|
Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 55: Verses 14-29
Get rid of this demon, your formidable foe-(so) difficult to conquer, knowing as he does hundreds of wiles-by recourse to (similar) wiles like stupefaction. Overwhelmed with parental affection, your afflicted and disconsolate mother, is wailing like a she-osprey whose young has departed or like a cow deprived of its calf." Advising him thus, Mayavati (Rati, so-called because of her being adept in wiles) imparted to the high-souled Pradyumna a spell called Mahamaya, which was capable of undoing all kinds of wiles. Approaching Sambara, Pradyumna accordingly challenged him to a combat, reproaching him with unbearable taunts and (thus) stirring up strife. Taunted with abuses, Sambara, like a serpent trodden under foot, sallied forth, mace in hand, his eyes suffused with blood through indignation. Whirling his mace with (great) velocity and hurling it at the high-minded Pradyumna, he uttered a roar harsh as a clap of thunder. Beating back with his own the mace as it came flying at him, the almighty Pradyumna angrily hurled his own mace at the enemy, 0 protector of men ! Fully resorting to the illusive demoniac devices taught by Maya, the demon rained a volley of missiles on Pradyumna (the son of Sri Krsna), himself remaining (unperceived) in the air. Being plagued with the shower of missiles, Pradyumna (the son of Rukmini), who was a great car-warrior (able to encounter ten thousand warriors single-handed) brought into use a great charm consisting (purely) of Sattva and capable of rendering ineffectual all kinds of illusive devices.
The demon then employed hundreds of illusive devices practised by the Guhyakas (Yaksas), Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Pisacas (fiends), Nagas and Raksasas (ogre). The celebrated Pradyumna (the son of Sri Krsna) counteracted them (all). Taking up a sharp-edged sword, he then forcibly severed from Sambara's body his head with a coppery beard and moustaches alongwith his diadem and ear-rings. Being showered over with heaps of flowers by heavenly beings, who were singing his praises (all the while), Pradyumna was taken to Dwaraka through the air by his consort (Mayavati), who was capable of journeying by the air. Like a cloud attended with lightning, Pradyumna descended with his spouse from the sky into the magnificent gynaeceum crowded with hundreds of ladies. Seeing him, sombre as a cloud and clad in yellow silk, with exceptionally long arms and reddish eyes, wearing a winsome smile and a charming countenance, his lotus-like face graced with locks of dark-blue curly hair, and thinking him to be Sri Krsna, the ladies, so the story goes, hid themselves wherever they could (out of bashfulness). Concluding gradually through slight dissimilarity (viz., the absence of Kaustubha and Srivatsa) that he was not Sri Krsna, the ladies went up to him overjoyed, yet greatly amazed to find him accompanied with an excellent young lady. Presently Rukmini (the princess of Vidarbha)-the corners of whose eyes were (naturally) dark (without the use of collyrium) and who was gifted with a sweet tongue-recalled on that occasion (through similarity of features) her own lost son, milk flowing from her breasts through (maternal) affection.
|
|
