3. Source of the Pradyumna Abhyudaya

The story (of the Pradyumna Abhyudaya) is taken from Harivamsa (Vishnu Parva, chs. 91-97). A demon by name Vajranabha performs severe penance to please Lord Brahma who offers to bless him with the realisation of his wish. The demon desires that he should not be killed by the Devas. He further demands a city studded with jewels named Vajrapura with a hundred others like 'Sakhanagara encircling it into which, even the wind, cannot freely enter. 25 24. Ibid., Act.V, V.48, p.57. All these boons he receives 25. avadhyatvam sa devebhyo vavre danavasattamah ! puram vajrapuram capi sarvaratnamayam subham " svacchandena pravesasca na vayorapi bharata ! acintitena kamanamupapattirnaradhipa || sakhanagaramukhyana samvahanam satani ca ! nagarasyaprameyasya samanta janamejaya | Hari veinsa, Vishnu Parva, ch. 91, Vs. 7-9, p. 232, Bombay, V. S. 1982.

end the beautiful city of Vajrapure comes into being. Consciousness of power makes him vain and he 216 extends a reign of terror. He goes to Indra and asks him 26 the overlordship of the three worlds. The heavenly king takes counsel with the divine minister Brihaspati and directs him to meet Kasypa. The demon accordingly meets Kasypa and repeats his demand. Kasypa tells him that he is engaged in a sacrifice and that only after the conclusion of the sacrifice he will tell him as to what is to be done. The demon returns to his city. Meanwhile, the king of the gods comes to 'sri Krishna at Dvaraka in secret and informs him of his trouble. Sri Krishna tells him that he is going to conduct a horse sacrifice and that he intends to destroy Vajranabha during that sacrifice. Vasudeva initiates the sacrifice. An 27 The seges offer to actor by name Bhadra pleases the sages and the Brahmanas at the sacrifice by his performance. bless him with a boon and he requests a number of rare privileges; one is power to travel at will anywhere throughout the world of the seven islands, and also power to fly in the air the next is the power to keep himself away from harm anywhere including the power to remain alive until he himself wishes to die, the third is the power to take any form at will and the last, to please all, The actor gets all these boons and he starts on his tour round the world. 26. Ibid., Vs.14-15. 28 87. saurerupasthito deva vajimedho mahakratuh ! tasminvrtte vajranabham patayisyami vasava || 28. Ibid., Vs.28-32. Ibid., V.22.

217 swans agree. Indra, the king of the gods approaches a group of heavenly swans. and asks them to go to Vajrapura and meet the lovely daughter of Vajranabha and describe to her the charm and the prowess of prince Pradyumna. Pradyumna. He requests them to meet Pradyumna also and instil in him love for the daughter of Vajranabha. He also informs them that Pradyumna will kill Vajranabha shortly and that the Yadavas headed by Pradyumna will enter Vajrapura with the help of Bhadra in the guise of actors. He further aks the swans to keep him as as well as 'Sri Krishna informed of the developments. The They get the permission of the demon king to stay in Vajrapure. One of the swans named Suchimukhi contacts the princess and describes to her at length the great qualities of Pradyumna. The princess falls in love with Pradyumna and she requests the swan to bring about her marriage with him. The swan agrees. It meanwhile requests the princess to inform her father of its accomplishments. The princess accordingly conveys to her details regarding the swan. Vajranabha soon meets the swan. The swan in the course of its talk with the demon speaks about the actor Bhadra and 29 his attainments. Bhadra to his city. The demon requests the swan to bring The swans take leave of the Asura chief and meets Sri Krishna and Indra and relates to them the progress of their work. Pradyumna is permitted by Sri Krishna to seek the hand of the princess Prabhavati andhe is asked to put an 29 Ibid., ch. 92, Vs.48-50, p.234.

218 end to the life of the Asura king. The goddess of illusion dresses the Yadeves in beautiful attire to enact the various roles in the drama proposed to be staged in the palace of Vajranabha. The Yadavas heeded by Pradyumne soon reaches the city of Vajranabha. They are welcomed warmly by the demon king. At the festival in honour of god Mahadeva, they enact a play called Rambha bhisarane in which Pradyumna plays the role of Nalakubara. Prabhavati witnesses the drama. The demons are pleased with their performance. Meanwhile the swan 'Suchimukhi tries to bring Pradyumna and Prabhavati together by conveying messages between them as a messenger. The svan informs Prabhavati that Pradyumna will meet her in her apartment in the evening. The princess is happy on hearing the news. Pradyumna comes secretly in the form of a bee and meets the princess. buchimukhi is also present. There itself Pradyumna marries Prabhavati in the Gandharve way. the next day dawns, Pradyumna leaves. Thus Pradyumne stays a little further in the guise of an actor in the city of Vajrapura. 30 As Prabhavati meanwhile arranges the marriages of Gunavati and Chandravati, the daughters of her father's brother Sunabha respectively with Gada and Samba who are respectively the brother and the uncle of Pradyumna. rainy season commences. Pradyumna and Prabhavati live happily. The 30. Ibid., ch. 93, Vs.12-13, p.236.

219 Kasypa finishes his sacrifice and Vajranabha goes to him to seek permission to fight Indra and thus get the overlordship of the three worlds. Kesypa advises him not 31 to wage war against Indra. Vajranabha turns down his advise and begins to make preparations for the var. At that time Sri Krishna and Indre hatch the plan for the destruction of the Asure chief. Prabhavati, Chandravati end Gunevati beget sons. Vajranabha comes to know of this and he orders the arrest of the Yadava actors. Pradyumna end his Yadave group resist the Asuras who come to arrest them. A big fight takes place in which Jayanta also comes to help Pradyumna. The palace guards of Vajranabha are routed. The next day's ri Krishna comes to witness the battle. Pradyumna hits the Asura with a cudgel and the latter falls unconscious. Soon the demon regains consciousness and starts fighting Pradyumna. He hits Pradyumna with his cudget and makes him fall unconscious to the ground. Krishna blows his conch and instantaneously Pradyumna becomes conscious. Pradyumna Soon kills the demon with his disc (chakravudha). Sri Krishna and Indra come down to Vajrapura. On the advice of Brihaspati, the kingdom of Vajranabha is divided into four, one portion going to the son of Jayenta and the other three to the three sons of 32 Pradyumna, Gada and Samba by the Asura princesses. 31. Ibid., ch.96, Vs.3-6, p.238, 32. Ibid., ch.97, Vs.25-28, p.240.