Kama incarnates as Pradyumna

Sham S. Misri

There was a demon whose name was Sambara. He came to learn  from Narada that Pradyumna, the baby boy of Krishna and Rukmini, would kill him. The demon kidnapped the baby and threw him into the ocean where a big fish swallowed him. Fishermen caught the fish and sold it to the cooks of Sambara. When the belly of the fish was cut open, a beautiful baby was discovered. The boy was placed to the care of Mayavati. She raised the boy and as he grew, she expressed great sexual attraction to him rather than motherly affection. The boy asked his mother in wonder: “My dear mother how is it that you express feelings that are not befitting of a mother?” Mayavati explained to Pradyumna that he was not her son but god Kama who was born as Pradyumna, the son of Krishna and Rukmini, and was kidnapped by demon Sambara. Hearing this, Pradyumna, filled with anger challenged Sambara to fight. In the fight he killed the demon  along with Mayavati. He then went back to Dwarika. When he arrived there, all were impressed by his beauty and his resemblance to Krishna, but they did not recognize him as he was mere a baby when he was kidnapped. It was his mother Rukmini who recognized him because of the strong motherly feelings that she started to sense for him.