ENMITY BETWEEN SRI KRISHNA AND JARAASANDHA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > RAAJASOOYA AARAMBHA PARVA > CHAPTER 19 - ENMITY BETWEEN SRI KRISHNA AND JARAASANDHA

“(Sri) Krishna said, ‘Sometime after this, the great Tapaswi, the noble Chanda-Kaushika, again came into the country of the Magadhas. Filled with joy at the advent of his arrival, king Brihadratha, accompanied by his ministers, priest, wives and son, went out to receive him. O Bharata (Yudhishthira), worshipping the Rishi with water to wash his feet and face, and with the offerings of Arghya, the king then offered (Nyavedayat in Sanskrit) his whole kingdom along with his son for the acceptance of the Rishi.

“O monarch (Yudhishthira), the adorable Rishi (Chanda-Kaushika) accepting that worship offered by the king, addressing the ruler of Magadha, said with well-pleased heart, ‘O king, I knew all this by spiritual insight (Gnana Chakshushaa in Sanskrit). But hear, O king of kings (Brihadratha), what this son of yours will be in future, as also what his beauty, excellence, strength, and valour will be. Without doubt this son of yours, growing in prosperity and filled with prowess, will obtain all these. Like other birds that can never imitate the speed of Vinata’s son (Garuda), the other monarchs of the earth will not be able to equal in energy this your son, who will be filled with great valour. All those that will stand in his way will certainly be destroyed. Like the force of the current that can never make the slightest impression upon the rocky chest of a mountain, weapons hurled at him (the child) even by Devas will fail to produce the least pain in him. He will blaze forth above the heads of all that wear crowns on their brows. Like Bhaaskara (the Sun) that dims the shine of all luminous bodies, this son of yours will rob all monarchs of their splendour. Kings that are powerful, own large armies, and numberless vehicles and animals, upon approaching this son of yours, will all perish as insects upon fire. This child will stop the growing prosperity of all kings like the ocean receiving the rivers swollen with the water of the rainy season. Like the huge earth that bears all kinds of produce, supporting things that are both good and evil, this child filled with great strength will support all men of four varnas. All the kings of the earth will live in obedience to the commands of this child just as every creature endued with body live in dependence upon Vaayu that is dear as one’s own self to beings. This prince of Magadha – the mightiest of all men in the world – will see with his physical eyes the Mahadeva called Rudra or Hara, the slayer of Tripura.’

“O you slayer of all enemies (Yudhishthira), saying this, the Muni (Chanda-Kaushika), thinking of his own work, dismissed king Brihadratha. The lord of the Magadhas then, re-entering his capital, and calling together his friends and relations, installed Jaraasandha, on the throne. King Brihadratha then came to feel a great distaste for worldly pleasures. After the installation of Jaraasandha, king Brihadratha followed by his two wives became an inmate of a Tapovana. O king (Yudhishthira), after his father and mothers had retired into the forest, Jaraasandha by his valour (Veerya in Sanskrit) brought numerous kings under his rule.’”

“King Brihadratha, having lived for a long time in the forest and practised Tapas, ascended to heaven (Swarga in Sanskrit) at last with his wives. King Jaraasandha, also, as uttered by Kaushika, having received those numerous boons ruled his kingdom like a father. Some time after when king Kamsa was slain, an enmity arose between him and me. Then, O Bharata (Yudhishthira), the mighty king of Magadha (Jaraasandha) from his (capital) city of Girivraja (present-day Rajgir, Nalanda district, Bihar, India), whirling a mace (Gada in Sanskrit) ninety-nine times, hurled it towards Mathura. At that time, I was residing at Mathura. The handsome mace hurled by Jaraasandha fell near Mathura at a distance of ninety-nine yojanas from Gririvraja. The citizens seeing the circumstance well informed me of the fall of the mace. The place where the mace fell is adjacent to Mathura and is called Gadavaasana. Jaraasandha had two supporters called Hamsa and Dimbhakaa, both of whom were incapable of being slain by weapons. Well-familiar with the science of politics and morality, in counsel they (Hamsa and Dimbhakaa) were the foremost of all intelligent men. I have already told you everything about that mighty pair. They two and Jaraasandha, I believe, are more than a match for three worlds. O brave king (Yudhishthira), it was for this reason that the powerful Kukkura, Andhaka and Vrishni tribes, acting from motives of policy (Nayaa in Sanskrit), did not deem it proper to fight with him.’”