King Brihadratha married the two twin daughters of the King of Kasi. Brihadratha loved both of them equally. But he had no sons. One day, a sage named Chandrakausika granted him a boon as a fruit. The King divided the fruit equally among his two wife. But the boon was to have only one son. So soon each of the queens had halves of a human body. That two halves of human body was very horrible to view. So King Brihadratha ordered to throw in the forest nearthe Royal Palace. A Rakshasi named Jara found that two pieses. She with her powers, joined the two pieces and formed a human baby. Jara went and give the child to the King. Actually she felt pity on the child. She explained what happened. The King was overjoyed after that. As joined by Jara, the child was named as Jarasandha. And Jarashandha got the boon that the only way to kill him was to tear him into two pieces just like he was born.
Because of this boon, no one was able to kill him. At the time that Yudhishthira got ready for the Digvijay, Lord Krishna told them all about Jarashandha. It was very important to kill him before it starts. So Lord Krishna, Bhima and Phalguna went to Magadha to kill Jarashandha in a duel.
Vaishampayana said, ‘Then Adhokshaja, descendant of the Yadu lineage and eloquent in speech, spoke to King Jarasandha, who had resolved to do battle. “O king! With which one of us three have you made up your mind to fight? Who among us should be ready for the battle?” O king! Having been thus addressed by Krishna, the immensely radiant Magadha Jarasandha decided to do battle with Bhimasena. The priest brought chief herbs for alleviating pain and restoring
consciousness to Jarasandha, who was impatient for the fight. A famous and learned brahmana performed the benedictions. In accordance with the dharma of kshatriyas, Jarasandha dressed himself appropriately. He removed his crown and tied up his hair. Jarasandha arose like an ocean that bursts through the shoreline. The intelligent king spoke to Bhima, whose valour was terrible. “O Bhima! I will fight with you. It is better to be vanquished by a superior one. Having said this, the immensely Lenergetic Jarasandha, conqueror of enemies, rushed at Bhimasena, like the demon Bali once rushed at Shakra.
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After consultations with Krishna, the powerful Bhimasena had also had benedictions performed and, eager to fight, advanced towards Jarasandha. Those two supreme warriors, tigers among men and armed only with their bare arms, engaged each other, extremely eager and each desiring to defeat the other. The sounds of grasping, holding and releasing of the arms then resounded with a terrible roar, like the roar of thunderbolts striking mountains. Both of them
were the strongest among those who were strong and were supreme in their eagerness. Desiring victory, each sought to exploit weaknesses in the other. O king! This duel between the powerful ones was like that between Vasava and Vritra and the terrible duel sometimes drove away the crowds that were near. They pulled each other forward and broke away from each other’s holds. They threw the other one down and to the sides, dragging andgrabbing the thighs. They insulted each other in loud words. They struck each other with rock-like blows. With broad shoulders and long arms, the two skilled fighters rained blows on each other with arms that were like iron clubs.
The duel starts.
‘The duel started on the first day of the month of Kartika. Ceaselessly, it went on day and night. The great-souled fighters were still engaged on the thirteenth day. But on the night of the fourteenth day, the Magadha withdrew, as he was exhausted. O king! On seeing that the king was tired, Janardana spoke, as if to Bhima of the terrible deeds.“O Kounteya! One should not press
down on an enemy who is weakened in battle. If pressed down at such a time, he might completely give up his soul. O Kounteya! Therefore, you should not press down upon the king. O bull among the Bharatas! Fight him with your arms, so that he can be an equal.” From these words of Krishna, the Pandava, the destroyer of enemy warriors, got to know Jarasandha’s weakness and determined to kill him. Vrikodara, descendant of the Kuru lineage
and chief among those who are strong, then seized the unvanquished Jarasandha, with the intention of vanquishing him.’
Bhim comes to know about Jarashandha's weakness and kills him.
