Birth of Jarasandha

Mahabharata Sabha parva section 12-18

Sri Sadgurubyoh Namah

Narada tells Yudhistir that he has met Pandu raja (father of Yudhistir) in heaven and brings a message from him that Yudhistir has to perform a yajna named Rajasuya and attain a position as an emperor.

Yudhistir asks his counsellors who approve of it, but King is still in doubt. So, he asks advice of Krishna, who arrives at Yudhistirs place and tells him about King of Magadha, Jarasandha, who was a cruel monarch and won over 86 kings in the past and imprisoned them. Krishna says to eliminate Jarasandha first, because as long as he is alive, Yudhistir cannot be called Emperor. Yudhistir asks Krishna about who is Jarasandha. Krishna then narrates the story of Jarasandha.

Once upon a time a king named Vrihadratha, was ruling over his kingdom justly and was living happily. His only worry is that he do not have offspring. A muni (sage) named Chanda-Kausika visited his kingdom. King pays his respect to the sage and informs that he is looking for an offspring. The sage gives him a mango. King cuts the fruit into two and gives to his two wives. Kings wives become pregnant and each of them deliver a partially formed body (half-formed) with one leg, one hand, one eye. The two half formed body parts were thrown away and found by a Rakshasi by name 'Jara'. She brings the two body parts near each other, at which, they are joined as one strong body. She then gives the child to the King. The child is named as 'Jara-sandha' (joined by Jara).

He grows up to be a tyrant, and in his quest for supremacy he won many kings in battle and imprisons them till he wins over 100 kings, after which he is going to sacrifice them.

Hari Om

In Guruseva