112 - The Stories of Pradyumna and Durvasa

Narayana said- O sage, at the command of Vasudeva, Krishna went in Dvaraka, in the palace of Rukmini, which was decorated with the best of gems. It was shining like the best of crystal gems and other invaluable diamonds, it had a number of paintings decorating all the sides.

It was decorated with the invaluable pitchers of gems and a large number of white fly-whisks and the mirrors. The costumes sanctified by fire appeared on all the sides.

Rukmini who was quite youthful was found there lying on the bed of gems and smiling delight-fully. She was adult, had been just wedded and was therefore feeling shy of the first union. She was adorned with the best of gem- studded ornaments and her hair do look simply charming; which was decorated with the garlands of jasmine flowers. The daughter of Bhishmaka suddenly fiddling Krishna before her offered her salutation to him.

Finding her there, Krishna the lord of the universe, sat on the bed and started enjoying conjugal pleasures, the damsels was fainted; the god of love had been reduced to ashes by lord Shiva.

After killing the demon Shambara, he achieved the chaste Rati. At that point of time at the instance of the gods. Rati remained in the house of the demon as her shadow named Mayavati.

Narada said- O virtuous one, you please tell me how was Shambara killed by Kamadeva? You please tell me the story in detail.

Narayana said- After the lapse of a week, the demon entered the labour room of Rukmini and carried away her son with great force. The demon who was without a son felt extremely delighted by getting that son. He entrusted his care too Mayavati, who felt delighted by receiving the child.

She carefully brought up the child, Sarasvati then spoke to her in lonely place.

Sarasvati said- In earlier times, your husband was reduced to ashes because of the anger of lord Shiva; the same Kamadeva has been born as the son of Rukmini who has been abducted by the demon.

The one who is well-versed in the illusion has brought him from the labour room of Rukmini and given him to you. He happens to be your husband and not the son.

Sarasvati who happened to be the mother of the universe also spoke to Kamadeva, "This is your wife named Rati and you enjoy her company"

You are Kamadeva, the son of Rukmini and you are not the son of the demon. The chaste Rati had always been crying like the bird of prey.

Thus speaking Sarasvati, the spouse of Brahma, Brahmaloka and the beautiful Kamadeva daily enjoyed the company of the beautiful Rati in the lonely places.

Once the demon witnessed Kamadeva and Rati both engaged in the conjugal pleasure.

The smiling Kamadeva was found on the breast of Rati who was anxious to enjoy conjugal pleasures and got fainted in passion. Witnessing this the demon was enraged. He took out his sword. Holding the sword in his hand, he spoke to Kamadeva and Rati.

Shambara said- O foolish one, you consider yourself to be very wise, you are the most degraded of all the sinners and are intoxicated, you enjoy the company of your own mother. O passionate one, disgrace to you.

O loose women, an intoxicated the one, the passionate one and the senseless women, disgrace to you, a chaste lady is enjoying the company of her son in seclusion.

Thus speaking he raised his sword to kill her. The demon who was about to kill Rati, was pushed aside by Kamadeva.

O Brahman, the demon felt pain in all his limbs and fainted falling at a distance. Regaining his consciousness, he was burning with rage and held the trident of Shiva tightly in hand. O sage, the trident having the lustre of hundreds of suns. The demon was burning with rage. Brahma, Shiva felt terrified. Than the wind god whispered in the ears of Kamadeva, "You recite the name of Durga, the great illusion who removes all the misfortunes”. On hearing the words of the wind god, the god of love recited the name of Durga.

As a result of all this the trident and other weapons, were turned into the fragrant flowers with the touch of the body of Kamadeva. Thereafter the god of love killed the demon with the use of Brahmastra.

He returned to his abode with Rati in Dvaraka. All the gods then adored goddess Parvati and left for their respective abodes.

Rukmini performing all the welfare, rites accepted his son and Rati. Krishna on the other hand performed great festivities.

The Brahmanas were served with food adoring Parvati at the same time. Thereafter in an auspicious time he married seven damsels named Kalindi, Satyabhama, Satya, Nagnijiti, Sati, Jambavati and Lakshmana; several sons were born to them, ten sons and a daughter were born of each one of the queens. Than he killed a demon named Naraka and also the demon named Mura and found sixteen thousand damsels there.

Each one of the damsels had more than a hundred female friends each; all of them were quite, a youthful, jovial and adorned with the gem-studded ornaments. Lord Krishna accepted their hands in an auspicious time and enjoyed their company in the auspicious time.

Ten sons and the daughter were born to each one of the wives of Krishna. Thus he had different issues from all his wives.

Once the sage DurvasS arrived in Dvaraka with three crores of his pupils.

Brahmana, the king Ugrasena together with the son and priest, accompanied by Vasudeva, Krishna, Akrura and Uddhava besides the sages, adored Durvasa making sixteen types of offerings to him. The sage blessed them individually.

Vasudeva gave away in marriage his daughter named Ekanamsha to the sage together with many gems, jewels and diamonds in dowry.

The sage enjoyed the company of the newly wedded wife in the palace of gems, Vasudeva also gave to Durvasa and ashrama which was beautifully decorated with gems. Once Durvasa, the best of the sages thought in his mind that all- pervading Krishna sometimes sleeps on the gem- studded bed. Sometimes listens to the recitation of the Puranas, sometimes he keeps himself busy taking in the food in the court-yard, sometimes he chews the betel offered by Satya and sometimes he enjoys the company of Rukmini having been served with the moving of white fly-whisks, sometimes he is found sleeping delightfully. While Kalindi processed his feet. Sri Krishna always discussed with the sage, several things.

Finding him in astonishing form, Durvasa was surprised. Thereafter the sage offered prayer to lord Krishna in the abode of Rukmini and the assembly named Sudharma besides in the company of intellectuals.

Durvasa said- O lord of the universe, victory to you, victory to you. You conquer everyone. O Janardana, you are the form of everyone, the lord of everyone or eternal without qualities, unattached, uninvolved, spotless, invisible, the one who takes to human form to grace his devotees, the form of truth, eternal, formless, always fresh, adored by Shiva, Sesha and Kubera. Lakshmi serves at your feet. You are the divine lustre of Brahman, inexplicable; your qualities are unknown to the Vedas, adorable like the sky and the supreme soul, I bow in reverence to you.

Thus adoring the lord mentally and bowing before Krishna he stood before him with his permission.

Thereafter the lord of the universe bestows the divine knowledge to him which was beneficial, truthful, ancient, according to the Vedas and acceptable by the intellectuals.

Lord Krishna said- O BrShmana, you are born of the amsha of Shiva, don't get afraid, are you not aware of the fact with the divine knowledge possessed by you that I happen to be the creator of and all are born out of me. I happen to be the soul of all; without me every body is lifeless when I depart from the bodies of the creatures, all the strength disappears. I am myself the form of flame and represent each individual appearing separately in all the bodies. The one gets satisfied with the food, he takes and others cannot be satisfied with it. The figure of all the creatures are made separately. I appear in complete form in Goloka. Because of the curse of Sridama, Radha is unable to find me presently. All are born out of the amsha of Radha. The amsha of Radha is available in the palace of Rukmini and other goddesses happen to be the rays of the same. "My amsha is also available in the bodies of several creatures of earth." Thus speaking the lord of the universe went inside the house. Durvasa also leaving his beloved there, started performing tapas.