Bhagavatapurana 10.56: atha ṣaṭpañcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.56.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
satrājitaḥ sva-tanayāṃ kṛṣṇāya kṛta-kilbiṣaḥ /
syamantakena maṇinā svayam udyamya dattavān //

Śrī Śuka said: / Having committed an offense against Kṛṣṇa, Satrājit took the initiative / and gave him his own daughter along with the Syamantaka jewel.

1. Sri Suka said:— Satrajit who had offended Krishna, tried of his own accord to bestow on Him his daughter together with the jewel Syamantaka.

10.56.2

/0 śrī-rājovāca
satrājitaḥ kim akarod brahman kṛṣṇasya kilbiṣaḥ /
syamantakaḥ kutas tasya kasmād dattā sutā hareḥ //

The king said: / What offense did Satrājit commit against Kṛṣṇa, O brāhmaṇa? / Where did he obtain the Syamantaka jewel, and why was his daughter given to Hari?

2. The king said:— O sage, what was the wrong that Satrajit had done to Krishna? Whence did he get Syamantaka and why did he give his daughter to Hari?

10.56.3

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
āsīt satrājitaḥ sūryo bhaktasya paramaḥ sakhā /
prītas tasmai maṇiṃ prādāt sa ca tuṣṭaḥ syamantakam //

Śrī Śuka said: / Sūrya was a supreme friend to Satrājit, his devotee; / pleased with him, the sun god, being delighted, gave him the Syamantaka jewel.

3. Sri Suka said— Surya was a great friend to his own votary Satrajit and was so pleased and well-disposed towards him as to bestow on him a jewel called Syamantaka.

10.56.4

sa taṃ bibhran maṇiṃ kaṇṭhe bhrājamāno yathā raviḥ /
praviṣṭo dvārakāṃ rājan tejasā nopalakṣitaḥ //

Wearing that jewel around his neck and shining like the sun, O king, / he entered Dvārakā, unrecognisable because of his brilliance.

4. With that jewel about his neck, brilliant like the sun, he entered Dwaraka, O king; and in the dazzling light he could not be seen (distinctly).

10.56.5

taṃ vilokya janā dūrāt tejasā muṣṭa-dṛṣṭayaḥ /
dīvyate 'kṣair bhagavate śaśaṃsuḥ sūrya-śaṅkitāḥ //

Seeing him from afar, their eyes blinded by his brilliance, / the people mistook him for Sūrya and announced to the Lord, who was playing dice:

5. Those who saw him from a distance had their eyes dazed with the splendour and took him for Surya (the sun) himself, and they informed of it to the Lord who was playing at dice.

10.56.6

nārāyaṇa namas te 'stu śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dhara /
dāmodarāravindākṣa govinda yadu-nandana //

'O Nārāyaṇa, obeisance to you, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace! / O Dāmodara, lotus-eyed one, Govinda, delight of the Yadus!

6. & 7. “O Narayana: Salutation to Thee: O Thou that weildest Sankha, Chakra, Gada in Thy hands: O Damodara: O Pundarikaksha: O Govinda: O the delight of Yadus: here comes the glorious Sun on a visit to Thee, O Lord of the Universe: by his rays he deprives men of their eye-sight.

10.56.7

eṣa āyāti savitā tvāṃ didṛkṣur jagat-pate /
muṣṇan gabhasti-cakreṇa nṛṇāṃ cakṣūṃṣi tigma-guḥ //

Here comes Savitṛ, wishing to behold you, O Lord of the universe, / blinding the eyes of men with the circle of his rays, the fierce-rayed one.

10.56.8

nanv anvicchanti te mārgaṃ trī-lokyāṃ vibudharṣabhāḥ /
jñātvādya gūḍhaṃ yaduṣu draṣṭuṃ tvāṃ yāty ajaḥ prabho //

Indeed, the foremost of the gods seek your path throughout the three worlds; / knowing you are now concealed among the Yadus, the unborn one comes to see you, O Master!'

8. “Indeed, the great gods are ever trying to find Thee in all the worlds and having now known that Thou remainest concealed among Yadus, the Sun comes to see Thee, O Lord.

10.56.9

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
niśamya bāla-vacanaṃ prahasyāmbuja-locanaḥ /
prāha nāsau ravir devaḥ satrājin maṇinā jvalan //

Śrī Śuka said: / Hearing the words of the foolish folk, the lotus-eyed Lord laughed / and said: 'This is not the sun god; it is Satrājit blazing with the jewel.'

9. Sri Suka said:—Hearing the words of the boys, Krishna of lotus eyes laughed loudly and said, “He is not the god Surya, it is only Satrajit glowing with a jewel.”

10.56.10

satrājit sva-gṛhaṃ śrīmat kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalam /
praviśya deva-sadane maṇiṃ viprair nyaveśayat //

Satrājit entered his own splendid house, decorated for auspicious celebrations, / and had the jewel installed by brāhmaṇas in the temple of the gods.

10. Satrajit entered his splendid mansion which was decorated with auspicious things (for the festive occasion of his return) and, in the apartment intended for the gods, he got the brahmins to set up the jewel (as an object of worship).

10.56.11

dine dine svarṇa-bhārān aṣṭau sa sṛjati prabho /
durbhikṣa-māry-ariṣṭāni sarpādhi-vyādhayo 'śubhāḥ /
na santi māyinas tatra yatrāste 'bhyarcito maṇiḥ //

Day after day it produces eight bhāras of gold, O King; / famine, pestilence, calamities, serpents, mental and bodily afflictions, and ill fortune, / along with deceitful persons, are absent wherever the jewel is worshipped.

11. Every day, it yields gold weighing eight bharas (cwts), O king: where the jewel is placed and worshipped, (there) no famine, plague and other evil conditions or serpents, anxieties, — diseases and (all) other evils or hypocrites make their appearance.

10.56.12

sa yācito maṇiṃ kvāpi yadu-rājāya śauriṇā /
naivārtha-kāmukaḥ prādād yācñā-bhaṅgam atarkayan //

Though once requested by Śauri to give the jewel to the Yadu king, / greedy for wealth, he did not give it at all, disregarding the slight of refusing a request.

12. On a certain occasion he was requested by Krishna to give that jewel over to the king of Yadus: but Satrajit, fond of wealth, did not give it, without considering the effect of non-compliance of the request.

10.56.13

tam ekadā maṇiṃ kaṇṭhe pratimucya mahā-prabham /
praseno hayam āruhya mṛgāyāṃ vyacarad vane //

Once, fastening that immensely brilliant jewel around his neck, / Prasena mounted a horse and roamed the forest on a hunt.

13. On a certain day, Prasena (brother of Satrajit) wore about his neck that Jewel of surpassing lustre, and went ahunting on horse-back to the forest.

10.56.14

prasenaṃ sa-hayaṃ hatvā maṇim ācchidya keśarī /
giriṃ viśan jāmbavatā nihato maṇim icchatā //

A lion killed Prasena along with his horse and snatched the jewel; / as the lion entered a mountain cave, he was killed by Jāmbavān, who desired the jewel.

14. A lion killed Prasena and his horse and, snatching the Jewel returned to the hill (cave); (on the way) it was killed by Jambavan who wanted to have it.

10.56.15

so 'pi cakre kumārasya maṇiṃ krīḍanakaṃ bile /
apaśyan bhrātaraṃ bhrātā satrājit paryatapyata //

He made the jewel a plaything for his child in the cave. / Not seeing his brother, the brother Satrājit was consumed with grief.

15. And Jambavan used that Jewel as a toy for his child. Not finding his brother, Satrajit was greatly distressed.

10.56.16

prāyaḥ kṛṣṇena nihato maṇi-grīvo vanaṃ gataḥ /
bhrātā mameti tac chrutvā karṇe karṇe 'japan janāḥ //

'Most likely my brother, who went to the forest wearing the jewel around his neck, / was killed by Kṛṣṇa'—hearing this, people whispered into one another's ears.

16. (And he lamented him saying), "Most probably he is killed by Krishna; for my brother repaired to the forest with the Jewel about his neck." Hearing this, people passed on the rumour from one to another in whispers.

10.56.17

bhagavāṃs tad upaśrutya duryaśo liptam ātmani /
mārṣṭuṃ prasena-padavīm anvapadyata nāgaraiḥ //

Hearing of the infamy smeared upon Himself, the Lord, / in order to wipe it away, followed the path of Prasena together with the citizens.

17. On hearing of that, the Almighty Krishna wanted to wipe off the stain of bad name cast on Him and, along with many citizens, began to track the path of Prasena.

10.56.18

hataṃ prasenaṃ aśvaṃ ca vīkṣya keśariṇā vane /
taṃ cādri-pṛṣṭhe nihatam ṛkṣeṇa dadṛśur janāḥ //

Seeing Prasena and his horse slain by a lion in the forest, / the people then saw the lion itself slain upon the mountain slope by a bear.

18. These citizens first saw Prasena and his horse killed by a lion in the forest and the lion also in his turn killed by a bear on the mountain side.

10.56.19

ṛkṣa-rāja-bilaṃ bhīmam andhena tamasāvṛtam /
eko viveśa bhagavān avasthāpya bahiḥ prajāḥ //

Stationing the citizens outside, the Lord alone entered / the terrible cave of the king of bears, enveloped in blinding darkness.

19. And approaching the fearful cave of the great bear filled with dense (blinding) darkness, the Almighty Krishna singly entered it, asking his followers to wait on the outside (at its mouth.)

10.56.20

tatra dṛṣṭvā maṇi-preṣṭhaṃ bāla-krīḍanakaṃ kṛtam /
hartuṃ kṛta-matis tasminn avatasthe 'rbhakāntike //

Seeing there the most precious jewel made into a child's toy, / He resolved to take it and stood near the child.

20. There he found the excellent Jewel used as a toy for the child: Krishna intending to take possession of it, just stood near the child.

10.56.21

tam apūrvaṃ naraṃ dṛṣṭvā dhātrī cukrośa bhīta-vat /
tac chrutvābhyadravat kruddho jāmbavān balināṃ varaḥ //

Seeing that extraordinary man, the nurse screamed in fright; / hearing that, Jāmbavān, the best among the strong, rushed forward in fury.

21. Seeing that extra-ordinary person the nurse (its mother) screamed in terror: hearing the cry Jambavan, foremost among the strong, came up in a rage.

10.56.22

sa vai bhagavatā tena yuyudhe svāmīnātmanaḥ /
puruṣam prākṛtaṃ matvā kupito nānubhāva-vit //

He indeed fought with the Lord, who was his own master; / deeming Him an ordinary man, he was enraged, ignorant of His majesty.

22. Indeed, in his rage failing to perceive His greatness, Jambavan thought Him to be an ordinary mortal and fought with the glorious Krishna, his own Lord and Supreme Being.

10.56.23

dvandva-yuddhaṃ su-tumulam ubhayor vijigīṣatoḥ /
āyudhāśma-drumair dorbhiḥ kravyārthe śyenayor iva //

A most tumultuous single combat ensued between the two contenders / with weapons, stones, trees, and their arms, like two hawks fighting for meat.

23. As between two eagles for pieces of flesh, a fierce combat raged between the two as each tried to overthrow the other with weapons, stones, trees and arms.

10.56.24

āsīt tad aṣṭā-vimśāham itaretara-muṣṭibhiḥ /
vajra-niṣpeṣa-paruṣair aviśramam ahar-niśam //

It continued for twenty-eight days with their fists, / harsh as the striking of thunderbolts, without resting day or night.

24. The combat lasted for twenty-eight days without a pause, day and night, as they strove hitting each other with their fists, violent like the strokes of the Vajrayudha.

10.56.25

kṛṣṇa-muṣṭi-viniṣpāta niṣpiṣṭāṅgoru bandhanaḥ /
kṣīṇa-sattvaḥ svinna-gātras tam āhātīva vismitaḥ //

With the joints of his great limbs crushed by the blows of Kṛṣṇa's fists, / his strength spent and his limbs drenched in sweat, he spoke to Him in great wonder:

25. Having his joints crushed and dislocated by the blows of Krishna's fists, Jambavan became reduced in strength, perspired

and in great astonishment said to Him:---

10.56.26

jāne tvāṃ saṛva-bhūtānāṃ prāṇa ojaḥ saho balam /
viṣṇuṃ purāṇa-puruṣaṃ prabhaviṣṇum adhīśvaram //

'I know you to be the breath of life, vitality, vigor, and strength of all living beings, / Viṣṇu, the primordial Person, the all-powerful Supreme Sovereign.

26. ‘I (now) understand Thee to be the breath of all beings, the energy, the power of endurance, and strength, i. e., Vishnu, the most Ancient Person of unlimited powers and the one Supreme Ruler of all.

10.56.27

tvaṃ hi viśva-sṛjām sraṣṭā sṛṣṭānām api yac ca sat /
kālaḥ kalayatām īśaḥ para ātmā tathātmanām //

You are indeed the creator of the creators of the universe, and whatever is real among created things; / you are Time, the ruler of those that reckon time, and the supreme self of all selves;

27. ‘Thou art indeed the creator of the progenitors of the world and of those yet to be created and whatever exists: Thou art Time (Kala), the Lord of those that control all other things, Thou art the perfect Atman of all Atmans.

10.56.27.p1

yasyeṣad-utkalita-roṣa-kaṭākṣa-mokṣair $ vartmādiśat kṣubhita-nakra-timiṅgalo 'bdhiḥ &

at the discharge of whose side-glance, tinged with a slight surge of anger, the ocean showed the way, / its alligators and timiṅgala whales agitated;

28. ‘Thou art indeed that Rama whose glances, slightly kindled with anger, threw into agitation the sea with all its crocodiles and whales and compelled it to make way, by whom across the sea a dam was made to proclaim Thy glory, and Lanka was set on fire, and struck down with whose arrows the heads of the Rakshasa fell to the ground!’

10.56.28

setuḥ kṛtaḥ sva-yaśa ujjvalitā ca laṅkā % rakṣaḥ-śirāṃsi bhuvi petur iṣu-kṣatāni //

the bridge was built, your fame shone forth, Laṅkā was set ablaze, / and the heads of the rākṣasas, severed by arrows, fell to the ground.'

10.56.29

iti vijñāta-viijñānam ṛkṣa-rājānam acyutaḥ /
vyājahāra mahā-rāja bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ //

To the king of bears, who had thus realised the truth, Acyuta, / the Lord, the son of Devakī, addressed these words, O great king:

29. To the great bear (Jambavan) who had thus attained the required insight into the truth, O king, the Almighty Achyuta, son of Devaki, spoke.

10.56.30

abhimṛśyāravindākṣaḥ pāṇinā śaṃ-kareṇa tam /
kṛpayā parayā bhaktaṃ megha-gambhīrayā girā //

Touching His devotee with his auspicious lotus-like hand / out of supreme compassion, the lotus-eyed Lord spoke in a voice deep as a thundercloud:

30. Sri Krishna touched him with His soothing hand, in infinite mercy and in accents deep like thunder, said to His devotee.

10.56.31

maṇi-hetor iha prāptā vayam ṛkṣa-pate bilam /
mithyābhiśāpaṃ pramṛjann ātmano maṇināmunā //

'We have come here to the cave for the sake of the jewel, O lord of bears, / so that by means of this jewel I may wipe away a false accusation against myself.'

31. O king of bears, we came to this cave in quest of the jewel, in order to wipe off the false imputation in respect of it.

10.56.32

ity uktaḥ svāṃ duhitaraṃ kanyāṃ jāmbavatīṃ mudā /
arhaṇārtham sa maṇinā kṛṣṇāyopajahāra ha //

Thus addressed, he joyfully presented his own maiden daughter, Jāmbavatī, / together with the jewel, to Kṛṣṇa as an offering of honor.

32. Thus spoken to, Jambavan gladly offered to Krishna by way of worship his daughter Jambavati along with the jewel.

10.56.33

adṛṣṭvā nirgamaṃ śaureḥ praviṣṭasya bilaṃ janāḥ /
pratīkṣya dvādaśāhāni duḥkhitāḥ sva-puraṃ yayuḥ //

Not seeing Śauri emerge after entering the cave, / the people waited twelve days, and then, sorrowful, departed for their own city.

33. His followers left at the mouth of the cave waited for twelve days and seeing that He did not issue out of it, went back in grief to their city.

10.56.34

niśamya devakī devī rakmiṇy ānakadundubhiḥ /
suhṛdo jñātayo 'śocan bilāt kṛṣṇam anirgatam //

Hearing that Kṛṣṇa had not come out from the cave, queen Devakī, / Rukmiṇī, Ānakadundubhi, and His friends and kinsmen grieved.

34. When they heard of the news, Devaki, Queen Rukmini and Vasudeva, His friends, well-wishers and relations felt very sorry for the non-return of Krishna from the cave.

10.56.35

satrājitaṃ śapantas te duḥkhitā dvārakaukasaḥ /
upatasthuś candrabhāgāṃ durgāṃ kṛṣṇopalabdhaye //

Cursing Satrājit, those sorrowful inhabitants of Dvārakā / worshipped Candrabhāgā Durgā in order to recover Kṛṣṇa.

35. The citizens of Dwaraka were also sorry; they blamed

Satrajit and worshipped Durga of great powers praying for the safe return of Krishna.

10.56.36

teṣāṃ tu devy-upasthānāt pratyādiṣṭāśiṣā sa ca /
prādurbabhūva siddhārthaḥ sa-dāro harṣayan hariḥ //

Because of their worship of the goddess, their prayers were granted, and Hari, / having attained His purpose, appeared accompanied by His wife, gladdening them all.

36. The very moment they received the blessings of the goddess in response to their worship, Sri Krishna made His appearance with His new wife, having accomplished His purpose and bringing them joy.

10.56.37

upalabhya hṛṣīkeśaṃ mṛtaṃ punar ivāgatam /
saha patnyā maṇi-grīvaṃ sarve jāta-mahotsavāḥ //

Finding Hṛṣīkeśa returned as if from the dead,
with his wife and the jewel on his neck, all held a great celebration.

37. On seeing Krishna as one recovered from death, now returned with a wife and the jewel about His neck, all were transported with joy.

10.56.38

satrājitaṃ samāhūya sabhāyāṃ rāja-sannidhau /
prāptiṃ cākhyāya bhagavān maṇiṃ tasmai nyavedayat //

Summoning Satrājit to the assembly in the presence of the king,
and recounting how it was recovered, the Lord presented the jewel to him.

38. He sent for Satrajit and in the court, in the presence of the king, the Almighty Krishna explained how He found and recovered the jewel, and handed it over to him.

10.56.39

sa cāti-vrīḍito ratnaṃ gṛhītvāvāṅ-mukhas tataḥ /
anutapyamāno bhavanam agamat svena pāpmanā //

Deeply ashamed, he took the jewel with head bowed low,
and full of remorse on account of his own sin, went to his house.

39. In great astonishment he received the jewel, with his head cast down, and returned home full of regret for his guilt.

10.56.40

so 'nudhyāyaṃs tad evāghaṃ balavad-vigrahākulaḥ /
kathaṃ mṛjāmy ātma-rajaḥ prasīded vācyutaḥ katham //

Brooding over that very offence, distressed by enmity with one so powerful,
[he thought:] “How may I wipe away the stain upon myself? Or how may Acyuta be pleased?

40. Brooding over his own sinful act and perpelxed with the great conflict at his heart he thought, “How could I wipe off my fault and how would Achyuta become gracious unto me?

10.56.41

kim kṛtvā sādhu mahyaṃ syān na śaped vā jano yathā /
adīrgha-darśanaṃ kṣudraṃ mūḍhaṃ draviṇa-lolupam //

What can I do that would be good for me, so that the people will not curse me
as short-sighted, base, foolish, and greedy for wealth?

41. “What course would be good to take, that the world may not reproach me who am wanting in foresight, full of littleness and ignorance and fond of wealth.

10.56.42

dāsye duhitaraṃ tasmai strī-ratnaṃ ratnam eva ca /
upāyo 'yaṃ samīcīnas tasya śāntir na cānyathā //

I shall give him my daughter, a jewel among women, and the jewel itself;
this is the proper means—his placation can come about in no other way.”

42. “I shall give Him my daughter, the best jewel among women and that Jewel as well: this is the best expedient; there is no other course of expiation for it (my sin).”

10.56.43

evaṃ vyavasito buddhyā satrājit sva-sutāṃ śubhām /
maṇiṃ ca svayam udyamya kṛṣṇāyopajahāra ha //

Having thus resolved in his mind, Satrājit took the initiative
and offered his auspicious daughter and the jewel to Kṛṣṇa.

43. Having thus considered and decided, Satrajit himself moved in the matter and presented his beautiful daughter and the Jewel to Krishna.

10.56.44

tāṃ satyabhāmāṃ bhagavān upayeme yathā-vidhi /
bahubhir yācitāṃ śīla- rūpaudārya-guṇānvitām //

The Lord married that Satyabhāmā according to the injunctions—
sought by many, endowed with good character, beauty, generosity, and virtues.

44. The Almighty Lord duly married Satyabhama, so offered, endowed with great beauty and virtue and other excellent qualities, though many were the suitors to her hand.

10.56.45

bhagavān āha na maṇiṃ pratīcchāmo vayaṃ nṛpa /
tavāstāṃ deva-bhaktasya vayaṃ ca phala-bhāginaḥ //

The Lord said: “We do not accept the jewel, O King;
let it remain with you, a devotee of the sun-god, and we shall share in its fruit.”

45. The Almighty Krishna said, “We don’t accept the jewel. Have it for thyself, the votary of god Surya and we would enjoy the fruit of it, O king.”