Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2369

c8.2369

While Śrī Kṛṣṇa was living as the chief of Dvārakā his first wife Rukmiṇī was yearning for a child. Kṛṣṇa was deeply moved by the grief of Rukmiṇī and he flew on the back of Garuḍa to Kailāsa to obtain a boon for the birth of a child for her. On the way he alighted in the āśrama of Naranārāyaṇas and after obtaining the blessings of the sages there, went to Kailāsa and bowed before Śiva and explained to him the purpose of his visit. Śiva blessed him and said that Kāmadeva who was burnt to death by the fire of his third eye would take birth again as the son of Rukmiṇī. Kṛṣṇa returned to Dvārakā well-pleased. Rukmiṇī became pregnant and gave birth to Pradyumna, a rebirth of Kāmadeva. The demon Śambara knew of this birth and coming to Dvārakā in an invisible form carried away the infant when it was seven days old.