Devanagari
तथापि दुर्धरस्त्वन्यैस्त्वय्यास्तां सुव्रते मणि: ।
किन्तु मामग्रज: सम्यङ्न प्रत्येति मणिं प्रति ॥ ३८ ॥
दर्शयस्व महाभाग बन्धूनां शान्तिमावह ।
अव्युच्छिन्ना मखास्तेऽद्य वर्तन्ते रुक्मवेदय: ॥ ३९ ॥
Verse text
tathāpi durdharas tv anyais
tvayy āstāṁ su-vrate maṇiḥ
kintu mām agrajaḥ samyaṅ
na pratyeti maṇiṁ prati
darśayasva mahā-bhāga
bandhūnāṁ śāntim āvaha
avyucchinnā makhās te ’dya
vartante rukma-vedayaḥ
Synonyms
tathā api
—
nevertheless
;
durdharaḥ
—
impossible to hold on to
;
tu
—
but
;
anyaiḥ
—
by others
;
tvayi
—
with you
;
āstām
—
should remain
;
suvrate
—
O trustworthy keeper of vows
;
maṇiḥ
—
the jewel
;
kintu
—
only
;
mam
—
Me
;
agra
—
jaḥ — My elder brother
;
samyak
—
completely
;
na pratyeti
—
does not believe
;
maṇim prati
—
concerning the jewel
;
darśayasva
—
please show it
;
mahā
—
bhāga — O most fortunate one
;
bandhūnām
—
to My relatives
;
śāntim
—
peace
;
āvaha
—
bring
;
avyucchinnāḥ
—
uninterrupted
;
makhāḥ
—
sacrifices
;
te
—
your
;
adya
—
now
;
vartante
—
are going on
;
rukma
—
of gold
;
vedayaḥ
—
whose altars .
Translation
“Nevertheless, the jewel should remain in your care, O trustworthy Akrūra, because no one else can keep it safely. But please show the jewel just once, since My elder brother does not fully believe what I have told Him about it. In this way, O most fortunate one, you will pacify My relatives. [Everyone knows you have the jewel, for] you are now continually performing sacrifices on altars of gold.”
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
"Nevertheless, the jewel should remain in your care, O trustworthy Akrūra, because no one else can keep it safely. But please show the jewel just once, since My elder brother does not fully believe what I have told Him about it. In this way, O most fortunate one, you will pacify My relatives. [Everyone knows you have the jewel, for] you are now continually performing sacrifices on altars of gold."
KB 10.57.38-39
Kṛṣṇa continued: “This jewel is so powerful that no ordinary man is able to keep it. I know that you are very pious in activities, so there is no objection to the jewel’s being kept with you. There is one difficulty, and that is that My elder brother, Śrī Balarāma, does not believe My version that the jewel is with you. I therefore request you, O large-hearted one, to show Me the jewel just once before My other relatives so that they may be pacified and reject various kinds of rumors. You cannot deny that the jewel is with you because we can understand that you have enhanced your opulence and are performing sacrifices on an altar made of solid gold.” The properties of the jewel were known: wherever the jewel remained, it would produce for the keeper more than two mounds of pure gold daily. Akrūra was getting gold in that proportion and distributing it profusely at sacrificial performances. Lord Kṛṣṇa cited Akrūra’s lavishly spending gold as positive evidence of his possessing the Syamantaka jewel.
Purport
Although technically Satyabhāmā’s sons had a right to the jewel, Lord Kṛṣṇa decided to leave the jewel in the care of Akrūra, who was using the jewel’s wealth to continually perform religious sacrifices. Indeed, Akrūra’s ability to perform such rituals on altars of gold was an indication of the jewel’s potency.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
You are worthy to keep the jewel because you are fixed in brahmacārya (suvrate). By keeping it, we will all derive the benefit of destruction of all calamities. Having announced the gem should be for everyone, Kṛṣṇa covered his desire to give it to Akrūra by his words, since Balarāma and others would wonder about that desire. Just show the jewel because Balarāma and others do not believe you have it. Suddenly Kṛṣṇa became insistent that he show the jewel. This was not Balarāma’s idea. In his mind Kṛṣṇa thought as follows. “Balarāma already said that Śatadhanvā must have left the jewel with someone else. He was hinting that it was Akrūra but did not say his name directly. It is known Śatadhanvā killed Satrājit but Akrūra was the one who gave bad advice to Śatadhanvā by saying that Satrājit had promised to give his daughter to him. Balarāma had anger towards Akrūra and affectionate anger towards me for not giving up favoritism to Akrūra. Because of this, he will not believe me at all if I say the jewel is not with me. Though we can infer from your charity and sacrifices that you have the jewel, Balarāma even doubts me, since he watched at a distance as I searched Śatadhanvā after killing him. Knowing my desires, he thinks that you gave me the jewel and then fled.” This is how Kṛṣṇa thought.
In order to indicate that he was not terribly wicked since the jewel would be for others’ benefit, according to the first phrase used to describe Akrūra (suvrate), Kṛṣṇa says “O Akrūra, fortunate with devotion to me (mahābhāga), or having a portion of devotion to me!” You are not interested in the jewel. Showing the gem will completely pacify Balarāma and others, resolving the dissension arising from the jewel. Balarāma had been brought from Mithilā at this time. Hari-vaṁśa says:
prasādya tu tato rāmo vṛṣṇy-andhaka-mahā-rathaiḥ /
ānīto dvārakām eva kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā //
Satisfying Balarāma Kṛṣṇa had him brought to Dvārakā by great warriors of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
You are worthy to keep the jewel because you are fixed in brahmacārya (suvrate) or because you are fixed in keeping your vow. The Lord had the desire from previously that Akrūra keep the jewel for the benefit of the people. Show it to Balarāma so he will believe that it is not with me. He thinks it is with me though by its function it is with you, my devotee. Though Balarāma did not think like this, Kṛṣṇa makes this statement so that Akrūra would give the jewel. It is understood that Balarāma had by that time returned from Mithilā.
prasādya tu tato rāmo vṛṣṇy-andhaka-mahā-rathaiḥ /
ānīto dvārakām eva kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā //
Satisfying Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa had him brought to Dvārakā by great warriors of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas.
O Akrūra, fortunate with devotion to me (mahābhāga), or having a portion of devotion to me!” You are not interested in the jewel. Thus, just show the jewel but do not give it since it will remain with you only. Why? Showing the gem will completely pacify Balarāma and others, resolving the dissension arising from the jewel.