The tyrant Jarasandha accepts a challenge from the mightiest of the Pandava brothers.
The sage Vaisampayana is telling the history of the Pandavas to their great-grandson, King Janamejaya. As the narration continues, Krsna and the Pandavas Bhima and Arjuna have challenged the evil king Jarasandha to a fight. The defeat of Jarasandha, who holds many kings hostage, will entitle Yudhisthira to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice and become world emperor. Now Jarasandha responds to the challenge. [Abridged from the original translation.]
KING JARASANDHA, eager to fight with his foes of awesome deeds, then authorized the coronation of his son Sahadeva. Now that the fight had come, O best of the Bharatas, the king remembered the two leaders of his armies, Kausika and Citrasena, who were known in this world by the names Hamsa and Dibhaka, names that in the past had been celebrated in human society and honored by the world.
O king, Jarasandha was the best of the strong and as courageous as a tiger, and his prowess was awesome in the world. Lord Krsna, Balarama's infallible younger brother, remembered that [by Lord Brahma's order] to kill Jarasandha was another's ordained lot. True to His word, Lord Krsna, the maintainer of the world, respected the order of Brahma and so did not wish to kill Jarasandha personally.
Thereupon the eloquent and infallible Lord Krsna, the joy of the Yadu dynasty, said to King Jarasandha, who had made up his mind to fight, "Of the three of us, O king, whom are you inclined to fight? Which of us should prepare himself for battle?"
O king, when Krsna had addressed him thus, Jarasandha, the splendid ruler of Magadha, chose to fight with Bhimasena. The royal priest, bearing the finest medicines, painkillers, and restoratives, waited upon Jarasandha, who was eager for battle. A renowned brahmana performed all the auspicious rituals for Jarasandha, who was ever devoted to the warrior's path. After fastening his full armor, Jarasandha took off his crown and carefully combed his hair. He then rose up like the ocean overflowing its shores.
The astute king Jarasandha said to Bhima, of awesome feats, "Bhima, I will fight with you. It is good for you to be defeated by a superior."
Having thus spoken to Bhimasena, the mighty Jarasandha, tamer of foes, went toward his foe like the Asura Bali confronting Indra. Then, having taken counsel with Krsna, mighty Bhimasena, blessed with auspicious rites and eager to fight, approached Jarasandha.
The Fight Begins
Those two tigers of men met in battle, using their bare arms as weapons. Heroic and supremely excited, each yearned to conquer the other. As the two struck each other's arms and seized, stretched, and held each other, there was a ferocious din like thunderbolts striking mountains. Both men were euphoric in battle and fought with extraordinary strength. Hungry for victory, they each sought an opening to win an advantage over the other.
That contest of the two mighty warriors was like the duel between Vrtra and Indra. Indeed, so fierce was the fighting, O king, that it drove away the crowd that had gathered near. As each combatant pushed and pulled his foe, striking his opponent's chest with an open hand, dragging and tearing, the two struggled intensely and slammed each other with their knees. They rebuked each other with mighty voices and belted each other with blows that landed like crashing stones. Broad-chested and expert in battle, the two foes joined in close combat, their long arms falling on each other like iron bludgeons.
The battle began on the first day of the month of Karttika and continued, day and night, without rest. For thirteen full days those mighty souls battled on, but on the fourteenth night the king of Magadha felt exhausted and stopped.
Your majesty, when Sri Krsna saw that the king was exhausted, He addressed Bhima to alert him fully: "O son of Kunti, it is not proper to harass an exhausted enemy in battle. Certainly if he is fully harassed, he could give up his life. Therefore, Kaunteya, you must not harass the monarch. Fight him with your arms, O best of the Bharatas."
From these words of Lord Krsna's, the son of Pandu, killer of hostile heroes, understood that Jarasandha was vulnerable and made up his mind to kill him. Thereupon, to conquer the unconquered one, Bhima let his fury rise and seized Jarasandha.
Jarasandha Torn Apart
Eager to slay Jarasandha and using his ample intelligence, Bhimasena said to Krsna, the joy of the Yadus, "Krsna, it is inappropriate for me to pamper this sinner and spare his life."
Thus addressed, Sri Krsna, eager to see Jarasandha slain, replied to Bhima in a tigerlike mood to hurry him: "Your supreme strength comes from the gods, Bhima, so show at once on Jarasandha the power the wind-god has given you!"
The mighty Bhima, tamer of foes, then hoisted powerful Jarasandha and whirled him around, O king. After spinning him around a hundred times, O best of the Bharatas, Bhima hurled Jarasandha down and with his bare arms broke his back. Bhima then trampled him and let out a roar. As the Pandava roared and Jarasandha cried out while being trampled, a tumultuous sound went forth, terrifying all living things. The cries of Jarasandha and Bhima struck all the citizens of Magadha with fear, and women had miscarriages. "Can it be that the Himalayan peaks are ripping apart? Is the earth shattering?" Thus the people of Magadha wondered on hearing Bhimasena's roar.
Bhima had seized his enemy by the feet and hurled him to the ground. Then, pressing down one of Jarasandha's legs with his foot and grabbing the other in his arms, Bhima, like a great elephant ripping apart a branch, tore Jarasandha apart from his anus, and the people saw the two bodily fragments, each with one leg, thigh, testicle, hip, breast, back, and nostril, along with one arm, eye, eyebrow, and ear.*
*Jarasandha had been born in two parts, which were then joined by a witch named Jara. Krsna hinted to Bhima that Jarasandha was vulnerable to being split apart.
That night Krsna, Bhima, and Arjuna, those tamers of foes, discarded the lifeless king, who seemed to be asleep, at the gate of the main road leading to the royal palace, and then they departed. Lord Krsna arranged for the yoking of Jarasandha's chariot, which was adorned with flags and ensign, and after bringing on board His two cousin-brothers, Bhima and Arjuna, He set free His relatives kings who had been imprisoned by Jarasandha. Those liberated lords of the earth then approached Sri Krsna and bestowed riches upon Him, who is worthy of riches, for the Lord had freed those kings from great fear.
The Great Chariot
Then Krsna, uninjured, equipped with weapons, victorious over the enemy, and mounting His celestial chariot, left with the kings the capital of Girivraja, with its circle of mountains and green pastures.With Lord Krsna at the reins and His two warrior brothers on board that fabulous war chariot, so carefully crafted for killing, everyone could now clearly see that even all the kings of the world could not conquer it. Indeed, bearing the two warriors Bhima and Arjuna, and with Lord Krsna holding the reins, that chariot shone with beauty, and all the world's archers could not conquer it. It was on this chariot that Indra and Visnu had ridden in the battle for Taraka, the wife of Brhaspati, and now Lord Krsna, having mounted it, made ready to depart.
Upon that triumphant and deadly car, bright like molten gold, thundering like a cloud, and adorned with circlets of bells, Indra had once slain nine times ninety demons, and now those best of men, having won it, rejoiced. Thereupon, the Magadha people became astonished to see mighty-armed Krsna standing on the chariot with His two cousin-brothers. When Lord Krsna stood upon that chariot yoked with divine horses and as swift as the wind, it shone with utmost beauty. On this excellent chariot the Lord arranged for a beautiful free-flying flag to be raised that was visible for eight miles. Indeed, it shone as bright as a rainbow stretched across the sky like the rain-god's bow.
Sri Krsna thought of Garuda, and so he came. At that very moment [by the presence of Garuda on the chariot's flag] the chariot stood tall like a great temple pillar. Garuda, devourer of serpents, stood on that excellent chariot with other creatures, who rested on the flag with wide-open mouths roaring great sounds. Garuda shone with such distinctly superior prowess that it was difficult for ordinary creatures to gaze upon him, blazing as he was like the midday sun basking in its thousands of rays. O king, that divine and excellent banner, seen by gods and humans alike, did not get entangled in trees, nor could weapons damage it. Standing firm on the divine car, which resounded like a rain cloud, the infallible, tigerlike Krsna departed with the two Pandavas.
The celebrated and mighty-armed Lord Krsna, whose eyes are as delicate as lotus petals, then departed Girivraja, but He stopped outside the city on a plain. There, O king, all the citizens reverently approached Him, with the brahmanas in the lead, and they behaved in accord with the sacred rules. So also did the kings freed from bondage worship Lord Madhusudana, Krsna, gently speaking these words: "O mighty-armed one, O son of Devaki, it is not surprising that You, together with Bhima and Arjuna, have carefully protected the principles of religion. Today You have lifted up all the kings who had sunk into the miserable mud of the horrible lake of Jarasandha. O Visnu, O Supreme Person, thanks to Providence You have freed us kings who were languishing in that dreadful mountain fort, and thus You have achieved shining fame. O tiger among men, O most noble one, tell us what deed we can do for You, even if difficult, for we kings must know this."
The great-minded Lord Krsna, master of the senses, then encouraged the kings with these words: "Yudhisthira wishes to perform the Rajasuya rite. He is always dedicated to justice, and now he wishes to establish his sovereignty. All of you should help him with his sacrificial performance." At this, O noble Bharata, the kings were delighted, and all of them happily agreed and promised, "So shall it be!"
Those lords of the earth then presented Lord Krsna with riches, and out of compassion for the kings, the Lord reluctantly accepted their gifts. And even the son of Jarasandha, the mighty chariot warrior Sahadeva, came out with his people and ministers in a procession headed by priests. Becoming meek and humble, he also presented many valuable gifts and then stood near Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, the God of mankind. O noble Arya, as Jarasandha's son Sahadeva stood fearfully before Him, Lord Krsna granted him full assurance of safety and right there anointed him king of Magadha. Having allied himself with Lord Krsna and having been honored by the two sons of Prtha, the wise king entered the city of his father and grandfather. Then lotus-eyed Krsna, glowing with supreme opulence, took the varieties of riches and departed with Prtha's two sons.
Return to Indraprastha
After arriving in the city of Indraprastha, the infallible Lord and the two sons of Pandu approached Dharmaraja Yudhisthira, and the Lord addressed him with pleasure: "By good fortune, Bhima has brought down powerful Jarasandha, and the kings have been freed from bondage, most noble monarch. And also by good fortune these two virtuous men, Bhimasena and Dhananjaya Arjuna, have come back to their city uninjured, O Bharata."
Yudhisthira fittingly honored Krsna and then joyfully embraced Bhimasena and Arjuna. His two brothers having destroyed Jarasandha and achieved victory, King Yudhisthira, known as Ajatasatru, or "one who has no enemy," sat with them and rejoiced. Yudhisthira also met with the freed kings in order of seniority, and having shown them hospitality and honor, he granted them their leave. With Yudhisthira's permission those kings departed at once and with great joy traveled to their own countries on their many vehicles.
Thus the vastly wise Lord Janardana, Krsna, slew the enemy Jarasandha with the Pandavas' help. Having slain Jarasandha with the use of intelligence, Lord Krsna, tamer of the enemy, took His leave from Dharmaraja Yudhisthira, Kunti, and Draupadi, and also from Subhadra, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva. Then, O noble Bharata, Yudhisthira and the other Pandavas respectfully circumambulated Lord Krsna of indefatigable deeds. After begging permission from the priest Dhaumya, Krsna departed toward His city on that very best of chariots, which was as radiant as the newly risen sun and which was a gift from the king of justice, Yudhisthira. With that celestial car He made the world resound in all directions.
Their power vastly increased by their great victory and their rescue of the kings, the Pandavas inspired the greatest love and pleasure in Draupadi. King Yudhisthira, celebrated for his protection of the realm, then did all that was proper for the goodness, pleasure, and prosperity of the world, and he did all this in terms of sacred law.
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, who holds a Ph.D. in Indology from Harvard University, occasionally teaches at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and has been a visiting lecturer at the University of California at Los Angeles.
The Characters in this Episode
Asura an enemy of the demigods
Bali a leader of the Asuras who became a great devotee of Lord Krsna
Brahma the first created being in the universe
Brhaspati the spiritual master of the demigods
Draupadi the wife of the five Pandavas
Garuda the divine eagle who carries Lord Visnu
Indra the king of the heavenly planets
The Pandavas Though the name Pandava means "son of Pandu," the five Pandavas were sired by demigods the three eldest Pandavas (Yudhisthira, Bhima, and Arjuna) in the womb of King Pandu's wife Kunti, and the youngest (the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva) in the womb of Pandu's wife Madri. The Pandavas are sometimes called "Bharata" or "best of the Bharatas," because they come in the dynasty of King Bharata.
Subhadra Lord Krsna's sister
Vrtra a powerful demon once defeated by Indra (Vrtra was in fact a devotee cursed to be a demon for one lifetime.)