Such a battle between Bhimsen and Jarasandh that everyone trembled

A private conversation with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Vrindavan. Sadhaks bring their questions about their life and sadhana, and Maharaj Ji resolves them.

Full Discourse

We continue with the narration of the Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapuran. Lord Shri Krishna Chandra, along with Bhimsen and Arjun, broke the peak of Chaitrak mountain and smashed the drum, making a path through the mountain to where Jarasandh, who honoured Brahmins and gave them whatever they asked for. Jarasandh had a rule, like Karna's rule. Karna, at sunrise, would face the sun and worship it, standing with his arms raised and chanting mantras until the sun moved past him. If anyone asked him for something during that time, he would give his life rather than say no. In the same way, Jarasandh had a rule: when he came to give charity to Brahmins, whatever anyone asked for, he would give it. The Lord came at exactly this time, and Jarasandh's gaze fell on them.

Jarasandh said, "Best of men, after passing through three gates, you have come into the presence of the mighty Jarasandh with great pride and without fear. I have welcomed you, offering you madhuparka and arghya, as Brahmins. Yet I sense some deceit in you." Then Jarasandh addressed Shri Krishna Chandra, the mighty Bhima and Arjun, the three of them, and asked, "Who are you?"

Bhagavan Shri Krishna spoke up: "These two are silent. Arjun and Bhima are silent. They break their silence only after midnight. Talk to us. What do you want to ask?" The king then said, "Very well. We will talk only when their silence is broken. Stay in the sacrifice hall." He arranged a fine place for them in the sacrifice hall, and at exactly 12 midnight he came. Jarasandh was a strict follower of rules. In the middle of the night he came to them. Shri Krishna, destroyer of enemies, and Bhimsen and Arjun, on seeing him, immediately said, "Maharaj, may you be blessed," as Brahmins give blessings, and they stood up, because mighty Jarasandh is no ordinary person.

All three stood up. Bhimsen, Arjun and Bhagavan Shri Krishna said, "Maharaj, may you be blessed." Jarasandh looked over all three from head to toe with a full gaze. Jarasandh said, "Sit down, sit down." They sat. "Your splendour shines greatly. You appear to me like three fires seated together. But your conduct is contrary to your disguise. The dress and conduct of a snataka Brahmin are contrary to what you show. What have you recognised in us now? It seems to me that I should condemn all three of you. You are not Brahmins. It seems you have knowledge of the scriptures everywhere. A Brahmin who observes the snataka vow wears a garland and sandalwood only at the time of samavartana."

"Now, how are you wearing garland and sandalwood? I know well: a garland of flowers around the neck, this fragrant sandalwood, the friction of the bowstring on the arms, and in the hand the twang of the bowstring on the thumb. These are not the marks of Brahmins. You cannot be Brahmins. You appear radiant with kshatriya splendour, yet you came before us and introduced yourselves as Brahmins. These coloured clothes, unnecessary garlands, unnecessary sandalwood, and you have only just arrived. Tell the truth. I think you are some king, not Brahmins."

"Why did you break the peak of Chaitrak mountain? Why did you not come by the open highway? Are you afraid of us? Do you want to accomplish your task by putting on a deceitful disguise? A Brahmin's words carry valour, and a kshatriya's arms carry valour. Your arms show that you are a very great warrior. Breaking a mountain peak is not work a Brahmin can do. Only a kshatriya strong in arm can do this. Your disguise, your bearing, your varna and your qualifications are contrary to one another." Jarasandh said, "[sound of clearing throat] What do you want, coming to my place? What is your purpose? What is your business with Jarasandh?"

Bhagavan Shri Krishna said in a grave voice, "Rajan, may you be victorious. I am a snataka Brahmin. You are observing a good vow, but you do not yet have full knowledge of the scriptures. A snataka can be a Brahmin, a snataka can be a kshatriya, and a snataka can also be a vaishya. Snatakas have certain special rules, and ordinary people follow ordinary rules. We are special, so we follow special rules. Wearing flowers: Lakshmi resides in flowers, and all of us are snatakas endowed with Lakshmi, women and prosperity.

"That is why we wear flower garlands, and valour resides in the arms. A hero is not called a hero merely for speaking. The one whose arms have strength, and whose speech also has strength, is called a hero. Son of Brihadratha, listen to my words, which are free of impudence and full of humility. Vidhata has given me as much strength in my arms as he has given strength in my speech. We are snatakas who do what we say, and if you want to see it, I have come to show you the strength of my arms. And as for your question, why did we not come by the road?

"Understand this much: a patient and very mighty person never goes by the enemy's road. He makes his own path. One enters a friend's house through the door, but for an enemy a new door is made. I think you have understood what business we have come on. We did not accept your worship because you are our enemy. Understand this well. But we say to you again: we are those who hold the eternal vow." Jarasandh said, "I do not recall ever having waged war against you people, ever having granted you a boon, or ever having harmed you in any way."

I have been thinking about this for a long time, but I cannot recall ever having wished you harm. Why do you bear enmity toward me? What offence have I committed? Though I am innocent, you call me your enemy. Is this how holy men behave? Is this language fitting for one who wears your robes? What obstacle did I place in your dharma?

The kshatriya, the great charioteer who upholds dharma, punishes only those who act against dharma. Nothing more. For kshatriyas who perform good deeds, what other dharma could be greater than kshatriya dharma in all three worlds?

So if I have ever punished anyone, I did it according to my duty as a warrior. What did I do against you brahmins? I keep my mind under control. I keep my senses under control. I protect my subjects. I do not wrong anyone. Then how did I become your enemy? Lord Krishna said, "O mighty-armed one, not everyone in an entire clan is capable. Among them there is one capable person who sustains the whole family." Among all the kshatriyas there is one great man, and by his command we have come to crush your pride. You are guilty.

You have taken 20,000 kings prisoner to offer them in a Bhairava sacrifice. This is not a small offence. One king honours another king. To imprison kings and offer them to the god Rudra as an oblation: in which scripture is this written? You claim you are following scriptural commands. You are guilty. We will punish you. We did not name Maharaj. We said, "There is one great man, Maharaj Yudhishthira, the emperor of emperors. By his command we have come to punish you. Son of Brihadratha, you have committed many sins, and we are protectors of dharma. We are capable, which is why we have come to punish you."

Whose sacrifice requires the offering of human beings to any deity? Then you went ahead and thought of offering kings as sacrifice. Does any god or goddess become pleased through violence? Your intellect has been destroyed. Jarasandha, you belong to the same varna as the kings you wish to imprison and slaughter in violence. You planned the killing of your own kinsmen. Because you intended to kill, you are a murderer. You say, "We protect our subjects." Yet you believe that in this world there is no warrior equal to you.

You are gravely deluded. A self-respecting kshatriya is one who gives honour to others and protects others. Kshatriyas who take the vow of battle-sacrifice with the aim of attaining heaven conquer the worlds they desire. You know this well. The supreme duty of a kshatriya is to try to defeat the enemy until the last breath leaves the body. I have come to your place to ask for something. Will you give it? Speak! Since you have come in the guise of brahmins out of fear of me, whatever you ask, I will give. The alms I request is a duel. A duel means face to face, one against one. Desire to attain the heavenly world, and I will send you to heaven in single combat. I will end your arrogance and the countless armies of the kingdom of Magadha, and I will end the insults you have heaped on others.

O King, as long as you do not know who we are, you speak these arrogant words. The moment you come to know who we are, your pride will be shattered. Merely by knowing, you will be humbled. You have insulted the great ones: Dambhodbhava, Kartavirya, the thousand-armed Sahasrarjuna, Uttar, Brihadratha, and others. By acting against kshatriya dharma and imprisoning kings, you have indeed recognised correctly that I am not a brahmin. I am Vasudeva. I am the son of Vasudeva. And this one standing in the middle, the mighty mountain-like Bhimasena, is Maharaj Bhima, son of Pandu. And this one, whose arms bear the calluses left by the bowstring, is Arjuna, the bearer of the Gandiva bow.

Do you know what our relationship is to them? I am the maternal cousin of these two. You are an old and well-known enemy of mine. Krishna, understand this well. King of Magadha, I challenge you to war. I challenge you in your own house. Fight me!

Jarasandha laughed loudly and said, "You are Krishna, Krishna who fled from the battlefield!" He said to the Lord, "You said that I have imprisoned 20,000 kings. But I did not imprison them by deceit. I crushed their pride with the strength of my arms and took them captive."

Which enemy here could be called unconquerable? Let him be called unconquerable by me. Krishna, this is the duty of a kshatriya. It is a livelihood in accordance with dharma: to challenge any king, defeat him, and seize all his wealth. This is the work of great heroes. Then how can you call it a crime? Krishna, I live by the vow of a kshatriya, and I have brought these kings to offer them in sacrifice to the gods. I will offer them, and no one can save them. Let your army fight my army in formation, or do whatever you wish. If you desire heaven by dying, then choose any duel you like.

When Jarasandha had said this, Lord Krishna Chandra responded. It is not his nature to be an enemy of Krishna Chandra, but because Krishna killed Kamsa, Jarasandha regards the Lord as his enemy. And the Lord's incarnation is also meant to grant the supreme abode to such mighty wicked men. Lord Krishna said, "O King, against whom will your enthusiasm lie in battle? Against us? Against Vasudeva, Bhimasena, or Arjuna? Tell me, whom will you fight, and do you hope to go to heaven by dying? Have the swastivachan performed. Take the blessings of the brahmins. Fight with whichever one of us you wish, and be certain that by dying you will go to heaven."

Jarasandha said to Shri Krishna, "You are no warrior. You have run away from the battlefield. This is the eighteenth time. Fighting you only brings disgrace. I will not fight you. You are not a warrior in front of me. Arjun is still a child. Yes, Bhimsen is here. If they want the reward of heaven to go to them through a duel, then I am ready." Jarasandha told the Brahmins, "Recite the swastivachan, because the order has been given that they should recite the swastivachan." He took off his crown and set it down, tied up his hair, and stood striking his arms in challenge.

Then he said to Bhimsen, "Bhim, come and fight me. I understand that you are a great and mighty man, a noble person. Even if I lose, I will bring no disgrace on myself, because I am fighting someone as mighty as you." Jarasandha stepped towards Bhim.

Bhimsen said, "Lord, he is coming right now. We were only talking until now." The Lord said, "We are reciting the swastivachan." The Brahmin recited, "Hari Om, ma swastina Indra.." and so on. "What is it to us? Come on." Jarasandha came right up to Bhimsen's grip and stamped his foot down.

Nobody there was afraid, of course. Filled with the courage of a lion, Bhimsen struck Jarasandha's arm in one swift blow, like a flash of lightning, and said, "Come on." The Lord said, "Go on, fight." Bhimsen said, "There is a custom of respect. First bow down before Jarasandha, this is the proper way." Jarasandha also extended his hand. Jarasandha and Bhim greeted each other by touching each other's feet, the padabhivandanam, and then embraced. Brother, this kind of enmity is very dear. First they touched each other's feet, then they embraced, and then they loosened their armbands a little.

They loosened them a little and twisted them, as wrestlers do. Bhimsen slapped his palms in challenge. Bhimsen's strength was such that if he touched the earth, he gained twice the power. If he went down on his knees and touched the ground, his power doubled. When he was a child, Duryodhan had mixed poison into his kheer to kill him. He was like the fire of the cosmos, that is, the fire of digestion in his belly was so strong that he digested it. A great deal of poison had been mixed in, so he fell unconscious. They tied him with creepers and threw him into the Ganga.

He was drowning in the Ganga. A naga came, tied him to himself and carried him to the Naga world. There, when they became acquainted, the nagas said, "We know that he is Bhim, son of Maharaj Pandu. So Duryodhan did this." The naga, who could take any form he wished, gave him the nectar in the kunds of the Naga world, which had the strength of ten thousand elephants. He told him, "Drink as many kunds as you can." He drank six kunds and gained the strength of sixty thousand elephants. Then he was told, "Go and sleep peacefully." So it was that each time he touched the earth, his strength and courage increased, whereas when he fell to the ground his strength was reduced.

Now the two clashed. Like two powerful elephants colliding, the war between Jarasandha and Bhimsen began. They grappled with arms, grappled with legs, and used wrestling holds. They struck each other violently with their feet, kicked, punched, and performed the purna kumbhak, a hold in which the palms of the hands are pressed against the enemy's head, and the uro hasta, a chest hold. They struck each other's chests with fists and slaps, pressed each other down, and roared as they struck with their arms, shouting like lions, hitting with fists and slaps, with knees and kicks. It was a terrible battle. Their rivalry was so intense that each tried to throw the other down. Both were skilled in the art of wrestling. They kept lifting each other up and slamming each other down.

Jarasandha used the prishthabhang, a hold to bend the opponent's back until it touched the ground. He struck with both arms with the intent of knocking the other unconscious. He twisted each other's arms and legs as one twists a rope, as he wished. The people of the city, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, all gathered to watch the wrestling. The blows were so hard that they made a sharp, cracking sound, so loud that people put their fingers in their ears. Now on the battlefield, both were making threats and roaring as they fought.

When evening came, they would shake hands, and then return to the palace where everything was arranged: food, drink, enjoyment, and having their feet massaged, all in good time. Then, when morning came, they would shake hands again and resume the wrestling. It was not a wrestling match that ended at a fixed hour in the evening. The fight had begun on the first day of the month of Kartik. During the day, there was no eating or drinking. As the passion grew, there was no rest even at night. The battle went on day and night, the full war lasted twenty-eight days. Magadha's king Jarasandha grew tired. Bhimsen, by the grace of the Lord and from his childhood as a boon-blessed great man, was not tired. Jarasandha was exhausted. Shri Krishna signalled to Bhimsen, who performs terrible deeds, "He is tired, as his condition shows. When an enemy is tired, you should give him more pain. Give him pain, give him pain."

"If he is given more pain, he will become weak, and then you can take his life in your power. Inflict more pain on Jarasandha. Tie his arm around." When Shri Krishna said this, Bhimsen saw that Jarasandha was tired, and he became filled with enthusiasm and resolved to kill him. The mighty son of the wind, Shri Bhimsen, held in his heart great anger. He grabbed Jarasandha by his loincloth, lifted him up, and threw him down. Bhimsen watched, and Jarasandha got up and stood. He looked towards the Lord. "If he were thrown down so hard, he should have died. Shri Krishna, try again."

"Remember your supreme divine form. You know you are the son of the wind, the younger brother of Hanuman ji. Lift him up and throw him down hard again." The Lord said this so that nothing of Bhim's strength would be left out. "Jarasandha, the evil-minded great warrior, can be killed by your hands. I have heard this from the celestial voice. The time is coming when, at the time Balram tried to kill him in Mathura, a celestial voice said, 'He must not be killed by your hand, because his death is written by the hand of Bhimsen.'"

Therefore Balram Bhaiya had let him live. "Mahabali Bhim, [sound of clearing throat] he can be killed only by you. Meditate on Vayu Dev and kill the king of Magadh." Mahabali Bhimasen meditated on Lord Vayu Dev. He picked up Jarasandha and whirled him through the air. He lifted him up into the sky, threw him down, and placed his knee on his neck. Then Jarasandha stood up again. Bhimasen tried very hard, but then he signalled to the Lord that his nerves had snapped. "Lifting and throwing him again and again, he may end up throwing us instead. He is not even dying. We lifted him, whirled him, threw him, placed our weight on his neck, pressed with our knees, and nothing happened." Then Lord Shri Krishna got up and looked. Bhimasen signalled that it was no longer within his power. The Lord wants this to be heard, so that the jiva is not left with ego, thinking, "I killed him with my own strength."

One should have the realisation that there is no strength in me. He was killed by the strength of the Lord. Bhimasen said to the Lord, "Prabhu, now I have no strength left. It is certain that if this fight goes on like this, he may end up harming us, because he is not dying." The Lord signalled, "Try once more." Bhimasen lifted him again, whirled him, and threw him down. The Lord looked at Bhimasen, took a reed, tore it apart like this, and threw it away. Bhimasen understood: he will not die from the knees, he will not die from strangling, he will not die from striking. He will die by being torn apart. Bhimasen lifted him and whirled him around a hundred times, dashed him onto the ground, and twisted him over backwards, pressing and wringing him. Then he gripped one leg with one hand and placed his other foot on the other leg.

Mahabali Bhimasen tore him in two. He threw both halves away. When they were thrown, they joined together again. Bhimasen said, "Prabhu, now our death is certain. Even after being split into two, he is alive. Because the rakshasi had said, 'Live, live,' when they were thrown that way, they joined by themselves. Both halves came together again." Then Jarasandha lifted Bhim and threw him down. It was a thrilling battle between Bhimasen and Jarasandha. The Lord looked at Bhimasen. Bhimasen said, "Prabhu, he will not die. He is immortal."

Bhimasen tore him apart, and he came back to life. The Lord signalled, "He will not die. Wait." He took a reed, tore it, and threw it in the same way. Bhimasen said, "Let us try this too." Bhimasen understood. He lifted and threw Jarasandha down, struck him, then tore him apart with his foot and threw him upside down. When he had been thrown straight, the halves had joined. Thrown upside down, the two halves fell in opposite directions, and after this they did not join again. Now Bhimasen began to roar. O King, Jarasandha's body became two pieces of flesh, one leg and one eye, split down the middle, as fate had ordained.

Pandu's son Bhimasen struck his arms again and again, roaring like a victorious warrior. The whole kingdom of the King of Magadh trembled. "Now what will happen? Now that Jarasandha has been killed, what will happen?" At Bhimasen's roar, and at the cries of Jarasandha as he was being torn apart, all living beings were terrified. Everyone, even the city residents, shook with fear. Hearing Bhimasen's roar, the frightened people of Magadh began to think that this mighty one would now destroy them all. The three heroes, subduers of their enemies, left Jarasandha's body at the gate of the royal palace.

Bhimasen, Arjun, and Lord Shri Krishna first asked, "Where is Girivraj? And where are the 20,000 kings who are imprisoned?" Those kings, who had all been waiting with folded hands for Shri Krishna, were now freed, since the king had been killed. The Lord went there and freed them. 20,800 kings came out. The messengers had said there were 20,000, but 800 more came out, because 800 more had been taken captive in the meantime. The Lord went into the cave in that hill, the prison dungeon, and brought everyone out. All their bodies were dirty and crushed, and they were filthy. In that cave their condition had been very wretched.

Their bodies and clothes were all dirty, crushed, and filthy. They were weak from hunger, and their mouths were dry from thirst. There was no arrangement for water, none for food, and none for toilet or urination. Every limb had become very ugly and painful. The Lord ordered that everyone be bathed, given new clothes, and adorned with ornaments. Whatever the command, that is what would be done there. Everyone was dressed in silk and given crowns to wear. After they had been bathed and dressed, they looked in front of them and saw Shri Krishna, by whose grace their lives had been saved. He had four arms, holding the conch, discus, mace, and lotus. He wore yellow garments, had the Srivatsa mark on his chest, and wore the Kaustubha gem. His eyes were soft and lotus-like, his face was beautiful, and he was the abode of happiness. Makara-shaped earrings shone in his ears. He wore a beautiful crown, pearl necklaces, bangles, armlets, and a girdle, all shining in their places.

The kings looked at the Lord as a thirsty person looks at water, a hungry person at food, or someone whose life is departing at the moment it is saved. It seemed as if they would drink him in with their eyes, lick him with their tongues, smell him with their noses, and embrace him with their arms. All the sins and sorrows of those kings were destroyed. Having had darshan of Shri Krishna, all 20,800 kings prostrated fully at the Lord's feet and, folding their hands, began to praise him.

namaste dev dev prapna harav prapna pahan Krishna niran gh sanskrite

Salutations to you, O God of gods, O Krishna..

O God of gods, Lord of lords, who removes the sorrows and fears of those who take refuge. O eternal Shri Krishna, whose form is Sachchidananda, we bow to you.

You have freed us from Jarasandha's prison. Now free us from this terrible cycle of birth and death. Prabhu, I am weary. This world is full of sorrow. Now I have come under your refuge. Prabhu, now protect us. O Madhusudan, O Shri Krishna, our Lord, now we can see that Jarasandha did us a great kindness. Bhagwan, you showed great grace, because he knocked me off my kingdom and its prosperity, and so today I have come to know. While I had the ego of being a king, I did not know true happiness. Jarasandha showed grace, dislodged me from my kingdom, and made me his captive.

So today I came to know what true happiness is. Attaining your darshan, the realization of God, is true happiness. Lord, we had been blinded, intoxicated by the wealth and property of this world, and we took the opulence of this earth alone to be all happiness. Sachchidananda Shri Krishna, the course of time is very profound. It is so powerful that no one can put it off or avert it. Why would it not be? It is indeed your own form. Lord, we had become bereft of splendour, poor, and reached a very miserable state. Today, by the grace of your feet, we are liberated. Lord, your boundless grace has come upon us.

krishnay Vasudevay harey Paramatmane pranat klesh nasay Govindai namo namah

To Krishna, to Vasudeva, to Hari, to the Supreme Soul, to the destroyer of the afflictions of those who bow, to Govinda, salutations again and again.

O Shri Krishna, O Vasudeva, O Hari, O Paramatma, O Govinda, we bow to you again and again. Because by bowing to you alone, the afflictions of all who bow are destroyed, you are the destroyer of the afflictions of those who bow. O Shri Krishna, O Vasudeva, O Hari, O Paramatma, O Govinda, we bow again and again at your feet.

When the kings praised the Lord in this way, Lord Shri Krishna said: "O kings, as you have expressed your wish, from today you will all have firm, unwavering devotion to Me."

How excellent the boon the Lord gave! And you will come to know that I am the Soul of all, the Master of all.

The resolve you have made is truly a matter of great fortune and joy for you. Whatever you have said to Me is absolutely right, because I see that many people, intoxicated by the pride of wealth and opulence, become puffed up with lofty ambitions. Such as Shalva, Arjuna, Vena, Ravana, Narakasura and other great ones. Understand this: the body and those related to the body have been born, therefore they will die.

The Lord is saying: since they have taken birth, their destruction is certain, the destruction of the body and of bodily relations. Therefore, do not be attached to anyone, for here one must die. With great care, fix your mind and senses on Me, and worship Me through service to society, service to the people, yajna and so on. Beget children to protect your lineage, not for enjoyment. And whatever comes according to your prarabdha, birth, death, happiness, sorrow, gain, loss, accept it with an equal mind as My prasad, and fix your consciousness on Me. Go, may your life pass in bliss.

As soon as Lord Shri Krishna Chandra gave this teaching, Sahadeva, son of Jarasandha, came to the Lord's refuge with his ministers, trembling with fear.

The Lord granted him fearlessness. "Do not be afraid. We will not take the kingdom. We have only killed Jarasandha and freed the kings. You alone are the rightful holder of this imperial title."

The Lord gave the order: all the kings were bathed and adorned with sandalwood paste and so on, and everyone was fed a meal. The imprisoned kings were honoured, and everyone was seated, as was appropriate, on chariots, horses and elephants, and told: "Go, each of you, to your own country. Maharaj Yudhishthira is performing the Rajasuya yajna. All of you should be present at the Rajasuya yajna." Then the Lord crowned Sahadeva on Jarasandha's throne. He seated Sahadeva, Jarasandha's own son, upon it.

In this way, Lord Shri Krishna's work was being accomplished. Lord Shri Krishna had Bhimasena kill Jarasandha. Honoured by Sahadeva along with Arjuna, and honoured by Jarasandha's son, he took a great quantity of gold and jewels and returned to Indraprastha. On arriving, the Panchajanya conch was sounded.

Maharaj Yudhishthira understood that Jarasandha had been killed. He was very pleased on hearing the sound of the conch. Now he understood that Jarasandha was slain, meaning the Rajasuya yajna was as good as done. Bhimasena, Arjuna and Lord Shri Krishna bowed at the feet of King Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira embraced Lord Shri Krishna to his heart. Then, sitting joyfully, they discussed fully how they went there, how Jarasandha was slain, how 20,800 kings were freed from captivity, and how they had come back after crowning Jarasandha's son.

Now those 20,800 kings will also come to the yajna. Sahadeva, Jarasandha's son, will also come here bringing offerings. The Rajasuya yajna is certain. Now there is no obstacle.

The rest of the discussion follows. Shri Radhavallabh Lal Ji.

This text is taken from the video's auto-generated subtitles. It may contain word errors. For authentic words, be sure to listen to the video.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)