Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2646

c4.2646

The King and his wives returned to the palace and divided the mango fruit into two and both of his wives ate the fruit and became pregnant. Each of them gave birth to half of a child. The lifeless forms of these half children were thrown out. A giantess called Jarā put them together and instantly the pieces joined together and became a living child. The giantess took that child and made a present of it to the King. That child grew up and was known by the famous name Jarāsandha. From that time onwards Giantess-worship began in Magadha. When Jarāsandha came of age the King anointed him as King and went to the hermitage of Caṇḍakauśika with his wives and began to do penance. After coming to the forest Bṛhadratha killed a giant named Ṛṣabha and with his hide made three Big drums and placed them in the city. The sound of one beat on the drum will last for a month. When Bhīma, Arjuna and Śrī Kṛṣṇa came to Magadha to kill Jarāsandha they broke these drums. (M.B. Ādi Parva, 53; Sabhā Parva, Chapters 17, 19 and 21).