Stories of Krishna (Krishna leela) Bhimasena defeating Jarachand

 Stories of Krishna (Krishna Leela)   Bhimasena defeating Jarachand  

Yudhistra thought of performing  Rajasuya yajna, to perform Rajasuya yajna the peoples representing the king would go to all the kingdoms in the four directions to get their approval and gifts from the kings of the all the kingdoms as a sign of accepting his supremacy but Yudhistra knows that Jarachand the tyrant king of Magadha would oppose it, so Yudhistra went to Krishna asking for his help, Lord Krishna said he has a plan and asked Bhimasena and Arjuna to accompany him.

Image credits Uncle Katha

The next day Lord Krishna, Arjuna and Bhimasena disguised as Brahmins went to Magadha kingdom and waited at Jarachand's palace, Jarachand on seeing the three Brahmins asked what was their purpose to visit him . Lord Krishna disguised as Bhramin said Oh Jarachand the great ruler of Magadha please promise as to give anything we ask. Jarachand looked at the faces of the three Brahmins for some time and said I promise to give you anything you ask Krishna and laughed, his laugh echoed like thunder all over the palace and said how could I refuse your begging Krishna.

Lord Krishna with his usual smile said oh great king please fight one among us, with an evil smile Jarachand said you came to beg me Krishna so I won't fight you, fighting Arjuna is like a child's play to me so I shall fight this big fat Bhimasena. the fight will start tomorrow on the fort outside this palace saying this Jarachand left the palace.

Lord Krishna was happy since it went according to his plan. The next day the battle started, it was a solo battle between Jarachand and Bhimsena both were equally strong. first, they fought with hands and then with maces, each time their maces collided they sounded like thunder, as time goes on the battle became more intensive, both are equally strong warriors and the battle lasted for 21 days.

On the 22nd day, Bhimasena seemed to struggle. Lord Krishna seeing  Jarachand getting the upper hand in battle took a piece of grass and tore it in the middle, on seeing this Bhimasena grabbed hold of Jarachand's legs and tore his body into two pieces but both halves united and Jarachand came back to life and started to battle Bhimasena. everyone was stunned.

The History of Jarachand 

                        Jarachand was the son of Brihadratha, Brihadratha after many years of not having child asked one of the Brahmarishi to do a yajna for him to get a baby, when the yajna was over the Brahmarishi gave him a fruit as prasad and asked him to give to his wife . Brihadratha had two wives so he cut the fruit into two halves and gave it to both his wives, soon both the wives became pregnant and gave birth to a half-body of a child seeing this the maid threw the dead half bodies of the child in the forest.

   The forest was guarded by goddess Kali on seeing the two halves of the child Ma Kali felt pity she united both pieces and gave life to the child and also have him the strength of fourteen thousand elephants and the ability to become one when his body was cut symmetrically, also informed about the child to king Brihadratha in his dreams.

Remembering this Lord Krishna took another piece of grass tore it into two halves and flipped one of the halves seeing this Bhimasena understood Lord Krishna's plan, he grabbed Jarachand's leg again and tore him into a two-piece and flipped one side of his body and put it on the ground stopping him from coming back to life again thus ending the life of tyrant king Jarachand. then Lord Krishna made the son of Jarachand the king of Magadha and had his approval and gift for the Yudhistra's  Rajasuya Yajna