? 4H
34 / Pradyumna Born
to Krsna and Rukmini

It is said that Cupid, who is directly part and parcel of Lord Vasudeva
and who was formerly burnt to ashes by the anger of Lord Siva, took
birth in the womb of Rukmini begotten by Krsna. This is Kamadeva,
a demigod of the heavenly planets especially capable of inducing lusty
desires. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, has many grades of
parts and parcels, but the quadruple expansions of Krsna— Vasudeva,
Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha—are directly in the Visnu category.
Kama, or the Cupid demigod, who later on took his birth in the womb of
Rukmini, was also named Pradyumna, but he cannot be the Pradyumna of
the Visnu category. He belongs to the category of jiva-tattva, but for
special power in the category of demigods, he was a part and parcel of the
super prowess of Pradyumna. That is the verdict of the Gosvamis.
Therefore, when Cupid was burnt into ashes by the anger of Lord Siva
he merged into the body of Vasudeva, and in order to get his body again,
he was begotten by Lord Krsna Himself; he was directly released from his
body in the womb of Rukmini and was born as the son of Krsna,
celebrated by the name Pradyumna. Because he was begotten by Lord
Krsna directly, his qualities were most similar to those of Krsna.

There was a demon of the name Sambara who was destined to be killed
by this Pradyumna. The Sambara demon knew of his destiny, and as soon
as he learned that Pradyumna was born, he took the shape of a woman
and kidnapped the baby from the maternity home less than ten days after
his birth. The demon took him and threw him directly into the sea. But,
as it is said, “Whoever is protected by Krsna, no one can kill; and whoever
is destined to be killed by Krsna, no one can protect.” When Pradyumna
was thrown in the sea, a big fish immediately swallowed him. Later on
this fish was caught by the net of a fisherman, and the fish was later on
sold to the Sambara demon. In the kitchen of the demon there was a

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