Parāçara said:—I have enumerated to you Pradyumna and other sons
begotten on Rukmini by Krishna. Satyabhāmā bore Bhanu and Bhairika. The
sons of Rohini were Diptimat, Tamrepakshi and others; Jamvabati gave
birth to the powerful Samba and other sons. Bhadravinda and other
valiant youths were the sons of Nagnajiti. Saivya bore several sons of
whom Sangramajit was the chief. Vikra and others were begotten by Hari
on Madri. Lakshmanā gave birth to Gatravat and others; and Sruta and
others were the sons of Kālindi. Besides Krishna had sons by his other
wives, in all one hundred and eighty thousand. The eldest of the whole
was Pradyumna, the son of Rukmini; his son was Aniruddha, whose son was
Vraja; his mother was Ushā, the daughter of Bāna the grand daughter of
Bāli, whom Aniruddha won in war. On that occasion a dreadful onset
endued between Hari and Sankara in which the thousand arms of Bāna were
cut off by the discus of the former.
Maitreya said: How is it, O venerable Brahman, that a contest took
place, on account of Ushā, between Siva and Krishna? And in what manner
did Hari cut off the thousand arms of Bāna? I am stricken with curiosity
to hear this story of Hari—do thou, O venerable Sir, relate this.
Parāçara said: Having seen Pārvati dallying with her lord Sambhu, Ushā,
the daughter of Bāna, was inspired with a similar desire. The charming
Gauri, knowing the hearts of all, said to her:—"Do not grieve; you shall
have a husband". "But when will this be and who shall be my husband?"
thought Ushā within herself, on which Pārvati said:—"He who shall appear
to you, princess, in a dream, on the twelfth lunation of the light half
of Vaishāk, shall be your lord". Accordingly, in consonance with the
goddess' foretelling a youth appeared in dream to Ushā on that lunar
day, of whom she became enamoured. When she got up and no longer saw him
she was distressed with grief and not caring for modesty asked of her
companion whither he had gone. This companion and friend of the princess
was Chitralekha, the daughter of Kubandha, the minister of Bāna. She
said to Ushā "of whom do you speak?" But ashamed she did not reply.
However gaining her confidence Chitralekha heard from her everything.
And again Ushā requested her who had been informed of all, to devise
means by which she might be united with the person whom she had beheld
in dream.
Parāçara said:—Thereupon Chitralekha painted the figures of the most
eminent celestials, demons, spirits and mortals and showed them to Ushā.
Putting aside the likenesses of celestials, spirits, snake-gods and
demons, the princess selected those of mortals and amongst them the
heroes of the races of Andhaka and Vrishni. And when she found the
portraits she was bewildered by shame; then she took her eyes away with
shame from the portrait of Pradyumna. But as soon as she saw the picture
of his son, the object of her passions, she set aside all bashfulness
and with wide expanded eyes, cried aloud, "This is he! this is he!" Her
friend, who was gifted with magic power, requested her to be cheerful
and started for Dwārakā through the air.