Jāmbavān offers his daughter in marriage to Śrī Kṛṣṇa along with the Syamantaka Jewel
The Prayer of Jāmbavān
“If all the prāṇa of the countless living entities in all the billions of universes were brought together, and if all the strengths of all the senses (oja), minds (saha) and bodies (bala) were brought together in one place, still I understand that all this would be You alone, since all these are Your vibhūtis.
Thus how can Your strength be countered by the strength of one entity like me? It is like a butterfly trying to defeat Garuda. You are the all pervading Śrī Viṣṇu and I am a single localized individual. You are the primeval person and I am a recently manifest person. You are all powerful (prabhaviṣṇum) and I am powerless. You are the supreme controller of all (adhiśvaram) and I am the controlled.”
(from Śrila Viśvanāth’s commentary to SB 10.56.26)
Jāmbavān and the Story of the Syamantaka Jewel
Ṛkṣarāja, Jāmbavān, is mentioned THREE TIMES in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the 8th Canto, 9th Canto and Kṛṣṇa Book.
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https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/8/21
Bali Mahārāja Arrested by the Lord
This chapter describes how Lord Viṣṇu, desiring to advertise the glories of Bali Mahārāja, arrested him for not fulfilling his promise in regard to the Lord’s third step. With the second step the Supreme Personality of Godhead reached the topmost planet of the universe, Brahmaloka, which He diminished in beauty by the effulgence of His toenails. Thus Lord Brahmā, accompanied by great sages like Marīci and the predominating deities of all the higher planets, offered humble prayers and worship to the Lord. They washed the Lord’s feet and worshiped Him with all paraphernalia. Ṛkṣarāja, Jāmbavān, played his bugle to vibrate the glories of the Lord. When Bali Mahārāja was deprived of all his possessions, the demons were very angry. Although Bali Mahārāja warned them not to do so, they took up weapons against Lord Viṣṇu. All of them were defeated, however, by Lord Viṣṇu’s eternal associates, and, in accordance with Bali Mahārāja’s order, they all entered the lower planets of the universe. Understanding Lord Viṣṇu’s purpose, Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, immediately arrested Bali Mahārāja with the ropes of Varuṇa. When Bali Mahārāja was thus reduced to a helpless position, Lord Viṣṇuasked him for the third step of land. Because Lord Viṣṇu appreciated Bali Mahārāja’s determination and integrity, when Bali Mahārāja was unable to fulfill his promise, Lord Viṣṇu ascertained that the place for him would be the planet Sutala, which is better than the planets of heaven
TEXT 8
jāmbavān ṛkṣa-rājas tu
bherī-śabdair mano-javaḥ
vijayaṁ dikṣu sarvāsu
mahotsavam aghoṣayat
SYNONYMS
jāmbavān—who was named Jāmbavān; ṛkṣa-rājaḥ tu—the king in the form of a bear also; bherī-śabdaiḥ—by sounding the bugle; manaḥ-javaḥ—in mental ecstasy; vijayam—victory; dikṣu—in all directions; sarvāsu—everywhere; mahā-utsavam—festival; aghoṣayat—declared.
TRANSLATION
Jāmbavān, king of the bears, also joined in the ceremony. Sounding his bugle in all directions, he declared a great festival for Lord Vāmanadeva’s
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9.10.19
TEXT 19
tāṁ yātudhāna-pṛtanām asi-śūla-cāpa-
prāsarṣṭi-śaktiśara-tomara-khaḍga-durgām
sugrīva-lakṣmaṇa-marutsuta-gandhamāda-
nīlāṅgadarkṣa-panasādibhir anvito ’gāt
SYNONYMS
tām—all of them; yātudhāna-pṛtanām—the soldiers of the Rākṣasas; asi—by swords; śūla—by lances; cāpa—by bows; prāsa-ṛṣṭi—prāsa weapons and ṛṣṭi weapons; śakti-śara—śakti arrows; tomara—tomara weapons; khaḍga—by a type of sword; durgām—all invincible; sugrīva—by the monkey named Sugrīva; lakṣmaṇa—by Lord Rāmacandra’s younger brother; marut-suta—by Hanumān; gandhamāda—by Gandhamāda, another monkey; nīla—by the monkey named Nīla; aṅgada—Aṅgada; ṛkṣa—Ṛkṣa; panasa—Panasa; ādibhiḥ—and by other soldiers; anvitaḥ—being surrounded, Lord Rāmacandra; agāt—came in front of (for the sake of fighting).
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra, surrounded by Lakṣmaṇa and monkey soldiers like Sugrīva, Hanumān, Gandhamāda, Nīla, Aṅgada, Jāmbavān and Panasa, attacked the soldiers of the Rākṣasas, who were fully equipped with various invincible weapons like swords, lances, bows, prāsas, ṛṣṭis, śakti arrows, khaḍgas and tomaras.
https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/9/10/19
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TEXTS 42–43
pāduke bharato ’gṛhṇāc
cāmara-vyajanottame
vibhīṣaṇaḥ sasugrīvaḥ
śveta-cchatraṁ marut-sutaḥ
dhanur-niṣaṅgāñ chatrughnaḥ
sītā tīrtha-kamaṇḍalum
abibhrad aṅgadaḥ khaḍgaṁ
haimaṁ carmarkṣa-rāṇ nṛpa
SYNONYMS
pāduke—the two wooden shoes; bharataḥ—Lord Bharata; agṛhṇāt—carried; cāmara—whisk; vyajana—fan; uttame—very opulent; vibhīṣaṇaḥ—the brother of Rāvaṇa; sa-sugrīvaḥ—with Sugrīva; śveta-chatram—a white umbrella; marut-sutaḥ—Hanumān, the son of the wind-god; dhanuḥ—the bow; niṣaṅgān—with two quivers; śatrughnaḥ—one of the brothers of Lord Rāmacandra; sītā—mother Sītā; tīrtha-kamaṇḍalum—the waterpot filled with water from holy places; abibhrat—carried; aṅgadaḥ—the monkey commander named Aṅgada; khaḍgam—the sword; haimam—made of gold; carma—shield; ṛkṣa-rāṭ—the King of the Ṛkṣas, Jāmbavān; nṛpa—O King.
TRANSLATION
O King, Lord Bharata carried Lord Rāmacandra’s wooden shoes, Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa carried a whisk and an excellent fan, Hanumān carried a white umbrella, Śatrughna carried a bow and two quivers, and Sītādevī carried a waterpot filled with water from holy places. Aṅgada carried a sword, and Jāmbavān, King of the Ṛkṣas, carried a golden shield.
https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/9/10/42-43
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We can see that Ṛkṣarāja, Jāmbavān, was present during the appearance of
Lord Vāmanadeva in the days of yore. He was also present during the appearance of Lord Rāmacandra and finally He was also present 5000 years ago during the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa which occurs once in a day of Lord Brahmā. What a lifespan and what a great devotee, His name being mentioned 3 times in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with THREE of the Lords appearances.
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We may also note that …..“ Kṛṣṇa and Jāmbavān first of all began fighting with weapons, then with stones, then with big trees…“ ….BIG TREES IN UNDERGROUND CAVES ??? WOW, nothing looks what it seems and nobody can even make this stuff up in his wildest dreams.
Letter to: Jadurani, Bharadraja, Muralidhara
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Note: Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one
of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna.
(….But certainly he was not a bear.)
Los Angeles
4 June, 1970
70-06-04
Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one
of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna. Just like sometimes our name is
Krsna, that does not mean that I am real Krsna, but I am Krsna Das or servant
of Krsna. From the description of Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that this
Jambavan was very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture
of bodily construction of a black man in your country. So in this way you can
guess what should be the features of his body. But certainly he was not a bear.
https://krsnabook.com/gallery2/images/900×1200/4.png