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CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO

The Slaying of the Demon Jarāsandha

This chapter describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa heard King Yudhiṣṭhira’s request and then arranged for Bhīmasena to defeat Jarāsandha.

One day King Yudhiṣṭhira addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa as He sat in the royal assembly: “My Lord, I wish to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice. In this sacrifice people uninterested in Your devotional service will be able to see firsthand the superiority of Your devotees and the inferiority of nondevotees. They will also be able to see Your lotus feet.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa extolled Yudhiṣṭhira’s proposition: “Your scheme is so excellent that it will spread your fame throughout the universe. Indeed, all living beings should desire that this sacrifice be performed. To make this sacrifice possible, however, you must first defeat all the kings of the earth and collect all the necessary paraphernalia.”

Satisfied with Lord Kṛṣṇa’s words, King Yudhiṣṭhira sent his brothers to conquer the various directions. After they had conquered or won the fealty of the kings in their assigned directions, they brought back abundant wealth to Yudhiṣṭhira. They informed him, however, that Jarāsandha could not be defeated. As King Yudhiṣṭhira pondered how he could subdue Jarāsandha, Śrī Kṛṣṇa revealed to him the means for doing so, following the previous advice of Uddhava.

Bhīma, Arjuna and Śrī Kṛṣṇa then disguised themselves as brāhmaṇas and went to the palace of Jarāsandha, who was very devoted to the brahminical class. They introduced themselves as brāhmaṇas to King Jarāsandha, flattering him by praising his reputation for hospitality, and requested him to grant their desire. Seeing the marks of bowstrings on their limbs, Jarāsandha concluded that they were warriors and not brāhmaṇas, but still, even though fearful, he promised to fulfill whatever desire they might have. At that point Lord Kṛṣṇa discarded His disguise and asked Jarāsandha to fight Him in one-to-one combat. But Jarāsandha refused, claiming that Kṛṣṇa was a coward because He had once fled the battlefield. Jarāsandha also declined to fight Arjuna on the plea that he was inferior in age and size. But Bhīma he considered a worthy opponent.

Thus Jarāsandha handed Bhīma a club and took up another himself, and they all went outside the city to begin the fight.

After the fight had gone on for some time, it became clear that the two opponents were too equally matched for either to gain victory. Lord Kṛṣṇa then split a small tree branch in half, thus showing Bhīma how to kill Jarāsandha. Bhīma threw Jarāsandha to the ground, stepped on one of his legs, seized the other with his arms and proceeded to tear him apart from his genitals to his head.

Seeing Jarāsandha dead, his relatives and subjects cried out in lamentation. Lord Kṛṣṇa then appointed Jarāsandha’s son ruler of Magadha and released the kings Jarāsandha had imprisoned.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
एकदा तु सभामध्य आस्थितो मुनिभिर्वृत: ।
ब्राह्मणै: क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैर्भ्रातृभिश्च युधिष्ठिर: ॥ १ ॥
आचार्यै: कुलवृद्धैश्च ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिबान्धवै: ।
श‍ृण्वतामेव चैतेषामाभाष्येदमुवाच ह ॥ २ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
ekadā tu sabhā-madhya
āsthito munibhir vṛtaḥ
brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyair vaiśyair
bhrātṛbhiś ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
ācāryaiḥ kula-vṛddhaiś ca
jñāti-sambandhi-bāndhavaiḥ
śṛṇvatām eva caiteṣām
ābhāṣyedam uvāca ha

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once; tu — and; sabhā — of the royal assembly; madhye — in the midst; āsthitaḥ — seated; munibhiḥ — by sages; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ vaiśyaiḥ — by brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas; bhrātṛbhiḥ — by his brothers; ca — and; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — King Yudhiṣṭhira; ācāryaiḥ — by his spiritual masters; kula — of the family; vṛddhaiḥ — by the elders; ca — also; jñāti — by blood relatives; sambandhi — in-laws; bāndhavaiḥ — and friends; śṛṇvatām — as they listened; eva — indeed; ca — and; eteṣām — all of them; ābhāṣya — addressing (Lord Kṛṣṇa); idam — this; uvāca ha — he said.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: One day, as King Yudhiṣṭhira sat in the royal assembly surrounded by eminent sages, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas, and also by his brothers, spiritual masters, family elders, blood relations, in-laws and friends, he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa as everyone listened.

Devanagari

श्रीयुधिष्ठिर उवाच
क्रतुराजेन गोविन्द राजसूयेन पावनी: ।
यक्ष्ये विभूतीर्भवतस्तत् सम्पादय न: प्रभो ॥ ३ ॥

Text

śrī-yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
kratu-rājena govinda
rājasūyena pāvanīḥ
yakṣye vibhūtīr bhavatas
tat sampādaya naḥ prabho

Synonyms

śrī-yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca — Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira said; kratu — of major fire sacrifices; rājena — with the king; govinda — O Kṛṣṇa; rājasūyena — named Rājasūya; pāvanīḥ — purifying; yakṣye — I wish to worship; vibhūtīḥ — the opulent expansions; bhavataḥ — of Yourself; tat — that; sampādaya — please allow to happen; naḥ — for us; prabho — O master.

Translation

Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira said: O Govinda, I desire to worship Your auspicious, opulent expansions by the Rājasūya sacrifice, the king of Vedic ceremonies. Please make our endeavor a success, my Lord.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the word vibhūtīḥ refers to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s expansions (aṁśān), and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura further explains that here the word vibhūtīḥ refers to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s opulent expansions within this world, such as the demigods and other empowered beings. Thus Śrīla Prabhupāda treats this verse as follows in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, the sacrifice known as the Rājasūya-yajña is to be performed by the emperor, and it is considered to be the king of all sacrifices. By performing this sacrifice, I wish to satisfy all the demigods, who are Your empowered representatives within this material world, and I wish that You will kindly help me in this great adventure so that it may be successfully executed. As far as the Pāṇḍavas are concerned, we have nothing to ask from the demigods. We are personally fully satisfied by being Your devotees. As you say in the Bhagavad-gītā, ‘Persons who are bewildered by material desires worship the demigods,’ but our purpose is different. I want to perform this Rājasūya sacrifice and invite the demigods to show them that they have no power independent of You. They are all Your servants and You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Foolish persons with a poor fund of knowledge consider Your Lordship an ordinary human being. Sometimes they try to find fault in You, and sometimes they defame You. Therefore I wish to perform the Rājasūya-yajña. I wish to invite all the demigods, beginning from Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and other exalted chiefs of the heavenly planets, and in that great assembly of the demigods from all parts of the universe, I want to substantiate that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that everyone is Your servant.”

Devanagari

त्वत्पादुके अविरतं परि ये चरन्ति
ध्यायन्त्यभद्रनशने शुचयो गृणन्ति ।
विन्दन्ति ते कमलनाभ भवापवर्ग-
माशासते यदि त आशिष ईश नान्ये ॥ ४ ॥

Text

tvat-pāduke avirataṁ pari ye caranti
dhyāyanty abhadra-naśane śucayo gṛṇanti
vindanti te kamala-nābha bhavāpavargam
āśāsate yadi ta āśiṣa īśa nānye

Synonyms

tvat — Your; pāduke — slippers; aviratam — constantly; pari — fully; ye — who; caranti — serve; dhyāyanti — meditate upon; abhadra — of inauspicious things; naśane — which (cause) the destruction; śucayaḥ — purified; gṛṇanti — and describe in their words; vindanti — obtain; te — they; kamala — (like a) lotus; nābha — O You whose navel; bhava — of material life; apavargam — the cessation; āśāsate — harbor desires; yadi — if; te — they; āśiṣaḥ — (attain) the desired objects; īśa — O Lord; na — not; anye — other persons.

Translation

Purified persons who constantly serve, meditate upon and glorify Your shoes, which destroy everything inauspicious, are sure to obtain freedom from material existence, O lotus-naveled one. Even if they desire something in this world, they obtain it, whereas others — those who do not take shelter of You — are never satisfied, O Lord.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in this connection that liberated, Kṛṣṇa conscious persons “do not even desire to become freed from this material existence or to enjoy material opulences; their desires are fulfilled by Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. As far as we [King Yudhiṣṭhira] are concerned, we are fully surrendered unto Your lotus feet, and by Your grace we are so fortunate to see You personally. Therefore, naturally we have no desire for material opulences. The verdict of the Vedic wisdom is that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I want to establish this fact, and I also want to show the world the difference between accepting You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and accepting You as an ordinary powerful historical person. I wish to show the world that one can attain the highest perfection of life simply by taking shelter at Your lotus feet, exactly as one can satisfy the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers of an entire tree simply by watering the root. Thus, if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his life becomes fulfilled both materially and spiritually.”

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī similarly explains King Yudhiṣṭhira’s statement: “We feel no great urgency to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice, nor do we have any personal interest, since we are already seeing Your lotus feet and by Your boundless mercy have been taken into Your personal association. But in this world there are some whose hearts are contaminated and who thus think You are not the Supreme Personality of Godhead but an ordinary man. Or else they find fault with You and even criticize You. This is an arrow piercing our hearts.

“Therefore, to extract this arrow from our heart, we must call to this place — on the pretext of the Rājasūya — Brahmā, Rudra and other wise brahmacārīs and demigods who reside in each of the fourteen planetary systems. When such an exalted congregation has assembled, it will be incumbent upon them to first arrange for the agra-pūjā, or the first worship for the most worthy person present. And when they are directly shown that You, Lord Kṛṣṇa, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the arrow piercing our heart will be removed.”

Devanagari

तद् देवदेव भवतश्चरणारविन्द-
सेवानुभावमिह पश्यतु लोक एष: ।
ये त्वां भजन्ति न भजन्त्युत वोभयेषां
निष्ठां प्रदर्शय विभो कुरुसृञ्जयानाम् ॥ ५ ॥

Text

tad deva-deva bhavataś caraṇāravinda-
sevānubhāvam iha paśyatu loka eṣaḥ
ye tvāṁ bhajanti na bhajanty uta vobhayeṣāṁ
niṣṭhāṁ pradarśaya vibho kuru-sṛñjayānām

Synonyms

tat — therefore; deva-deva — O Lord of lords; bhavataḥ — Your; caraṇa-aravinda — to the lotus feet; sevā — of service; anubhāvam — the power; iha — in this world; paśyatu — may they see; lokaḥ — the populace; eṣaḥ — this; ye — who; tvām — You; bhajanti — worship; na bhajanti — do not worship; uta — or else; ubhayeṣām — of both; niṣṭhām — the status; pradarśaya — please show; vibho — O all-powerful one; kuru-sṛñjayānām — of the Kurus and Sṛñjayas.

Translation

Therefore, O Lord of lords, let the people of this world see the power of devotional service rendered to Your lotus feet. Please show them, O almighty one, the position of those Kurus and Sṛñjayas who worship You, and the position of those who do not.

Purport

Here we clearly see the heart of a preacher. The great devotee Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja implores Lord Kṛṣṇa to demonstrate plainly the result of worshiping Him and the result of not worshiping Him. If the people of the world could understand this, they could begin to recognize that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that everyone’s ultimate self-interest lies in surrendering to Him. As confirmed by great authorities, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is a pure devotee of the Lord, and thus his actual motivation in discharging his duties as a king was to establish the supremacy of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the real purport of the activities of the Pāṇḍavas, which are described in both the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Mahābhārata.

Devanagari

न ब्रह्मण: स्वपरभेदमतिस्तव स्यात्
सर्वात्मन: समद‍ृश: स्वसुखानुभूते: ।
संसेवतां सुरतरोरिव ते प्रसाद:
सेवानुरूपमुदयो न विपर्ययोऽत्र ॥ ६ ॥

Text

na brahmaṇaḥ sva-para-bheda-matis tava syāt
sarvātmanaḥ sama-dṛśaḥ sva-sukhānubhūteḥ
saṁsevatāṁ sura-taror iva te prasādaḥ
sevānurūpam udayo na viparyayo ’tra

Synonyms

na — not; brahmaṇaḥ — of the Absolute Truth; sva — of own; para — and other’s; bheda — differential; matiḥ — mentality; tava — of You; syāt — there can be; sarva — of all beings; ātmanaḥ — of the Soul; sama — equal; dṛśaḥ — whose vision; sva — within Himself; sukha — of happiness; anubhūteḥ — whose experience; saṁsevatām — for those who properly worship; sura-taroḥ — of the heavenly desire tree; iva — as if; te — Your; prasādaḥ — grace; sevā — with the service; anurūpam — in accordance; udayaḥ — desirable results; na — not; viparyayaḥ — contradiction; atra — in this.

Translation

Within Your mind there can be no such differentiation as “This one is mine, and that is another’s,” because You are the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Soul of all beings, always equipoised and enjoying transcendental happiness within Yourself. Just like the heavenly desire tree, You bless all who properly worship You, granting their desired fruits in proportion to the service they render You. There is nothing wrong in this.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that a desire tree has no material attachments or partiality but simply bestows its fruits upon those who deserve them, and not upon others. Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhupāda adds that a desire tree does not think, “This person is fit to worship me, but that other person is not.” Rather, a desire tree is satisfied with all who properly serve it. And the Lord acts in the same way, as explained here by King Yudhiṣṭhira.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī adds that no one should accuse Lord Kṛṣṇa of being envious of one person and showing favoritism toward another. Since the Lord is sva-sukhānubhūti, experiencing His own happiness within Himself, He has nothing to gain or lose in relation to conditioned souls. Rather, He reciprocates according to how they approach Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda very nicely sums up this point as follows in his rendering of King Yudhiṣṭhira’s statement: “If one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his life becomes fulfilled both materially and spiritually. This does not mean that You are partial to the Kṛṣṇa conscious person and indifferent to the non-Kṛṣṇa conscious person. You are equal to everyone; that is Your declaration. You cannot be partial to one and not interested in others, because You are sitting in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul and giving everyone the respective results of his fruitive activities. You give every living entity the chance to enjoy this material world as he desires. As the Supersoul, You are sitting in the body along with the living entity, giving him the results of his own actions as well as opportunities to turn toward Your devotional service by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You openly declare that one should surrender unto You, giving up all other engagements, and that You will take charge of him, giving him relief from the reactions of all sins. You are like the desire tree in the heavenly planets, which awards benediction according to one’s desires. Everyone is free to achieve the highest perfection, but if one does not so desire, then Your awarding of lesser benedictions is not due to partiality.”

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
सम्यग् व्यवसितं राजन् भवता शत्रुकर्शन ।
कल्याणी येन ते कीर्तिर्लोकाननु भविष्यति ॥ ७ ॥

Text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
samyag vyavasitaṁ rājan
bhavatā śatru-karśana
kalyāṇī yena te kīrtir
lokān anubhaviṣyati

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; samyak — perfectly; vyavasitam — determined; rājan — O King; bhavatā — by you; śatru — of enemies; karśana — O tormentor; kalyāṇī — auspicious; yena — by which; te — your; kīrtiḥ — fame; lokān — all the worlds; anubhaviṣyati — it will see.

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Your decision is perfect, O King, and thus your noble fame will spread to all the worlds, O tormentor of your enemies.

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa here concurs with King Yudhiṣṭhira’s decision that the Rājasūya sacrifice should be performed. The Lord further agrees that there is nothing unfair in the fact that one result is achieved by those who worship Him, and another by those who do not. The great Bhāgavatam commentators point out that by addressing King Yudhiṣṭhira as śatru-karśana, “tormentor of enemies,” Lord Kṛṣṇa is imparting to him the potency to conquer all the enemy kings. Thus Kṛṣṇa predicted that King Yudhiṣṭhira’s noble fame would spread to all the worlds, and in fact it has.

Devanagari

ऋषीणां पितृदेवानां सुहृदामपि न: प्रभो ।
सर्वेषामपि भूतानामीप्सित: क्रतुराडयम् ॥ ८ ॥

Text

ṛṣīṇāṁ pitṛ-devānāṁ
suhṛdām api naḥ prabho
sarveṣām api bhūtānām
īpsitaḥ kratu-rāḍ ayam

Synonyms

ṛṣīṇām — for the sages; pitṛ — departed forefathers; devānām — and demigods; suhṛdām — for the friends; api — also; naḥ — our; prabhoḥ — master; sarveṣām — for all; api — as well; bhūtānām — living beings; īpsitaḥ — desirable; kratu — of major Vedic sacrifices; rāṭ — king; ayam — this.

Translation

Indeed, My lord, for the great sages, the forefathers and the demigods, for Our well-wishing friends and, indeed, for all living beings, the performance of this king of Vedic sacrifices is desirable.

Devanagari

विजित्य नृपतीन्सर्वान् कृत्वा च जगतीं वशे ।
सम्भृत्य सर्वसम्भारानाहरस्व महाक्रतुम् ॥ ९ ॥

Text

vijitya nṛpatīn sarvān
kṛtvā ca jagatīṁ vaśe
sambhṛtya sarva-sambhārān
āharasva mahā-kratum

Synonyms

vijitya — conquering; nṛ-patīn — the kings; sarvān — all; kṛtvā — making; ca — and; jagatīm — the earth; vaśe — under your control; sambhṛtya — collecting; sarva — all; sambhārān — the paraphernalia; āharasva — execute; mahā — great; kratum — the sacrifice.

Translation

First conquer all kings, bring the earth under your control and collect all the required paraphernalia; then execute this great sacrifice.

Devanagari

एते ते भ्रातरो राजल्ँ लोकपालांशसम्भवा: ।
जितोऽस्म्यात्मवता तेऽहं दुर्जयो योऽकृतात्मभि: ॥ १० ॥

Text

ete te bhrātaro rājaḻ
loka-pālāṁśa-sambhavāḥ
jito ’smy ātmavatā te ’haṁ
durjayo yo ’kṛtātmabhiḥ

Synonyms

ete — these; te — your; bhrātaraḥ — brothers; rājan — O King; loka — of the planets; pāla — from the ruling demigods; aṁśa — as partial expansions; sambhavāḥ — born; jitaḥ — conquered; asmi — am; ātma-vatā — self-controlled; te — by you; aham — I; durjayaḥ — unconquerable; yaḥ — who; akṛta-ātmabhiḥ — by those who have not conquered their senses.

Translation

These brothers of yours, O King, have taken birth as partial expansions of the demigods ruling various planets. And you are so self-controlled that you have conquered even Me, who am unconquerable for those who cannot control their senses.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in Kṛṣṇa, “It is said that Bhīma was born of the demigod Vāyu and that Arjuna was born of the demigod Indra, whereas King Yudhiṣṭhira himself was born of the demigod Yamarāja.” Śrīla Prabhupāda goes on to state, “Lord Kṛṣṇa told King Yudhiṣṭhira that He becomes conquered by the love of one who has conquered his senses. One who has not conquered his senses cannot conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the secret of devotional service. To conquer the senses means to engage them constantly in the service of the Lord. The specific qualification of all the Pāṇḍava brothers was that they always engaged their senses in the service of the Lord. One who thus engages his senses becomes purified, and with purified senses one can actually render service to the Lord. The Lord can thus be conquered by the devotee through loving transcendental service.”

Devanagari

न कश्चिन्मत्परं लोके तेजसा यशसा श्रिया ।
विभूतिभिर्वाभिभवेद् देवोऽपि किमु पार्थिव: ॥ ११ ॥

Text

na kaścin mat-paraṁ loke
tejasā yaśasā śriyā
vibhūtibhir vābhibhaved
devo ’pi kim u pārthivaḥ

Synonyms

na — not; kaścit — any person; mat — to Me; param — one who is dedicated; loke — in this world; tejasā — by his strength; yaśasā — fame; śriyā — beauty; vibhūtibhiḥ — opulences; — or; abhibhavet — can overcome; devaḥ — a demigod; api — even; kim u — what to speak of; pārthivaḥ — a ruler of the earth.

Translation

No one in this world, even a demigod — what to speak of an earthly king — can defeat My devotee with his strength, beauty, fame or riches.

Purport

Here Lord Kṛṣṇa assures King Yudhiṣṭhira that he will have no problem conquering the worldly kings, since the King is a pure devotee and the Lord’s pure devotees can never be conquered, even by the demigods, what to speak of earthly kings. Although materialists are proud of their power, fame, beauty and opulence, they can never surpass the pure devotees of the Lord in any of these categories.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
निशम्य भगवद्गीतं प्रीत: फुल्ल‍मुखाम्बुज: ।
भ्रातृन् दिग्विजयेऽयुङ्क्त विष्णुतेजोपबृंहितान् ॥ १२ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
niśamya bhagavad-gītaṁ
prītaḥ phulla-mukhāmbujaḥ
bhrātṝn dig-vijaye ’yuṅkta
viṣṇu-tejopabṛṁhitān

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śuka said; niśamya — hearing; bhagavat — of the Supreme Lord; gītam — the song; prītaḥ — pleased; phulla — blossoming; mukha — his face; ambujaḥ — lotuslike; bhrātṝn — his brothers; dik — of all the directions; vijaye — in the conquest; ayuṅkta — engaged; viṣṇu — of Lord Viṣṇu; tejaḥ — with the potency; upabṛṁhitān — fortified.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Upon hearing these words sung by the Supreme Lord, King Yudhiṣṭhira became joyful, and his face blossomed like a lotus. Thus he sent forth his brothers, who were empowered with Lord Viṣṇu’s potency, to conquer all directions.

Devanagari

सहदेवं दक्षिणस्यामादिशत् सह सृञ्जयै: ।
दिशि प्रतीच्यां नकुलमुदीच्यां सव्यसाचिनम् ।
प्राच्यां वृकोदरं मत्स्यै: केकयै: सह मद्रकै: ॥ १३ ॥

Text

sahadevaṁ dakṣiṇasyām
ādiśat saha sṛñjayaiḥ
diśi pratīcyāṁ nakulam
udīcyāṁ savyasācinam
prācyāṁ vṛkodaraṁ matsyaiḥ
kekayaiḥ saha madrakaiḥ

Synonyms

sahadevam — Sahadeva; dakṣiṇasyām — to the south; ādiśat — he ordered; saha — with; sṛñjayaiḥ — the warriors of the Sṛñjaya clan; diśi — to the direction; pratīcyām — western; nakulam — Nakula; udīcyām — to the north; savyasācinam — Arjuna; prācyām — to the east; vṛkodaram — Bhīma; matsyaiḥ — the Matsyas; kekayaiḥ — the Kekayas; saha — together with; madrakaiḥ — and the Madrakas.

Translation

He sent Sahadeva to the south with the Sṛñjayas, Nakula to the west with the Matsyas, Arjuna to the north with the Kekayas, and Bhīma to the east with the Madrakas.

Devanagari

ते विजित्य नृपान्वीरा आजह्रुर्दिग्भ्य ओजसा ।
अजातशत्रवे भूरि द्रविणं नृप यक्ष्यते ॥ १४ ॥

Text

te vijitya nṛpān vīrā
ājahrur digbhya ojasā
ajāta-śatrave bhūri
draviṇaṁ nṛpa yakṣyate

Synonyms

te — they; vijitya — defeating; nṛpān — kings; vīrāḥ — the heroes; ājahruḥ — brought; digbhyaḥ — from the different directions; ojasā — by their personal strength; ajāta-śatrave — to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, whose enemy was never born; bhūri — abundant; draviṇam — wealth; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); yakṣyate — who was intending to perform sacrifice.

Translation

After defeating many kings with their prowess, these heroic brothers brought back abundant wealth for Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, who was intent on performing the sacrifice, O King.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “It may be noted that by dispatching his younger brothers to conquer in different directions, King Yudhiṣṭhira did not actually intend that they declare war with the kings. Actually, the brothers started for different directions to inform the respective kings about King Yudhiṣṭhira’s intention to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice. The kings were thus informed that they were required to pay taxes for the execution of the sacrifice. This payment of taxes to Emperor Yudhiṣṭhira meant that the king accepted subjugation before him. In case of a king’s refusal to act accordingly, there was certainly a fight. Thus by their influence and strength, the brothers conquered all the kings in different directions, and they were able to bring in sufficient taxes and presentations. These were brought before King Yudhiṣṭhira by his brothers.”

Devanagari

श्रुत्वाजितं जरासन्धं नृपतेर्ध्यायतो हरि: ।
आहोपायं तमेवाद्य उद्धवो यमुवाच ह ॥ १५ ॥

Text

śrutvājitaṁ jarāsandhaṁ
nṛpater dhyāyato hariḥ
āhopāyaṁ tam evādya
uddhavo yam uvāca ha

Synonyms

śrutvā — hearing; ajitam — unconquered; jarāsandham — Jarāsandha; nṛpateḥ — the King; dhyāyataḥ — as he pondered; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; āha — told; upāyam — the means; tam — to him; eva — indeed; ādyaḥ — the original person; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; yam — which; uvāca ha — had spoken.

Translation

When King Yudhiṣṭhira heard that Jarāsandha remained undefeated, he set to pondering, and then the primeval Lord, Hari, told him the means Uddhava had described for defeating Jarāsandha.

Devanagari

भीमसेनोऽर्जुन: कृष्णो ब्रह्मलिङ्गधरास्‍त्रय: ।
जग्मुर्गिरिव्रजं तात बृहद्रथसुतो यत: ॥ १६ ॥

Text

bhīmaseno ’rjunaḥ kṛṣṇo
brahma-linga-dharās trayaḥ
jagmur girivrajaṁ tāta
bṛhadratha-suto yataḥ

Synonyms

bhīmasenaḥ arjunaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ — Bhīmasena, Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa; brahma — of brāhmaṇas; liṅga — the guises; dharāḥ — wearing; trayaḥ — the three; jagmuḥ — went; girivrajam — to the fortress city Girivraja; tāta — my dear (Parīkṣit); bṛhadratha-sutaḥ — the son of Bṛhadratha (Jarāsandha); yataḥ — where.

Translation

Thus Bhīmasena, Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa disguised themselves as brāhmaṇas and went to Girivraja, my dear King, where the son of Bṛhadratha was to be found.

Devanagari

ते गत्वातिथ्यवेलायां गृहेषु गृहमेधिनम् ।
ब्रह्मण्यं समयाचेरन् राजन्या ब्रह्मलिङ्गिन: ॥ १७ ॥

Text

te gatvātithya-velāyāṁ
gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinam
brahmaṇyaṁ samayāceran
rājanyā brahma-liṅginaḥ

Synonyms

te — they; gatvā — going; ātithya — for receiving uninvited guests; velāyām — at the appointed hour; gṛheṣu — in his residence; gṛha-medhinam — from the religious householder; brahmaṇyam — respectful to brāhmaṇas; samayāceran — begged; rājanyāḥ — the kings; brahma-liṅginaḥ — appearing with the signs of brāhmaṇas.

Translation

Disguised as brāhmaṇas, the royal warriors approached Jarāsandha at home during the appointed hour for receiving guests. They submitted their entreaty to that dutiful householder, who was especially respectful to the brahminical class.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “King Jarāsandha was a very dutiful householder, and he had great respect for the brāhmaṇas. He was a great fighter, a kṣatriya king, but he was never neglectful of the Vedic injunctions. According to Vedic injunctions, the brāhmaṇas are considered to be the spiritual masters of all other castes. Lord Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīmasena were actually kṣatriyas, but they dressed themselves as brāhmaṇas, and at the time when King Jarāsandha was to give charity to the brāhmaṇas and receive them as guests, they approached him.”

Devanagari

राजन् विद्ध्यतिथीन् प्राप्तानर्थिनो दूरमागतान् ।
तन्न: प्रयच्छ भद्रं ते यद्वयं कामयामहे ॥ १८ ॥

Text

rājan viddhy atithīn prāptān
arthino dūram āgatān
tan naḥ prayaccha bhadraṁ te
yad vayaṁ kāmayāmahe

Synonyms

rājan — O King; viddhi — please know; atithīn — guests; prāptān — arrived; arthinaḥ — desirous of gain; dūram — from far away; āgatān — come; tat — that; naḥ — to us; prayaccha — please grant; bhadram — all good; te — unto you; yat — whatever; vayam — we; kāmayāmahe — are desiring.

Translation

[Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma said:] O King, know us to be needy guests who have come to you from afar. We wish all good unto you. Please grant us whatever we desire.

Devanagari

किं दुर्मर्षं तितिक्षूणां किमकार्यमसाधुभि: ।
किं न देयं वदान्यानां क: पर: समदर्शिनाम् ॥ १९ ॥

Text

kiṁ durmarṣaṁ titikṣūṇāṁ
kim akāryam asādhubhiḥ
kiṁ na deyaṁ vadānyānāṁ
kaḥ paraḥ sama-darśinām

Synonyms

kim — what; durmarṣam — intolerable; titikṣūṇām — for the patient; kim — what; akāryam — impossible to do; asādhubhiḥ — for the impious; kim — what; na deyam — impossible to give away; vadānyānām — for the generous; kaḥ — who; paraḥ — separate; sama — equal; darśinām — for those whose vision.

Translation

What can the tolerant not bear? What will the wicked not do? What will the generous not give in charity? And who will those of equal vision see as an outsider?

Purport

In the previous verse, Lord Kṛṣṇa and the two Pāṇḍava brothers, Bhīma and Arjuna, requested Jarāsandha to grant them whatever they asked of him. Here they explain why there is no need for them to specify their desire.

The ācāryas comment on this verse as follows: Jarāsandha might be thinking, “What if you request my son, from whom separation would be intolerable?”

To this possible objection Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas reply, “For a tolerant person, nothing is intolerable.”

Similarly, Jarāsandha could object, “What if you ask me to give my body or my precious jewels and other ornaments, which are meant to be given to my sons, not to ordinary beggars?”

To this they reply, “For the generous, what is not to be donated in charity?” In other words, everything is to be given.

Jarāsandha might also object that he could be giving charity to his enemies. To this his guests counter with the statement kaḥ paraḥ sama-darśinām: “For those with equal vision, who is a stranger?”

Thus Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas encouraged Jarāsandha to simply agree to grant their request without further discussion.

Devanagari

योऽनित्येन शरीरेण सतां गेयं यशो ध्रुवम् ।
नाचिनोति स्वयं कल्प: स वाच्य: शोच्य एव स: ॥ २० ॥

Text

yo ’nityena śarīreṇa
satāṁ geyaṁ yaśo dhruvam
nācinoti svayaṁ kalpaḥ
sa vācyaḥ śocya eva saḥ

Synonyms

yaḥ — who; anityena — temporary; śarīreṇa — with the material body; satām — by saints; geyam — to be glorified; yaśaḥ — fame; dhruvam — permanent; na ācinoti — does not acquire; svayam — himself; kalpaḥ — capable; saḥ — he; vācyaḥ — contemptible; śocyaḥ — pitiable; eva — indeed; saḥ — he.

Translation

He indeed is to be censured and pitied who, though able to do so, fails to achieve with his temporary body the lasting fame glorified by great saints.

Devanagari

हरिश्चन्द्रो रन्तिदेव उञ्छवृत्ति: शिबिर्बलि: ।
व्याध: कपोतो बहवो ह्यध्रुवेण ध्रुवं गता: ॥ २१ ॥

Text

hariścandro rantideva
uñchavṛttiḥ śibir baliḥ
vyādhaḥ kapoto bahavo
hy adhruveṇa dhruvaṁ gatāḥ

Synonyms

hariścandraḥ rantidevaḥ — Hariścandra and Rantideva; uñcha-vṛttiḥ — Mudgala, who lived by gathering grains left behind in the fields after the harvest; śibiḥ baliḥ — Śibi and Bali; vyādhaḥ — the hunter; kapotaḥ — the pigeon; bahavaḥ — many; hi — indeed; adhruveṇa — by the temporary; dhruvam — to the permanent; gatāḥ — went.

Translation

Hariścandra, Rantideva, Uñchavṛtti Mudgala, Śibi, Bali, the legendary hunter and pigeon, and many others have attained the permanent by means of the impermanent.

Purport

Here Lord Kṛṣṇa and the two Pāṇḍavas are pointing out to Jarāsandha that one can use the temporary material body to achieve a permanent situation in life. Because Jarāsandha was a materialist, they appealed to his natural interest in the heavenly planets, where life lasts so long that it appears permanent to people on earth.

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī briefly summarizes the history of the personalities mentioned in this verse: “To pay off his debts to Viśvāmītra, Hariścandra sold everything he had, including his wife and children. Yet even after attaining the status of a caṇḍāla, he did not become discouraged; thus he went to heaven, together with all the inhabitants of Ayodhyā. Rantideva, after going without even water for forty-eight days, somehow obtained some food and water, but then some beggars came and he gave it all away to them. In this way he attained Brahmaloka. Mudgala followed the practice of gathering grains left behind in the fields after the harvest. Yet still he was hospitable toward uninvited guests, even after his family had been suffering in poverty for six months. Thus he also went to Brahmaloka.

“To protect a pigeon who had taken shelter of him, King Śibi gave his own flesh to a hawk and attained heaven. Bali Mahārāja gave all his property to Lord Hari when the Lord disguised Himself as a dwarf brāhmaṇa (Vāmanadeva), and so Bali gained the Lord’s personal association. The pigeon and his mate gave their own flesh to a hunter as a show of hospitality, and thus they were taken to heaven in a celestial airplane. When the hunter understood their situation in the mode of goodness, he also became renounced, and thus he gave up hunting and went off to perform severe austerities. Because he was freed of all sins, after his body burned to death in a forest fire he was elevated to heaven. Thus many personalities have attained enduring life on higher planets by means of the temporary material body.”

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
स्वरैराकृतिभिस्तांस्तु प्रकोष्ठैर्ज्याहतैरपि ।
राजन्यबन्धून् विज्ञाय द‍ृष्टपूर्वानचिन्तयत् ॥ २२ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
svarair ākṛtibhis tāṁs tu
prakoṣṭhair jyā-hatair api
rājanya-bandhūn vijñāya
dṛṣṭa-pūrvān acintayat

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; svaraiḥ — by their voices; ākṛtibhiḥ — their bodily statures; tān — them; tu — however; prakoṣṭhaiḥ — by (seeing) their forearms; jyā — by bowstrings; hataiḥ — imprinted; api — even; rājanya — of royalty; bandhūn — as family members; vijñāya — recognizing; dṛṣṭa — seen; pūrvān — previously; acintayat — he considered.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: From the sound of their voices, their physical stature and the marks of bowstrings on their forearms, Jarāsandha could tell that his guests were of the royal order. He began to think he had seen them somewhere before.

Purport

The ācāryas point out that Jarāsandha had seen Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhīmasena and Arjuna at Draupadī’s svayaṁvara ceremony. Since they had come begging in the guise of brāhmaṇas, Jarāsandha thought they must be low-class kṣatriyas, as indicated here by the word rājanya-bandhūn.

Devanagari

राजन्यबन्धवो ह्येते ब्रह्मलिङ्गानि बिभ्रति ।
ददानि भिक्षितं तेभ्य आत्मानमपि दुस्त्यजम् ॥ २३ ॥

Text

rājanya-bandhavo hy ete
brahma-liṅgāni bibhrati
dadāni bhikṣitaṁ tebhya
ātmānam api dustyajam

Synonyms

rājanya-bandhavaḥ — relatives of kṣatriyas; hi — indeed; ete — these; brahma — of brāhmaṇas; liṅgāni — the signs; bibhrati — they are wearing; dadāni — I should give; bhikṣitam — what is begged; tebhyaḥ — to them; ātmānam — my own body; api — even; dustyajam — impossible to give up.

Translation

[Jarāsandha thought:] These are surely members of the royal order dressed as brāhmaṇas, but still I must grant their request for charity, even if they beg me for my own body.

Purport

Here Jarāsandha reveals his strong commitment to charity, especially when begged by brāhmaṇas.

Devanagari

बलेर्नु श्रूयते कीर्तिर्वितता दिक्ष्वकल्मषा ।
ऐश्वर्याद् भ्रंशितस्यापि विप्रव्याजेन विष्णुना ॥ २४ ॥
श्रियं जिहीर्षतेन्द्रस्य विष्णवे द्विजरूपिणे ।
जानन्नपि महीं प्रादाद् वार्यमाणोऽपि दैत्यराट् ॥ २५ ॥

Text

baler nu śrūyate kīrtir
vitatā dikṣv akalmaṣā
aiśvaryād bhraṁśitasyāpi
vipra-vyājena viṣṇunā
śriyaṁ jihīrṣatendrasya
viṣṇave dvija-rūpiṇe
jānann api mahīm prādād
vāryamāṇo ’pi daitya-rāṭ

Synonyms

baleḥ — of Bali; nu — is it not so; śrūyate — are heard; kīrtiḥ — the glories; vitatā — widespread; dikṣu — in all directions; akalmaṣā — spotless; aiśvaryāt — from his powerful position; bhraṁśitasya — who was made to fall; api — even though; vipra — of a brāhmaṇa; vyājena — in the guise; viṣṇunā — by Lord Viṣṇu; śrīyam — the opulence; jihīrṣatā — who wanted to take away; indrasya — of Indra; viṣṇave — to Viṣṇu; dvija-rūpiṇe — appearing as a brāhmaṇa; jānan — aware; api — although; mahīm — the whole earth; prādāt — he gave; vāryamāṇaḥ — being forbidden; api — even; daitya — of the demons; rāṭ — the king.

Translation

Indeed, the spotless glories of Bali Mahārāja are heard throughout the world. Lord Viṣṇu, wishing to recover Indra’s opulence from Bali, appeared before him in the guise of a brāhmaṇa and made him fall from his powerful position. Though aware of the ruse and forbidden by his guru, Bali, king of the demons, still gave Viṣṇu the whole earth in charity.

Devanagari

जीवता ब्राह्मणार्थाय को न्वर्थ: क्षत्रबन्धुना ।
देहेन पतमानेन नेहता विपुलं यश: ॥ २६ ॥

Text

jīvatā brāhmaṇārthāya
ko nv arthaḥ kṣatra-bandhunā
dehena patamānena
nehatā vipulaṁ yaśaḥ

Synonyms

jīvatā — who is alive; brāhmaṇa-arthāya — for the benefit of brāhmaṇas; kaḥ — what; nu — at all; arthaḥ — use; kṣatra-bandhunā — with a fallen kṣatriya; dehena — by his body; patamānena — about to fall; na īhatā — who is not endeavoring; vipulam — for extensive; yaśaḥ — glory.

Translation

What is the use of an unqualified kṣatriya who goes on living but fails to gain everlasting glory by working with his perishable body for the benefit of brāhmaṇas?

Devanagari

इत्युदारमति: प्राह कृष्णार्जुनवृकोदरान् ।
हे विप्रा व्रियतां कामो ददाम्यात्मशिरोऽपि व: ॥ २७ ॥

Text

ity udāra-matiḥ prāha
kṛṣṇārjuna-vṛkodarān
he viprā vriyatāṁ kāmo
dadāmy ātma-śiro ’pi vaḥ

Synonyms

iti — thus; udāra — generous; matiḥ — whose mentality; prāha — said; kṛṣṇa-arjuna-vṛkodarān — to Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma; he vipraḥ — O learned brāhmaṇas; vriyatām — let it be chosen; kāmaḥ — what you desire; dadāmi — I will give; ātma — my own; śiraḥ — head; api — even; vaḥ — to you.

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus making up his mind, the generous Jarāsandha addressed Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma: “O learned brāhmaṇas, choose whatever you wish. I will give it to you, even if it is my own head.”

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
युद्धं नो देहि राजेन्द्र द्वन्द्वशो यदि मन्यसे ।
युद्धार्थिनो वयं प्राप्ता राजन्या नान्यकाङ्‍‍क्षिण: ॥ २८ ॥

Text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
yuddhaṁ no dehi rājendra
dvandvaśo yadi manyase
yuddhārthino vayaṁ prāptā
rājanyā nānya-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord (Kṛṣṇa) said; yuddham — battle; naḥ — to us; dehi — please give; rāja-indra — O exalted King; dvandvaśaḥ — as a one-on-one duel; yadi — if; manyase — you think it proper; yuddha — for a fight; arthinaḥ — desirous; vayam — we; prāptāḥ — have come here; rājanyāḥ — members of the royal order; na — not; anya — anything else; kāṅkṣiṇaḥ — wanting.

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: O exalted King, give us battle in the form of a duel, if you think it fitting. We are princes and have come to beg a fight. We have no other request to make of you.

Devanagari

असौ वृकोदर: पार्थस्तस्य भ्रातार्जुनो ह्ययम् ।
अनयोर्मातुलेयं मां कृष्णं जानीहि ते रिपुम् ॥ २९ ॥

Text

asau vṛkodaraḥ pārthas
tasya bhrātārjuno hy ayam
anayor mātuleyaṁ māṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ jānīhi te ripum

Synonyms

asau — that one; vṛkodaraḥ — Bhīma; pārthaḥ — the son of Pṛthā; tasya — his; bhrātā — brother; arjunaḥ — Arjuna; hi — indeed; ayam — this other; anayoḥ — of the two of them; mātuleyam — the maternal cousin; mām — Me; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; jānīhi — please know; te — your; ripum — enemy.

Translation

Over there is Bhīma, son of Pṛthā, and this is his brother Arjuna. Know Me to be their maternal cousin, Kṛṣṇa, your enemy.

Devanagari

एवमावेदितो राजा जहासोच्चै: स्म मागध: ।
आह चामर्षितो मन्दा युद्धं तर्हि ददामि व: ॥ ३० ॥

Text

evam āvedito rājā
jahāsoccaiḥ sma māgadhaḥ
āha cāmarṣito mandā
yuddhaṁ tarhi dadāmi vaḥ

Synonyms

evam — thus; āveditaḥ — invited; rāja — the King; jahāsa — laughed; uccaiḥ — out loud; sma — indeed; māgadhaḥ — Jarāsandha; āha — he said; ca — and; amarṣitaḥ — intolerant; mandāḥ — O fools; yuddham — battle; tarhi — then; dadāmi — I will give; vaḥ — to you.

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus challenged, Magadharāja laughed out loud and contemptuously said, “All right, you fools, I’ll give you a fight!

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Jarāsandha felt inner satisfaction because he thought that his enemies had been humiliated by having to dress like brāhmaṇas to approach him. Thus the ācārya understands Jarāsandha’s mind as follows: “O weak ones, forget the botheration of fighting. Why not just accept my head? By dressing yourselves as brāhmaṇas begging charity, you have made your heroism set like the sun, but if somehow you have not lost your courage, I will give you battle.”

The ācārya finally points out that the goddess of learning intends the phrase amarṣito mandāḥ to read amarṣito ’mandāḥ. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas are amandāḥ, “never foolish.” And that is why they chose the best tactic for doing away once and for all with the cruel Jarāsandha.

Devanagari

न त्वया भीरुणा योत्स्ये युधि विक्लवतेजसा ।
मथुरां स्वपुरीं त्यक्त्वा समुद्रं शरणं गत: ॥ ३१ ॥

Text

na tvayā bhīruṇā yotsye
yudhi viklava-tejasā
mathurāṁ sva-purīṁ tyaktvā
samudraṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

Synonyms

na — not; tvayā — with You; bhīruṇā — cowardly; yotsye — I will fight; yudhi — in battle; viklava — impaired; tejasā — whose strength; mathurām — Mathurā; sva — Your own; purīm — city; tyaktvā — leaving; samudram — to the ocean; śaraṇam — for shelter; gataḥ — gone.

Translation

“But I will not fight with You, Kṛṣṇa, for You are a coward. Your strength abandoned You in the midst of battle, and You fled Your own capital of Mathurā to take shelter in the sea.

Devanagari

अयं तु वयसातुल्यो नातिसत्त्वो न मे सम: ।
अर्जुनो न भवेद् योद्धा भीमस्तुल्यबलो मम ॥ ३२ ॥

Text

ayaṁ tu vayasātulyo
nāti-sattvo na me samaḥ
arjuno na bhaved yoddhā
bhīmas tulya-balo mama

Synonyms

ayam — this; tu — on the other hand; vayasā — in age; atulyaḥ — unequal; na — not; ati — much; sattvaḥ — having strength; na — not; me — to me; samaḥ — evenly matched; arjunaḥ — Arjuna; na bhavet — should not be; yoddhā — the contender; bhīmaḥ — Bhīma; tulya — equal; balaḥ — in strength; mama — with me.

Translation

“As for this one, Arjuna, he is not as old as I, nor is he very strong. Since he is no match for me, he should not be the contender. Bhīma, however, is as strong as I am.”

Devanagari

इत्युक्त्वा भीमसेनाय प्रादाय महतीं गदाम् ।
द्वितीयां स्वयमादाय निर्जगाम पुराद् बहि: ॥ ३३ ॥

Text

ity uktvā bhīmasenāya
prādāya mahatīṁ gadām
dvitīyāṁ svayam ādāya
nirjagāma purād bahiḥ

Synonyms

iti — thus; uktvā — saying; bhīmasenāya — to Bhīmasena; prādāya — giving; mahatīm — a large; gadām — club; dvitīyām — another; svayam — himself; ādāya — taking; nirjagāma — he went out; purāt — from the city; bahiḥ — to the outside.

Translation

Having said this, Jarāsandha offered Bhīmasena a huge club, took up another himself and went outside the city.

Devanagari

तत: समेखले वीरौ संयुक्तावितरेतरम् ।
जघ्नतुर्वज्रकल्पाभ्यां गदाभ्यां रणदुर्मदौ ॥ ३४ ॥

Text

tataḥ samekhale vīrau
saṁyuktāv itaretaram
jaghnatur vajra-kalpābhyāṁ
gadābhyāṁ raṇa-durmadau

Synonyms

tataḥ — then; samekhale — on the level fighting grounds; vīrau — the two heroes; saṁyuktau — engaged; itara-itaram — each other; jaghnatuḥ — struck; vajra-kalpābhyām — like lightning bolts; gadābhyām — with their clubs; raṇa — by the fight; durmadau — driven to a mad fury.

Translation

The two heroes thus began battling each other on the level fighting grounds outside the city. Maddened with the fury of combat, they struck each other with their lightning-bolt-like clubs.

Devanagari

मण्डलानि विचित्राणि सव्यं दक्षिणमेव च ।
चरतो: शुशुभे युद्धं नटयोरिव रङ्गिणो: ॥ ३५ ॥

Text

maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi
savyaṁ dakṣiṇam eva ca
caratoḥ śuśubhe yuddhaṁ
naṭayor iva raṅgiṇoḥ

Synonyms

maṇḍalāni — arcs; vicitrāṇi — skillful; savyam — to the left; dakṣiṇam — to the right; eva ca — also; caratoḥ — of them who were moving; śuśubhe — appeared splendid; yuddham — the fight; naṭayoḥ — of actors; iva — like; raṅgiṇoḥ — on a stage.

Translation

As they skillfully circled left and right, like actors dancing on a stage, the fight presented a magnificent spectacle.

Purport

Jarāsandha and Bhīma here demonstrate their expertise in the use of clubs. Thus it can be understood that both fighters were fearless and steady even in the rage of battle.

Devanagari

ततश्चटचटाशब्दो वज्रनिष्पेससन्निभ: ।
गदयो: क्षिप्तयो राजन्दन्तयोरिव दन्तिनो: ॥ ३६ ॥

Text

tataś caṭa-caṭā-śabdo
vajra-niṣpesa-sannibhaḥ
gadayoḥ kṣiptayo rājan
dantayor iva dantinoḥ

Synonyms

tataḥ — then; caṭa-caṭā-śabdaḥ — the clattering sound; vajra — of lightning; niṣpeṣa — the crash; sannibhaḥ — resembling; gadayoḥ — of their clubs; kṣiptayoḥ — being swung; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); dantayoḥ — of the tusks; iva — as if; dantinoḥ — of elephants.

Translation

When Jarāsandha’s and Bhīmasena’s clubs loudly collided, O King, the sound was like the impact of the big tusks of two fighting elephants, or the crash of a thunderbolt in a flashing electrical storm.

Purport

This translation is based on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kṛṣṇa.

Devanagari

ते वै गदे भुजजवेन निपात्यमाने
अन्योन्यतोंऽसकटिपादकरोरुजत्रुम् ।
चूर्णीबभूवतुरुपेत्य यथार्कशाखे
संयुध्यतोर्द्विरदयोरिव दीप्तमन्व्यो: ॥ ३७ ॥

Text

te vai gade bhuja-javena nipātyamāne
anyonyato ’ṁsa-kaṭi-pāda-karoru-jatrum
cūrṇī-babhūvatur upetya yathārka-śākhe
saṁyudhyator dviradayor iva dīpta-manvyoḥ

Synonyms

te — they; vai — indeed; gade — the two clubs; bhuja — of their arms; javena — by the rapid force; nipātyamāne — being powerfully swung; anyonyataḥ — against one another; aṁsa — their shoulders; kaṭi — hips; pāda — feet; kara — hands; ūru — thighs; jatrum — and collarbones; cūrṇī — crushed; babhūvatuḥ — became; upetya — contacting; yathā — as; arka-śākhe — two branches of arka trees; saṁyudhyatoḥ — fighting vigorously; dviradayoḥ — of a pair of elephants; iva — as; dīpta — inflamed; manvyoḥ — whose anger.

Translation

They swung their clubs at each other with such speed and force that as the clubs struck their shoulders, hips, feet, hands, thighs and collarbones, the weapons were crushed and broken like branches of arka trees with which two enraged elephants furiously attack each other.

Devanagari

इत्थं तयो: प्रहतयोर्गदयोर्नृवीरौ
क्रुद्धौ स्वमुष्टिभिरय:स्परशैरपिष्टाम् ।
शब्दस्तयो: प्रहरतोरिभयोरिवासी-
न्निर्घातवज्रपरुषस्तलताडनोत्थ: ॥ ३८ ॥

Text

itthaṁ tayoḥ prahatayor gadayor nṛ-vīrau
kruddhau sva-muṣṭibhir ayaḥ-sparaśair apiṣṭām
śabdas tayoḥ praharator ibhayor ivāsīn
nirghāta-vajra-paruṣas tala-tāḍanotthaḥ

Synonyms

ittham — in this manner; tayoḥ — their; prahatayoḥ — being ruined; gadayoḥ — the clubs; nr — among human beings; vīrau — the two great heroes; kruddhau — angry; sva — their own; muṣṭibhiḥ — with the fists; ayaḥ — like iron; sparaśaiḥ — whose touch; apiṣṭām — they battered; śabdaḥ — the sound; tayoḥ — of them; praharatoḥ — striking; ibhayoḥ — of two elephants; iva — as; āsīt — became; nirghāta — crashing; vajra — like thunder; paruṣaḥ — harsh; tala — of their palms; tāḍana — by the hitting; utthaḥ — raised.

Translation

Their clubs thus ruined, those great heroes among men angrily pummeled each other with their iron-hard fists. As they slapped each other, the sound resembled the crash of elephants colliding or harsh thunderclaps.

Devanagari

तयोरेवं प्रहरतो: समशिक्षाबलौजसो: ।
निर्विशेषमभूद् युद्धमक्षीणजवयोर्नृप ॥ ३९ ॥

Text

tayor evaṁ praharatoḥ
sama-śikṣā-balaujasoḥ
nirviśeṣam abhūd yuddham
akṣīṇa-javayor nṛpa

Synonyms

tayoḥ — of the two; evam — thus; praharatoḥ — striking; sama — equal; śikṣā — whose training; bala — strength; ojasoḥ — and stamina; nirviśeṣam — indecisive; abhūt — was; yuddham — the fight; akṣīṇa — undiminished; javayoḥ — whose exertion; nṛpa — O King.

Translation

As they thus fought, this contest between opponents of equal training, strength and stamina reached no conclusion. And so they kept on fighting, O King, without any letup.

Purport

Some ācāryas include the following two verses in the text of this chapter, and Śrīla Prabhupāda has also translated them in Kṛṣṇa:

evaṁ tayor mahā-rāja
yudhyatoḥ sapta-viṁśatiḥ
dināni niragaṁs tatra
suhṛd-van niśi tiṣṭhatoḥ
ekadā mātuleyaṁ vai
prāha rājan vṛkodaraḥ
na śakto ’haṁ jarāsandhaṁ
nirjetuṁ yudhi mādhava

“At the end of each day’s fighting, they lived at night as friends in Jarāsandha’s palace, and the next day they fought again. In this way they passed twenty-seven days in fighting. On the twenty-eighth day, Bhīmasena told Kṛṣṇa, ‘My dear Kṛṣṇa, must frankly admit that I cannot conquer Jarāsandha.’”

Devanagari

शत्रोर्जन्ममृती विद्वाञ्जीवितं च जराकृतम् ।
पार्थमाप्याययन् स्वेन तेजसाचिन्तयद्धरि: ॥ ४० ॥

Text

śatror janma-mṛtī vidvāñ
jīvitaṁ ca jarā-kṛtam
pārtham āpyāyayan svena
tejasācintayad dhariḥ

Synonyms

śatroḥ — of the enemy; janma — the birth; mṛtī — and death; vidvān — knowing; jīvitam — the bringing to life; ca — and; jarā — by the demoness Jarā; kṛtam — done; pārtham — Bhīma, the son of Pṛthā; āpyāyayan — empowering; svena — with His own; tejasā — potency; acintayat — thought; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa knew the secret of His enemy Jarāsandha’s birth and death, and also how he had been given life by the demoness Jarā. Considering all this, Lord Kṛṣṇa imparted His special power to Bhīma.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes that Lord Kṛṣṇa “knew the mystery of the birth of Jarāsandha. Jarāsandha was born in two different parts from two different mothers. When his father saw that the baby was useless, he threw the two parts in the forest, where they were later found by a black-hearted witch named Jarā. She managed to join the two parts of the baby from top to bottom. Knowing this, Lord Kṛṣṇa therefore also knew how to kill him.”

Devanagari

सञ्चिन्त्यारिवधोपायं भीमस्यामोघदर्शन: ।
दर्शयामास विटपं पाटयन्निव संज्ञया ॥ ४१ ॥

Text

sañcintyārī-vadhopāyaṁ
bhīmasyāmogha-darśanaḥ
darśayām āsa viṭapaṁ
pāṭayann iva saṁjñayā

Synonyms

sañcintya — having thought; ari — their enemy; vadha — for killing; upāyam — about the means; bhīmasya — to Bhīma; amogha-darśanaḥ — the Supreme Lord, whose vision is infallible; darśayām āsa — showed; viṭapam — a tree branch; pāṭayan — tearing apart; iva — as if; saṁjñayā — as a sign.

Translation

Having determined how to kill the enemy, that Lord of infallible vision made a sign to Bhīma by tearing in half a small branch of a tree.

Devanagari

तद् विज्ञाय महासत्त्वो भीम: प्रहरतां वर: ।
गृहीत्वा पादयो: शत्रुं पातयामास भूतले ॥ ४२ ॥

Text

tad vijñāya mahā-sattvo
bhīmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ
gṛhītvā pādayoḥ śatruṁ
pātayām āsa bhū-tale

Synonyms

tat — that; vijñāya — understanding; mahā — great; sattvaḥ — whose strength; bhīmaḥ — Bhīma; praharatām — of fighters; varaḥ — the best; gṛhītvā — seizing; pādayoḥ — by the feet; śatrum — his enemy; pātayām asa — he made him fall; bhū-tale — to the ground.

Translation

Understanding this sign, mighty Bhīma, the best of fighters, seized his opponent by the feet and threw him to the ground.

Devanagari

एकं पादं पदाक्रम्य दोर्भ्यामन्यं प्रगृह्य स: ।
गुदत: पाटयामास शाखमिव महागज: ॥ ४३ ॥

Text

ekam pādaṁ padākramya
dorbhyām anyaṁ pragṛhya saḥ
gudataḥ pāṭayām āsa
śākham iva mahā-gajaḥ

Synonyms

ekam — one; pādam — leg; padā — with his foot; ākramya — standing on top of; dorbhyām — with his two hands; anyam — the other; pragṛhya — taking hold of; saḥ — he; gudataḥ — beginning from the anus; pāṭayām āsa — tore him asunder; śākhām — a tree branch; iva — as; mahā — great; gajaḥ — an elephant.

Translation

Bhīma pressed down on one leg with his foot while grabbing Jarāsandha’s other leg in his hands, and just as a great elephant might break the branch of a tree, Bhīma tore Jarāsandha apart from the anus upward.

Devanagari

एकपादोरुवृषणकटिपृष्ठस्तनांसके ।
एकबाह्वक्षिभ्रूकर्णे शकले दद‍ृशु: प्रजा: ॥ ४४ ॥

Text

eka-pādoru-vṛṣaṇa-
kaṭi-pṛṣṭha-stanāṁsake
eka-bāhv-akṣi-bhrū-karṇe
śakale dadṛśuḥ prajāḥ

Synonyms

eka — with one; pāda — leg; ūru — thigh; vṛṣaṇa — testicle; kati — hip; pṛṣṭha — side of the back; stana — chest; aṁsake — and shoulder; eka — with one; bāhu — arm; akṣi — eye; bhrū — eyebrow; karṇe — and ear; śakale — two pieces; dadṛśuḥ — saw; prajāḥ — the citizens.

Translation

The King’s subjects then saw him lying in two separate pieces, each with a single leg, thigh, testicle, hip, shoulder, arm, eye, eyebrow and ear, and with half a back and chest.

Devanagari

हाहाकारो महानासीन्निहते मगधेश्वरे ।
पूजयामासतुर्भीमं परिरभ्य जयाच्युतौ ॥ ४५ ॥

Text

hāhā-kāro mahān āsīn
nihate magadheśvare
pūjayām āsatur bhīmaṁ
parirabhya jayācyatau

Synonyms

hāhā-kāraḥ — a cry of lamentation; mahān — great; āsīt — arose; nihate — having been killed; magadha-īśvare — the lord of the Magadha province; pūjayām āsatuḥ — the two of them honored; bhīmam — Bhīma; parirabhya — embracing; jaya — Arjuna; acyutau — and Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

With the death of the lord of Magadha, a great cry of lamentation arose, while Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa congratulated Bhīma by embracing him.

Devanagari

सहदेवं तत्तनयं भगवान् भूतभावन: ।
अभ्यषिञ्चदमेयात्मा मगधानां पतिं प्रभु: ।
मोचयामास राजन्यान्संरुद्धा मागधेन ये ॥ ४६ ॥

Text

sahadevaṁ tat-tanayaṁ
bhagavān bhūta-bhāvanaḥ
abhyaṣiñcad ameyātmā
magadhānāṁ patiṁ prabhuḥ
mocayām āsa rājanyān
saṁruddhā māgadhena ye

Synonyms

sahadevam — named Sahadeva; tat — his (Jarāsandha’s); tanayam — son; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; bhūta — of all living beings; bhāvanaḥ — the sustainer; abhyaṣiñcat — coronated; ameya-ātmā — the immeasurable one; magadhānām — of the Magadhas; patim — as the master; prabhuḥ — the Lord; mocayām āsa — He released; rājanyān — the kings; saṁruddhāḥ — imprisoned; māgadhena — by Jarāsandha; ye — who.

Translation

The immeasurable Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sustainer and benefactor of all living beings, coronated Jarāsandha’s son, Sahadeva, as the new ruler of the Magadhas. The Lord then freed all the kings Jarāsandha had imprisoned.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “Although Jarāsandha was killed, neither Kṛṣṇa nor the two Pāṇḍava brothers made a claim to the throne. Their purpose in killing Jarāsandha was to stop him from creating a disturbance to the proper discharge of world peace. A demon always creates disturbances, whereas a demigod always tries to keep peace in the world. The mission of Lord Kṛṣṇa is to give protection to the righteous persons and to kill the demons who disturb a peaceful situation. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately called for the son of Jarāsandha, whose name was Sahadeva, and with due ritualistic ceremonies the Lord asked him to occupy the seat of his father and reign over the kingdom peacefully. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the master of the whole cosmic creation, and He wants everyone to live peacefully and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. After installing Sahadeva on the throne, He released all the kings and princes who had been imprisoned unnecessarily by Jarāsandha.”

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Seventy-second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Slaying of the Demon Jarāsandha.”