Week 9 Story Planning: The Syamantaka Jewel

This week I will be planning the story I want to write for next week.  I am interested in writing a story based off of The Syamantaka Jewel.  I really enjoyed reading this story and I think I could make a fun version of my own.  I decided to end the story upon Krishna's return to Dwarka. I have taken some more detailed notes to help me with my writing.

The story starts with the sun god, Surya, descending down upon Satrajit.  Satrajit was blinded by light until Surya took off the Syamantaka jewel.  Surya told Satrajit to ask him for a blessing to which Satrajit asked for the jewel, not knowing what it was capable of.  Surya granted him the great jewel.  
This jewel was stored away and was capable of giving Satrajit eight wagons of gold and keeping harm from Dwarka.  Eventually Satrajit became worried that Krishna might take the jewel from him because he is more worthy.  So, he passed it along to his brother, Prasena.  This jewel brings good things to one that is good and brave.  On the flip side, the jewel brings death to an evil or cowardly man.


Prasena went to hunt one day and a lion tore him to pieces.  The lion took the jewel to his den.  Jambavat, King of the Bears, saw the jewel shining and rushed down to the lion’s den and killed him with a blow from his paw.  Jambavat took the jewel and gave it to his sun, Sukumara.

The people in Dwarka started to wonder why Prasena had not come back.  They schemed that Krishna killed Prasena and kept the jewel for himself.  Kirshna heard these rumors and decided to find out what really happened.  He found the spot where the lion killed Prasena but would not return until he found the gem.  He followed the tracks and found the dead lion.  He then followed the Bear King’s footprints, which led to his throne.  


The cave was lit up with the jewel.  Sukumara was playing with it alongside his nurse.  The nurse saw Krishna and called for help.  Jambavat arose and charged at Krishna.  The two began to fight.  This lasted for the rest of the day, plus 21 days after that.  Krishna’s men had been waiting outside all this time and worried that Krishna had died.  They were too scared to enter and returned back to Dwarka, saying that Krishna was dead.  They had just finished his funeral when suddenly the sky lit up.  It was Krishna with the jewel.


Krishna explained that the bear ended up begging for mercy and Krishna spared him for the jewel and took his sister, Jambavati, to marry.  HE told the entire story and gave the jewel back to Satrajit.  Satrajit offered his daughter, Satyabhama, as another wife to Krishna.

Krishna Marries Jambavati (The British Museum)

Bibiography:
"The Syamantaka Jewel" by C.A. Kincaid. Link.

Reading Notes: Shri Krishna of Dwarka, Part A

For my reading this week, I decided to read "Overview: Kincaid. Shri Krishna of Dwarka." I decided to read this because it was fast-paced and I enjoyed the set up of it.

The first half I read was about Krishna's childhood adventures.  The birth story was interesting because Krishna was born out of Vishnu's black hair.  Krishna was very special and powerful from the very beginning.  The story about Putana was very disturbing to me.  She breastfed babies with poison milk and any child that was fed by her died.  But she stood no chance against Krishna, who literally sucked the life out of her!  It was funny to read about how naughty Krishna was as a child.  He even had to help his mother punish him. I then read through the boyhood and youth of Krishna.  I especially liked reading through the miracle at Mount Govardhan.  As he got older, Krishna would eventually defeat King Kansa, which was the main reason he was born.  He would then go on to found the city of Dwarka and marry Raivata.

Krishna (Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography:

"Shri Krishna of Dwarka and Other Stories" by C.A. Kincaid. Link.