Part 5: Marriage of Kaṃsa with Jīvayaśas and capture of his father, Ugrasena

The king went with Kaṃsa to Ardhacakrin Jarāsandha, delivered Siṃharatha, and described the strength of Kaṃsa. Jarāsandha gave his daughter Jīvayaśas to Kaṃsa and the city Mathurā, which he demanded from anger with his father. With an army furnished by Jarāsandha, Kaṃsa went to Mathurā and, cruel, captured his father and threw him into a cage. Ugrasena had sons, Atimukta and others. Atimukta became a mendicant at that time because of grief for his father. Kaṃsa brought Subhadra, the rasa-merchant, from Śauryanagara and rewarded him with gifts of gold, et cetera, considering himself to acknowledge former favors.

One day Dhāriṇī talked to Kaṃsa for her husband’s release; but he did not release his father at all even from her talk. “I had him put in the brass chest and carried away by the river. Ugrasena did not know it. He is entirely blameless. I alone am guilty in this matter. My husband should be released.” She said this daily to men respected by Kaṃsa, going to their houses. Even at their request, Kaṃsa did not release Ugrasena. Verily, a nidāna from a former birth does not turn out otherwise.