"Observing these. marks of passionate affection, the son of Krishna said to the lotus-eyed Mayadevi: 'Why do you indulge in feelings so unbecoming the character of a mother? " To which she replied: 'Thou art not a son of mine; thou art the son of Vishnu, whom Kala Sambara carried away and threw into the sea; thou wast swallowed by a fish, but wast rescued by me from its belly. Thy fond mother is still weeping for thee.' When the valiant Pradyumna heard this, he was filled with wrath, and defied Sambara to battle. In the conflict the son of Madhava slew the hosts of Sambara. Seven times he foiled the delusions of the enchanter, and, making himself master of the eighth, turned it against Sambara and killed him. By the same faculty he ascended into the air, and proceeded to his father's house, where he alighted, along with Mayavati, in the inner apartments. When the women beheld Pradyumna, they thought it was Krishna himself. Rukmini, her eyes dimmed with tears, spoke tenderly to him, and said: 'Happy is she who has a son like this, in the bloom of youth. Such would be the age of my Pradyumna, if he were alive. Who is the fortunate mother adorned by thee? And yet from thy appearance, and from the affection I feel for thee, thou art assuredly the son of Hari.'

"At this moment Krishna and Narada arrived; and the latter said to Rukmini: 'This is thine own son, who has come hither after killing Sambara, by whom when an infant he was stolen. This is the virtuous Mayavati,

his wife, and not the wife of Sambara. Hear the reason. When Manmatha (Kama), the deity of love, perished, the goddess of beauty, desirous to secure his revival, assumed a delusive form, and by her charms fascinated the demon Sambara, and exhibited herself to him in various illusory enjoyments. This thy son is the descended Kama; and this is the goddess Rati, his wife.'"

Kama is usually represented as a beautiful youth, holding in his hands a bow and arrows of flowers. He travels about through the three worlds accompanied by his wife Rati, the cuckoo, the humming-bee, spring personified, and gentle breezes. Although in Bengal no images are made to represent him, he is worshipped at the time of marriage, and happiness in the married state, and offspring, are sought from him. Part of the hymn referred to above from the "Atharva-Veda" is recited in the Hindu marriage ritual.

Kama has many names indicative of the influence he is supposed to exert amongst men. Amongst others may be mentioned:--

Madan, "He who intoxicates with love."

Manmatha, "He who agitates the mind."

Mara, "He who wounds."

Pradyumna, "He who conquers all."

Ananga, "He who is without a body."

Kushumesu, "He whose arrows are flowers."

Footnotes

^256:* Muir, O. S. T., v. 402.