Vajranābha the Asura
Vajranābha was an asura king. He ruled Vajrapura, a city near Mount Meru that was set with jewels and made through the varas (boons) of Brahmā after long tapas (austerity). He won the boon that no deva could kill him, and the decree that no wind and no enemy could enter his city without his leave. He threatened the rule of Indra over the three worlds.
His daughter Prabhāvatī became the means by which Kṛṣṇa’s plan entered Vajrapura. In the end Pradyumna slew Vajranābha with the Sudarśana Cakra, on the word of Kṛṣṇa. Vajranābha was the brother of Nikuṃbha.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells his story in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapters 93 to 99.
Two persons with one name
This is the asura Vajranābha, who was slain during the life of Kṛṣṇa in the time of Dvārakā. He is not the Vajranābha who was the great-grandson of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Aniruddha, and who later ruled Mathurā. That is a different person with the same name.
Tapas and boons
Vajranābha did tapas in a cave of Mount Meru until Brahmā appeared. He received these boons:
- He could not be killed by any deva.
- A great city called Vajrapura, adorned with every kind of jewel.
- Neither wind nor any enemy could enter Vajrapura without his own leave.
- All pleasures and comforts without effort.
- Lakhs of smaller garden towns (upanagaras) around the city.
With these boons in hand, Vajranābha settled in Vajrapura with crores of asuras under his care.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells this in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapter 93.
The threat to the three worlds
Made proud by his safety from harm, Vajranābha went straight to Indra. He demanded that Indra accept him as king of the three worlds, and he threatened open war if Indra refused. Indra turned him aside with soft words. He said that the matter needed the counsel of Kaśyapa after Kaśyapa’s yajña (fire ritual). Vajranābha went back to his city. Indra and Kaśyapa both knew that the threat was real.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells this in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapter 93.
His daughter Prabhāvatī
Vajranābha had a daughter named Prabhāvatī, whose beauty had no equal. The asura had planned her svayaṃvara (the ceremony in which a bride chooses her husband) among worthy suitors. He did not know that the haṃsa messengers of Indra had made friends with Prabhāvatī and had placed in her heart a love for Pradyumna. In this way she became, without knowing it, the key to the fall of Vajrapura.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells this in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapter 93.
His brother Nikuṃbha
Vajranābha was the brother of Nikuṃbha. Nikuṃbha was the asura who carried off Bhānumatī, the daughter of Bhānu, during the water-play at Piṇḍāraka. In Chapter 92 the reason of Nikuṃbha is stated plainly. Pradyumna had earlier slain Vajranābha, who was his elder brother, and had taken his daughter Prabhāvatī by force. Nikuṃbha acted to take revenge for this.
This joins the story of Vajranābha (Chapters 93 to 100) with the story of Nikuṃbha (Chapter 92). The Hari Vaṃśa tells the story of Vajranābha in full first, in Chapters 93 to 100, and only then notes its link to the Nikuṃbha episode.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells this in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapter 92.
His destruction
Vajranābha found that heroes of the Yādava line had entered his city disguised as nāṭakas (actors) and had made marriages with his relatives. He then launched a huge attack. Pradyumna fought from a māyā-ratha (a chariot made by illusion) with Śeṣa as the sārathi (charioteer). The battle lasted a whole night. Kṛṣṇa came in the morning. On the word of Kṛṣṇa, Pradyumna released the Sudarśana Cakra and slew Vajranābha. His brother Sunābha was slain by Gada in the same battle. Vajrapura was shared out: three parts to the Yādavas and one to Indra.
The Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa tells this in the Viṣṇu Parva, Chapters 98 and 99.
Sources
- Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Parva, Chapters 93–99
- Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Parva, Chapter 92