Syamantaka
Encyclopedia
Syamantaka mani, or the Syamantaka Jewel, is perhaps the most famous jewel in Indian Mythology, supposed to be blessed with magical powers.
and the Bhagavata
. The jewel originally belonged to the Sun god, who wore it around his neck. It was said that whichever land possessed this jewel would never encounter any calamities in the form of natural disasters such as droughts, floods, earthquakes or famines, and would always be full of prosperity and plenitude. Wherever the jewel remained, it would produce for the keeper eight bhāras (or almost 1.5 tons) of gold daily (one tola = 11.7 grams; 8 tolas = one Pala or 93.6 grams; 2000 palas = one bhara or 187,200 grams / 1000 grams = 187.20 kilograms is a bhara; 8 bharas = 1,497.6 kilograms). It was also the source of the dazzling appearance of the Sun god.
, the Sun God, while walking along the sea shore, praying ardently, when the god himself appeared before him. Seeing the god in an indistinct and dazzling fiery shape, Satrajit asked him to appear in a less blinding form, so that he could see him clearly. On this the sun took the Syamantaka jewel off his neck, and Satrájit saw him of a dwarfish stature, with a body like burnished copper, and with slightly reddish eyes. Having offered his adorations, the sun offered him a boon, and he asked for the jewel. When Satrajit returned to Dwaraka with the jewel, people mistook him for the Sun God, such was his dazzling glory. Krishna asked him to present the jewel to Ugrasena
, the supreme leader of the Yadavas, but Satrajit did not comply.
, and was considered one of the seven immortals or Chiranjeevi.
Now there was a rumour that Lord Krishna
also had an eye on the Syamantaka jewel, and when the incident of Prasen's mysterious disappearance became public, the people accused Krishna of murder and theft. In order to prove his innocence, Krishna sought to find out the true culprit and recover the jewel. As he followed on the trail of the deceased Prasen, he came to the spot were the corpses of Prasen and his horse still lay, along with pieces of teeth and nails of a lion. From there he followed the footsteps of the lion, which led him to the spot of the second struggle, where the corpse of the lion was lying. From there, he followed the tracks of a bear, which finally led him to the entrance of Jambavan's cave, where the latter's children were playing with the priceless jewel. Thereafter, he engaged in furious, protracted combat with Jambavan for 21 days,but shri krishna not able to defeat jambvanta.in coarse of time krishna makeup as shri rama whom jambvanta worshiped.then jambvanta surrednder & hand over syamantaka mani to shri krishna.and returned to Dwaraka. He later married Jambavati
, Jambavan's daughter.
, who was endowed with all divine qualities. But the jewel He refused, returning it to King Satrajit.
were off to Hastinapura
after there were rumours that the Pandavas have been burnt to their deaths in a fire. Kritavarma
, Akrura and Satadhanwa, who had their eyes on the dazzling jewel, conspired to make use of Krishna's absence from Dwaraka as an opportunity. Satadhanva one night entered the house of Satrajit and killed him in his sleep, making off with the jewel.
A sorrowful Satyabhama rushed to Hastinapura to inform Krishna about the ghastly death of her father. Krishna and Balarama immediately started for Dwaraka to avenge Satrajit's death, hearing of which Satadhanwa fled on his horse, keeping the jewel with Akrura. He was chased down by Krishna and Balaram and finally killed by Krishna near Mithila
. Later Krishna returned to Dwaraka, and upon realizing that Akrura had already fled to Kashi with the Syamantaka jewel, summoned him up, and asked him to admit his guilt. When Akrura complied, Krishna let him keep it, on the condition that it was to remain in the city of Dwaraka.
diamond, which was known to have been in the possession of the Mughal
emperors of India, and at present is one of the Crown Jewels of England.
Whether the Syamantaka Gem is actually the Koh-i-Noor
diamond is unknown. The Koh-i-Noor, of course, does not match the superlative descriptions of the Syamantaka, and considerable poetic license would have to be assumed.
's gem). Even Amar Chitra Katha
comic books and many Indian artists make this mistake by showing that the Sun God is giving a blue sapphire to Satrajit. Also according to Jyotish or Planetary Gemology in the Navaratna
Ruby is the gem of the Sun
.
Two verses from the Bhagavat Purana, which describe Satrajit wearing the gem given to him by Surya
, the Sungod show that Syamantaka is a ruby.
The evidence and logic indicate that Syamantaka was a ruby
.
Origin
The story of Syamantaka appears in the Vishnu PuranaVishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
and the Bhagavata
Bhagavata
Bhagavata signifies in the context of Hinduism. In this context bhakti has the primary meaning of 'adoration', while Bhagavat means 'the Adorable One', and Bhagavata is a worshiper of the Adorable One...
. The jewel originally belonged to the Sun god, who wore it around his neck. It was said that whichever land possessed this jewel would never encounter any calamities in the form of natural disasters such as droughts, floods, earthquakes or famines, and would always be full of prosperity and plenitude. Wherever the jewel remained, it would produce for the keeper eight bhāras (or almost 1.5 tons) of gold daily (one tola = 11.7 grams; 8 tolas = one Pala or 93.6 grams; 2000 palas = one bhara or 187,200 grams / 1000 grams = 187.20 kilograms is a bhara; 8 bharas = 1,497.6 kilograms). It was also the source of the dazzling appearance of the Sun god.
A gift from the Sun God
On one occasion Satrajit, a Yadava nobleman, and a devotee of SuryaSurya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, the Sun God, while walking along the sea shore, praying ardently, when the god himself appeared before him. Seeing the god in an indistinct and dazzling fiery shape, Satrajit asked him to appear in a less blinding form, so that he could see him clearly. On this the sun took the Syamantaka jewel off his neck, and Satrájit saw him of a dwarfish stature, with a body like burnished copper, and with slightly reddish eyes. Having offered his adorations, the sun offered him a boon, and he asked for the jewel. When Satrajit returned to Dwaraka with the jewel, people mistook him for the Sun God, such was his dazzling glory. Krishna asked him to present the jewel to Ugrasena
Ugrasena
Ugrasena was the King of Mathura, a kingdom that was established after the various Yadava clans, which include the Vrishnis and Bhojas decided that the dividing states would unite as one and that the Kingship would not be subject to heredity and if decided not to be so, the succeeding leader...
, the supreme leader of the Yadavas, but Satrajit did not comply.
Theft and recovery
Satrajit later presented it to Prasen, his brother, who was also the ruler of a Yadava province. Prasen wore it often, until once while hunting in the forest while wearing it, he was attacked by a lion, which killed him and fled with the jewel. But it couldn't get away with it, for shortly after, it was attacked by Jambavan, described as king of the 'bears' or 'gorillas' according to different scriptures, who killed it after a fierce fight and took off with the booty. Jambavan was loyal to RamaRama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, and was considered one of the seven immortals or Chiranjeevi.
Now there was a rumour that Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
also had an eye on the Syamantaka jewel, and when the incident of Prasen's mysterious disappearance became public, the people accused Krishna of murder and theft. In order to prove his innocence, Krishna sought to find out the true culprit and recover the jewel. As he followed on the trail of the deceased Prasen, he came to the spot were the corpses of Prasen and his horse still lay, along with pieces of teeth and nails of a lion. From there he followed the footsteps of the lion, which led him to the spot of the second struggle, where the corpse of the lion was lying. From there, he followed the tracks of a bear, which finally led him to the entrance of Jambavan's cave, where the latter's children were playing with the priceless jewel. Thereafter, he engaged in furious, protracted combat with Jambavan for 21 days,but shri krishna not able to defeat jambvanta.in coarse of time krishna makeup as shri rama whom jambvanta worshiped.then jambvanta surrednder & hand over syamantaka mani to shri krishna.and returned to Dwaraka. He later married Jambavati
Jambavati
Jambavati is the only daughter of the king-bear Jambavan. Her story is told in the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana. She received the famous "Syamantaka Jewel" as a gift from her father and she married to Lord Krishna and occupied the third most prominent position of his eight principal queens...
, Jambavan's daughter.
Krishna's marriage to Satyabhama
Meanwhile Krishna's companions, having waited twelve days for Krishna to come out of the cave, returned to Dwaraka despondent. All of Krishna'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, Krishna 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 Krishna 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 Krishna accepted the hand of Satrajit's daughter, SatyabhamaSatyabhama
Satyabhama is the third wife of Lord Krishna, known for her strong will and tantrums.She is believed to be a partial avatar of Bhudevi.-Marriage:...
, who was endowed with all divine qualities. But the jewel He refused, returning it to King Satrajit.
Deaths of Satrajit and Satadhanwa
After a few days, Krishna and BalaramaBalarama
Balarama , also known as Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna in Hinduism. Within Vaishnavism Hindu traditions Balarama is worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu, and he is also listed as such in the Bhagavata Purana...
were off to Hastinapura
Hastinapura
Hastinapur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Hastinapur was the capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas, belonging to the Kuru dynasty of kings. The throne of this city was the prize over which the Kurukshetra War of the epic...
after there were rumours that the Pandavas have been burnt to their deaths in a fire. Kritavarma
Kritavarma
Kritavarma was an important Yadava warrior and chieftain, and a contemporary of Krishna. He finds mention in several ancient Sanskrit texts including the Mahābhārata, the Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana and the Harivamsa....
, Akrura and Satadhanwa, who had their eyes on the dazzling jewel, conspired to make use of Krishna's absence from Dwaraka as an opportunity. Satadhanva one night entered the house of Satrajit and killed him in his sleep, making off with the jewel.
A sorrowful Satyabhama rushed to Hastinapura to inform Krishna about the ghastly death of her father. Krishna and Balarama immediately started for Dwaraka to avenge Satrajit's death, hearing of which Satadhanwa fled on his horse, keeping the jewel with Akrura. He was chased down by Krishna and Balaram and finally killed by Krishna near Mithila
Mithila
Mithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...
. Later Krishna returned to Dwaraka, and upon realizing that Akrura had already fled to Kashi with the Syamantaka jewel, summoned him up, and asked him to admit his guilt. When Akrura complied, Krishna let him keep it, on the condition that it was to remain in the city of Dwaraka.
Legacy
The Puranas or the Mahabharata do not say what happens to the gem after the death of Krishna and the fall of Dwaraka. However, some speculate that the legendary Syamantaka Mani is none other than the famous Koh-i-NoorKoh-i-Noor
The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor...
diamond, which was known to have been in the possession of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperors of India, and at present is one of the Crown Jewels of England.
Whether the Syamantaka Gem is actually the Koh-i-Noor
Koh-i-Noor
The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor...
diamond is unknown. The Koh-i-Noor, of course, does not match the superlative descriptions of the Syamantaka, and considerable poetic license would have to be assumed.
Syamantaka Ruby or Shyamantaka Blue Sapphire?
A common mistake of spelling it wrongly as "Shyamantaka" has led to the incorrect idea that Syamantaka was a blue sapphire (SaturnSaturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
's gem). Even Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha Stories") is one of India's largest selling comic book series, with more than 90 million copies sold in 20 Indian languages. Founded in 1967, the imprint has more than 400 titles that retell stories from the great Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in a comic...
comic books and many Indian artists make this mistake by showing that the Sun God is giving a blue sapphire to Satrajit. Also according to Jyotish or Planetary Gemology in the Navaratna
Navaratna
Navaratna is literally a Sanskrit compound word meaning "nine gems".-Royal setting:The ancient origin of the 9 Gems—called Navaratna in Sanskrit, Hindi, Burmese, Indonesian, and Nepalese, Navarathinam in Tamil, Navarathnalu in Telugu,Navarathnam in Malayalam, Navaratne in Singhalese, Nopparat in...
Ruby is the gem of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
.
Two verses from the Bhagavat Purana, which describe Satrajit wearing the gem given to him by Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
, the Sungod show that Syamantaka is a ruby.
- “Wearing the jewel on his neck, Satrajit entered Dvaraka. He shone as brightly as the sun itself, O King, and thus he went unrecognized because of the jewel's effulgence”. - Ref. SB 10.56.4
- “As the people looked at Satrajit from a distance, his brilliance blinded them. They presumed he was the sun-god, SuryaSuryaSurya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
”. - Ref. SB 10.56.5
The evidence and logic indicate that Syamantaka was a ruby
Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
.