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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

God manifests in different forms

 

CHENNAI, AUG. 15. It is ironic that even the best of devotees at

times lose sight of the fact that it is the one Supreme Being who

assumes several forms during His incarnations and is also

worshipped variously in the different sects. This He does with

specific purpose but it should not make the devotee forget that

the underlying Reality is the same in every form. This truth has

been highlighted in the Bhagavata Purana in the context of Lord

Krishna's marriage to Jambavati which is intertwined with the

story of the famous gem Syamantaka.

 

Satrajit obtained this gem from the Sun-god and when he entered

Dwaraka wearing this gem, the guileless people of the town

mistook him for Sun-god himself because of the brilliance of the

gem and reported the matter to Lord Krishna. He consecrated the

gem for worship in his home and it yielded gold everyday and

coveting wealth, Satrajit did not pay heed to Krishna's advice to

hand it over to King Ugrasena. One day his brother Prasena went

hunting on horseback wearing the Syamantaka and a lion attracted

by its lustre made short work of him. The lion too lost its life

at the hands of Jambavan, the king of bears (of Ramayana fame),

and the bear on his part gave it as a toy to his young one.

 

In the meantime Satrajit became worried and alleged that Krishna

had killed his brother and when the rumour reached His ears, the

Lord set off to the forest with some citizens of Dwaraka to clear

His name. They found the carcasses of the animals and Prasena's

dead body. Asking them to wait Krishna entered the cave where

Jambavan lived and found an infant playing with the gem. A fight

ensued between Jambavan and the Lord when His intention to take

the gem away became clear as the bear mistook Him for an ordinary

mortal, said Sri B. Sundar Kumar in his discourse.

 

Jambavan was a great devotee of Lord Rama, but in his rage, he

did not identify the Lord who had come in the form of Krishna and

hence fought with Him. The duel went on for 28 long days without

a break and finally the mighty bear started feeling weak. Greatly

surprised that none other than the Lord could have had an

advantage over him, he supplicated to Him with the words, ``I now

conclude You to be the all-powerful Vishnu, the most ancient

Person, the suzerain Lord... I now understand You are the same

Lord Ramachandra (my Master) to whom the ocean allowed passage

yet by whom a bridge was constructed as an embodiment of His own

glory...'' He handed over the Syamantaka to Krishna and also gave

away in marriage his daughter Jambavati to Him out of devotion.

 

 

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