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2024-04-26, 12:16 PM |
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Chapter 72: Jarâsandha Killed by
Bhîma and the Kings Freed
(1-2)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Once seated in his
court surrounded by the sages, the nobles, the popular personalities,
the business men and his brothers, addressed Yudhishthhira Krishna in
the midst of all the âcâryas, the family, the
elders, his blood relatives, in-laws and friends listening, and said he
the following. (3) S'rî
Yudhishthhira said: 'O Govinda, I wish to honor the manifold glory of
You with the purifying king of all fire sacrifices named
Râjasûya; please allow us that to perform o Master. (4) They who constantly in full service meditate
upon and glorify Your slippers, which cause the destruction of all
things inauspicious, are purified; they, and not other persons, o You
whose Navel is like a Lotus, manage to put an end to a material
existence or obtain, if they desire something, that what they long for.
(5) Therefore o God of Gods, let the populace
see the power in this world of serving the lotus feet; please show, o
All-powerful one, the status of those Kurus and Sriñjayas who
worship You like this, relative to the status of those who do not
worship. (6) In Your mind of Absolute Truth can there be
no difference between what is Your own and what is of others, for You
are the Soul of All Beings who equal in Your vision experience within
Yourself the happiness. To those who properly serve You are You like
the desire tree granting the desired results in accordance with the
service delivered - in this [catering to desires of You] there is no
contradiction.'
(7) The Supreme Lord said: 'There is nothing wrong
with your plan o King, following it will all the world witness your
auspicious fame, o tormentor of the enemies! (8)
For the sages, the forefathers, the gods and the friends also, o master
of Us, as well as for all living beings is this king of sacrifices [the
literal meaning of Râjasûja] desirable. (9) Bringing the earth under control, conquering
all the kings and collecting all the necessities, [you must next]
perform the great sacrifice. (10)
These brothers of yours o King, were born as individual parts of the
demigods who rule the worlds [see family-tree], and I, unconquerable for those who are not in control of
themselves, am won by you who are self-controlled. (11) No person, not even a demigod - not
mentioning an earthly ruler -, can by his strength, beauty, fame or
might subdue in this world someone who is dedicated to Me.'
(12) S'rî S'uka said: 'With a face blossoming
like a lotus, pleased to hear the song [the Gîtâ] of the Supreme Lord, engaged he,
invigorated by the potency of Vishnu, his brothers in the conquest of
all the directions. (13) Sahadeva with
the Sriñjayas he sent to the south, Nakula with the Matsyas in
the western direction, Arjuna with the Kekayas to the north and
Bhîma with the Madrakas to the east. (14)
They, the heroes, with their personal strength subduing many kings
brought from everywhere an abundance of riches to him of whom, intent
upon performing the sacrifice, the enemy wasn't born, o King. (15) The king pondering over the news that
Jarâsandha was not defeated, was by the Original Person of the
Lord enlightened on the means which thereto had been mentioned by
Uddhava [in 10.71: 2-10]. (16) And so went
Bhîmasena, Arjuna and Krishna disguised as brahmins together to
Girivraja, my dear, where the son of Brihadratha [Jarâsandha]
resided. (17) Going to his residence at the hour appointed
for receiving uninvited guests begged the nobles, appearing as
brahmins, with the religious householder who was of respect for
brahmins: (18) 'O King, know us to be guests who in their
need have arrived from afar; wishing you all the best, please grant us
all that we desire. (19) What would
for a person of patience be intolerable, what would for the impious all
be impossible, what wouldn't be donated by the generous, and who would
exclude those who are equal in their vision? (20) He indeed is contemptible and pitiable who,
very well being able, with the temporary existence of his body fails to
acquire the lasting fame as sung by the saintly. (21) Many like Haris'candra, Rantideva, Uñchavritti Mudgala, S'ibi,
Bali,
and the legendary hunter and pigeon [see*],
attained the permanent by departing from the impermanent.'
(22) S'rî S'uka said: 'However, from their
voices, their physical stature and the marks of bowstrings on their
arms even, recognized he [Jarâsandha] them as nobles, as members
of the family he had seen before. (23)
[he thought:] 'These relatives of the royal class wearing the insignia
of brahmins I should give whatever they ask for, even something as
difficult to forsake as my own body. (24-25) Isn't it known of Bali that his glories spread wide in all
directions because of his spotless rule of state, even though he was
brought down by Lord Vishnu [Vâmana] who, in the guise of a
brahmin appearing as a twiceborn one of Vishnu, wanted to take away
Indra's opulence? Knowingly gave he away the entire earth, despite the
advise against the daitya king [Bali] received [from his guru,
see 8.19]. (26) What use at all is it for a fallen kshatriya
to be alive but with his perishable body not to endeavor for the
benefit, the greater glory, of the brahmins?' (27) Thus being a broad-minded person said he to
Krishna, Arjuna and Vrikodara ['wolf-belly' or Bhîma]: 'O men of
learning, ask me whatever you want, I'll even give my own head to you!'
(28) The Supreme Lord said: 'Please o high and
mighty King, accept the challenge to give us battle in a one-to-one
fight; we, members of the royalty, came here wishing a fight and don't
want anything else. (29) That one is
Bhîma the son of Prithâ and this other one is Arjuna in
person and I, I am Krishna their maternal cousin, your enemy as you
know [see 10.50].'
(30) Thus being invited had the king of Magadha to
laugh out loud and said he contemptuously: 'In that case, I'll give you
battle, you fools! (31) But I won't
fight with You. Cowardly, You lacked in strength in battle when You
abandoned Your own city Mathurâ to leave for a safe place in the
ocean. (32) As for this one, Arjuna, he, not old enough
nor very strong, is no match for me and shouldn't be the contender;
Bhîma is the one equal in strength to me.'
(33)
Thus having spoken gave he Bhîma a large
club and went he outside the city, himself taking another one. (34) Then, engaged in the fighting area, stroke
the two heroes each other with their lightning-bolt like clubs. The
fight drove them to mad fury. (35)
Skillfully circling left and right appeared the two thus moving around
in the fight, as splendidly as a couple of actors on a stage. (36) When they swung their clubs against each
other gave that a sound resembling a crash of lightning, o King, or the
clattering of the tusks of elephants. (37)
Infuriated vigorously fighting like a couple of elephants were the
clubs that with the rapid force of their arms powerfully were swung
against each other's shoulders, hips, feet, hands, thighs and
collarbones, in the contact smashed to pieces like some arka branches. (38) With their clubs thus ruined pummeled the
two great heroes among men angrily each other with their fists iron to
the touch. The slapping of their hands sounded like elephants crashing
into each other or as harsh claps of thunder. (39) With the two thus striking, equally trained,
strong and of endurance as they were, remained the fight undecided and
continued it unabated, o King. [**]
(40) Knowing of the birth and death of the enemy
and how he was brought to life by Jarâ [see 9.22:
8 and ***], empowered Krishna the son of Prithâ
with His own power of thought. (41)
Having determined the means to kill their enemy showed He whose Vision
is Infallible it to Bhîma by tearing apart a twig as a sign. (42) Understanding that seized the immensely
strong Bhîma, the best of fighters, his enemy by the feet and
threw he him to the ground. (43)
Standing with his foot on top of one leg took he with both hands hold
of the other one and tore he, like a great elephant with the branch of
a tree, him apart from the anus upward. (44)
The king's subjects then saw him separated in two pieces with each one
leg, thigh, testicle, hip, backside, shoulder, arm, eye, eyebrow and
ear. (45) With the lord of Magadha being killed arose
a great cry of lamentation, while Arjuna and Acyuta both congratulated
Bhîma as they embraced him. (46)
The Unfathomable One Supreme Lord and Sustainer of All Living Beings
crowned his son Sahadeva to be the lord and master of the Magadhas and
next freed the kings who were imprisoned by the king of Magadha.'
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