O wise one, you ask how the heroic Pradyumna was seized by the demon Shambara and how he came to slay that mighty asura. Listen as I recount this wondrous tale. On the sixth day after his birth, while still in the lying-in chamber, Pradyumna—the son of Krishna and Rukmini—was stolen away by Kālaśambara. Harboring the intent to destroy the child, Shambara took the infant and, with cruel resolve, cast him into the fierce, briny ocean. There, amidst tumultuous waves and dreadful whirlpools, in the terrifying domain of sea-monsters, the helpless boy was swallowed whole by a single great fish. Yet, though he lay within the burning digestive fire of the fish’s belly, Pradyumna did not perish. Fate continued its mysterious course. That very fish, caught by fishermen among their daily haul, was brought to Shambara’s household as an offering. In the demon’s palace served Māyāvatī, mistress of the kitchens, a woman of flawless conduct who oversaw all the cooks. When the fish was cut open for preparation, Māyāvatī beheld a most beautiful boy emerging from its belly—a radiant youth, the very first sprout of the god of love, who had once been consumed by fire. Astonished, Māyāvatī wondered, “Who is this child, and how did he come to be inside a fish?” At that very moment, the sage Nārada appeared and spoke to her: “This is the son of Krishna, taken from the birthing chamber by Shambara, the destroyer of children throughout the worlds. Thrown into the ocean and swallowed by a fish, he has now come into your care. O beautiful-browed one, protect him with confidence.” Thus instructed by the divine sage, Māyāvatī took the boy into her care and raised him. From his earliest years, Pradyumna’s extraordinary beauty captivated her heart. As he grew and reached the fullness of youth, Māyāvatī herself, graceful as an elephant in her gait, became overwhelmed with longing for him. Blinded by passionate love for Pradyumna, she bestowed upon him all her magical arts, her gaze never straying from his form. Noticing her changed demeanor, Pradyumna, lotus-eyed and wise, gently asked her, “Why do you act so differently, abandoning the attitude of a mother?” Māyāvatī replied, “You are not my son. You are the son of Vishnu. Kālaśambara is your enemy. You were cast into the ocean, swallowed by a fish, and found by me. Yet your true mother, ever loving, still weeps for you.” Hearing the truth of his birth and the wrong done to him, Pradyumna’s heart blazed with anger. He challenged Shambara to battle, fighting with great valor. He destroyed the demon’s entire army and, overcoming seven magical illusions conjured by Shambara, unleashed the eighth himself. By this magic, Pradyumna slew the wicked Kālaśambara. Then, together with Māyāvatī, he set out for his father’s house. When they entered Krishna’s palace, the women of Krishna’s household beheld Pradyumna, accompanied by Māyāvatī, and were filled with Krishna’s own resolve and joy. Rukmini, pure and blameless, beheld her son—now grown into the prime of youth—and, her eyes brimming with tears of love, exclaimed, “This son of mine, so blessed, stands before me in his youth. If my Pradyumna lives, then truly his mother is fortunate, adorned now by your presence, O youth. Or, seeing how deep my affection is and how your form resembles mine, it is clear, dear one, you are the child of Hari.” At that moment, Nārada arrived with Krishna and joyfully addressed Rukmini as she moved about the inner chambers: “O beautiful-browed one, this is your son, returned after slaying Shambara. He was taken from you as a child. And this Māyāvatī is not Shambara’s wife, but the virtuous wife of your son. Listen to the reason for this: When Manmatha, the god of love, was destroyed, Māyāvatī, whose purpose was his rebirth, bewildered Shambara by taking a magical form. In pleasures and enjoyments, she revealed her enchanting magical form to the demon. This woman with intoxicating eyes is she. Your son is the incarnation of Kāma, and this beloved Rati is his consort. Have no doubt—this splendid woman is your daughter-in-law.” Hearing these words, Rukmini and Krishna were filled with joy, as was the entire city, and all exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!” The people of Dvārakā, witnessing the reunion of Rukmini and her long-lost son, were filled with wonder. Pradyumna and Māyāvatī thus took their place among Krishna’s family. Pradyumna was blessed with great valor, and in time, he wed the auspicious daughter of Rukmi at her own svayamvara. To them was born a mighty son, Aniruddha, a subduer of enemies and an ocean of heroism. Now, let it be known that Krishna and Rukmini had many sons: Cārudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Cārudeva the mighty, Suṣeṇa, Cārugupta, Bhadracāru, Caruvinda, Sucaru, Caru, and the powerful Caruvarya, as well as a daughter named Carumati. Krishna’s other illustrious wives included Kālindī, Mitravindā, Satyā the daughter of Nagnajit, Jāmbavatī the goddess, Rohiṇī of changing form, the princess of Madra, Sushilā, and Shilabhandanā. Satyabhāmā, daughter of Satrajit, Lakṣmaṇā of the lovely smile, and sixteen thousand other wives were also joined to the wielder of the discus. For Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna, Krishna sought the granddaughter of Rukmi. Though Rukmi contended with Sauri (Krishna), he gave his granddaughter in marriage to his daughter’s son. At that wedding, Balarāma and the other Yādavas, together with Hari, journeyed to Rukmi’s city, Bhojakata, to celebrate the auspicious union. Thus, the lineage of Krishna flourished, and the city of Dvārakā rejoiced in the prosperity and joy of these divine reunions and alliances.