Shloka 3

Pradyumna’s Abduction, Mahā-māyā, and the Slaying of Śambara

Devanagari script

तं शम्बर: कामरूपी हृत्वा तोकमनिर्दशम् । स विदित्वात्मन: शत्रुं प्रास्योदन्वत्यगाद् गृहम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ śambaraḥ kāma-rūpī hṛtvā tokam anirdaśam sa viditvātmanaḥ śatruṁ prāsyodanvaty agād gṛham

Translation

Śambara, the demon who could assume any form at will, kidnapped the infant before even ten days had passed. Knowing Pradyumna to be his enemy, he cast Him into the sea and returned to his home.

Synonyms

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शम्बरः: Śambara
• शम्बरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• कामरूपी: shape-shifting/assuming forms at will
• कामरूपी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘कामेन रूपं यस्य/कामरूपः’ (able to assume forms at will)

• हृत्वा: having abducted
• हृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तोकम्: the infant/child
• तोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनिर्दशम्: not yet ten days old
• अनिर्दशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिर्दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘निर्दश’ (ten days) + अ- (negation): not yet ten days old

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विदित्वा: having known/realized
• विदित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• आत्मनः: of himself/one’s own
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; आत्म-शब्द (reflexive)

• शत्रुम्: enemy
• शत्रुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रास्य: having thrown
• प्रास्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अस् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘प्रक्षिप्य/प्रक्षेप्य’ sense: having thrown/cast

• उदन्वति: in the ocean
• उदन्वति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदन्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in the ocean’

• अगात्: went
• अगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गृहम्: to (his) home
• गृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य (goal)

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that according to the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Pradyumna was kidnapped on the sixth day after His birth.

Characters & Entities

• Śambara
• Pradyumna

FAQs

Why did Śambara throw the baby into the ocean in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.55?

Because Śambara understood the infant to be his destined enemy, he tried to kill him by casting him into the sea.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.55.3?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this event to King Parīkṣit as part of Kṛṣṇa’s family pastimes.

What is the practical lesson from Śambara abducting Pradyumna?

Even when harmful forces act secretly and powerfully, divine providence prevails; devotees cultivate faith and steadiness rather than fear.