Story of Jarāsandha

A terrible King of Magadha.

Genealogy.

Descended from Viṣṇu in the following order:—Brahmā-Atri-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus-Nahuṣa-Yayāti-Pūru-Janamejaya-Prācinvān-Pravīra-Namasyu-Vītabhaya-Śuṇḍu-Bahuvidha-Saṃyati-Rahovādi-Raudrāśva-Matināra-Santurodha-Duṣyanta-Bharata-Suhotra-Suhotā-Gala-Garda-Suketu-Bṛhatkṣeṭra-Hasti-Ajamīḍha-Ṛṣa-Saṃvaraṇa-Pūru-Sudhanvā-Cyavana-Kṛti-Vasu-Bṛhadratha-Jarāsandha.

Birth.

Jarāsandha was created by joining together two halves of a child, by a giantess called Jarā, and so this child got the name Jarāsandha. (For detailed story see under Jarā).

The first battle with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Asti and Prāpti, the two wives of Kaṃsa, were daughters of Jarāsandha. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṃsa, the two daughters went to their father and shed tears before him. Jarāsandha became angry and with a mighty army surrounded the city of Mathurā. A fierce battle was fought between Jarāsandha and Kṛṣṇa. At last Balabhadrarāma caught hold of Jarāsandha and was about to kill him, when an ethereal voice said that Balabhadrarāma was not the person to kill Jarāsandha. Accordingly Rāma and Kṛṣṇa set Jarāsandha free. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).

Other information.

(1) It is mentioned in Bhāgavata, Skandha 10, that Jarāsandha was the teacher too, of Kaṃsa.

(2) Jarāsandha had four sons, Soma, Sahadeva, Tūrya and Srutāśru of whom Sahadeva became King of Magadha, after the death of Jarāsandha.

(3) Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 185, that Jarāsandha had been present at the Svayaṃvara (marriage) of Pāñcālī.

(4) Once there arose a battle between Jarāsandha and Kaṛṇa, in which Jarāsandha was defeated and so he made a treaty with Karṇa. (Mahābhārata Śānti Parva, Chapter 5, Stanza 6).

The death of Jarāsandha.

The enmity between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Jarāsandha was life-long. These two mighty powers confronted each other eighteen times. Śrī Kṛṣṇa decided to kill Jarāsandha, the King of Magadha, in a duel. Once Śrī Kṛṣṇa with Arjuna and Bhīma, reached the city of Magadha in the guise of Brāhmaṇas. They started from the kingdom of Kuru travelled through Kurujāṅgala and passed by Padmasaras and Kālakūṭa, visited the holy. places of Gaṇḍakī, Mahāśoṇā, Sadānīrā and such others, crossed the river Sarayū and reached the opposite bank. Then they travelled through the countries of East Kosala and Mithilā. Touring through the countries they crossed the rivers Carmaṇvatī, Gaṅgā and Śoṇa. Wearing matted hair and barks of trees they reached Girivraja, the capital city of Magadha. There were three big drums, which were used only on special occasions. The hide of elephant was used for making them.* Seeing all these sights they reached the presence of Jarāsandha, who welcomed them with necessary formalities and talked with them. But they kept silence. At last Śrī Kṛṣṇa told him that his two friends were having the vow of silence, which would terminate only at midnight. So the King left them in the sacrificial hall and went to the palace. He came to them at midnight and asked them who they were. Śrī Kṛṣha revealed to him that they were Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna, who had come to fight a duel with Jarāsandha, who had unreasonably put many innocent Kings in dungeon, and challenged him to select any one of them for duel. Jarāsandha, trembling with fury, selected Bhīma. In that duel Jarāsandha was killed. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, 3 Chapters from 20).

Names given to Jarāsandha.

Bārhadratha, Māgadha, Magadhādhipa and Jarāputra are some of the names used in the Mahābhārata by Vyāsa as synonyms of Jarāsandha.

*) See under Bṛhadratha IV to know about the sound of this big drum.