प्रसेन उवाच- भारानष्टसुवर्णानि नित्यं प्रसवते मणिः । तस्मात्कस्य न दातव्यं स्यमंताख्यमिदं मया
Prasena said: The jewel always produces lost gold; therefore, I must not give this Syamantaka to anyone.
महादेव उवाच- कृष्णस्तु तदभिप्रायं ज्ञात्वा तूष्णीमुवास ह । कदाचिन्मृगयां कर्त्तुं कृष्णः सर्वैर्यदूत्तमैः
Mahādeva said: Kṛṣṇa, knowing his intention, remained silent; once, to hunt, Kṛṣṇa went with all the foremost Yadus.
प्रविवेश महारण्यं प्रसेनाद्यैर्महाबलैः । प्रत्येकं वै मृगान्हंतुमनुयाताः सहस्रशः
He entered the great forest with Prasena and other mighty ones; thousands followed, each to hunt animals.
एक एव महारण्ये प्रसेनो दूरमागतः । तं सिंहो दृष्टमासाद्य हत्वा रत्नं जहार सः
Prasena alone went far into the great forest; a lion, seeing him, approached, killed him, and took the jewel.
तं सिंहं जांबबान्हत्वा मणिं गृह्य महाबलः । प्रविवेश बिलं तूर्णं दिव्यस्त्रीभिर्निषेवितम्
Having slain that lion with his bare hands, the mighty one took the jewel and swiftly entered the cave, which was attended by celestial women.
तस्मिन्नस्तंगते सूर्ये वासुदेवं सहानुगः । चतुर्थ्यामुदितं चंद्रं दृष्ट्वा स्वं पुरमाविशत्
When the sun had set, Vāsudeva, along with his followers, saw the moon rise on the fourth night and entered his own city.
ततः सर्वे पुरजनाः कृष्णं प्रोचुः परस्परम् । हत्वा प्रसेनं गोविंदो मृगव्याजेन कानने
Then all the townspeople spoke among themselves about Kṛṣṇa, saying, 'Govinda has killed Prasena in the forest under the pretense of hunting.'
स्यमंतकं मणिवरमग्रहीदविशंकया । तदाकर्ण्य हरिस्तस्मिन्द्वारकाजनभाषितम्
'He took the excellent Syamantaka jewel without suspicion.' Hearing the words spoken by the people of Dvārakā, Hari—
अज्ञलोकभयात्सर्वैर्यदुभिर्गहनं ययौ । दर्शयामास तान्सर्वान्सिंहेन निहतं वने
Out of fear of being misunderstood by the ignorant, he went with the Yadus into the forest and showed them all Prasena, slain by the lion in the woods.
लब्धात्मशुद्धिस्तत्रैव संस्थाप्य महतीं चमूम् । एकः शार्ङ्गगदापाणिर्जगाम गहनं वनम्
Having attained self-purification, there itself he stationed the great army, and alone, bearing the Śārṅga bow and mace in hand, he entered the dense forest.
दृष्ट्वा महाबिलं कृष्णः प्रविवेश विशंकितः । तत्र नाना मणिवरद्योतिते विमले गृहे
Seeing the great cave, Kṛṣṇa entered, though uncertain, and there, in a pure house illuminated by various excellent jewels—
सुतं जांबवतो धात्री दोलामारोप्य लीलया । दोलामुखे मणिं धृत्वा दोलयन्गायती मुदा
The nurse of Jāmbavat's son, playfully placing him in a swing, held the jewel at the front of the swing, joyfully rocking and singing.
सिंहः प्रसेनमवधीत्सिंहो जांबवता हतः । सुकुमारक मा रोदीस्तव ह्येष स्यमंतकः
The lion killed Prasena, and the lion was slain by Jāmbavat. 'O gentle child, do not weep; this is indeed your Syamantaka.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वासुदेवोऽथ शंखं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् । तेन नादेन महता निर्जगामात्र जांबवान्
Hearing this, the valiant Vāsudeva then blew his conch; at that great sound, Jāmbavat emerged there.
तयोर्युद्धमभूद्घोरं दशरात्रं निरंतरम् । मुष्टिभिर्वज्रकल्पैश्च सर्वभूतभयावहम्
Between the two, a fierce battle took place, lasting ten days without interruption, with fists hard as thunderbolts, terrifying to all beings.
कृष्णस्य बलवृद्धिं च तथात्मबलसंक्षयम् । अवेक्ष्य पूर्ववचनं बुबुधे परमात्मनः
Observing Kṛṣṇa's growing strength and his own diminishing power, he recalled the earlier words of the Supreme Soul.
सोऽयं रामोऽवतीर्णोऽत्र धर्मत्राणाय वै पुनः । स आगतो मम स्वामी दातुं मम मनोरथम्
'This is Rāma himself, descended here again for the protection of righteousness; my master has come to fulfill my heart's desire.'
एवं ज्ञात्वाथ ऋक्षेशो निर्वर्त्य रणकर्म तत् । प्रांजलि प्राह गोविंदं को भवानिति विस्मयात्
Thus realizing, the lord of the bears, having completed the battle, with joined palms spoke to Govinda in wonder, 'Who are you?'
निवर्त्य कदनं शौरिः प्रोचे गंभीरया गिरा । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- पुत्रोऽहं वसुदेवस्य वासुदेव इतीरितः
Ceasing the fight, Śauri spoke in a deep voice: Śrī Kṛṣṇa said— 'I am the son of Vasudeva, called Vāsudeva.'
ममरत्नं स्यमंताख्यं हृतवांस्त्वं सुनिर्भयः । तद्दीयतां च शीघ्रं मे अन्यथा वधमेष्यसि
'You have taken my jewel, known as Syamantaka, quite fearlessly; therefore, return it to me quickly, or else you will meet your death.'
महादेव उवाच- तच्छ्रुत्वा जांबवान्हृष्टः प्रणनामाथ दंडवत् । परिणीय नमस्कृत्य विनयात्प्राह केशवम्
Mahādeva said— Hearing this, Jāmbavat, delighted, bowed down in reverence, and after saluting, humbly addressed Keśava.
जांबवानुवाच- धन्योस्मि कृतकृत्योस्मि तव संदर्शनात्प्रभो । दासोऽहं पूर्वभावेन तव देवकिनंदन
Jāmbavat said— 'I am blessed, I have achieved my purpose by seeing you, O Lord; I am your servant from a former birth, O son of Devakī.'
दत्तवानसि गोविंद कदनं पूर्वकांक्षितम् । मयेदं कदनं मोहाद्यत्कृतं स्वामिना त्वया । तत्क्षम्यतां जगन्नाथ करुणाकर शाश्वत
O Govinda, you have accomplished the battle that was previously desired. This battle, O Lord, which I undertook out of delusion, was in fact done by you. Therefore, O Lord of the universe, ocean of compassion, eternal one, may you forgive it.
महादेव उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा प्रणतो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य पुनः पुनः । नानारत्नमये पीठे निवेश्य विनयात्प्रभुम्
Mahadeva said— Having spoken thus, bowing down and offering repeated salutations, he seated the Lord with reverence upon a throne adorned with various jewels.
शारदाब्जनिभौ पादौ प्रक्षाल्य शुभवारिणा । मधुपर्कविधानेन पूजयित्वा यदूद्वहम्
He washed the lotus-like feet of the descendant of Yadu with pure water, and worshipped him according to the rite of madhuparka.
वस्त्रैराभरणैर्दिव्यैः पूजयित्वा विधानतः । पुत्रीं जांबवतीं नाम कन्यां लावण्यसंयुताम्
He worshipped him properly with divine garments and ornaments, and then gave his daughter, the beautiful maiden named Jambavati.
कन्यारत्नं ददौ तस्मै भार्यार्थममितौजसे । अन्यैश्च मणिमुख्यैश्च स्यमंताख्यं ददौ मणिम्
He gave that jewel among maidens to the mighty one as a wife, and also gave the Syamantaka jewel along with other foremost gems.
तत्रैवोद्वाह्य तां कन्यां प्रहृष्टपरवीरहा । ददौ तस्मै परां मुक्तिं प्रीत्या जांबवते हरिः
There itself, after marrying that maiden, the slayer of enemy heroes, delighted, granted supreme liberation to Jambavat out of affection.
गृहीत्वा तनयां तस्य कन्यां जांबवतीं मुदा । विनिर्गत्य बिलात्तस्मात्प्रययौ द्वारकां पुरीम्
Taking his daughter Jambavati with joy, he departed from that cave and went to the city of Dvaraka.
सत्राजिते ददौ रत्नं स्यमंताख्यं यदूत्तमः । दुहित्रे प्रददौसोऽपि कन्यायै मणिमुत्तमम्
The best of the Yadus gave the Syamantaka jewel to Satrajit, and also gave the excellent gem to his own daughter.