Chapter 55: The History of Pradyumna

 

10.55.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

kāmas tu vāsudevāḿśo

dagdhaḥ prāg rudra-manyunā

dehopapattaye bhūyas

tam eva pratyapadyata

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kāmaḥ — Cupid; tu — and; vāsudeva — of Lord Vāsudeva; aḿśaḥ — 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.

 

10.55.2

sa eva jāto vaidarbhyāḿ

kṛṣṇa-vīrya-samudbhavaḥ

pradyumna iti vikhyātaḥ

sarvato 'navamaḥ pituḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.3

taḿ śambaraḥ kāma-rūpī

hṛtvā tokam anirdaśam

sa viditvātmanaḥ śatruḿ

prāsyodanvaty agād gṛham

 

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.

 

10.55.4

taḿ nirjagāra balavān

mīnaḥ so 'py aparaiḥ saha

vṛto jālena mahatā

gṛhīto matsya-jīvibhiḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.5

taḿ śambarāya kaivartā

upājahrur upāyanam

sūdā mahānasaḿ nītvā-

vadyan sudhitinādbhutam

 

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.

 

10.55.6

dṛṣṭvā tad-udare bālam

māyāvatyai nyavedayan

nārado 'kathayat sarvaḿ

tasyāḥ śańkita-cetasaḥ

bālasya tattvam utpattiḿ

matsyodara-niveśanam

 

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; śańkita — 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.

 

10.55.7-8

sā ca kāmasya vai patnī

ratir nāma yaśasvinī

patyur nirdagdha-dehasya

dehotpattim pratīkṣatī

 

nirūpitā śambareṇa

sā sūdaudana-sādhane

kāmadevaḿ śiśuḿ buddhvā

cakre snehaḿ tadārbhake

 

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.

 

10.55.9

nāti-dīrgheṇa kālena

sa kārṣṇi rūḍha-yauvanaḥ

janayām āsa nārīṇāḿ

vīkṣantīnāḿ ca vibhramam

 

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.

 

10.55.10

sā tam patiḿ padma-dalāyatekṣaṇaḿ

pralamba-bāhuḿ nara-loka-sundaram

sa-vrīḍa-hāsottabhita-bhruvekṣatī

prītyopatasthe ratir ańga saurataiḥ

 

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; ańga — 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.

 

10.55.11

tām aha bhagavān kārṣṇir

mātas te matir anyathā

mātṛ-bhāvam atikramya

vartase kāminī yathā

 

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."

 

10.55.12

ratir uvāca

bhavān nārāyaṇa-sutaḥ

śambareṇa hṛto gṛhāt

ahaḿ te 'dhikṛtā patnī

ratiḥ kāmo bhavān prabho

 

ratiḥ uvāca — Rati said; bhavān — You; nārāyaṇa-suta h — 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.

 

10.55.13

eṣa tvānirdaśaḿ sindhāv

akṣipac chambaro 'suraḥ

matsyo 'grasīt tad-udarād

itaḥ prāpto bhavān prabho

 

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.

 

10.55.14

tam imaḿ jahi durdharṣaḿ

durjayaḿ śatrum ātmanaḥ

māyā-śata-vidaḿ taḿ ca

māyābhir mohanādibhiḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.15

parīśocati te mātā

kurarīva gata-prajā

putra-snehākulā dīnā

vivatsā gaur ivāturā

 

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.

 

10.55.16

prabhāṣyaivaḿ dadau vidyāḿ

pradyumnāya mahātmane

māyāvatī mahā-māyāḿ

sarva-māyā-vināśinīm

 

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 Mahāmāyā, which vanquishes all other deluding spells.

 

10.55.17

sa ca śambaram abhyetya

saḿyugāya samāhvayat

aviṣahyais tam ākṣepaiḥ

kṣipan sañjanayan kalim

 

saḥ — He; ca — and; śambaram — Śambara; abhyetya — approaching; saḿyugāya — 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.

 

10.55.18

so 'dhikṣipto durvācobhiḥ

padāhata ivoragaḥ

niścakrāma gadā-pāṇir

amarṣāt tāmra-locanaḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.19

gadām āvidhya tarasā

pradyumnāya mahātmane

prakṣipya vyanadan nādaḿ

vajra-niṣpeṣa-niṣṭhuram

 

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.

 

10.55.20

tām āpatantīḿ bhagavān

pradyumno gadayā gadām

apāsya śatrave kruddhaḥ

prāhiṇot sva-gadāḿ nṛpa

 

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.

 

10.55.21

sa ca māyāḿ samāśritya

daiteyīḿ maya-darśitam

mumuce 'stra-mayaḿ varṣaḿ

kārṣṇau vaihāyaso 'suraḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.22

bādhyamāno 'stra-varṣeṇa

raukmiṇeyo mahā-rathaḥ

sattvātmikāḿ mahā-vidyāḿ

sarva-māyopamardinīm

 

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.

 

10.55.23

tato gauhyaka-gāndharva-

paiśācoraga-rākṣasīḥ

prāyuńkta śataśo daityaḥ

kārṣṇir vyadhamayat sa tāḥ

 

tataḥ — then; gauhyaka-gāndharva-paiśāca-uraga-rākṣasīḥ — (weapons) of the Guhyakas, Gandharvas, witches, celestial serpents and Rākṣasas (man-eaters); prāyuńkta — 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.

 

10.55.24

niśātam asim udyamya

sa-kirīṭaḿ sa-kuṇḍalam

śambarasya śiraḥ kāyāt

tāmra-śmaśrv ojasāharat

 

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.

 

10.55.25

ākīryamāṇo divi-jaiḥ

stuvadbhiḥ kusumotkaraiḥ

bhāryayāmbara-cāriṇyā

puraḿ nīto vihāyasā

 

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.

 

10.55.26

antaḥ-pura-varaḿ rājan

lalanā-śata-sańkulam

viveśa patnyā gaganād

vidyuteva balāhakaḥ

 

antaḥ-pura — the inner palace; varam — most excellent; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); lalanā — lovely women; śata — with hundreds; sańkulam — 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.

 

10.55.27-28

taḿ dṛṣṭvā jalada-śyāmaḿ

pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam

pralamba-bāhuḿ tāmrākṣaḿ

su-smitaḿ rucirānanam

 

sv-alańkṛta-mukhāmbhojaḿ

nīla-vakrālakālibhiḥ

kṛṣṇaḿ matvā striyo hrītā

nililyus tatra tatra ha

 

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-alańkṛta — 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.

 

10.55.29

avadhārya śanair īṣad

vailakṣaṇyena yoṣitaḥ

upajagmuḥ pramuditāḥ

sa-strī ratnaḿ su-vismitāḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.30

atha tatrāsitāpāńgī

vaidarbhī valgu-bhāṣiṇī

asmarat sva-sutaḿ naṣṭaḿ

sneha-snuta-payodharā

 

atha — then; tatra — there; asita — black; apāńgī — 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.

 

10.55.31

ko nv ayam nara-vaidūryaḥ

kasya vā kamalekṣaṇaḥ

dhṛtaḥ kayā vā jaṭhare

keyaḿ labdhā tv anena vā

 

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?

 

10.55.32

mama cāpy ātmajo naṣṭo

nīto yaḥ sūtikā-gṛhāt

etat-tulya-vayo-rūpo

yadi jīvati kutracit

 

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.

 

10.55.33

kathaḿ tv anena samprāptaḿ

sārūpyaḿ śārńga-dhanvanaḥ

ākṛtyāvayavair gatyā

svara-hāsāvalokanaiḥ

 

katham — how; tu — but; anena — by Him; samprāptam — obtained; sārūpyam — the same appearance; śārńga-dhanvanaḥ — as Kṛṣṇa, the wielder of the Śārńga 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 Śārńga, in His bodily form and His limbs, in His gait and the tone of His voice, and in His smiling glance?

 

10.55.34

sa eva vā bhaven nūnaḿ

yo me garbhe dhṛto 'rbhakaḥ

amuṣmin prītir adhikā

vāmaḥ sphurati me bhujaḥ

 

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.

 

10.55.35

evaḿ mīmāḿsamaṇāyāḿ

vaidarbhyāḿ devakī-sutaḥ

devaky-ānakadundubhyām

uttamaḥ-śloka āgamat

 

evam — thus; mīmāḿsamānāyām — 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.

 

10.55.36

vijñātārtho 'pi bhagavāḿs

tūṣṇīm āsa janārdanaḥ

nārado 'kathayat sarvaḿ

śambarāharaṇādikam

 

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; śambara — 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.

 

10.55.37

tac chrutvā mahad āścaryaḿ

kṛṣṇāntaḥ-pura-yoṣitaḥ

abhyanandan bahūn abdān

naṣṭaḿ mṛtam ivāgatam

 

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.

 

10.55.38

devakī vasudevaś ca

kṛṣṇa-rāmau tathā striyaḥ

dampatī tau pariṣvajya

rukmiṇī ca yayur mudam

 

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.

 

10.55.39

naṣṭaḿ pradyumnam āyātam

ākarṇya dvārakaukasaḥ

aho mṛta ivāyāto

bālo diṣṭyeti hābruvan

 

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!"

 

10.55.40

yaḿ vai muhuḥ pitṛ-sarūpa-nijeśa-bhāvās

tan-mātaro yad abhajan raha-rūḍha-bhāvāḥ

citraḿ na tat khalu ramāspada-bimba-bimbe

kāme smare 'kṣa-viṣaye kim utānya-nāryaḥ

 

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?