SB 10.90.35 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.90.35

एतेषामपि राजेन्द्र तनुजानां मधुद्विष: । प्रद्युम्न आसीत् प्रथम: पितृवद् रुक्‍मिणीसुत: ॥ ३५ ॥

eteṣām api rājendra

[eteshaam api raajendra]

tanu-jānāṁ madhu-dviṣaḥ

[tanu-jaanaam madhu-dvishah]

pradyumna āsīt prathamaḥ

[pradyumna aaseet prathamah]

pitṛ-vad rukmiṇī-sutaḥ

[pitri-vad rukminee-sutah]

Word-for-word

eteṣām — of these api — and rāja - indra — O most eminent of kings tanu - jānām — sons madhu - dviṣaḥ — of Kṛṣṇa, enemy of the demon Madhu pradyumnaḥ — Pradyumna āsīt — was prathamaḥ — first pitṛvat — just like His father rukmiṇī - sutaḥ — son of Rukmiṇī .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

eteṣām api rājendra

eteṣām

of these

api

and

rāja - indra

O most eminent of kings

tanu-jānāṁ madhu-dviṣaḥ

tanu - jānām

sons

madhu - dviṣaḥ

of Kṛṣṇa, enemy of the demon Madhu

pradyumna āsīt prathamaḥ

pradyumnaḥ

Pradyumna

āsīt

was

prathamaḥ

first

pitṛ-vad rukmiṇī-sutaḥ

pitṛvat

just like His father

rukmiṇī - sutaḥ

son of Rukmiṇī .

Important Words

madhu-dviṣaḥ — of the enemy of Madhu
Compound genitive: madhu (the demon Madhu) + dviṣ (enemy). Kṛṣṇa as Madhu's slayer. A name of Bhagavān fitted to the genealogical frame — the demon-slayer's son inherits the function.
pitṛvat — just like his father
From pitṛ (father) + vat (suffix of likeness). The ultimate compliment in Sanskrit family-poetics. Pradyumna is Kṛṣṇa-pratīka — Kṛṣṇa-like in form, in valor, in glance. Gauḍīyas treat him as Kṛṣṇa's intimate aṁśa.
rukmiṇī-sutaḥ — son of Rukmiṇī
Compound: rukmiṇī + suta. The chief queen's son inherits primacy. Vaiṣṇava sequence: Rukmiṇī (Lakṣmī) — Pradyumna (Kāma reborn) — Aniruddha (vyūha-Aniruddha). The Pañcarātra ladder appears inside the family.
prathamaḥ — the foremost
Sanskrit for 'first.' Among the eighteen mahā-rathas Pradyumna is named first — formally his rank, and in resemblance to Kṛṣṇa, his honor. Birth-order tracks devotional proximity here.

O best of kings, of these sons begotten by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Madhu, the most prominent was Rukmiṇī’s son Pradyumna. He was just like His father.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

O best of kings, of these sons begotten by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Madhu, the most prominent was Rukmiṇī's son Pradyumna. He was just like His father.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

Like their father the sons had great prowess. That is suggested by the name madhu-dviṣaḥ. Among them the best (prathamaḥ) was Pradyumna since he was equal to his father, being the son of Rukmiṇī, who was the best queen. O king of kings! You should understand this since you are famous in the family of kings.

Related values & verses

Concepts

Jiva

Personal Guidance

Among them, Pradyumna, Rukmiṇī's son, was most prominent. Even among heroes there is a first place; honoring rank is not opposed to celebrating all.

Reflection Questions

Where do I avoid acknowledging excellence because it implies hierarchy?
How might honest naming of who is 'first' actually serve a community?

Analogy

Pradyumna stands first — like his father in every feature. The son who most resembles Kṛṣṇa is the son named first. In Vaiṣṇava reckoning, likeness to Bhagavān is the primary distinction; everything else ranks beneath.

Stories

Pradyumna's birth and recovery from Śambara

Earlier in this canto (SB 10.55) the demon Śambara, knowing the prophecy that Kṛṣṇa's son would kill him, stole the newborn Pradyumna and threw him into the sea. A great fish swallowed him; fishermen caught the fish and brought it to Śambara's kitchen, where Māyāvatī (Ratī, Kāmadeva's wife) raised him. Grown, Pradyumna killed Śambara and returned to Dvārakā.

Verse 90.35 calls him pitṛvat — just like his father. Gauḍīyas note: his story rhymes with Kṛṣṇa's own (separation from parents at birth, demon-slaying, return). Even Bhagavān's progeny enacts His pattern.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io