Objects and Relics · Mahabharata Glossary
Syamantaka (syamantaka)
स्यमन्तक
What Syamantaka Means in the Mahabharata
The Syamantaka is a jewel given by the sun that produces gold daily for a virtuous owner and destroys an unworthy one. Krishna is accused of stealing it when its holder is killed by a lion in the forest, and he tracks the stone into a cave, wrestles the bear king Jambavan for days, and returns with both the jewel and Jambavan's daughter as his wife. The episode is the epic tradition's account of how a god clears his own name, and it is why Krishna is sometimes praised as the one who bore a false accusation.
Quick Facts
| Term | Syamantaka |
|---|---|
| Devanagari | स्यमन्तक |
| Transliteration | syamantaka |
| Category | Objects and Relics |
| Seen in | 1 story on this site |
Syamantaka in the Stories
Tales where the word does real work.