स्यमन्तकस्य च मणेरुपाख्यानमभीप्सितम् । तन्न श्रुतं महाभाग तन्मां व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
The story of the Syamantaka jewel is also desired; I have not heard it, O greatly fortunate one, you ought to explain it to me.
नारायण उवाच भाद्रशुक्लचतुर्थ्यां च तारकां हृत्वाञ्छशी । तां तत्याज स कृष्णायां गुरुस्तां च गृहीतवान्
Nārāyaṇa said: On the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bhādra, the moon, having seized Tārā, abandoned her for Kṛṣṇā; the preceptor then took her back.
गुरुणा भर्त्सिता तारा मगर्भा लज्जिता सती । शशाप लज्जया कोपाच्चन्द्रं कामातुरं पुरा
Rebuked by her preceptor, Tārā, chaste and ashamed, being pregnant, cursed the moon of old, out of shame and anger, for his lustfulness.
तारोवाच भव शापकलंकी त्वं यस्त्वां पश्यति देहभृत् । पापं दृष्ट्वा स पापी च कलंकी च भविष्यति
Tārā said: 'Become stained by a curse! Whoever, being embodied, looks upon you, seeing your blemish, will also become sinful and stained.'
इति श्रुत्वा स चन्द्रश्च नारायणसरोवरे । नारायणतपस्तप्त्वा मुमोच कृतपातकात्
Hearing this, the moon went to the lake of Nārāyaṇa; performing austerities to Nārāyaṇa, he was freed from his committed sin.
तपःक्लिष्टं च तं दृष्ट्वा भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः । तमुवाच महाभीतं कृपया च कृपानिधिः
Seeing him afflicted by austerities, the Blessed Supreme Person, the treasure of compassion, spoke to him, who was greatly afraid, with kindness.
श्रीभगवानुवाच मुक्तो भव कलंकी त्वं सर्वकालं कलानिधे । शापस्थानं तारकाया भाद्रे मासि सितासिते
The Blessed Lord said: 'Be freed, though stained, O repository of rays, for all time; the place of Tārā's curse is in the month of Bhādra, on both the bright and dark fortnights.'
चतुर्थ्यामुदितं चन्द्रं यस्तु पश्यति कामतः । तं याति तत्कलङ्कश्च स कलंकी भविष्यति
'Whoever, out of desire, looks upon the moon risen on the fourth day in Bhādra, that person will acquire that blemish and become stained.'
हरिणा दीयते ताले भाद्रे मासि सितासिते । चतुर्थ्यामुदितश्चन्द्रो नेक्षितव्यः कदाचन
A tale is told by the deer: in the month of Bhādra, on the fourth day of the bright or dark fortnight, the risen moon should never be gazed upon.
स्वयं दृष्ट्वा स्ववाक्यं च पालनं कर्तुमर्हति । भाद्रे चन्द्रं चतुर्थ्यां तु स कलंकी बभूव ह
Having seen it himself, one must observe this instruction; thus, on the fourth day in Bhādra, the moon became stained.
कलंकी येन रूपेण तद्वक्ष्यामि निशामय । स मुमोच कलंकाच्च लोकशिक्षार्थमीश्वरः
By what form he was stained, I will now tell you—listen; the Lord removed the blemish for the instruction of the world.
सत्राजितः सूर्यभक्तस्तपस्तब्त्वा च पुष्करे । स्यमन्तकं मणिश्रेष्ठं संप्राप भास्करादपि
Satrājit, a devotee of the sun, performed austerities at Puṣkara and obtained from the Sun the most excellent jewel, Syamantaka.
अष्टौ भारान्सुवर्णानां प्रसूते नित्यमेव च । विष्गोर्मणावधिष्ठानं महापूते च पुण्यदे
It continually produces eight loads of gold, and is established in the abode of serpents; in the great purifier, it bestows merit.
सत्राजितः सत्यभामां दत्त्वा कृष्णाय भक्तितः । यौतुकार्थे मणिं दातुमुद्यतो महते महान्
Satrājit, out of devotion, gave Satyabhāmā to Kṛṣṇa, and prepared to give the jewel as a bridal gift, a great offering.
तं निषिध्य प्रसेनश्च दुर्मतिः कालपीडितः । मणिं गृहीत्वा प्रययौ पुण्यां वाराणसीं पुरीम्
But Prasena, of evil mind and afflicted by fate, forbade him, took the jewel, and went to the holy city of Vārāṇasī.
निहत्य तं पथि बलात्सिंहः सबल एव च । मणिं जग्राह रुचिरं सूत्रबद्धं गले दधौ
A lion, along with its pride, killed him by force on the way, seized the beautiful jewel, and wore it on a string around its neck.
कलिङ्गराजपुत्रश्च ब्रह्मशापात्सुदारुणात् । विप्रेणाम्युदितस्तेन पशुयोनिं जगाम् सः
The son of the king of Kaliṅga, due to a terrible curse of Brahmā, was cast down by a brāhmaṇa and entered the womb of an animal.
निहत्य सिंहं गहने भल्लूको जाम्बवान्बली । मणिं गृहीत्वा प्रययौ स्वपुरं रत्ननिर्मितम्
A mighty bear, Jāmbavān, killed the lion in the forest, took the jewel, and went to his own city, built of gems.
ऊचुः सर्वे द्वारकायां मणिं जगाह माधवः । तस्य बुद्धिं न जानीमः केनोपायेन वेति च
All in Dvārakā said, 'Mādhava has taken the jewel; we do not know by what means or with what intention.'
इति श्रुत्वा तु भगवान्कलंककृन्तनाय च । प्रययौ काननं घोरं चौरचिह्नेन वर्त्मना
Hearing this, the Blessed Lord, to remove the stain upon himself, went by a path marked by thieves into the dreadful forest.
मृतं प्रसेनं दृष्ट्वा च दुःखी सिहं ददर्श सः । मणिशून्यं च तं दृष्ट्वा विषसाद च माधवः
Seeing Prasena dead, he sorrowed, and saw the lion; seeing it without the jewel, Mādhava became dejected.
सर्वंज्ञात्वा च सर्वज्ञो भल्लूकभवनं ययौ । रुदन्तं बालकं तत्र धात्रीक्रोडे ददर्श सः
Knowing everything, the all-knowing one went to the bear's dwelling; there he saw a child weeping in the nurse's lap.
बालकं बोधयामास सा धात्री करुणान्विता । मणिं गृहाण बालेति तव ह्येष स्यमन्तकः
The compassionate nurse began to awaken the child, saying, 'Take the jewel, child, for this is the Syamantaka.'
सिंहः प्रसेनमवधीत्सिंहो जाम्बवता हतः । सुकुमारक मा रोदीस्तव ह्येष स्यमन्तकः
'The lion killed Prasena, and the lion was slain by Jāmbavān; do not weep, gentle child, for this is your Syamantaka.'
इति धात्र्युक्तसुश्लोकं यश्च स्मृत्वा जलं पिबेत् । दैवदृष्टनष्टचन्द्रद्रोषादेव प्रमृच्यते
Whoever, remembering this well-spoken speech of the nurse, drinks water, is freed from the loss of the moon caused by fate.
कामतो यदि पश्यन्ति दाम्भिका वेदनिन्दकाः । कलङ्किनो भवन्त्येवमित्याह कमलोद्भवः
If, out of desire, hypocrites or revilers of the Veda see it, they become stained—so says the lotus-born one.
कृष्णो धात्रीवचः श्रुत्वा मणिं जग्राह बालकात् । धात्री गत्वा च भल्लूकं कथयामास कोपतः
Kṛṣṇa, hearing the nurse's words, took the jewel from the child; the nurse, going to the bear, spoke to him in anger.
जाम्बवांश्च समागत्य तुष्टाव प्रणिपत्य सः । कन्यां जाम्बवतीं तस्मै यौतुकार्थं मणिं ददौ
Jāmbavān, coming there, praised and bowed to him; he gave his daughter Jāmbavatī and the jewel as a bridal gift.
द्वारकां मणिमानीय दर्शयामास यादवान् । प्रभुश्च सर्वतः शुद्धो निष्कलङ्को बभूव सः
Bringing the jewel to Dvārakā, he showed it to the Yādavas; the Lord became pure and free from all stain.
एतत्ते कथितं वत्स मणेराख्यानमुत्तमम् । अध्यायश्रवणादेव निष्कलंको भवेन्नरः
Thus, O child, the excellent story of the jewel has been told to you; merely by hearing this chapter, a man becomes free from stain.