Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1367

c7.1367

JARĀSANDHA I. A terrible King of Magadha.
1) Genealogy. Descended from Viṣṇu in the following order :-Brahmā - Atri-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus-Nahuṣa - Yayāti-Pūru - Janamejaya-Prācinvān-Pravira-Namasyu - Vitabhaya-Śuṇḍu-Bahuvidha-Saṁyati-Rahovādi - Raudrāśva - Matināra - Santurodha - Duṣyanta-Bharata-Suhotra-Suhotā-Gala - Garḍa - Suketu - Bṛhatkṣetra-Hasti-Ajamīḍha-Ṛṣa-Saṁvaraṇa-Pūru-Sudhanvā-Cyavana-Kṛti-Vasu-Bṛhadratha-Jarāsandha.
2) 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).
3) The first battle with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Asti and Prāpti, the two wives of Kaṁsa, were daughters of Jarāsandha. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṁsa, 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 Balabhadrārāma caught hold of Jarāsandha and was about to kill him, when an ethereal voice said that Balabhadrārāma was not the person to kill Jarāsandha. Accordingly Rāma and Kṛṣṇa set Jarāsandha free. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).
4) Other information.
(1) It is mentioned in Bhāgavata, Skandha 10, that Jarāsandha was the teacher too, of Kaṁsa.
(2) Jarāsandha had four sons, Soma, Sahadeva, Tūrya and Śrutāśru 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 Svayaṁvara (marriage) of Pāñcālī.
(4) Once there arose a battle between Jarāsandha and Karṇa, in which Jarāsandha was defeated and so he made a treaty with Karṇa. (M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 5, Stanza 6).
(5) 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, Mahāśoṇa, 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 river 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.¹ Seeing 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 Kṛṣṇa revealed to them 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. (M.B. Sabhā Parva, 3 Chapters from 20).