Gomateshwari at 14:38, 22 May 2023

2023-05-22T14:38:20Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{short description|Legendary king}}
{{Infobox character
| info-hdr=Information
| image = File:A painting from the Mahabharata Balabhadra fighting Jarasandha.jpg
| caption = Jarasandha fighting with Balarama, shown multiple times in the picture
| children = [[Sahadeva of Magadha|Sahadeva]] and Jayatsen (sons)<br>Asti and Prapti (daughters, wives of [[Kamsa]])
| data25 = Brihadratha dynasty
| family = {{Unbulleted list|[[Brihadratha]] (father)|Two princesses of [[Kingdom of Kashi|Kashi]] (mothers), [[Shashirekha (Mahabharata)|Shashirekha]] (sister)}}
| data24 = [[Gada (mace)|Gada]]
| lbl23 = Successor
| lbl21 = Kingdom
| data21 = [[Magadha]]
| data23 = [[Sahadeva of Magadha|Sahadeva]]
| lbl22 = Predecessor
| data22 = [[Brihadratha]]
| lbl24 = Weapon
| lbl25 = Dynasty
| gender = Male
| color = #FFC569
}}

According to the Hindu epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'', '''Jarasandha''' was a powerful king of [[Magadha]]. He was son of king [[Brihadratha]], the creator of the Barhadratha dynasty of Magadha. According to ''[[Vayu Purana]]'', the descendants of Brihadratha ruled [[Magadha]] for 2600 years followed by the [[Haryanka dynasty]]. He is ninth ''pratinarayana''{{Explain|date=July 2021}} according to the [[Jainism|Jain]] text ''[[Harivamsa Purana]]''.

==Etymology==
The word ''Jarasandha'' has been explained as a combination of two [[Sanskrit]] words: ''jara'' (जरा) and ''sandha'' (सन्ध), "joining". A jungle's goddess Jara picked the two halves of Jarasandha together after finding them near a tree. When the two halves came together, a boy was formed and cried loudly. Jara carried the son and returned it to the King. In return for saving Brihadratha's son, he was named ''Jarasandha'' after her. The meaning of ''Jarasandha'' is "the one who is joined by Jara".<ref>{{Cite web|title = Jarasandha was a very powerful king of Magadha, and the history of his birth and activities is also very interesting - Vaniquotes|url = http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Jarasandha_was_a_very_powerful_king_of_Magadha,_and_the_history_of_his_birth_and_activities_is_also_very_interesting|website = vaniquotes.org|access-date = 2015-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mahabharat Episode 28: Jarasandha – Born Divided |url=https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/wisdom/article/mahabharat-jarasandha-born-divided |website=sadhguru.org |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref>

==Birth and early life==
[[File:Birth of Jarasandha.jpg|thumb|left|Birth of Jarasandha]]
[[File: Jara merges two parts of Jarasandha.jpg|thumb|Jara merges two parts of Jarasandha]]
Jarasandha's father, King Brihadratha, was married to the twin daughters of the king of [[Kashi (Varanasi)|Kashi]]. Brihadratha loved both his wives equally but had no sons. The sage Chandakaushika visited his kingdom and gave fruit to the king as a boon. The king divided the fruit equally between both of his wives. Soon, both wives became pregnant and gave birth to two halves of a human body.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Namita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DYnAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT62&dq=jarasandha+birth#q=jarasandha%20birth|title=The Puffin Mahabharata|date=2013-01-21|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=978-93-5118-415-7|language=en}}</ref> These two lifeless halves were very horrifying to view, so Brihadratha ordered them to be thrown in the forest. A goddess named Jara found the two halves and picked up one with her right hand, one with her left, holding each piece in her palm. When she brought both of her palms together, the two pieces joined, becoming a living child. The child cried loudly, which caused Jara to panic. Not having the heart to eat a living child, Jara took the baby to the king and explained to him all that had happened. The father was overjoyed to see his son.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title = Krishna and Jarasandha|last = Chandrakant|first = Kamala|publisher = India Book House Ltd.|year = 1977|isbn = 81-7508-080-9|pages = 3–5}}</ref>

Chandakaushika arrived at the court and saved the child. He prophesied to Brihadratha that his son would be specially gifted and would be a great devotee of the god [[Shiva]]. {{cn|date=May 2020}}

== Conflicts with Balarama and Krishna ==
[[File: Battle between Balarama and Jarasandha. Illustration from a Bhagavata Purana series..jpeg|thumb|250px|left|Battle between Balarama and Jarasandha. Illustration from a Bhagavata Purana series.]]
Kansa, the ruler of [[Mathura]], acquired Jarasandha's attention. Impressed with his bravery, Jarasandha made Kansa his son-in-law by marrying off his two daughters. This makes Jarasandha a relative of [[Krishna]]. Krishna killed Kansa as announced by a divine prophecy. Jarasandha got infuriated as his daughters were widowed. Thereafter, Jarasandha vowed to kill Krishna.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Banker|first=Ashok K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MLPlAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=jarasandha+and+balarama#q=Kamsa|title=Rage Of Jarasandha|date=2012-08-20|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=978-93-5029-590-8|language=en}}</ref> Jarasandha attacked Mathura with an army of 23 [[Akshohini|Akshohinis]]{{cn|date=August 2021}}, but Krishna and Balarama somehow managed the whole army of Jarasandha and his allies. Jarasandha attacked Mathura 17 times and was defeated by Krishna, and who later got renamed as Ranchhod (रणछोड़).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gitananda|first=Swami|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tb0qDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT577&dq=jarasandha+and+balarama#q=jarasandha%20and%20balarama|title=Srimad Bhagavata: The Book of Divine Love|publisher=Advaita Ashrama (A publication branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math)|isbn=978-81-7505-837-8|language=en}}</ref>

During the 18th attack, the [[Yavana]] king [[Kalayavana]] also attacked Mathura with a huge army. With his [[Yoga|yogic]] powers, Krishna summoned Vishwakarma and asked him to build an impregnable fortress on an island near the sea, which was done in no time and named Dwaraka. Krishna somehow dealt with Kalayavana and his army. When he and Balarama saw Jarasandha's army, they got afraid and started running away, with Jarasandha in hot pursuit. Reaching Mount Prasravana, the duo ascended the hill. Jarasandha set fire to the whole hill, but Krishna and Balarama escaped unscathed and went to Dwaraka.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gitananda|first=Swami|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tb0qDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT577&dq=jarasandha+and+balarama#q=jarasandha%20and%20balarama|title=Srimad Bhagavata: The Book of Divine Love|publisher=Advaita Ashrama (A publication branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math)|isbn=978-81-7505-837-8|language=en}}</ref>

==Later life and death==
[[File: Bhima and Jarasandh Wrestling.jpg|alt=|thumb|Bhima fights with Jarasandha]]
In the ''[[Shanti Parva]]'' of ''[[Mahabharata]]'', Jarasandha fought with [[Karna]] after the [[Svayamvara|''swayamvara'']] of daughter ([[Bhanumati (Mahabharata)|Bhanumati]]) of Chitrangada and daughter ([[Mayuri (wife of Duryodhana)|Mayuri]]) of Vasantraja. After a tough fight, Karna defeated him. To please Karna, Jarasandha gifted him the land of Malini to rule.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mani|first=Vettam|url=http://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft|title=Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature|date=1975|publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass|others=Robarts - University of Toronto|pages=346}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mani|first=Vettam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mvXsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP5&dq=vettam+mani#q=Karna%20Malini|title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature|date=2015-01-01|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0597-2|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Yadav|first=Karna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YeQ8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA176&dq=jarasandha#q=jarasandha|title=Jaya Samhita: Book One: The Cause|date=2017-11-15|publisher=Educreation Publishing|language=en}}</ref>

He was also a major hurdle before emperor [[Yudhishthira]] when the latter decided to perform an offering. As Jarasandha was a powerful warrior, it was necessary for the [[Pandava|Pandavas]] to eliminate him. Krishna, [[Bhima]] and [[Arjuna]] disguised as [[Brahmin|brahmins]] traveled to Magadha and met Jarasandha. After a formal meeting, Jarasandha enquired about their intentions. Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna revealed their actual identities. Krishna then challenged Jarasandha for a duel and gave him the freedom to choose any one belligerent. Jarasandha selected Bhima for a duel. Both Bhima and Jarasandha were accomplished wrestlers. The duel continued for several days and neither of them was willing to give up. Bhima overpowered Jarasandha after a long duel and almost took Jarasandha to death but Bhima was unable to kill Jarasandha. When Bhima looked at Krishna for guidance, Krishna picked a twig and dissected it into two halves, and threw the parts in opposite directions. Bhima complied with his instructions and dissected the body of Jarasandha. He threw the dissected parts in opposite directions. Jarasandha was killed as two halves of the body could not conjoin.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hudson|first=D. Dennis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMCxbOezDi4C&pg=PA233&dq=jarasandha#q=Death%20jarasandha|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|date=2008-09-25|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-970902-1|language=en}}</ref>
[[File: Bhima Slays Jarasandha.jpg|thumb|[[Bhima]] slays Jarasandh in wrestling fight.]]
Jarasandha's son Sahadeva (not to be confused with the youngest Pandava) was placed on the throne of Magadha and he agreed to be a vassal to the Pandavas. He was killed in the [[Kurukshetra war]] by [[Shakuni]] along with his cousin, Jayadeva.

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===

* Gibbs, Laura. Ph.D. [http://www.mythfolklore.net/india/encyclopedia/jarasandha.htm Jarasandha] Modern Languages MLLL-4993. Indian Epics.
*Dowson, John (1820–1881). ''A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature.'' London: Trübner, 1879 [Reprint, London: Routledge, 1979]. {{ISBN|0-415-24521-4}}
*Original Mahabharata by Shri Ved Vyasa
*Gita press, Gorakhpur edition of Mahābhārata
*Ramanand Sagar's "SHRI KRISHNA" serial
*MRITYUNJAY-the story of Karna.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}{{Mahābhārata}}
{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category: Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category: Salakapurusa]]

Jarasandha - Revision history

Gomateshwari at 14:38, 22 May 2023