kāmapatnyā trilocanaḥ | He is the god of love. In the earlier body (birth), he was killed by the fire of the anger of hara (shiva). rati, the wife of the god of love, pleased the three eyed lord. parituṣṭena devena varamasyāḥ pradīyate ||2-104-55 The lord was pleased and gave her the boon. viṣṇurmānuṣadehastu dvārakāyāṁ bhaviṣyati | tasya putratvamasyaiva bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ ||2-104-56 (shiva said) When viṣṇu lives at dvāraka with a human body, he (kāma) will become his son. There is no doubt in this. anaṅga iti vikhyātastrailokye tu mahāyaśāḥ | tatrotpanno mahātejāḥ śambaraṁ ghātayiṣyati ||2-104-57 He will be known as anaṅga (the one without any limbs) in the three worlds with great fame. The one with great splendor will slay shambara. saptāhe jātamātre tu rukmiṇyāḥ kroḍasaṁsthitam | āsthāya shambaro māyāṁ pradyumnamapaneṣyati ||2-104-58 On the seventh day of his birth, as he lies on the lap of rukmiṇi, shambara will take away pradyumna by illusion. tadgaccha śambaragṛhaṁ bhāryā māyāvatī bhava | māyārūpapraticchannā śambaraṁ mohayiṣyasi ||2-104-59 Go to the house of shambara and become his wife mayāvatī. Tempt shambara by taking an illusionary form. tatra tvamātmanaḥ kāntaṁ bālarūpaṁ vivardhaya | prāptayauvanadehastu śambaraṁ nihaniṣyati ||2-104-60 There bring up your husband who is in the form of a child who will slay shambara when he becomes a youth. tatastvayā sahānaṅgo dvārakāṁ vai gamiṣyati | ramishyati tvayā sārdhaṁ śailaputryā yathā hyaham ||2-104-61 Then anaṅga (pradyumna) will go to dvāraka along with you. He will enjoy with you, as I enjoy with the daughter of the mountain (umā). evamādiśya devesho jagāma puruṣottamaḥ | kailāsaṁ merusaṅkāśaṁ siddhacāraṇasevitam ||2-104-62 Directing thus, the best among men, the lord of deva-s, shiva went away to kailāsa, served by siddha and cāraṇa, like the mountain meru. kāmapatnī praṇamyātha devadevamumāpatim | jagāma śambaragṛhaṁ kālasyāntaṁ pratīkṣatī ||2-104-63 The wife of the god of love, paid obeisance to the lord of deva-s, shiva, the husband of umā and went to the house of shambara waiting for the passage of time. evameva mahābāhuḥ śambaraṁ nihaniṣyati | saha putreṇa pradyumno hantā tasya durātmanaḥ ||2-104-64 Thus the one with powerful arms (pradyumna) will slay shambara. pradyumna will slay the wicked soul shambara along with his sons. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi shambaravadhe caturadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the one hundred and fourth chapter, in the slaying of shambara, of viṣṇuparva, harivamsha, khila of mahābhārata, pradyumna abducted. nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 2-104-1 ya eṣa iti || · 2-104-6 ratipratichcāyā māyāvatī nāma bhāryātvamāpannā na tu ratirityagre vyaktīkariṣyati || · 2-104-52 pratihāro dvārapālaḥ | citraṁ yathā syāttathā citraṁ āścaryaṁ śaśaṁsādbhutaṁ nāmānubhūtapūrvam || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ caturadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ ||