Shukdev says: O Parikshit, Kamadev was a part of lord himself. After getting incinerated by Rudra, Kamadev took refuge in the supreme lord to get an incarnation once more. Thus, Kamadev was born as Rukmani,s first son Pradyumna.
But just after his birth, Pradyumna was kidnapped by a demon Shambarasur. The demon dropped the baby into the sea, where a huge fish swallowed him in whole. Coincidently the fish was caught by the fishers and presented to the kitchen of Shambarasur. When the cooks cut the fish open, an extremely beautiful baby emerged. Mayawati, the governess of the kitchen, felt overjoyed to see the baby. She began to rear the baby with love and affection.
Once Narad arrived in the kitchen and said: "Mayawati, do you know who is in your lap? " "No, O Devarishi, I found him from the belly of a fish" said Mayawati. Devarishi Narad said: "He is your husband Kamadev and you are his wife Rati. In this birth, he has appeared as Pradyumn the son of Krishna. Hearing this, Mayawati saluted Narad with respect. Since then she regarded Pradyumn as her husband and served him accordingly. When Pradyumn matured. Mayawati reminded him about his real appearance. Pradyumn, thereafter, killed Shambarasur and got married with Mayawati. Then the couple arrived in Dwaraka.
Rati replied: 'You are the son of Nryana stolen by S'ambara from Your home and I am Your legitimate wife Rati, o Cupid my Master! You not yet being ten days old were by him, that demon S'ambara, thrown into the ocean where a fish devoured You from the belly of which we saw You appearing here o master! Please put an end to that hard to approach and difficult to conquer enemy of Yours who knows hundreds of magic spells; that You can realize with the help of the bewilderment of magic and such! Your poor mother with her son gone, pitiful distressed like a cow without her calf, is being overwhelmed with love for her child crying like an osprey.'
Thus speaking gave Myvat that great soul Pradyumna the mystic knowledge of Mahmy ['the great bewildering potency'] that puts an end to all deluding spells. As He thereupon approached S'ambara for battle, reviled He him with intolerable insults in order to provoke a fight. He offended by the harsh words with his eyes turned red as copper, infuriated like a snake is when struck by a foot, came forward holding a mace. Whirling his club swiftly threw he it at Pradyumna the Great Soul, producing a sound as sharp as a stroke of lightning. It was in its flight by the Supreme Lord with His club knocked away, o King, upon which He angered hurled His own club at His enemy. He, the demon, resorting to the daitya magic he had learned from Maya Dnava, released from above in the sky a downpour of weapons over the son of Krishna. Harassed by the rain of weapons implemented the powerful warrior, the son of Rukmin, the great charm rooting in goodness which supersedes all magic. The demon then used hundreds of weapons belonging to Kuvera's guardians [Guhyakas], the heavenly singers [Gandharvas], the ogres [Pis'cas], the celestial snakes [Uragas ] and the man-eaters [Rkshasas], but the son of Krishna stroke them all down. Drawing His sharp-edged sword severed he with one violent blow S'ambara's head, complete with his helmet, earrings and red mustache from his body. Being showered by the gods from above who of praise scattered flowers, was He by His wife traveling through the sky brought to the city [of Dvrak]. The inner palace most exquisite, o King, crowded with hundreds of women was by Him with His wife entered from the sky like a cloud with lightning. Seeing Him dark as a cloud, dressed in yellow silk, with long arms, reddish eyes, a pleasing smile, His charming countenance; His nicely decorated lotuslike face and the bluish-black curling locks became the women, thinking He was Krishna, bashful and took they off to hide themselves here and there. By and by realized the ladies slight differences in appearance and approached they delighted and surprised Him and [Rati,] that jewel among women. The breasts of the sweet-voiced and dark-eyed Rukmin, remembering her lost son, then flowed of affection.
[She thought:] 'Who would this gem among men be, whose son is He and what lotus-eyed woman has carried Him in her womb, and even more, who is this woman won by Him? If my son lost from the maternity room were alive somewhere, He'd be of the same age and appearance! How could He have acquired the same appearance in body, gait, limbs, voice, smile and glance as that of the wielder of S'rnga [Krishna's bow]? Considering my great affection for Him and the trembling in my left arm, He's no doubt - He must be - for sure, the child I carried in my womb!'
It was not that surprising at all that they, who constantly thought of the resemblance with His father their master, in being His mothers in the full of their attraction backed off in respect of Him. With them doing so with the way He appeared before their eyes as the spitting image of the Shelter of the Goddess of Fortune His form, as Cupid the God of Love in person, then what would one expect of other women?'
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