This is from the evening of Ganesha Chaturthi a few years back, when we recite what is known as the Syamantaka Upakhyana. It is a story related to the famous Syamantaka mani which connects Satrajitha, a devotee of… instagram.com/p/B-7NVrFnRtz/…
The story connects Satrajitha, a devotee of Lord Surya, Prasena his brother; Jambhavanta the bear & Lord Krishna himself. The story goes something like this. Satrajitha who is a Yadava clansman receives the Syamantaka jewel from Lord Surya himself after intense tapasya. (2)
Wearing the Syamantaka Mani he then makes his way to Dwaraka where he is mistaken for Lord Surya himself, for such was the brilliance of the mani was radiating. Krishna asks Satrajitha to present the mani to Ugrasena, the Maharajadhiraja of the Yadavas. (3)
Satrajitha refuses to part with the Syamantaka mani. Instead he gives it to his brother Prasena, who later when on a hunting expedition is killed by a lion. The lion in turn is killed by Jambhavanta the bear & he in turn takes possession of the Mani. (4)
Back in Dwaraka, Satrajitha unfairly accuses Lord Krishna of theft & murder shocking everyone. In order to put an end to such rumours, Krishna retraces the path of Prasena which leads him to Jambhavanta. There he engages in an epic battle for nearly a month. (5)
The exhausted Jambhavanta realises he is fighting none other than the next avatar of Lord Rama himself & surrenders. He gives away his daughter Jambavati in marriage to Krishna along with the mani. Krishna returns to Dwaraka & hands over the mani to an apologetic Satrajitha (6)
In a gesture of making amends, Satrajitha gives away his daughter Sathyabhama in marriage to Krishna. The reason why Krishna had to undergo such an ordeal was because on one evening of Ganesha Chaturthi he accidentally has a darshana of just the reflection of Chandra(moon). (7)
Chandra is previously cursed by Ganesha for being full of arrogance. It is said whoever accidentally has a darshana of Chandra on the evening of Chaturthi, if they recite this story or even listen to Syamantaka Upakhyana in its entirety, they will not undergo such ordeals (8)
Lord Krishna himself instructs Bhaktas to pray to Ganesha on Chaturthi day. This story has been told & retold in many different languages all across Bharat for thousands of years. We at home have been reciting the Syamantaka Upakhyana for generations. (9)
The Syamantaka Upakhyana is preceded by the Vinayaka Shodashopachara puja in the morning. Details here. (10/10) instagram.com/p/B94WOHmH2GX/…
