Harivamsha MahA PurANam - ViShNu Parva
atha chaturadhikashatatamo.adhyAyaH
pradyumnaharaNam

harivamsha in the mahAbharata - viShNuparva
Chapter 104 - pradyumna abducted

ya eSha bhavatA pUrvaM shambaraghnetyudAhR^itaH |
pradyumnaH sa kathaM jaghne shambaraM tadbravIhi me ||2-104-1

(O vaishampAyana) pradyumna was described by you before, as the slayer of shambara. Please tell me about how pradyumna killed shambara.

rukmiNyAM vAsudevasya lakShmyAM kAmo dhR^itavrataH |
shambarAntakaro jaj~ne pradyumnaH kAmadarshanaH |

(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 (kR^iShNa) from rukmiNI, who is lakShmI.

taM saptarAtre saMpUrNe nishIthe sUtikAgR^ihAt |
jahAra kR^iShNasya sutaM shishuM vai kAlashambaraH ||2-104-3

When seven nights were completed (after his birth) kAlashambara took away the baby, the son of kR^iShNa, from the house where he was delivered, in the night.

viditaM tasya kR^iSNasya devamAyAnuvartinaH |
tato na nigR^ihItaH sa dAnavo yuddhadurmadaH ||2-104-4

kR^iShNa, 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 mR^ityunA parItAyurmAyayA sa~njahAra tam |
dorbhyAmutkShipya nagaraM svaM ninAya mahAsuraH ||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.

anapatyA tu tasyAsIdbhAryA rUpaguNAnvitA |
nAmnA mAyAvatI nAma mAyeva shubhadarshanA ||2-104-6

He had a wife, named mAyAvatI, having beauty and good qualities, who was childless. She was auspicious and beautiful to be seen, by illusion.

dadau taM vAsudevasya putraM putramivAtmajam |
tasyA mahiShyA mAyinyA dAnavaH kAlachoditaH ||2-104-7

The demon, prompted by Time, gave the son of vAsudeva (kR^iShNa) to his wife, as if he was her own son, by illusion.

mAyAvatI tu taM dR^iShTvA saMprahR^iShTatanUruhA |
harSheNa mahatA yuktA punaH punarudaikShata ||2-104-8

On seeing the boy, mAyAvatI was thrilled with excitement in her body. With great happiness, she looked at the boy again and again.

atha tasya nirIkShantyAH smR^itiH prAdurbabhUva ha |
ayaM sa mama kAnto.abhUtsmR^itvaivaM chAnvachintayat ||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:

ayaM sa nAtho bhartA me yasyArthe.ahaM divAnisham |
chintAshokArNave magnA na vindAmi ratiM 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.

ayaM bhagavatA pUrvaM devadevena shUlinA |
kheditena kR^ito.ana~Ngo dR^iShTo jAtyantare mayA ||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 stanaM dAsye mAtR^ibhAvena jAnatI |
bharturbhAryA tvahaM bhUtva vakShye vA 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?

evaM saMchintya manasA dhAtryAstaM sA samarpayat |
rasAyanaprayogaishcha shIghrameva 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.

dhatryAH sakAshAtsa cha tAM shR^iNvanrukmiNinandanaH |
mAyAvatImavij~nAnAnmene svAmeva mAtaram ||2-104-14

Not knowing this, the son of rukmiNI (pradyumna) heard the foster mother praising mAyAvatI and considered her as his own mother.

sA cha tam vardhayAmAsa kArShNiM kamalalochanam |
mAyAshchAsmai dadau sarvA dAnavIH kAmamohitA ||2-104-15

The son of kR^iShNa (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 yadA yauvansthastu pradyumnaH kAmadarshanaH |
chikIrShitaj~no nArINAM sarvAstravidhipAragaH ||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.

taM sA mAyAvatI kAntaM kAmayAmAsa kAminI |
i~NgitaishchApi vIkShantI pralobhayata sasmitA |

mAyAvatI, the one who had desires, began to desire her husband. She tempted him with her body movements, looks as well as her smiles.

The devI (mAyAvatI) who smiles beautifully, desired him with her mind and wanted to be with him . Then pradynmna told her:

mAtR^ibhAvaM vyatikramya kimevaM vartase.anyathA |
aho duShTasvabhAvAsi strItve chapalamAnasA ||2-104-18

Transgressing mother's nature, why are you behaving differently? Alas! You appear to be wicked. You have the wavering mind of a woman.

yA putrabhAvamutsR^ijya mayi lobhAtpravartase |
na tu te.ahaM sutaH saumye ko.ayaM shIlaviparyayaH ||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?

tattvamichChAmyahaM devi kathitaM ko.anvayaM vidhiH |
vidyutsaMpAtachapalaH svabhAvaH khalu yoShitAm ||2-104-20

O devI! 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.

yA nareShu prasajjante nagAgreShu ghanA iva |
yadi te.ahaM sutaH saumye yadi vA nAtmajaH shubhe ||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!

evamuktA tu Sa bhIruH kAmena vyathitendriyA ||2-104-22
priyam provAcha vachanam vivikte keshavAtmajam |

(vaishampAyana continued: O janamejaya !) When mAyAvatI was told thus, she, the timid one, whose senses were distressed by desire, spoke these words to her dear, the son of keshava (kR^iShNa), (pradyumna) in solitude:

(mAyAvtI said) O dear! You are not my son as also, shambara is not your father.

rUpavAnasi vikrAntastvaM jAtyA vR^iShNinandana |
putrastvaM vAsudevasya rukmiNyAnandavardhanaH ||2-104-24

O the son of the vR^iShNi-s! You are beautiful as well as valiant, by birth. You are the son of vAsudeva (kR^iShNa) as also the one who generates happiness for rukmiNI.

divase saptame bAlo jAtamAtropavAhitaH |
sUtikAgAramadhyAttvaM shishuruttAnashAyitaH ||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 bhartrA hR^ito.asi tvaM balavIryapravartinA |
pituste vAsudevasya dharShayitvA gR^ihaM mahat ||2-104-26
pAkashAsanakalpasya hR^itastvaM shambareNa 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, (kR^iShNa), equal to the punisher of the demon pAka (indra).

sA cha te karuNaM mAtA tvAM bAlamanushochatI ||2-104-27
atyarthaM tapyate vIra vivatsA saurabhI yathA |

O valiant! Your mother is greatly worrying about you like surabhI worrying about its lost calf.

so.api shakrAdapi mahAnpitA te garuDadhvajaH ||2-104-28
iha tvAm nAbhijAnAti bAlamevopavAhitam |

Your father who has greater valiance than shakra (indra), the one who has garuDa on his flag, does not know that you who were brought as a boy, is here.

O my dear! You are a vR^iShNi prince. You are not the son of shambara.

vIra naivaM vidhAnputrAndAnavA janayanti hi |
ato.ahaM kAmayAmi tvAM na hi tvaM janito mayA ||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.

O gentle one! Seeing your beautiful form, I faint, becoming weak in heart.

yanme vyavasitaM kAnta yattu me hR^idi vartate ||2-104-31
tanme manasi vArShNeya pratisandhAtumarhasi |

O my dear! What I desire and what is in my heart, deserve to be fulfilled by you, O the son of vR^iShNi-s, by residing in my mind.

eSha te kathitaH sarvaH sadbhAvastvayi yo mama ||2-104-32
yathA na mama putrastvaM na putraH shambarasya cha |

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.

(vaishampAyana continued) After hearing all that was spoken by mAyAvatI,

chakrAyudhAtmajaH kruddhaH shambaraM sa samAhvayat |
sarvamAyasvabhij~no.asau nAma vishrAvya chAtmanaH ||2-104-34

the son of the one who has the chakra as his weapon (kR^iShNa), the one who knows all illusions (pradyumna) became angry and decided to call out shambara calling his own name:

aho dAnavaduShTAtmA keshavasyAtmajaM shishum |
harate nirbhayashchaiva bhayamadya karomyaham ||2-104-35

(pradyumna said) Alas! The wicked soul, the demon took away the baby son of keshava (kR^iShNa) without any fear. Today I will make him afraid.

kathaM vai krodhamAgachChedvadhyate vA kathaM mayA |
prathamaM kiM kariShyAmi yena kupyati mandadhIH ||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 chASya dhvajaM chitraM siMhaketuvibhUShitam |
toraNaM gR^ihamAsAdya uchChritaM merushR^i~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 pAtiShye bhallena nishitena vai |
dhvajachChedaM viditvAtha shambaro niShkramiShyati ||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.

(vaishampAyana continued: O janamejaya!) Saying this, he (pradyumna) tied the bow and set the arrow with splendor.

The one with great arms cut off the flagstaff, the jewel, of shambara.

tachChutvA tu dhvajachChedaM pradyumnena mahAtmanA ||2-104-40
kruddhastvAj~nApayAmAsa putrAnvai kAlashambaraH |

Hearing that the flagstaff has been cut off by the great soul pradyumna, kAlashambara became angry and ordered his sons:

jighAMsadhvaM mahAvIrA raukmiNeyaM tvarAnvitAH ||2-104-41
naivaM vai draShTumichChAmi mama vipriyakArakam |

(shambara said) O great valiants! Try to kill the son of rukmiNI (pradyumna) quickly. I do not wish to see the one who did what I do not like.

shrutvA tu shambarAdvAkyaM sutAste shambarasya ha ||2-104-42
saMnaddhA niryayurhR^iShTAH pradyumnavadhakA~NkShayA |

(vaishampAyana continued: O janamejaya!) Hearing the words of shambara, the sons of shambara, desirous of slaying pradyumna got ready happily.

chitraseno.atisenashcha viShvaseno gadastathA ||2-104-43
shrutasenaH suSheNastu somaseno manastathA |

chitrasena, atisena, viShvasena, as well as gada, shrutasena, suSheNa, somasena as well as mana

senAnI sainyahantA cha senAhA sainikastathA ||2-104-44
senaskandho.atisenashcha senako janakaH sutaH |

senAni, sainyahanta, senaha, sainika as also senaskandha, atisena and also senaka, janaka, suta,

sakAlo vikalaH shAMtaH sa shAtAntakaro vibhuH || 2-104-45
kumbhaketuH sudaMShTrashcha keshirityevamAdayaH |

sakala, vikala, shAMta, shAtAntakara, vibhu, kumbhaketu, sudaMShTra and also keshi and others

chakratomarashUlAni paTTishAni parashvadhAn ||2-104-46
gR^ihItvA niryayurhR^iShTA manyunA paramAplutAH |

taking the weapons such as, chakra-s, lances and spears, triple pointed spears and axes, started with a happy mind, becoming angry.

pradyumnastu mahAbAhU rathamAruhya satvaram |
niryayau chApamAdAya sa~NgrAmAbhimukhastadA ||2-104-48

The one with powerful arms, pradyumna quickly mounted his chariot and started for the battle, holding his bow.

tataH pravR^ittaM yuddhaM tu tumulaM lomaharShaNam |
shambarasya tu putrANAM keshavasya cha sUnunA ||2-104-49

Then there was an exciting battle between the sons of shambara and the son of keshava (kR^iShNa).

tato devAH sagandharvAH samahoragachAraNAH |
devarAjaM puraskR^itya vimAnAgreShu dhiShThitAH ||2-104-50

Then the deva-s along with gandharva-s and chAraNa-s, keeping the king of deva-s (indra) in front, stood on the edges of aerial vehicles (to watch the battle).

nAradastumburushchaiva hAhAhUhUshcha gAyanAH |
apsarobhiH parivR^itAH sarve tatrAvatasthire ||2-104-51

nArada, tumburu as also hAhA and hUhU the singers, surrounded by all the divine women stood there.

devarAjapratIhAro gandharvashchitramadbhutam |
shashaMsa devarAjAya vajriNe tadvicheShTitam ||2-104-52

The attendant gandharva of the king of deva-s (indra) described the wonderful actions (of pradyumna, the son of kR^iShNa) to the one who holds vajra, indra.

shambarasya shataM putrA ekaH kR^iShNasya chAtmajaH |
bahUnAM yuddhyatAmeSha kathaM vijayamApnuyAt ||2-104-53

(gandharva said) There are hundred sons of shambara here and one son of kR^iShNa. Fighting against so many (enemies) how he (pradyumna) can be victorious?

tachChrutvA bhAShitaM tasya prahasya balasUdanaH |
uvAcha vachanaM chedaM shR^iNu yo.asya parAkramaH ||2-104-54

Hearing the words spoken by him, the slayer of bala (indra) laughed and spoke the following words: Hear about his valour.

kAmo.ayam pUrvadehe tu harakrodhAgninA hataH |
ratyA prasAdito devaH kAmapatnyA trilochanaH |

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.

viShNurmAnuShadehastu dvArakAyAM bhaviShyati |
tasya putratvamasyaiva bhaviShyati na saMshayaH ||2-104-56

(shiva said) When viShNu lives at dvAraka with a human body, he (kAma) will become his son. There is no doubt in this.

ana~Nga iti vikhyAtastrailokye tu mahAyashAH |
tatrotpanno mahAtejAH shambaraM ghAtayiShyati ||2-104-57

He will be known as ana~Nga (the one without any limbs) in the three worlds with great fame. The one with great splendor will slay shambara.

saptAhe jAtamAtre tu rukmiNyAH kroDasaMsthitam |
AsthAya shambaro mAyAM pradyumnamapaneShyati ||2-104-58

On the seventh day of his birth, as he lies on the lap of rukmiNi, shambara will take away pradyumna by illusion.

tadgachCha shambaragR^ihaM bhAryA mAyAvatI bhava |
mAyArUpapratichChannA shambaraM mohayiShyasi ||2-104-59

Go to the house of shambara and become his wife mayAvatI. Tempt shambara by taking an illusionary form.

tatra tvamAtmanaH kAntaM bAlarUpaM vivardhaya |
prAptayauvanadehastu shambaraM nihaniShyati ||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.

tatastvayA sahAna~Ngo dvArakAM vai gamiShyati |
ramishyati tvayA sArdhaM shailaputryA yathA hyaham ||2-104-61

Then ana~Nga (pradyumna) will go to dvAraka along with you. He will enjoy with you, as I enjoy with the daughter of the mountain (umA).

evamAdishya devesho jagAma puruShottamaH |
kailAsaM merusa~NkAshaM siddhachAraNasevitam ||2-104-62

Directing thus, the best among men, the lord of deva-s, shiva went away to kailAsa, served by siddha and chAraNa, like the mountain meru.

kAmapatnI praNamyAtha devadevamumApatim |
jagAma shambaragR^ihaM kAlasyAntaM pratIkShatI ||2-104-63

The wife of the god of love, paid obeisance to the lord of deva-s, shiva, the husband of umA and went to the house of shambara waiting for the passage of time.

evameva mahAbAhuH shambaraM nihaniShyati |
saha putreNa pradyumno hantA tasya durAtmanaH ||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 shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi shambaravadhe chaturadhikashatatamo.adhyAyaH

Thus this is the one hundred and fourth chapter, in the slaying of shambara, of viShNuparva, harivamsha, khila of mahAbhArata, pradyumna abducted.

2-104-1 ya eSha iti ||
2-104-6 ratipratichChAyA mAyAvatI nAma bhAryAtvamApannA na tu ratirityagre vyaktIkariShyati ||
2-104-52 pratihAro dvArapAlaH | chitraM yathA syAttathA chitraM AshcharyaM shashaMsAdbhutaM nAmAnubhUtapUrvam ||

iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe viShNuparvaNi TIkAyAM chaturadhikashatatamo.adhyAyaH ||

## Itranslated by K S Ramachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca, January 18, 2009
Further proof-read by Gilles Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath harindranath_a @ yahoo.com