The Syamantaka Jewel

Chapter 56, 57

When Maharaja Pariksit enquired about the Syamantaka Jewel, Sukadeva Goswami narrated further.

King Satrajit had received the Syamantaka jewel from the sun-god. Whoever possessed the jewel was blessed with wealth and wellbeing, and the King had thus installed it in his home in Dwaraka. When Krishna requested him to gift the jewel to Ugrasena, the greedy Satrajit refused.

Once, Satrajit’s brother, Prasena, was travelling with the jewel. He was killed by a lion and stripped of the jewel, and the lion subsequently lost the jewel to Jambavan, who gave it to his son. Unaware of these events, Satrajit incorrectly accused Krishna of killing Prasena and taking the jewel.

Krishna searched out the jewel, found it in Jambavan’s cave, and had a twenty- eight-day fight with that mighty warrior to retrieve it. Jambavan, at heart a devotee, finally accepted Krishna’s supremacy and offered Him the jewel along with his daughter, Jambavati. Krishna then returned to Dwaraka and handed the jewel back to Satrajit. Feeling remorseful, the King handed the jewel back to Krishna and offered his daughter, Satyabhama, in marriage. Krishna happily married his daughter but insisted that Satrajit keep the jewel.

While Krishna was out of Dwaraka, Satadhanva, who was incited by Akrura and Krtavarma, killed Satrajit and stole the jewel. When Krishna returned, He tracked down Satadhanva and killed him, but couldn’t find the jewel since Satadhanva had left it with Akrura. Krishna eventually located it and showed it to His relatives, but then returned the troublesome jewel to Akrura.