Pradyumna

Out of Kṛṣṇa's many sons, Pradyumna, a son of Kṛṣṇa's chief queen, Rukmiṇī, is considered the leader. Pradyumna's bodily features resemble Kṛṣṇa's exactly. Pure devotees of Kṛṣ&#

True reverential devotion is exhibited by persons who think themselves subordinate to Krsna and by persons who think themselves sons of Krsna. The best examples of this subordination are Sarana, Gada and Subhadra. They were all members of the Yadu dynasty, and they used to always think themselves protected by Krsna. Similarly, Krsna's sons, such as Pradyumna, Carudesna, and Samba, felt the same way. Krsna had many sons in Dvaraka. He begot ten sons by each of His 16,108 queens, and all of these sons, headed by Pradyumna, Carudesna and Samba, used to think themselves always protected by Krsna. When Krsna's sons dined with Him, they would sometimes open their mouths for Krsna to feed them. Sometimes when Krsna would pat one of His sons, the son would sit on Krsna's lap, and while Krsna was blessing the son's head by smelling it, the others would shed tears, thinking how many pious activities he must have performed in his previous life. Out of Krsna's many sons, Pradyumna, a son of Krsna's chief queen, Rukmini, is considered the leader. Pradyumna's bodily features resembled Krsna's exactly. Pure devotees of Krsna glorify Pradyumna because he is so fortunate: like father like son. (More...)

There is a description in the Hari-vamsa of Pradyumna's activities when he kidnapped Prabhavati. Pradyumna addressed Prabhavati at that time and said: "My dear Prabhavati, just look at the head of our family, Sri Krsna: He is Visnu Himself, the supreme driver of Garuḍa, and He is our supreme master. Because we have become so proud and confident of His protecting us, we sometimes do not even care about fighting with Tripurari [Lord Siva]." (More...)

In addition to jubilation, there are sometimes symptoms of disappointment. Pradyumna once addressed Samba with these words: "My dear Samba, you are such a glorified personality! I have seen that once when you were playing on the ground, your body became covered with dust; yet, our father, Lord Krsna, still took you up on His lap. But I am so unfortunate that I could never get such love from our father!" This statement is an example of disappointment in love. (More...)

To regard Krsna as one's superior is called reverential feeling, and when, in addition to this, a devotee feels that Krsna is his protector, his transcendental love for Krsna is increased, and his combined feelings are called reverential devotion. When this steady reverential devotion increases further, it is called love of Godhead in reverential devotion. Attraction and affection are two prominent symptoms of this stage. In this reverential devotional attitude, Pradyumna never talked to his father in a loud voice. In fact, he never so much as unlocked the lips of his mouth, nor did he ever show his face filled with tears. He would always glance only at the lotus feet of his father. (More...)

The affection that Krsna has for His devotees was expressed by Himself when He asked Pradyumna not to feel so bashful before Him. He addressed Pradyumna thus: "My dear boy, just give up your inferiority complex, and do not hang your neck. Just talk with Me in a clear voice, and do not shed tears. You can look straight at Me, and you can place your hands on My body without any hesitation. There is no need of exhibiting so much reverence before your father." (More...)

Pradyumna's attachment for Krsna was always exhibited by his action. Whenever he was ordered by his father to execute something, he would immediately execute the order, taking the task as nectarean even though it may have been poison. Similarly, whenever he would find something to be disapproved of by his father, he would immediately reject it as poison, even though it may have been nectarean. (More...)

Pradyumna's attachment in anxiety for Krsna was expressed when he said to his wife Rati: "The enemy, Sambara, is already killed. Now I am very anxious to see my father, who is my spiritual master and who always carries the conchshell known as Pancajanya." Pradyumna felt great separation from Krsna when He was absent from Dvaraka at the battlefield of Kuruksetra. He said, "Since my father has left Dvaraka, I do not take much pleasure in practicing fighting, nor am I interested in any kind of sporting pastimes. And what need is there to speak of these things? I do not even wish to stay at Dvaraka in the absence of my father." (More...)

When Pradyumna came back home after killing the Sambarasura, and as soon as he saw his father, Krsna, before him, he became so overjoyed that he himself could not understand his joy on that occasion. This is an instance of success in separation. A similar satisfaction was observed when Krsna returned from the battlefield of Kuruksetra to His home at Dvaraka. All of His sons were so overjoyed that, out of ecstasy, they repeatedly made many mistakes. These mistakes were a sign of complete satisfaction. (More...)

Every day Pradyumna looked over Krsna's lotus feet with tears in his eyes. These signs of reverential devotion on the part of Pradyumna can be described in the same way they have been described in the case of other devotees. (More...)

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