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| Syamantaka Gem Story Photo Credit: 4 to 40 Stories |
The jewel was returned to its resting place upon the altar in Satrajit’s home, and Krishna and Satyabhama were married. This infuriated her three suitors, Akrura, Kritavarma, and Shatadhanwa. Now, Shatadhanwa was angered beyond the others. Waiting for an opportune time, he plotted how he would take revenge on Satrajit for his betrayal.
Shatadhanwa saw his opportunity to seek his revenge when Krishna journeyed with his brother, Balarama, to Hastinapura to take part in a family bereavement ceremony. After the Supreme Being left the village, Shatadhanwa, emboldened by the fury that still raged within his heart, barged into Satrajit’s home, oblivious to the cries of the women, and murdered Satrajit in cold blood in his sleep. He grabbed the jewel from its altar and fled.
His rage subsided by the time he walked through his own door. Realizing what he had done, he attempted to escape. Finding no refuge in the places he sought, he returned to his brother, Akrura.
Refusing to cross Lord Krishna, Akrura reminded his brother of Krishna’s great strength and encouraged him to surrender or flee. Shatadhanwa, perhaps hoping that returning the jewel would ease Krishna’s wrath, gave the Syamantaka to Akrura and fled on horseback away from the city.
In the meantime, Krishna’s wife, Satyabhama, who had been among the women who witnessed the crime, journeyed to Hastinapura to inform Krishna of her father’s vicious murder. Krishna and Balarama immediately set out to find and punish Satdhanwa.
They eventually caught him, and Krishna promptly killed him and began searching his possessions for the jewel. He told Balarama that the jewel was nowhere to be found, but Balarama grew suspicious that perhaps Krishna was not being forthright.
Thinking he had concealed it within his robes for his own gain, Balarama took leave of Krishna and returned to Hastinapura. Krishna, certain now that Shatadhanwa had given the jewel to Akrura (who happened also to be Krishna’s uncle), returned to Dwarka to inquire of its whereabouts.
Dismay overtook him when he discovered that the people of Dwarka had also grown suspicious of his motives when they learned that Balarama had left Krishna to return to Hastinapura.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Juhu, Mumbai: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1974.
2. Hudli, Anand. "Ganesha chaturthi, legends, and prayers." Hindu-Net. September 16, 1996. Accessed July 2012. http://www.hindunet.org/srh_home/1996_9/msg00099.html.
3. History and Mythology Blog. "ACK-119: Syamantaka Mani." Posted April 27, 2009. Accessed July 2012. http://hmindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/ack-119-syamantaka-mani.html.
4. Srhi2424. "Syamantaka Mani." HubPages. Last modified July 16, 2011. Accessed July 2012. http://shri2424.hubpages.com/hub/Syamantaka-Mani
*Clip art courtesy of The Graphics Fairy
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