The Battle of Bhima and Jarasandha

Once, Krishna approached Yudhishthira and said, “King Jarasandha is a ruthless ruler. He has conquered many lands and imprisoned their kings. His ambition is to offer one hundred kings as a sacrifice to Lord Rudra (a form of Shiva) to gain greater power. If left unchecked, he will eventually attack us. However, Jarasandha can only be defeated if his body is torn into two halves and separated.”

Curious, Yudhishthira asked, “Why is he vulnerable in this particular way?”

Krishna explained, “There is an unusual story behind his birth. King Brihadratha, who had two queens, longed for a child but was unsuccessful. After seeking a sage’s blessing, he was given a mango to share with his wives, resulting in the birth of two half-children. The queens despaired at the sight, but a demoness named Jara found the halves, joined them together, and miraculously brought the child to life. The boy was named Jarasandha, meaning ‘joined by Jara.’ Because of this, he can only be killed if his body is separated in two.”

Krishna then asked Arjuna and Bhima to join him on a mission to challenge Jarasandha. When they reached his palace, Bhima engaged Jarasandha in a fierce wrestling duel that lasted for thirteen days. Finally, on the fourteenth day, Krishna encouraged Bhima to use the special technique to defeat Jarasandha. Bhima tore Jarasandha’s body into two parts and, to ensure he wouldn’t reunite, cast each half in opposite directions. Thus, Jarasandha was defeated, freeing the captive kings and ending his threat.

**Moral: True strength lies in understanding one’s weaknesses and using knowledge wisely to overcome great challenges.**