This chapter describes how Lord Krsna recovered the Syamantaka jewel to allay false accusations against Him and married the daughters of Jambavan and Satrajit. By enacting the pastime involving the Syamantaka jewel, the Lord demonstrated the futility of material wealth.
When Sukadeva Gosvami mentioned that King Satrajit offended Lord Krsna on account of the Syamantaka jewel, King Pariksit became curious to hear the details of this incident. Thus Sukadeva Gosvami narrated the story.
King Satrajit received the Syamantaka gem by the grace of his best well-wisher, the sun-god, Surya. After fastening the gem to a chain, which he then hung around his neck, Satrajit traveled to Dvaraka. The residents, thinking he was the sun-god himself, went to Krsna and told Him that Lord Surya had come to take His audience. But Krsna replied that the man who had come was not Surya but King Satrajit, who looked extremely effulgent because he was wearing the Syamantaka jewel.
In Dvaraka Satrajit installed the precious stone on a special altar in his home. Every day the gem produced a large quantity of gold, and it had the additional power of assuring that wherever it was properly worshiped no calamity could occur.
On one occasion Lord Sri Krsna requested Satrajit to give the gem to the King of the Yadus, Ugrasena. But Satrajit refused, obsessed as he was with greed. Shortly thereafter Satrajit's brother Prasena left the city to hunt on horseback, wearing the Syamantaka jewel on his neck. On the road a lion killed Prasena and took the jewel away to a mountain cave, where the king of the bears, Jambavan, happened to be living. Jambavan killed the lion and gave the jewel to his son to play with.
When King Satrajit's brother did not return, the King presumed that Sri Krsna had killed him for the Syamantaka gem. Lord Krsna heard about this rumor circulating among the general populace, and to clear His name He went with some of the citizens to find Prasena. Following his path, they eventually found his body and that of his horse lying on the road. Further on they saw the body of the lion Jambavan had killed. Lord Krsna told the citizens to remain outside the cave while He went in to investigate.
The Lord entered Jambavan's cave and saw the Syamantaka jewel lying next to a child. But when Krsna tried to take the jewel, the child's nurse cried out in alarm, bringing Jambavan quickly to the scene. Jambavan considered Krsna an ordinary man and began fighting with Him. For twenty-eight days continuously the two fought, until finally Jambavan grew weak from the Lord's blows. Now understanding that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Jambavan began to praise Him. The Lord touched Jambavan with His lotus hand, dispelling his fear, and then explained everything about the jewel. With great devotion Jambavan gladly presented the Syamantaka jewel to the Lord, together with his unmarried daughter, Jambavati.
Meanwhile Lord Krsna's companions, having waited twelve days for Krsna to come out of the cave, returned to Dvaraka despondent. All of Krsna's friends and family members became extremely sorrowful and began regularly worshiping Goddess Durga to assure the Lord's safe return. Even as they performed this worship, Lord Krsna entered the city in the company of His new wife. He summoned Satrajit to the royal assembly and, after recounting to him the entire story of the Syamantaka jewel's recovery, gave the jewel back to him. Satrajit accepted the jewel, but with great shame and remorse. He went back to his home, and there he decided to offer Lord Krsna not only the jewel but also his daughter so as to atone for the offense he had committed against the Lord's lotus feet. Sri Krsna accepted the hand of Satrajit's daughter, Satyabhama, who was endowed with all divine qualities. But the jewel He refused, returning it to King Satrajit.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.56 Summary
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