Bhagavata Purana

तमिमं जहि दुर्धर्षं दुर्जयं शत्रुमात्मनः । मायाशतविदं तं च मायाभिर्मोहनादिभिः

'Now slay this formidable, unconquerable enemy of yours, skilled in hundreds of illusions, by your own powers of illusion—delusion and the like.'

परीशोचति ते माता कुररीव गतप्रजा । पुत्रस्नेहाकुला दीना विवत्सा गौरिवातुरा

'Your mother grieves for you like a kurarī bird bereft of her young, overwhelmed by maternal love, helpless, like a cow pained without her calf.'

प्रभाष्यैवं ददौ विद्यां प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने । मायावती महामायां सर्वमायाविनाशिनीम्

Having spoken thus, Māyāvatī, great in magic, gave to the noble Pradyumna the supreme knowledge that destroys all sorcery.

स च शम्बरमभ्येत्य संयुगाय समाह्वयत् । अविषह्यैस्तमाक्षेपैः क्षिपन् सञ्जनयन् कलिम्

He approached Shambara and challenged him to battle, provoking him with taunts that could not be endured, stirring up conflict.

सोऽधिक्षिप्तो दुर्वाचोभिः पदाहत इवोरगः । निश्चक्राम गदापाणिः अमर्षात् ताम्रलोचनः

Assailed with harsh words, like a serpent struck by a foot, Shambara stormed out, mace in hand, his eyes red with rage.

गदामाविध्य तरसा प्रद्युम्नाय महात्मने । प्रक्षिप्य व्यनदद् नादं वज्रनिष्पेषनिष्ठुरम्

Whirling his mace with force at the great-souled Pradyumna, he hurled it, roaring with a sound as harsh as thunder striking stone.

तामापतन्तीं भगवानन् प्रद्युम्नो गदया गदाम् । अपास्य शत्रवे क्रुद्धः प्राहिणोर् स्वगदां नृप

As she descended, Pradyumna, the Lord, angrily hurled his own mace at the enemy, casting aside the mace that was coming toward him.

स च मायां समाश्रित्य दैतेयीं मयदर्शितम् । मुमुचेऽस्त्रमयं वर्षं कार्ष्णौ वैहायसोऽसुरः

Relying on the illusion shown by Maya, the demon released a rain of magical weapons against the son of Krishna from the sky.

बाध्यमानोऽस्त्रवर्षेण रौक्मिणेयो महारथः । सत्त्वात्मिकां महाविद्यां सर्वमायोपमर्दिनीम्

Afflicted by the shower of weapons, Rukmini's son, the great chariot-warrior, invoked a supreme mantra of pure essence, which destroys all illusions.

ततो गौह्यकगान्धर्व पैशाचोरगराक्षसीः । प्रायुङ्क्त शतशो दैत्यः कार्ष्णिर्व्यधमयत्स ताः

Then the demon employed hundreds of secret Gandharva, ghost, serpent, and rakshasa spells, but Krishna's son dispelled them all.

निशातमसिमुद्यम्य सकिरीटं सकुण्डलम् । शम्बरस्य शिरः कायात् ताम्रश्मश्र्वोजसाहरत्

Raising a sharp sword, adorned with crown and earrings, he severed Shambara's head from his body with great force, his copper-colored beard shining.

आकीर्यमाणो दिविजैः स्तुवद्‌भिः कुसुमोत्करैः । भार्ययाम्बरचारिण्या पुरं नीतो विहायसा

Showered by the gods with praises and heaps of flowers, he was carried through the sky by his wife, who moved like a celestial.

अन्तःपुरवरं राजन् ललनाशतसङ्कुलम् । विवेश पत्‍न्या गगनाद् विद्युतेव बलाहकः

Entering the splendid inner chambers, crowded with hundreds of women, he arrived from the sky with his wife, like lightning in a cloud.

तं दृष्ट्वा जलदश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् । प्रलम्बबाहुं ताम्राक्षं सुस्मितं रुचिराननम्

Seeing him, dark as a rain cloud, clad in yellow silk, with long arms, coppery eyes, a beautiful face and a gentle smile,

स्वलङ्कृतमुखाम्भोजं नीलवक्रालकालिभिः । कृष्णं मत्वा स्त्रियो ह्रीता निलिल्युस्तत्र तत्र ह

With his lotus face adorned, decorated with blue curling locks, the women, thinking him to be Krishna, shyly hid themselves here and there.

अवधार्य शनैरीषद् वैलक्षण्येन योषितः । उपजग्मुः प्रमुदिताः सस्त्री रत्‍नं सुविस्मिताः

Gradually discerning, with slight embarrassment, the women approached joyfully, amazed at the precious jewel among them.

अथ तत्रासितापाङ्गी वैदर्भी वल्गुभाषिणी । अस्मरत् स्वसुतं नष्टं स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरा

Then Vaidarbhi, dark-eyed and sweet-spoken, remembered her lost son, her breasts moist with affection.

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

Who is this jewel among men, lotus-eyed? Whose son is he? By whom was he carried in the womb? Who is this woman who has gained him, or by whom was he obtained?

मम चाप्यात्मजो नष्टो नीतो यः सूतिकागृहात् । एतत्तुल्यवयोरूपो यदि जीवति कुत्रचित्

My own son was lost, taken from the birthing chamber. This one is of similar age and form—if he lives somewhere, where could it be?

कथं त्वनेन संप्राप्तं सारूप्यं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः । आकृत्यावयवैर्गत्या स्वरहासावलोकनैः

How has he attained such resemblance to the wielder of the Sharnga bow—in form, limbs, gait, voice, smile, and glance?

स एव वा भवेत् नूनं यो मे गर्भे धृतोऽर्भकः । अमुष्मिन् प्रीतिरधिका वामः स्फुरति मे भुजः

Surely, he must be the very child I carried in my womb. My left arm trembles with affection, and my love for him grows stronger.

एवं मीमांसमणायां वैदर्भ्यां देवकीसुतः । देवक्यानकदुन्दुभ्यां उत्तमःश्लोक आगमत्

While Vaidarbhi was thus pondering, the son of Devaki, the illustrious Krishna, arrived with Devaki and Vasudeva.

विज्ञातार्थोऽपि भगवान् तूष्णीमास जनार्दनः । नारदोऽकथयत् सर्वं शम्बराहरणादिकम्

Though knowing everything, Janardana, the Lord, remained silent; Narada narrated the entire story, including the slaying of Shambara.

तच्छ्रुत्वा महदाश्चर्यं कृष्णान्तःपुरयोषितः । अभ्यनन्दन् ब्बहूनब्दान् नष्टं मृतमिवागतम्

Hearing this wondrous tale, the women of Krishna's inner chambers rejoiced, welcoming the one who had been lost for many years, as if returned from the dead.

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

Devakī and Vasudeva, along with Krishna and Balarama and their wives, embraced the couple, and Rukmini too, rejoicing.

नष्टं प्रद्युम्नमायातं आकर्ण्य द्वारकौकसः । अहो मृत इवायातो बालो दिष्ट्येति हाब्रुवन्

Hearing that Pradyumna, who had been lost, had returned, the residents of Dvārakā exclaimed, 'Ah! The boy has come back as if from the dead—by good fortune!'

( वसंततिलका ) यं वै मुहुः पितृसरूपनिजेशभावाः तन्मातरो यदभजन् रहरूढभावाः । चित्रं न तत्खलु रमास्पदबिम्बबिम्बे कामे स्मरेऽक्षविषये किमुतान्यनार्यः

He whom, again and again, mothers worshipped with feelings for their own lord and father, whose affection grew daily—yet, it is not strange, for in the reflection of Lakshmi’s abode, in the domain of desire and love, what could others, lacking virtue, do?

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे उत्तरार्धे प्रद्युम्नोत्पत्तिनिरूपणं नाम पञ्चपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the fifty-fifth chapter, entitled 'The Account of Pradyumna’s Birth,' in the tenth book, second part, of the great Purāṇa Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the scripture of the supreme paramahaṃsa tradition.

अथ षट्पञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः । श्रीशुक उवाच। सत्राजितः स्वतनयां कृष्णाय कृतकिल्बिषः। स्यमन्तकेन मणिना स्वयमुद्यम्य दत्तवान्

Then begins the fifty-sixth chapter. Śrī Śuka said: Satrājit, having committed a wrong, gave his own daughter to Krishna, personally offering the Syamantaka jewel.