Chapter 87 - The Onslaught of Jarāsandha

Vyāsa said:

1-2. Kaṃsa of great strength had married the two daughters of Jarāsandha named Asti and Prāpti. O brahmins, Jarāsandha the powerful king of Magadha came there in great fury surrounded by a great army. It was to kill Kṛṣṇa together with the Yādavas that he came there, for Kṛṣṇa had killed the husband of his two daughters.

3. The lord of Magadha attacked the vicinity of Mathurā. He was accompanied by twenty-three Akṣauhiṇīs^[1] of the army.

4. Surrounded by only a limited number of soldiers, the powerful Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa came out of their city and fought with the strong soldiers.

5. Thereafter, O excellent sages, Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa of great strength thought of taking up their ancient weapons.

6-8. The discus, the śārṅga bow, two quivers with inexhaustible supply of arrows and the iron club named Kaumodaki—all these came from the firmament to those heroes.

The ploughshare came into the hand of Balarāma from the sky. O brahmins, it resembled the Saṃvarta fire. So also the Musala (iron-club) called Sunanda came over to them.

In the battle, the heroic lads Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa defeated the king of Magadha together with his army.

9. O excellent brahmins, although Jarāsandha of evil design was conquered, Kṛṣṇa did not consider him defeated because he returned alive.

10. O excellent brahmins, Jarāsandha came again accompanied by his huge army. He was conquered by Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa. He fled from the battlefield.

11. Thus, the arrogant king of Magadha fought eighteen battles with the descendants of Yadu led by Kṛṣṇa.

12. Although Jarāsandha had more armies he was defeated by the heroes of Yadu clan who had only a small army. He was defeated in all battles and he ñed on all occasions.

13. The fact that the army of Yādavas won all times indicates the greatness of discus-bearing Viṣṇu (i.e. Kṛṣṇa)

14. It is a mere sport on the part of the lord of universe to discharge many forms of weapons on the enemies because the lord had human attributes and activities.

15. In fact with his mere mental thought he can create and annihilate the universe. What detailed attempt need he make in destroying the enemy’s sides?

16. Still the lord follows the activities of human beings. Allying himself with the strong persons he fights with the weaker ones.

17-18. He uses the four strategic expedients such as peaceful overtures, gifts, threats or creating dissention in enemies ranks and the actual striking. In some places he resorts to fleeing. The sport of the lord of universe functions according to his will. He imitates the activities of embodied human beings.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

An army consisting of 21,870 elephants, 21,870 chariots, 65,610 horses, 109,350 feet is called Akṣauhiṇī.