Chapter Fifty-Six
The Syamantaka Jewel
1. Sukadeva Gosvami said: Having offended Lord Krishna, Satrajit tried as best he could to atone by presenting Him with his daughter and the Syamantaka jewel.
2. Maharaja Pariksit inquired: O brahmana, what did King Satrajit do to offend Lord Krishna? Where did he get the Syamantaka jewel, and why did he give his daughter to the Supreme Lord?
3. Sukadeva Gosvami said: Surya, the sun-god, felt great affection for his devotee Satrajit. Acting as his greatest friend, the demigod gave him the jewel called Syamantaka as a token of his satisfaction.
4. Wearing the jewel on his neck, Satrajit entered Dvaraka. He shone as brightly as the sun itself, O King, and thus he went unrecognized because of the jewel’s effulgence.
5. As the people looked at Satrajit from a distance, his brilliance blinded them. They presumed he was the sun-god, Surya, and went to tell Lord Krishna, who was at that time playing at dice.
6. [The residents of Dvaraka said:] Obeisances unto You, O Narayana, O holder of the conch, disc and club, O lotus-eyed Damodara, O Govinda, O cherished descendant of Yadu!
7. Lord Savita has come to see You, O Lord of the universe. He is blinding everyone’s eyes with his intensely effulgent rays.
8. The most exalted demigods in the three worlds are certainly anxious to seek You out, O Lord, now that You have hidden Yourself among the Yadu dynasty. Thus the unborn sun-god has come to see You here.
9. Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Hearing these innocent words, the lotus-eyed Lord smiled broadly and said, “This is not the sun-god, Ravi, but rather Satrajit, who is glowing because of his jewel.”
10. King Satrajit entered his opulent home, festively executing auspicious rituals. He had qualified brahmanas install the Syamantaka jewel in the house’s temple room.
11. Each day the gem would produce eight bharas of gold, my dear Prabhu, and the place in which it was kept and properly worshiped would be free of calamities such as famine or untimely death, and also of evils like snake bites, mental and physical disorders and the presence of deceitful persons.
12. On one occasion Lord Krishna requested Satrajit to give the jewel to the Yadu king, Ugrasena, but Satrajit was so greedy that he refused. He gave no thought to the seriousness of the offense he committed by denying the Lord’s request.
13. Once Satrajit’s brother, Prasena, having hung the brilliant jewel about his neck, mounted a horse and went hunting in the forest.
14. A lion killed Prasena and his horse and took the jewel. But when the lion entered a mountain cave he was killed by Jambavan, who wanted the jewel.
15. Within the cave Jambavan let his young son have the Syamantaka jewel as a toy to play with. Meanwhile Satrajit, not seeing his brother return, became deeply troubled.
16. He said, “Krishna probably killed my brother, who went to the forest wearing the jewel on his neck.” The general populace heard this accusation and began whispering it in one another’s ears.
17. When Lord Krishna heard this rumor, He wanted to remove the stain on His reputation. So He took some of Dvaraka’s citizens with Him and set out to retrace Prasena’s path.
18. In the forest they found Prasena and his horse, both killed by the lion. Further on they found the lion dead on a mountainside, slain by Rksa [Jambavan].
19. The Lord stationed His subjects outside the terrifying, pitch-dark cave of the king of the bears, and then He entered alone.
20. There Lord Krishna saw that the most precious of jewels had been made into a child’s plaything. Determined to take it away, He approached the child.
21. The child’s nurse cried out in fear upon seeing that extraordinary person standing before them. Jambavan, strongest of the strong, heard her cries and angrily ran toward the Lord.
22. Unaware of His true position and thinking Him an ordinary man, Jambavan angrily began fighting with the Supreme Lord, his master.
23. The two fought furiously in single combat, each determined to win. Contending against each other with various weapons and then with stones, tree trunks and finally their bare arms, they struggled like two hawks battling over a piece of flesh.
24. The fight went on without rest for twenty-eight days, the two opponents striking each other with their fists, which fell like the cracking blows of lightning.
25. His bulging muscles pummeled by the blows of Lord Krishna’s fists, his strength faltering and his limbs perspiring, Jambavan, greatly astonished, finally spoke to the Lord.
26. [Jambavan said:] I know now that You are the life air and the sensory, mental and bodily strength of all living beings. You are Lord Visnu, the original person, the supreme, all-powerful controller.
27. You are the ultimate creator of all creators of the universe, and of everything created You are the underlying substance. You are the subduer of all subduers, the Supreme Lord and Supreme Soul of all souls.
28. You are He who impelled the ocean to give way when His sidelong glances, slightly manifesting His anger, disturbed the crocodiles and timingila fish within the watery depths. You are He who built a great bridge to establish His fame, who burned down the city of Lanka, and whose arrows severed the heads of Ravana, which then fell to the ground.
29-30. [Sukadeva Gosvami continued:] O King, Lord Krishna then addressed the king of the bears, who had understood the truth. The lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead, the son of Devaki, touched Jambavan with His hand, which bestows all blessings, and spoke to His devotee with sublime compassion, His grave voice deeply resounding like a cloud.
31. [Lord Krishna said:] It is for this jewel, O lord of the bears, that we have come to your cave. I intend to use the jewel to disprove the false accusations against Me.
32. Thus addressed, Jambavan happily honored Lord Krishna by offering Him his maiden daughter, Jambavati, together with the jewel.
33. After Lord Sauri had entered the cave, the people of Dvaraka who had accompanied Him had waited twelve days without seeing Him come out again. Finally they had given up and returned to their city in great sorrow.
34. When Devaki, Rukmini-devi, Vasudeva and the Lord’s other relatives and friends heard that He had not come out of the cave, they all lamented.
35. Cursing Satrajit, the sorrowful residents of Dvaraka approached the Durga deity named Candrabhaga and prayed to her for Krishna’s return.
36. When the citizens had finished worshiping the demigoddess, she spoke to them in response, promising to grant their request. Just then Lord Krishna, who had achieved His purpose, appeared before them in the company of His new wife, filling them with joy.
37. Seeing Lord Hrsikesa return as if from death, accompanied by His new wife and wearing the Syamantaka jewel on His neck, all the people were roused to jubilation.
38. Lord Krishna summoned Satrajit to the royal assembly. There, in the presence of King Ugrasena, Krishna announced the recovery of the jewel and then formally presented it to Satrajit.
39. Hanging his head in great shame, Satrajit took the gem and returned home, all the while feeling remorse for his sinful behavior.
40-42. Pondering over his grievous offense and worried about the possibility of conflict with the Lord’s mighty devotees, King Satrajit thought, “How can I cleanse myself of my contamination, and how may Lord Acyuta become satisfied with me? What can I do to regain my good fortune and avoid being cursed by the populace for being so short-sighted, miserly, foolish and avaricious? I shall give my daughter, the jewel of all women, to the Lord, together with the Syamantaka jewel. That, indeed, is the only proper way to pacify Him.”
43. Having thus intelligently made up his mind, King Satrajit personally arranged to present Lord Krishna with his fair daughter and the Syamantaka jewel.
44. The Lord married Satyabhama in proper religious fashion. Possessed of excellent behavior, along with beauty, broad-mindedness and all other good qualities, she had been sought by many men.
45. The Supreme Personality of Godhead told Satrajit: We do not care to take this jewel back, O King. You are the sun-god’s devotee, so let it stay in your possession. Thus We will also enjoy its benefits.
