Shambara (), also known as Shambarasura () is an

asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...

featured in

Hindu mythology Hindu mythology refers to the collection of myths associated with Hinduism, derived from various Hindu texts and traditions. These myths are found in sacred texts such as the Vedas, the Itihasas (the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Ramayan ...

. He abducted the infant

Pradyumna Pradyumna () is the eldest son of the Hindu deities Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He is considered to be one of the four vyuha avatars of Vishnu. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Pradyumna was the reincarnation of Kamadeva, the god of lov ...

, the son of

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

and

Rukmini Rukmini (, ) is a Devi, Hindu goddess and the first queen of Krishna. She is described as the chief of Krishna's wives in Dvārakā. Rukmini is revered as the avatar of Lakshmi and is venerated primarily in Warkari, and Haridasa tradition, and ...

, and attempted to drown him. Pradyumna was raised by Mayavati (

Rati Rati (, ) is the Hinduism, Hindu Devi, goddess of List of love and lust deities, love, carnal desire, lust, passion, and sexual pleasure. Usually described as the daughter of ''Prajapati'' Daksha, Rati is the female counterpart, the chief consor ...

), Shambarasura's cook, and the consort of the deity's true form of

Kamadeva Kamadeva (, ), also known as Kama, Manmatha, and Madana is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of Eroticism, erotic love, carnal desire, attraction, pleasure and beauty, as well as the personification of the concept of ''kāma''. He is depicted as a ...

. After eventually growing up, Pradyumna killed Shambarasura and returned to his family in Dvaraka, along with his consort.

Legend

was burnt to ashes formerly by

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

's anger. Kamadeva was later born as Pradyumna, the son of Krishna and Rukmini. The asura Shambarasura learned of the prophecy that Pradyumna was born to kill him. Shambarasura came to the palace of Dvaraka in the disguise of a woman, took away Pradyumna, who was hardly ten days old at that time, and threw him into the ocean. Pradyumna was swallowed by a large fish. Shambarasura later bought the same fish from a fisherman. Mayavati, the

incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It is the Conception (biology), conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic form of a god. It is used t ...

of Rati, who worked in Shambarasura's kitchen as a cook, found Pradyumna inside the fish. She recognised him as the

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...

of her consort Kamadeva, and raised him until he was an adolescent.

Battle with Shambarasura

After Pradyumna grew up, Mayavati revealed to him his true identity as well as her own, as well as his purpose on earth, which was to slay Shambarasura. Pradyumna fought with Shambarasura, who employed the magic of the asuras. Rati also knew

daitya The daityas () are a race of asuras in Hindu mythology, descended from Kashyapa and his wife, Diti. Prominent members of this race include Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, and Mahabali, all of whom overran the earth, and required three of Vishnu's a ...

magic, and taught Pradyumna how to neutralise the asura's magic with her knowledge of ''mahāmāyā vidyā''. Pradyumna severed Shambarasura's head with one blow of his sword. Pradyumna then went to Dvaraka, and was reunited with his family. Pradyumna_Kills_Samvara

Pradyumna Kills Shambara

References

External links

Indra and Shambarasura (English)
{{HinduMythology Characters in the Bhagavata Purana Asura