Hari-vamsa
Harivamsa
37 - babhruvaṁśavarṇanam - dynasty of babhru
vaiśampāyana uvāca: vaiśampāyana continued:
sattvatāt sattva-saṁpannān kauśalyā suṣuve sutān |
bhajinaṁ bhajamānaṁ ca divyaṁ devāvṛdhaṁ nṛpam || 1-37-1
andhakaṁ ca mahābāhuṁ vṛṣṇiṁ ca yadu-nandanam |
teṣāṁ visargāḥ catvāro vistareṇa iha tāṣ śṛṇu || 1-37-2
O king janamejaya, king sattvata who is endued with the quality of goodness, begat on lady kaushalya several sons, namely bhajina, bhajamana, divya, devāvṛdha, and the mighty armed andhaka, as well as vṛṣṇi, the pride of the yadu dynasty..., you may now hear from me about four of them...
bhajamānasya sṛṣjayyau bāhyaka atha upa-bāhyakā |
āstāṁ bhārye tayoḥ tasmāt jajṣire bahavaḥ sutāḥ || 1-37-3
kṛmiḥ ca kramaṇaḥ caiva dhṛṣṭaḥ śūraḥ puraṁjayaḥ |
ete bāhyaka sṛṣjayyāṁ bhajamānāt vijajṣire || 1-37-4
ayutājit sahasrājit śatājit ca atha dāśakaḥ |
upabāhyaka sṛṣjayyāṁ bhajamānāt vijajṣire || 1-37-5
bhajamana had two wives who are the daughters of sṛṣjaya, whose names are lady bāhyaka and lady upa-bāhyaka, and he begat a number of sons by those two wives; of them lady bāhyaka gave birth to sons called kṛmi, kramaṇa, dhṛṣṭa, śūra, puraṁjaya, while lady upa-bāhyaka gave birth to sons called ayutājit, sahasrājit, śatājit, dāśaka...
sṛṣjayyau= sṛṣjaya putryau.
yajvā devavṛdho rājā cacāra vipulaṁ tapaḥ |
putraḥ sarvaguṇopeto mama syāt iti niśchitaḥ || 1-37-6
saṁyujya ātmanam evaṁ tu parṇaśāyā jalaṁ spṛśan |
sat upaspṛśataḥ tasya cakāra priyam āpagā || 1-37-7
Resolving "I must have a son endued with all accomplishments" the king devāvṛdha, the son of sattvata and lady kaushalya, who is a top performer of Vedic rituals, carried on severe ascesis standing in the midst of water of River parṇaśa, duly controlling his mind, whereby he used to employ the water of parṇaśa regularly as an ascetical anointer, and on account of his constant touch, the river parṇaśa too became well-disposed towards him.
cintayā abhi-parītā sā jagām aikā abhinishchayam |
kalyāṇatvāt narapateḥ tasya sā nimnaga uttamā || 1-37-8
na adhyagacchata tāṁ nārīṁ yasyām evaṁ vidhaḥ sutaḥ |
jāyet tasmāt svayaṁ hanta bhavāmi asya saha-vratā || 1-37-9
Then that best River parṇaśa thoughtful of the king’s effort like, ‘this king has not so far set his eye upon a woman capable of giving birth to an accomplished son, who has to become proper successor for the welfare of society... hence he us undertaking ascesis... therefore I myself should approach him and become his helpmate...’ thinking thus that river, who is also involved in welfarism of society, herself took a decision, aikā= ekākini eva nishchayam; abhijagāma cakāra - and approached the king...
atha bhūtvā kumārī sā bibhratī paramaṁ vapuḥ |
varayāmāsa nṛpatiṁ tām iyeṣa ca sa prabhuḥ || 1-37-10
While approaching that king the River parṇaśa changed her physique as a damsel and that king devāvṛdha too is of a mind to take her as his wife...
tasyām ādhatta garbhaṁ ca tejasvinam udārad-hīḥ |
atha sā daśame māsi suṣuve saritāṁ varā || 1-37-11
putraṁ sarvaguṇopetaṁ babhruṁ devāvṛdhāt nṛpāt |
atra vaṁśe purāṇajṣā gāyanti iti pari-shrutam || 1-37-12
guṇān devāvṛdhasya atha kīrtayanto mahātmanaḥ |
yatha eva agre samaṁ dūrāt paśyāma ca tathā antike || 1-37-13
She then conceived through that liberal-minded king, and in the tenth month she gave birth to a highly accomplished son of devāvṛdha, who is named as babhru. In this regard, they say, those that are well versed in purāṇa-s used to extol the accomplishments of the noble devāvṛdha like this: ‘we have not seen a coequal of devāvṛdha in virtues, either before us or remotely, presently or in remote past...’
babhruḥ śreṣṭho manuṣyāṇāṁ devaiḥ devāvṛdhaḥ samaḥ |
ṣaṣṭiḥ ca ṣaṭ ca puruṣāḥ sahasrāṇi ca sapta ca || 1-37-14
ete amṛtatvaṁ saṁprāptā babhrur devāvṛdhāvapi |
yajvā dānapatir vidvān brahmaṇyaḥ sudhṛḍha āyudhaḥ || 1-37-15
kīrtimān ca mahātejāḥ sāttvatānāṁ mahāvaraḥ |
tasya anvavāyaḥ sumahān bhojā ye mārtikāvatāḥ || 1-37-16
babhru is the foremost of men and devāvṛdha equalled unto the celestials. King babhru performed many Vedic rituals, made away gifts; a learned one conversant with the knowledge of the Absolute; wielded weapons firmly, of glorious deeds, highly effulgent and the foremost of sattvatā-s, i.e. yādava śreṣṭa... dispatching seven thousand sixty six enemy warriors to heaven, while battling, he too attained it along with them... his posterity is extensive and his descendants are called mārtikāvata-bhojās...
andhakāt kāśya duhitā caturo'labhat ātmajān |
kukuraṁ bhajamānaṁ ca śamiṁ kambalabarhiṣam || 1-37-17
Another son of sattvata and lady kaushalya, namely andhaka, begat four sons on the daughter of kāśya, i.e. dhṛḍha-srava’s daughter... they are kukura, bhajamāna, shami and kambala-barhiṣa...
kukurasya suto dhṛṣṇuḥ dhṛṣṇoḥ tu tanayaḥ tathā |
kapotaromā tasyā atha taittiriḥ tanayo abhavat || 1-37-18
jajṣe punarvasuḥ tasmāt abhijit tu punarvasoḥ |
tasya vai putra-mithunaṁ babhūva abhijitaḥ kila || 1-37-19
āhukaḥ ca āhukī caiva khyātau khyātimatāṁ varau |
imāṁ ca udāharanti atra gāthāṁ prati tam Ahukam || 1-37-20
From kukura the line of descent of sons is: kukura --> dhṛṣṇu --> kapotaroma --> taittiri --> punarvasu --> abhijit, who begat twins, a girl named Ahuki and a boy Ahuka, who are well-known and the foremost of all celebrated persons... the following is adduced in respect of king Ahuka...
śvetena parivāreṇa kishora-pratimo mahān |
aśīti charmaṇā yuktaḥ sa nṛpaḥ prathamaṁ vrajet || 1-37-21
Ahuka always used to go to battlefield in the van, like a young charger, wearing eighty leathern armours, and surrounded by a convoy clad in white...
Or
Ahuka always used to go out like a young horse, on a conveyance carried by eighty men, and encircled by guards clad in white...
aśīti = eighty. charma = devadārumayam Asanam= a wooden conveyance, or conveyance made out of skin, charma kṛtau ca phalake - medini; yukta = having, i.e., seated on it.
Or
Ahuka always used to go out with the protection of gods and with his guards clad in white...
asltayoḥ= gods, charma= leathern quiver of arrows; yukta= having at back, protected; i.e. he was protected by the gods as arrows are protected by leathern quivers i.e. the gods were like leathern quivers to him.
The second meaning gives an idea of his splendidness; the third says that he was in the good grace of the celestials; in both prathamam yāti= goes in van; kiśora-pratimaḥ= like a young horse -will not fit. kishoram is not lion; kishoro ashvasya śāvaka – medini; so kishora is young horse.
na aputravān na a-śata-daḥ na asahasra-shata āyuṣaḥ |
na aśuddha-karmā na ayajvā yo bhojam abhito vrajet || 1-37-22
pūrvasyāṁ dishi nāgānāṁ bhojasya iti anumodanam |
sopāsaṅgānukarṣāṇāṁ dhvajināṁ sa varūthinām || 1-37-23
rathānāṁ megha ghoṣāṇāṁ sa hasrāṇi daśaiva tu |
rūpya kāṣchana kakṣāṇāṁ sahasrāṇi daśāpi ca || 1-37-24
tāvanta eva sahasrāṇi uttarasyāṁ tathā dishi |
ā-bhūmi pālān bhojān svān uttiṣṭhan kiṅkiṇī-kiṇaḥ || 1-37-25
There was none amongst those who followed this bhoja king Ahuka who had no issue, who had not made away a hundred presents, who had not a life extending over a thousand and hundred years, who was not of pure deeds and who did not perform Vedic rituals.
Whenever Ahuka used to take a field trip there used to be a welcome party in every direction of earth, consisting of ten thousand elephants engirdled with god and silver chains; plus an equal number of chariots with gold and silver yokes and flag posts; both sounding like the rumblings of clouds... having brought under subjection all the provincial kings Ahuka used to go about in his chariot adorned with jingle bells, along with his kinsmen, the other bhojās...
āhukīṁ ca api avantibhyaḥ svasāraṁ daduḥ andhakāḥ |
The andhakā-s have given lady Ahuki, the sister of Ahuka, to the king of avanti...
Ahukasya tu kāśyāyāṁ dvau putrau saṁbabhūvatuḥ || 1-37-26
devakaḥ ca ugrasenaḥ ca deva-putra-samau ubhau |
devakasya abhavat putrāḥ catvāraḥ tridaśa-upamāḥ || 1-37-27
devavān upadevaḥ ca sudevo deva-rakṣitaḥ |
kumāryaḥ sapta ca asya āsan vasudevāya tā dadau || 1-37-28
devakī śantidevā ca sudevā devarakṣitā |
vṛkadevi upadevī ca sunāsī caiva saptamī || 1-37-29
King Ahuka begat two sons, who looked like the sons of celestials, on the daughter of the king of Kashi... these two sons are called devaka and ugra-sena. King devaka had four sons equal to celestials; he also begat seven nymphean daughters called devaki, shanti-deva, su-deva, deva-rakṣita, vṛka-devi, upa-devī and sunāsi... he conferred all the seven daughters on vasu-deva in marriage...
nava ugrasenasya sutāḥ teṣāṁ kaṁsastu pūrva-jaḥ |
nyagrodhaḥ ca su-nāmā ca kaṅkaḥ śaṅkuḥ su-bhūmi-paḥ || 1-37-30
rāṣṭra-pālaḥ atha su-tanuḥ anādhṛṣṭiḥ ca puṣṭimān |
teṣāṁ svasāraḥ paṣcha āsan kaṁsā kaṁsa-vatī tathā || 1-37-31
sutanū rāṣṭra-pālī ca kaṅkā caiva varāṅganā |
ugra-sena had nine sons of whom kamsa is the eldest. Others are nyagrodha, su-nāma, kaṅka, śaṅku, su-bhūmi-pa, rāṣṭra-pāla, su-tanu, anādhṛṣṭi and puṣṭimān. These nine had five sisters, namely kaṁsa, kaṁsa-vati, su-tanu, rāṣṭra-pāli, and the beautiful damsel kaṅka...
ugrasenaḥ saha apatyo vyākhyātaḥ kukura udbhavaḥ || 1-37-32
kukurāṇām imaṁ vaṁśaṁ dhārayann amitaujasām |
ātmano vipulaṁ vaṁśaṁ prajāvān āpnuyāt naraḥ || 1-37-33
Thus, described is the kukura dynasty of ugra-sena... one who appreciates this highly energetic kukuru race, he obtains a numerous posterity...
iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe harivaṁśaparvaṇi babhru
vaṁśa varṇanam nāma saptatriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ
Thus, this is the thirty-seventh chapter of first canto called harivamsha-parva, in harivamśa-purāṇa, the sequel of mahābhārata, narrating the dynasty of babhru.
--o)0(o--
38 - bhajamāna vaṁśaḥ - syamantakopākhyānam - dynasty of bhajamāna - legend of syamantaka-jewel
vaiśampāyana uvāca : vaiśampāyana continued:
bhajamānasya putro'tha ratha-mukhyo vidūrathaḥ |
rājādhidevaḥ śūraḥ tu vidūratha suto abhavat || 1-38-1
rājādhidevasya sutā jajṣire vīryavattarāḥ |
datta atidatta balinau śoṇa-aśvaḥ śveta-vāhanaḥ || 1-38-2
śamī ca daṇḍa-śarmā ca daṇḍa-śatruḥ ca shatru-jit |
śravaṇā ca śraviṣṭhā ca svasārau saṁbabhūvatuḥ || 1-38-3
bhajmana's son is the foremost of chariot-warriors named vidūratha whose son is valiant rājādhideva, who had highly powerful sons, namely datta, ati-datta, śoṇa-aśva, śveta-vāhana, shami, daṇḍa-śarma, daṇḍa-śatru, and shatru-jit. They had two sisters by name śravaṇa and śraviṣṭha...
śamīputraḥ pratikṣatraḥ pratikṣatrasya ca ātmajaḥ |
svayaṁbhojaḥ svayaṁbhojāt hṛdīkaḥ saṁbabhūva ha || 1-38-4
tasya putrā babhūvur hi sarve bhīma-parākramāḥ |
kṛtavarma agrajaḥ teṣāṁ shatadhanva atha madhyamaḥ || 1-38-5
devarṣeḥ vacanāt tasya bhiṣak vaitaraṇaḥ ca yaḥ |
sudāntaḥ ca vidāntaḥ ca kāmadā kāmadantikā || 1-38-6
The lineage of princes from king shami is this: shami --> prati-kṣatra --> svayam-bhoja --> hṛdīka.... this hṛdīka begot sons with dreadful prowess. Of them kṛtavarma is the eldest and shatadhanva is the second. By the grace of celestial saint cyavana, this hṛdīka further begot four sons namely bhiṣak, vaitaraṇa, sudānta, and vi-dānta and two daughters called lady kāmada and lady kāmadantika...
devavān ca abhavat putro vidvān kambalabarhiṣaḥ |
asamaujāḥ tathā vīro nāsamaujāḥ ca tau ubhau || 1-38-7
a-jāta-putrāya sutān pradadāt asamaujase |
sudaṁṣṭraṁ cārurūpaṁ ca kṛṣṇam iti andhakāḥ trayaḥ || 1-38-8
ete ca anye ca bahavo andhakāḥ kathitāḥ tava |
andhakānām imaṁ vaṁśe dhārayet yaḥ tu nityaśaḥ || 1-38-9
ātmano vipulaṁ vaṁśaṁ labhate na atra saṁśayaḥ |
kambalabarhiṣa, the dynast of andhaka, had three sons namely, a learned son named devavan, the valiant asamauja, and na-asamauja... among them asamauja had no issue... andhaka had three more sons, apart from prince kukura et al, who are sudaṁṣṭra, cāru-rūpa and kṛṣṇa... so, andhaka gave these three sons to issueless asamauja in adoption... these and various others members of the andhaka family have been described to you... he, who daily meditates upon andhaka family, forsooth gets his family multiplied...
gāndhārī caiva mādrī ca kroṣṭa bhārye babhūvatuḥ || 1-38-10
gāndhārī janayāmāsa anamitraṁ mahābalam |
mādrī yudhājitaṁ putraṁ tato vai devamīḍuṣam || 1-38-11
an-a-mitram a-mitrāṇāṁ jetāram a-parājitam |
anamitra sutau nighno nighnataḥ dvau babhūvatuḥ || 1-38-12
prasenaḥ ca atha satrājit shatru senājitau ubhau |
praseno dvāravatyāṁ tu nivasantyāṁ mahā-maṇim || 1-38-13
divyaṁ syamantakaṁ nāma samudrāt upalabdhavān |
kroṣṭu had two wives, namely lady gāndhāri and lady mādri... lady gāndhāri gave birth to the highly powerful son named anamitra while lady mādri gave birth to sons called yudhājit and devamīḍuṣa... king anamitra who has no non-friends, who is a conqueror of his enemies and who stands undefeated, had a son called nighna... this king nighna had two valiant sons called prasena-jit, satrā-jit who are the conquerors of enemies and armies of their enemies...
Out of these two, prasena-jit, while living in dvāra-vati, aka dvāraka city, acquired a rare jewel called syamantaka-maṇi on seashore... that episode is like this:
syamantopākhyānam: episode of syamantaka-jewel
tasya satrājitaḥ sūryaḥ sakhā prāṇa samaḥ abhavat || 1-38-14
sa kadācit niśa-apāye rathena rathināṁ varaḥ |
abdhi-kūlam upaspraṣṭuṁ upasthātuṁ yayau ravim || 1-38-15
tasya upatiṣṭhataḥ sūryaṁ vivasvān agrataḥ sthitaḥ |
a-spaṣṭa mūrtiḥ bhagavān tejo-maṇḍalavān prabhuḥ || 1-38-16
atha rājā vivasvantam uvāca sthitam agrataḥ |
satrā-jit is an intransigent worshiper of sūrya, the sun... at one time after the expiration of the night that foremost of chariot-warriors, namely satrā-jit, ascended his chariot and went to seashore to offer prayers to the dawning sun, after offering oceanic water to him and to stand directly before him... then vivasvān, aka the sun appeared to him all of a sudden... because the sun is unseeable for naked eye owing to his solar effulgence, the sun appeared before satrā-jit in an unclear form... then the king said to the sun-god like this:
yatha evaṁ vyomni paśyāmi sadā tvāṁ jyotiṣāṁ-pate || 1-38-17
tejo-maṇḍalinaṁ devaṁ tatha eva purataḥ sthitam |
kaḥ viśeṣo asti me tvattaḥ sakhyena upagatasya vai || 1-38-18
O lord of rays, although you are before me, I see thee in thy same circular effulgent form, in which I always behold thee in the sky... but, thou hast appeared before me in a helio-graphical form... as a devotee of yours what special favour have I from thee, as your eidolon has now appeared friendlily..."
etat śrutvā tu bhagavān maṇi-ratnaṁ syamantakam |
sva-kaṇṭhāt avamucya eva ekānte nyastavān vibhuḥ |
tato vigrahavantaṁ taṁ dadarsha nṛpatiḥ tadā || 1-38-19
prītimān atha taṁ dṛṣṭvā muhūrtaṁ kṛtavān kathām || 1-38-20
Hearing this, and knowing the wish of satrā-jit, the sun-god took the peeress jewel syamantaka-maṇi from around his neck and placed it on seashore, adjacent to satrā-jit, as if to test his greed to grab it... though satrā-jit has noticed the jewel on seashore, he did not bother for that jewel, and gone on extolling the sun-god for some more time...
tam api prasthitaṁ bhūyo vivasvantaṁ sa satrajit |
lokān udbhāsayasi etān yena tvaṁ satataṁ prabho |
tat etat maṇi-ratnaṁ me bhagavan dātum arhasi || 1-38-21
tataḥ syamantakamaṇiṁ dattavān tasya bhāskaraḥ |
While the sun-god is about to leave the king satrā-jit again prayed for his grace, “O lord, it behoveth thee to confer upon me this effulgent jewel with which thou dost always light these worlds, as it were, since thou hast forsaken it on seashore..." Thereupon bhāskara, the sun-god, who is in the know of preset situations, bestowed that magnificent jewel syamantaka-maṇi on satrā-jit and made his phantasma to vanish from there...
sa tam Abadhya nagarīṁ pravivesha mahīpatiḥ || 1-38-22
taṁ janāḥ paryadhāvanta sūryaḥ ayaṁ gacchatīti ha |
purīṁ vismāpayitvā ca rājā tu antaḥpuraṁ yayau || 1-38-23
Wearing the pendant with dangling syamantaka-jewel the king entered his city whereupon all the amazed city-dwellers ran helter-skelter shouting, “the sun-god is coming... sun-god is coming...” and the king mirthful about it, entered his palace-chambers...
tat prasenajitaṁ divyaṁ maṇiratnaṁ syamantakam |
dadau bhrātre narapatiḥ premṇā satrājit uttamam || 1-38-24
At certain time, king satrā-jit gave that peerless celestial jewel syamantaka to his brother prasena-jit with brotherly affection to wear it for some time...
sa maṇiḥ syandate rukmaṁ vṛṣṇi andhaka niveshane |
kāla-varṣī ca parjanyo na ca vyādhi bhayaṁ hi abhūt || 1-38-25
The speciality of that jewel is, it used to produce gold, to the utmost, in the palace of vṛṣṇi-s and andhakā-s, and the rain-god used to pour showers in due season and there is no fear of disease in the vicinity of that jewel... all this, owing to the divine power of that jewel...
lipsāṁ cakre prasenāt tu maṇiratne syamantake |
govindo na ca tat lebhe śaktaḥ api na jahāra saḥ || 1-38-26
As such, govinda, aka krishna, thought that he is a better choice to have that jewel than prasena-jit... accordingly he asked satrā-jit to spare the jewel but in vain... though govinda is capable he did not take it from satrā-jit by force, or pilfer it from him, but stayed away from it...
kadācit mṛgayāṁ yātaḥ prasenaḥ tena bhūṣitaḥ |
syamantaka kṛte siṁhāt vadhaṁ prāpa vanecarāt || 1-38-27
atha siṁhaṁ pradhāvantamṛkṣa-rājo mahābalaḥ |
nihatya maṇiratnaṁ tat ādāya bilam āviśat || 1-38-28
At certain time, prasena-jit went out for hunting adorning that jewel... in the process of hunting-game a lion spotting that jewel on the chest of prāsena-jit construed it to be a ball of red meat, killed prasena-jit, and fled with that meat-ball-like jewel... when this lion with jewel in its mouth is on its way, a mighty bear, called jāmbavanta, saw that lion and killed it, took possession of that jewel, and hibernated into his cave...
tato vṛṣṇi andhakāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ prasena vadha kāraṇāt |
prārthanāṁ tāṁ maṇer buddhvā sarva eva śaśaṅkire || 1-38- 29
sa śaṅkyamāno dharmātmā na kārī tasya karmaṇaḥ |
āhariṣye maṇim iti pratijṣāya vanaṁ yayau || 1-38-30
yatra praseno mṛgayām Acharat tatra ca api atha |
Hearing of the death of prasena-jit, all the members of vṛṣṇi and andhaka families entertained suspicions against kṛṣṇa, because they knew that kṛṣṇa had a fancy for that jewel... knowing their suspicion and without rebutting them, the virtuous-souled kṛṣṇa, resolved, “I must restore the jewel to its owner...' and set out for the forest, along with some staunch supporters like bala-rāma et al, where prasena-jit went for hunting...
prasenasya padaṁ gṛhya puruṣaiḥ āpta kāribhiḥ || 1-38-31
ṛkṣavantaṁ giri-varaṁ vindhyaṁ ca girim uttamam|
ānveṣayan pariśrāntaḥ sa dadarsha mahāmanāḥ || 1-38-32
sa-aśvaṁ hataṁ prasenaṁ vai na avindat ca icchitaṁ maṇim|
atha siṁhaḥ prasenasya śarīrasya avidūrataḥ || 1-38-33
ṛkṣeṇa nihato dṛṣṭaḥ pādaiḥ ṛkṣaḥ ca sūchitaḥ |
pādaiḥ anveṣayāmāsa guhām ṛkṣasya mādhavaḥ || 1-38-34
kṛṣṇa and his search party followed the footprints of prasena-jit and ransacked Mt. ṛkṣavanta and Mt. vindhya in vain, whereupon kṛṣṇa fatigued... just then he saw prasena-jit and his horse killed there... though the jewel is not there on the body of prasena-jit, some lion’s footprints are there proceeding from him... continuing further search for the course of lion, he then saw the dead lion indicated to have been killed by some gigantic bear, surmised by bear’s footprints... tracking down the footprints of the bear mādhava reached mouth of the cave of jāmbavanta in vindhya range...
mahati ṛkṣa bile vāṇīṁ śuśrāva pramada ītām |
dhātryā kumāram ādāya sutaṁ jāmbavato nṛpa |
krīḍāpayantyā maṇinā mā rodīḥ iti atha īritām || 1-38-35
kṛṣṇa then heard a female voice coming from the chasmic cave of that bear, of a nurse who is giving play with the jewel brought by jāmbavān, namely syamantaka-jewel, to the child of jāmbavanta saying, `do not weep... child, do not weep..."
dhātri uvāca: nurse said:
siṁhaḥ prasenam avadhīt siṁho jāmbavatā hataḥ |
sukumāraka mā rodīḥ tava hi eṣa syamantakaḥ || 1-38-36
“A lion killed prasena and took this jewel; jāmbavān killed that lion and took this jewel and brought it home... therefore, O my good boy, sukumāraka, do not weep... this jewel syamantaka is for you..."
su-vyaktī-kṛta śabdaḥ tu tūṣṇīṁ bilam atha āviśat |
prāviśya cāpi bhagavān tam ṛkṣa bilam aṣjasā || 1- 38-37
sthāpayitvā bila-dvāri yadūn llāṅgalinā saha |
śārṅga dhanvā bilasthaṁ tu jāmbavantaṁ dadarsha ha || 1-38-38
yuyudhe vāsudevaḥ tu bile Jāmbavatā saha |
bāhubhyām eva govindo divasān eka vimśatiṁ || 1-38-39
These words have explicitly stated that the jewel is inside the cave, hence kṛṣṇa quickly entered it, keeping the yādava-s along with his plough-wilding brother bala-rāma at the mouth of the cave as an outpost, and taking his bow called śārṅga with him... in the entrails of that cave govinda saw the beamy jewel, while the nurse attending the boy saw kṛṣṇa and yelled, whereby jāmbavān entered and saw the intruder... then there ensued a horrible fistfight between kṛṣṇa and jāmbavān for twenty-one days...
praviṣte tu bilaṁ kṛṣṇe baladeva puraḥsarāḥ |
purīṁ dvāravatīm etya hataṁ kṛṣṇaṁ nyavedayan || 1-38-40
Some days after kṛṣṇa’s entrance into the cave all the yādavā-s stationed at the mouth of the cave, headed by bala-deva, surmised that kṛṣṇa had been slain, thus returned to dvāraka to announce the same...
vāsudevaḥ tu nirjitya jāṁbavantaṁ mahābalam |
bheje jāṁbavatīṁ kanyām ṛkṣa-rājasya saṁmatām |
maṇiṁ syamantakaṁ caiva jagrāha ātma vishuddhaye|| 1-38-41
anunīya rkṣarājānaṁ niryayau ca tadā bilāt |
After twenty-one days when kṛṣṇa defeated jāmbavanta in fistfight, jāmbavanta yielded and gave his jewelly daughter jāmba-vati to kṛṣṇa in marriage along with the jewel syamantaka-maṇi... though kṛṣṇa is not supposed to take that jewel as a gift, or as a dowry from the thanksgiver, praṇata, he had took it only to disprove the aspersion cast on him... then, on thanking jāmbavān for bestowing his daughter as a wife, kṛṣṇa exited from the cave to return to dvāraka city...
dvārakām agamat kṛṣṇaḥ śriyā paramayā yutaḥ || 1-38-42
evaṁ sa maṇim āhṛtya vishoddhya ātmanam achyutaḥ |
dadau satrājite taṁ vai sarva sāttvata saṁsadi || 1-38-43
evaṁ mithya abhishaptena kṝṣṇena a-mitra-ghātinā |
ātmā viśodhitaḥ pāpāt vinirjitya syamantakam || 1-38-44
When he is entering dvāraka city he seemed to be in possession of highest fortune anew, owing to the presence of both the jewels lady jāmbavati and divine syamantaka-maṇi... then to remain in the clear, kṛṣṇa arranged for a meeting of all sattvatā-s, i.e. andhaka, vṛṣṇi yādavā-s, in which he detailed what all has happened, and restored syamantaka jewel to its owner, namely satrā-jit...
In this way, that enemy-slayer kṛṣṇa, who had been blamed falsely, cleared himself of the blame by securing the syamantaka-jewel...
satrājito daśa tu āsan bhāryāḥ tāsāṁ śataṁ sutāḥ |
khyātimantaḥ trayaḥ teṣāṁ bhaṅgakāraḥ tu pūrvajaḥ || 1-38-45
vīro vātapatiḥ caiva upasvāvān ca te trayaḥ |
kumāryaḥ cāpi tisro vai dikṣu khyātā narādhipa || 1-38-46
satyabhāma uttamā strīṇāṁ vratinī ca dṛḍha-vratā |
tathā prasvāpinī caiva bhāryāṁ kṛṣṇāya tāṁ dadau || 1-38-47
samākṣo bhaṅgakāriḥ tu nāreyaḥ ca narottamau |
jajṣāte guṇa-saṁpannau vishrutau rūpa-saṁpadā || 1-38-48
satrā-jit had ten wives who gave birth to a hundred sons. Of them three are well-known: bhaṅgakāra is the eldest, the heroic vāta-pati is the second, and upasvāvān is the third... O, king janamejaya, he also had three daughters well-known in all the quarters, namely lady satya-bhāma, a magnificent lady - both in beauty and wealth; lady vratini of firm vows is the second; lady prasvāpini is the third... satrā-jit married them all with kṛṣṇa... bhaṅgakāra, the eldest son of satrā-jit, had two sons namely, samākśa and nareyu, who are renowned for their charm and virtue...
mādrī putrasya jajṣe'tha pṛśniḥ putro yudhājitaḥ |
jajṣāte tanayau pṛśneḥ śva-phalkaḥ citrakaḥ tathā || 1-38-49
śvaphalkaḥ kāśi rājasya sutāṁ bhāryām avindata |
gāṁdinīṁ nāma tasyāḥ ca sadā gāḥ pradadau pitā || 1-38-50
tasyāṁ jajṣe mahābāhuḥ śrutavān iti viśrutaḥ |
akrūraḥ atha mahābhāgo yajvā vipula-dakṣiṇaḥ || 1-38-51
kroṣṭu’s last wife lady mādri gave birth to a son called ydhā-jit... he had son pṛśni... this pṛśni begot two sons called shva-phalka and citraka... shva-phalka married the daughter of kāśi’s king, namely lady gāṁdini, which princess had a vow to donate a cow per day, and this pair, shva-phalka and lady gāṁdini, gave birth to a valiant king who is renowned as scholar, and who performed vedic rituals accompanied with profuse gifts, called akrūra...
upāsaṅgaḥ tathā maṅguḥ mṛduraḥ ca arimejayaḥ |
giri-kṣipaḥ tatha upekṣaḥ śatru-hā ca ari-mardanaḥ || 1-38-52
dharma-bṛt yati-dharmā ca gṛdhra-bhojaḥ andhakaḥ tathā |
subāhuḥ prati-bāhuḥ ca sundarī ca varāṅganā || 1-38-53
viśrutā sāṁba mahiṣī kanyā ca asya vasundharā |
rūpa yauvana saṁpannā sarva sattva manoharā || 1-38-54
Lady gāṁdīni delivered some more sons that are: upāsaṅga, maṅgu, mṛdura, arimejaya, giri-kṣipa, upekṣa, śatru-hā, ari-mardana, dharma-bṛt, yati-dharma, gṛdhra-bhoja, andhaka, subāhu, and prati-bāhu... lady gāṁdīni also delivered a beautiful girl named lady varāṅgana, [or, a curvaceous girl called sundari...] who is the renowned wife of sāṁba... this pair, sāṁba and lady sundari begot a daughter called lady vasundhara, who is endowed with beauty and youth, and who is charming to one and all...
akrūreṇa ugrasenyāṁ tu sutau dvau kurunandana|
sudevaḥ ca upadevaḥ ca jajṣāte devavarchasau || 1-38-55
akrūra begat two sons on the daughter of ugrasena, namely su-deva and upa-deva, who are both effulgent like the celestials...
citrakasya abhavat putrāḥ pṛthuḥ vi-pṛthuḥ eva ca|
aśva-grīvaḥ aśva-bāhuḥ ca su-pārśvaka gaveṣaṇau || 1-38-56
ariṣṭanemeḥ aśvaḥ ca su-dharmā dharma-bhṛt tathā |
subāhuḥ bahu-bāhuḥ ca śraviṣṭha śravaṇe striyau || 1-38-57
citraka, shva-phalka’s brother, had sons called pṛthu, vi-pṛthu, aśva-grīva, aśva-bāhu, su-pārśvaka, gaveṣaṇa, ariṣṭanemi, ashva, su-dharma, dharma-bhṛt, su-bāhu, and bahu-bāhu... and two daughters called śraviṣṭha and śravaṇa...
imāṁ mithyābhiśastiṁ yaḥ kṛṣṇasya samudāhṛtām |
veda mithyābhiśāpāstaṁ na spṛśanti kadācana || 1-38- 58
He, who reads of this false accusation against kṛṣṇa, suffers from no such thing in his life...
--o)0(o--
iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe harivaṁśa parvaṇi bhajamāna vaṁśaḥ – syamantakopākhyānam – nāma aṣṭatriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ
Thus, this is the thirty-eigth chapter of first canto called harivamsha-parva, in harivamśa-purāṇa, the sequel of mahābhārata, narrating the dynasty of bhajamāna along with the legend of syamantaka–jewel.
39 - akrūra caritam - legend of akrūra - legend of syamantaka-jewel [contd]
vaiśampāyana uvāca : vaiśampāyana continued:
yat tat satrājite kṛṣṇo maṇi-ratnaṁ syamantakam |
adāt tat dhārayāmāsa babhrur vai śatadhanvanā || 1-39-1
yadā hi prārthayāmāsa satyabhāmām aninditām |
akrūro antaram anvicchan maṇiṁ caiva syamantakam || 1-39-2
satrājitaṁ tato hatvā śata-dhanvā mahābalaḥ |
rātrau tat maṇim ādāya tato akrūrāya dattavān || 1-39-3
King akrūra of babhru family had a long time desire to possess syamantaka-jewel, for which purpose, he asked satrā-jit for the hand of the virtuous lady satya-bhāma... but when he found that the jewel had been stolen by kṛṣṇa he is mortified, and when kṛṣṇa returned it to satrā-jit, his desire is freshened... but now satyabhama is not there with satrājit to seek in marriage... hence he conspired with shata-dhanva, the son of hṛdīka, another bhoja, to ‘somehow’ bring the jewel, but shatadhanva ignobly murdered satrājit in the mid of night, stole the jewel, and trusted it over to king akrūra...
In other readings akrūra did not say to shatadhanva to murder satājit in the mid of the night like a coward. But shatadhanva did so out of his devilish greed, and he brings the jewel to akrūra requesting him to hide it, which akrūra refuses in the first instance, and accepts at a later stage.
In fact there are three who tried to gain satyabhāma, as well as the jewel... they are akrūra, kṛta-varma, and this shata-dhanva; all the three felt underrated when bhāma and jewel are given to kṛṣṇa, hence the revenge. This has got parallels with rukmiṇi-kalyāṇa legend.
akrūraḥ tu tato ratnam ādāya bharatarṣabha |
samayaṁ kārayāṁ cakre na a-vedyo ahaṁ tvaya iti uta || 1-39-4
vayam abhyupayāsyāmaḥ kṛṣṇena tvām abhidrutam |
mama adya dvārakā sarvā vashe tiṣṭhati asaṁśayam || 1-39-5
Taking that jewel from shatadhanva, akrūra made a pact with him saying, “If kṛṣṇa attacks you, we both will have to counter-attack him, because we both are sailing in the same boat close to the wind called kṛṣṇa... hence, I wish you’d not divulge that the jewel is with me now... forsooth, the whole of dvārka is now under my control, no doubt about it...” saying so akrūra left for the city kāśi...
hate pitari duḥkha ārtā satyabhāmā yaśasvinī |
prayayau ratham āruhya nagaraṁ vāraṇāvatam || 1-39-6
satyabhāmā tu tat vṛttaṁ bhojasya śatadhanvanaḥ |
bhartur nivedya duḥkha ārtā pārśvastha aśrūn nyavartayat || 1-39-7
pāṇḍavānāṁ tu dagdhānāṁ hariḥ kṛtva udaka kriyām |
kulya arthe cāpi pāṇḍūnāṁ nyayojayata sātyakim || 1-39-8
tataḥ tvaritam āgatya dvārakāṁ madhusūdanaḥ |
When her father king satrājit is murdered, the illustrious satyabhāma is perturbed and repaired to the city of vāraṇāvata on a chariot, where kṛṣṇa is attending the funeral rites of pāṇḍavā-s that are by then burnt in the lac house built by duryodhana... reaching there she clung to her husband in anguish, and tearfully informed him what shatadhanva of the bhoja race had perpetrated...
Then madhusūdana assigned the duty of attending the funeral rites of pāṇḍavā-s to sātyaki and reached dvāraka post-haste...
pārśvastha= in the flank, clung to; kulya arthe= funeral rite, for the purpose of – for continuing.
pūrvajaṁ halinaṁ śrīmān idaṁ vacanam abravīt || 1-39-9
hataḥ prasenaḥ siṁhena satrājit śatadhanvanā |
syamantakaḥ sa mat gāmī tasya prabhuḥ ahaṁ vibho || 1-39-10
tat āroha rathaṁ śīghraṁ bhojaṁ hatvā mahābalam |
syamantako mahābāho hi asmākaṁ sa bhaviṣyati || 1-39-11
On reaching dvāraka kṛṣṇa spoke like this to his elder brother bala-rāma, the plough-wielder: “as to how a lion killed prasena-jit, shatadhanvana killed satrā-jit... feral avid coups... somehow, that jewel syamantaka is advancing towards me, and hence I shall be its freeholder... therefore, 0 mighty armed hero, let us go to eliminate that highly powerful shatadhanva... let us enchariot immediately to begin the foray... then make that syamantaka-jewel as ours...
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṁ tumulaṁ bhoja kṛṣṇayoḥ |
śatadhanvā tato'krūram avaikṣat sarvato disham || 1-39-12
saṁrabdhau tau ubhau dṛṣṭvā tatra bhoja janārdanau |
śakto'pi śāṭhyāt hārdikyam akrūro na abhyapadyata || 1-39-13
There ensued a terrible battle between shatadhanva of bhojā-s and kṛṣṇa, in which shatadhanva, unable to fight with both janārdanā-s, kṛṣṇa and bala-rāma, looked ahead to the help from akrūra, but in vain... though akrūra is capable, somehow, he has not come to the succour of the demoralised shatadhanva, the son of hṛ+dīka...
apa-yāne tato buddhiṁ bhojaḥ cakre bhaya-arditaḥ |
yojanānāṁ śataṁ sa agraṁ hayayā pratyapadyata || 1-39-14
vikhyātā hṛdayā nāma śata-yojana-gāminī |
bhojasya vaḍavā rājan yayā kṛṣṇam ayodhayat || 1-39-15
kṣīṇāṁ javena ca hayām adhvanaḥ shata-yojane |
dṛṣṭvā rathasya tāṁ vṛddhiṁ śatadhanvānamārdayat || 1-39-16
tataḥ tasyā hayāyāḥ tu śramāt khedāt ca bhārata |
kham utpetur atha prāṇāḥ kṛṣṇo rāmam athābravīt || 1-39-17
Thereat stricken with fear shatadhanwa thought of fleeing, and suddenly galloped a distance of a hundred yojanā-s in fright, because he has a horse called hṛdaya which can zip for a maximum of hundred yojanā-s in a single scoot... yet, kṛṣṇa’s chariot chased him with twice that speed, as it were, because the horses yoked to his chariot, namely sainya, sugrīva, megha-puṣpa, valāhaka, are more horsepowered in mpm, [miles per minute] speed... seeing the pace of the chasing chariot of kṛṣṇa, shatadhanva charged his horse to quickly cover more distance, but it collapsed since it is overcharged, and the lives of that horse galloped skyward,... dismounting the dead horse then shatadhanva started to run on foot...
tiṣṭhasva iha mahābāho dṛṣṭa-doṣā hayā mayā |
padbhyāṁ gatvā hariṣyāmi manī-ratnaṁ syamantakam || 1-39-18
Then kṛṣṇa said to his brother bala-rāma: "O mighty armed brother, please stay here for a while... there appears a drawback with our horses- dṛṣṭa-doṣā hayā... they need rest... that desperado took to his feet... so, I too will chase him on foot and expropriate - hariṣyāmi - that syamantaka-jewel...” then bala-rāma stayed behind and kṛṣṇa ran after shatadhanva...
Or
Then kṛṣṇa said to his brother bala-rāma: "O mighty armed brother, please stay here for a while... there appears a drawback with his horse... it is put to rest - dṛṣṭa-doṣā hayā – that desperado took to his feet... so, I too will chase him on foot and help myself to - hariṣyāmi - that syamantaka-jewel...” then bala-rāma stayed behind and kṛṣṇa ran after shatadhanva...
padbhyām eva tato gatvā śatadhanvānam achyutaḥ |
mithilām abhito rājan jaghāna parama astra vit || 1-39-19
syamantakaṁ ca na apashyat hatvā bojaṁ mahābalam |
nivṛttaṁ ca abravīt kṛṣṇaṁ ratnaṁ dehi iti lāṅgalī || 1-39-20
na asti iti kṛṣṇaḥcha uvāca tato rāmo ruṣānvitaḥ |
Thereupon, o king janamejaya, going on foot, achyuta aka kṛṣṇa, highly skilled in the use of arms, killed shatadhanwa almost near at mithila province... though kṛṣṇa slew the highly powerful bhoja king shatadhanva, he did not find syamantaka-jewel on his body, and he cheerlessly got back to his brother... seeing kṛṣṇa’s return from his pursuit balarāma asked him "where is that jewel... give it me..." “It is not there with him... my effort is bootless...” said kṛṣṇa to balarāma...
dhik śabdam asakṛt kṛtvā prati uvāca janārdanam || 1-39-21
bhrātṛtvāt marṣayāmi eṣa svasti te astu vrajāmi aham |
kṛtyaṁ na me dvārakayā na tvayā na ca vṛṣṇibhiḥ || 1-39-22
Thereat bala-rāma is enraged repeatedly exclaiming “Fie, fie upon you..." and he said to janārdana, "so far, I have been countenancing your hoaxes and humbugs because you are my brother... no more of it... now, I have nothing to do with you or with vṛṣṇi-s, or with dvāraka... let me break our bonds asunder... fare thee well, for I must leave thee...”
pravivesha tato rāmo mithilām ari-mardanaḥ |
sarva kāmaiḥ upachitaiḥ maithilena abhipūjitaḥ || 1-39-23
bala-rāma thus parting with kṛṣṇa went to mithila city where the king of mithila received him reverently, providing all meetly comforts... and bala-rāma stayed there for sometime...
etasmin eva kāle tu babhrur matimatāṁ varaḥ |
nānā rūpān kratūn sarvān ājahāra nirargalān || 1-39-24
dīkṣām ayaṁ sa kavacaṁ rakṣa arthaṁ pravivesha ha |
syamantaka-kṛte prājṣo gāndī-putro mahāyaśāḥ || 1-39-25
atha ratnāni ca agryāṇi dravyāṇi vividhāni ca |
ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣāṇi dharmātmā yajṣeṣu viniyojayat || 1-39-26
akrūra yajṣā iti te khyātāḥ tasya mahātmanaḥ |
bahu anna dakṣiṇāḥ sarve sarva kāma pradāyinaḥ || 1-39-27
In the meanwhile the most intelligent akrūra, the dynast of babhru, collecting various articles at the beneficence of syamantaka-jewel, which procuration is otherwise not-so-easy affair, embarked to perform numerous vedic rituals; that highly illustrious son of lady gāndini, namely akrūra, entering into the initiatory rites of vedic rituals, which served him like an armour – dīkśa kavacam - he employed most excellent jewels, numerous other articles, and distributed a variety foodstuffs and donations, free-for-all in those rituals; thus he continued to perform vedic rituals for sixty years, whereby those vedic rituals of that high-souled akrūra, have been denominated for their lavish performing as ‘akrūra yajṣā-s’, vedic rituals of akrūra...
atha duryodhano rājā gatvā tu mithilāṁ prabhuḥ |
gadā-śikṣāṁ tato divyāṁ balabhadrāt avāptavān || 1-39-28
During the period of balarāma’s stay at mithila city, duryodhana of kauravā-s went to mithila and learned the intricacies of mace-fight from balarāma...
prasādya tu tato rāmo vṛṣṇi andhaka mahārathaiḥ |
ānīto dvārakām eva kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā || 1-39-29
Later, kṛṣṇa, along with other chariot-warriors of vṛṣṇi and andhaka dynasties like ugrasena et al. went to mithila and propitiated balarāma to come home establishing that syamantaka jewel is not in his custody, and when balarāma became flexile, then they led him forth to dvāraka...
akrūraḥ tu andhakaiḥ sārdham atha āyāt bharatarṣabha |
hatvā satrājitaṁ yuddhe saha bandhuṁ mahābalam || 1-39-30
jṣāti bheda bhayāt kṛṣnaḥ tam upekṣitavān atha |
Much later to the murder of satrājit by shatadhanva, and later to akrūra’s performance of vedic rituals etc, there occurred a tussle among yādava clansmen and one yādava killed another yādava, named shatrughna... akrūra took the side of killed yādava, and there ensued a skirmish, in which akrūra’s side is defeated and he fled along with fleeing andhaka kinsmen... noticing further infighting among his own clansmen, kṛṣṇa remained unflappable...
This verse is a kliṣṭānvayi – cumbersome to parse. Where is akrūra in all these days, in kāśi, mathura or in dvāraka... performing huge vedic rituals without the knowledge of kṛṣṇa... etc, etc questions will pop up, with this and next verses...
apa-yāte tatha akrūre na avarṣat pākaśāsanaḥ || 1-39-31
anāvṛṣṭyā yadā rājyam abhavat bahudhā kṛśam |
tataḥ prasādayāmāsur akrūraṁ kukura andhakāḥ || 1-39-32
punaḥ dvāravatīṁ prāpte tasmin dānapatau tataḥ |
pravavarṣe sahasrākṣaḥ kacche jala-nidheḥ tadā || 1-39-33
When akrūra went away indra did not cause rain... and when the country is cripplingly devastated with famine, then kukurā-s and andhakā-s began to assuage akrūra...and when the liberal akrūra returned to dvāraka the thousand-eyed indra began to discharge showers on the sea coast where dvāraka is situated...
kacche= sa+jale; tīra pradeshe; hence, the name Kutch, in Rann of Kutch, near at gujarāt.
kanyāṁ ca vāsudevāyā svasāraṁ śīla-saṁmatām |
akrūraḥ pradadau dhīmān prītyarthaṁ kurunandana || 1-39-34
“O, janamejaya, the dynast of kurus... besides, the intelligent akrūra gave his chastely sister to kṛṣṇa in order to please him...
atha vijṣāya yogena kṛṣṇo babhru gataṁ maṇim |
sabhā-madhye gataṁ prāha tam akrūraṁ janārdanaḥ || 1-39-35
yat tat ratnaṁ maṇi-varaṁ tava hasta gataṁ vibho |
tat prayacchasva mānārhaṁ mayi mā an-āryakaṁ kṛthāḥ || 1-39-36
ṣaṣṭi varṣe gate kāle yat roṣo abhūt mama anagha |
sa saṁrūḍho asakṛt prāptaḥ tataḥ kāla atyayo mahān || 1-39-37
Guessing by his riches and liberality so far shown by akrūra, kṛṣṇa concluded that the syamantaka jewel must be with him alone... then janārdana said to him in the midst of an assembly, "cede that syamantaka-jewel that is in thy possession so far, O king akrūra, to me... let honour be with you... no swindling please... the wrath raked in me by a series of arraignments levelled at me, just owing to that jewel, has not subsided for the last sixty years... much is the time that lapsed in this hide-and-seek... so, show it up...
tataḥ kṛṣṇasya vacanāt sarva sāttvata saṁsadi |
pradadau taṁ maṇiṁ babhrur akleshena mahāmatiḥ || 1-39-38
tataḥ tam ārjava-prāptaṁ babhror hastāt ariṁdamaḥ |
dadau hṛṣṭa-manāḥ kṝṣṇaḥ taṁ maṇiṁ babhrave punaḥ || 1-39-39
sa kṛṣṇa hastāt saṁprāptaṁ maṇiratnaṁ syamantakam |
ābadhya gāndhinī putro virarāja aṁśumān iva || 1-39-40
Thereupon at the counsel of kṛṣṇa the high-minded akrūra unexcitedly, took off his upper cloth, untied a parcel tied at its end, took out a golden casket, opened it and exposed syanataka-jewel whereby the whole assembly became fulgent... then akrūra gave the jewel to kṛṣṇa in the midst of the assembled sātwatā-s, aka yādavās... receiving the jewel from akrūra who gave it away with all simplicity, hari, the repressor of enemies, trifled with it for some time, and returned it to akrūra, as a restitution, with a delighted heart... on receiving the jewel from kṛṣṇa 's hands akrūra, the son of lady gāndini, without concealing it anymore, now hung it loose on his chest whereby he appeared dazzling like the sun...
kṛṣṇa toyed with that jewel for sometime pondering as to who should possess it. There are only three people to have it; firstly, it is lady bhāma who should have it; but her brusqueness does not warrant it; then comes tāla-dhvaja, aka bala-rāma, named so because his ensign is palm-tree; but he is a happy-go-lucky personality least bothered for making much of rituals etc, but much bothered for wine-and-dine affairs; next comes kṛṣṇa himself; he cannot go on sitting to peacefully perform rituals and patiently go on giving carities, leaving other works. So, it is akrūra who remained as the best of bad lot to have the jewel.
These celestial items like jewels, chariots, bows etc, obtained needlessly, will not stay in someone’s house without calamities, if that householder is unscrupulous about them. This syamantaka jewel is a giver. It gives loads and loads of gold etc whenever requisitioned. At the same time, it insists on the circulation of wealth it has given, through philanthropy. Neither satrājit, nor prasena-jit, nor shatadhanva are givers in take-and-give syndrome. So, they ceased to exist, one by one. Hence, kṛṣṇa chicaned balarāma out of it. Ultimately, because kṛṣṇa is also not a laissez-aller-giver, he thought that it is better akrūra have this jewel because he already opened some free-distribution centres of all sorts.
yaḥ tu evaṁ śṛṇuyāt nityaṁ shuchir bhūtvā samāhitaḥ |
sukhānāṁ sakalānāṁ ca phala bhāgi iha jāyate || 1-39-41
A-brahma bhuvanāt cāpi yaśaḥ khyātiḥ na saṁśayaḥ |
bhaviṣyati nṛpaśreṣṭha satyam etat bravīmi te || 1-39-42
He who listens to this episode of syamantaka-jewel collectedly with a spiritual-mind will acquire all the desired fruits in this world and his renown ascends even up to the abode of brahma... I tell this truly...
--o)0(o--
iti śrīmanmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe harivaṁśaparvaṇi – akrūra caritam nāma -
ekonacatvāriṁśo'dhyāyaḥ
Thus, this is the thirty-ninth chapter of first canto called harivamsha-parva, in harivamśa-purāṇa, the sequel of mahābhārata, narrating the legend of akrūra, along with the legend of syamantaka–jewel.