Jarāsandh

People in Shastras

Jarāsandh was the king of Magadh. He was the son of King Bruhadrath. Bruhadrath did not have any children. He went to the forest and pleased a rishi. The rishi gave Bruhadrath a fruit that would bear him a child. His two queens divided the fruit and ate the halves. Both queens gave birth to half of a child. Disgusted by the halves, they threw the halves away. A rākshasi named Jarā found the two halves and put them together and the child came to life as one. Therefore, he became known as Jarāsandh. His two daughters were married to Kansa. He had lost to Krishna 17 times in battle. When he came to fight Krishna the 18th time, Krishna (along with Balrām) fled and climbed a mountain. Jarāsandh set the mountain on fire from all sides. He thought Krishna would have burned to death and so he retreated. However, Krishna and Balrām actually jumped over the mountain and safely escaped. When Jarāsandh was prepared to perform the Rājasuya yagna, Krishna, Arjun, and Bhimsen went to him disguised as brāhmins. Jarāsandh recognized them but he granted their wish. Krishna asked Jarāsandh for a one-on-one duel and to pick one of them. Jarāsandh picked Bhimsen to be his equal in match. Bhimsen and Jarāsandh wrestled for 13 days. He tried to rip his body into two but each time, the body would become whole again. On the last day, Krishna told him to throw the two halves in opposite directions. Bhimsen tore his body into two and threw the two pieces in opposite directions and killed Jarāsandh. Krishna, Arjun, and Bhim released the 20,000 kings Jarāsandh captured for the yagna and made his son Sahadev the king.