02.013
Pancharatra: Krishna describes the landscape of Bharat and advises Yudhisthira to defeat Jarasanda, if he wants to perform Rajasuya sacrifice.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said.
O great king, endowed with all virtues, you are worthy of the Rājasūya sacrifice. O Bhārata, since you already know, I will nevertheless tell you everything. (2-13-1)
The warrior class that remained after the actions of Jāmadagnya Rāma, from that, those who came later in the world are called 'kṣatra' (the warrior class). (2-13-2)
O best of the Bharatas, this family decision has been made by the kṣatriyas, O king, by their authoritative command; you surely know this. (2-13-3)
They describe the origin of Aila of the Ikṣvāku dynasty. The kings are listed in succession, and then the other kṣatriyas on earth. (2-13-4)
O king, the descendants of Ila and the Ikṣvāku kings—know, O best of the Bharatas, that these constitute one hundred royal families. (2-13-5)
O great king, the exceedingly virtuous and great expansion of the Bhojas, originating from Yayāti, spreads in all four directions. (2-13-6)
In the same way, all the kṣatriyas worship that prosperity among them. Having enjoyed the central part of the earth, he considered it amidst their mutual divisions. (2-13-7)
But another king, who had four yokes and in whom there were a hundred, that Jarāsandha attained sovereignty and became so by birth. (2-13-8)
O king, Śiśupāla, the valiant, having indeed in every way resorted to that very wise king, became the commander of the army. (2-13-9)
O great king, Vakra, the mighty lord of Karūṣa skilled in illusion, approached him as a disciple. (2-13-10)
The other two, Haṃsa and Ḍibhaka, both great-souled and of great strength, took refuge with Jarāsandha, who was also of great strength. (2-13-11)
Dantavakra, Karūṣa, Kalabha, and Meghavāhana, all bore the divine gem called Bhūtamaṇi on their heads, and they recognized it as such. (2-13-12)
He who governs Mura, Naraka, and the two Yavana chiefs, is a king of limitless power in the west, like Varuṇa. (2-13-13)
Bhagadatta, the great king and an old friend of your father, bowed to him both in word and in deed, O Bhārata. (2-13-14)
But the king who, bound by affection and devoted to you like a father, protects the western and southern ends of the earth with his mind, is described here. (2-13-15)
Your maternal uncle, the valiant Purujit and Kuntivardhana, who is respectful to you and, out of affection, is a tormentor of enemies. (2-13-16)
Jarāsandha, who in the past went thus and was not killed by me, who is recognized by Puruṣottama, that evil-minded one among the Cedis. (2-13-17)
In this world, one who, out of delusion, always claims himself to be the best among men, takes as his own both the mark and what belongs to me. (2-13-18)
In the regions of Vanga, Puṇḍra, and among the Kirātas, there was a powerful king named Pauṇḍraka, who was renowned everywhere as 'Vāsudeva'. (2-13-19)
The great king Bhoja, friend of Indra, powerful and possessing four horses, conquered the Pāṇḍya, Krathaka, and Kaiśika dynasties by the strength of his knowledge. (2-13-20)
Bhīṣmaka, the devoted king of Magadha, whose brother Āhṛti was a hero equal to Jāmadagnya in battle, was a destroyer of enemy heroes. (2-13-21)
He who always acts kindly towards humble and dear relatives, who serves the good, does not serve us when he is attached to those who are not dear. (2-13-22)
O king, neither family, nor strength, nor noble birth of one's own was considered; seeing the brilliant fame, they took refuge with Jarāsandha. (2-13-23)
The northern Bhojas and eighteen families, O mighty one, out of fear of Jarāsandha, have sought refuge in the west. (2-13-24)
The Śūrasenas, Bhadrakāras, Bodhas, Śālvas, Paṭaccaras, Sustharas, Sukuṭṭas, and Kuṇindas, along with the Kuntis, (2-13-25)
The kings of the Śālveyas, along with their brothers and attendants, as well as the southern and eastern Pāñcālas and the Kośalas among the Kuntis, were present. (2-13-26)
Then, afflicted by fear, the fishes abandoned the northern direction and, drawing in their fins, took refuge in the southern direction. (2-13-27)
Similarly, all the Pāñcālas, terrified by Jarāsandha, abandoned their kingdom and fled in all directions. (2-13-28)
Then, at a certain time, Kaṃsa, having destroyed his relatives, approached the two wives, daughters of Barhadratha, with a vain mind. (2-13-29)
You, O weak one, have a reputation for attainment as Sahadeva's younger brother. By his strength, he has overcome his kinsmen and has become vain-minded. (2-13-30)
He had attained excellence; but his great loss was that, being oppressed by the elder nobles of the Bhoja clan and by the wicked one. (2-13-31)
Our people, desiring the protection of relatives, honored Akrura by giving him the slender one, the daughter of Ahuka, at that time. (2-13-32)
With Saṅkarṣaṇa as my second, I fulfilled my duty towards my relatives. The two sons of Kaṃsa were slain by me and by Rāma as well. (2-13-33)
O king, when danger approached in the form of Jarasandha, this counsel was deliberated by the eighteen chief families. (2-13-34)
Even if we do not relax and keep striking with great weapons and with warriors who strike a hundred times, we could not destroy his strength even in three hundred years. (2-13-35)
They, indeed, who resembled immortals and were the strongest among the strong, were known by the names Haṃsa and Ḍibhaka, and were the foremost of warriors. (2-13-36)
Those two heroes together, along with the powerful Jarāsandha, are sufficient to face the three worlds—this is my opinion. (2-13-37)
Not only among us, but also among all the other kings, there was the same understanding, O best of the wise. (2-13-38)
Then there was a certain great king named Haṃsa, who was well-known. O king, he, along with others, entered the battle accompanied by eighteen protectors. (2-13-39)
O Bhārata, when someone said, "The swan has been killed," upon hearing that, the jackal, the royal sage, drowned himself in the water. (2-13-40)
Thinking, "Without the swan, I am able to live in this world," the jackal, having adopted this thought, went to his death. (2-13-41)
Thus, having heard the jackal, the swan, conqueror of enemy cities, went to the Yamunā river and he too sank in her. (2-13-42)
O best of the Bharatas, when that king Jarāsandha heard of their death in the water, he departed for the city of the Śūrasenas. (2-13-43)
Then, when the king had returned, we all, delighted, once again lived in Mathurā. (2-13-44)
When she, the lotus-eyed woman, wife of Kaṃsa, daughter of Jarāsandha, the king of Magadha, approached her father. (2-13-45)
O King, afflicted by her husband's suffering, she repeatedly urges me, saying, 'O subduer of enemies, destroy the slayer of my husband.' (2-13-46)
Then, O great king, we, recalling that previously deliberated counsel, left dispirited, O ruler of men. (2-13-47)
O king, being separated and in haste, having gathered great wealth, we, along with our wealth, relatives, and kinsmen, fall down out of fear of him. (2-13-48)
Having thus deliberated, they all proceeded towards the west, to the beautiful city of Kuśasthalī, which was adorned by Raivata. (2-13-49)
O king, we have again established a settlement there; likewise, we have constructed a fortification that is difficult even for the gods to approach. (2-13-50)
Even women would fight in that city; what then of the mighty Vṛṣṇis? In such a place, O destroyer of enemies, we would live without fear from any quarter. (2-13-51)
O tiger among the Kurus, the Mādhavas, having seen that chief mountain and the Mādhavī tīrtha, experienced supreme joy. (2-13-52)
Thus, having been attacked by Jarasandha and having committed sin, we, though possessing strength, have taken refuge with you due to our relationship. (2-13-53)
A mansion, three yojanas in length and three stories high, rising a yojana above the ground; at the end of a yojana, it had a hundred gates and an archway marked by valour and steps. It was surrounded by eighteen enclosures, secured by kṣatriyas proud and fierce in battle. (2-13-54)
There are eighteen thousand groups in our family. Āhuka had a hundred sons, each of whom lived for three hundred years. (2-13-55)
Cārudeṣṇa, together with his brother, Cakradeva, then Sātyaki; I, Rauhiṇeya, and Sāmba, who is equal to Śauri, were present in the battle. (2-13-56)
O king, thus these are the seven chariots; now hear from me about the others: Kṛtavarmā, Anādhṛṣṭiḥ, Samīkaḥ, and Samitiñjayaḥ. (2-13-57)
Kahva, Shanku, Nidanta, and these seven are all great chariot-warriors. The two sons of Andhaka and Bhoja, and the elder king, thus they are ten in total. (2-13-58)
The heroes, destroyers of people, mighty and strong, remembering the central region, stood among the Vṛṣṇis, free from distress. (2-13-59)
O best of the Bharatas, you, always endowed with virtues, ought to make yourself emperor in the kṣatriya order, O descendant of Bharata. (2-13-60)
But, O king, my opinion is that as long as the mighty Jarasandha lives, it is not possible for you to accomplish the Rājasūya sacrifice. (2-13-61)
By him, indeed, all the kings, after being conquered, were restrained in the mountain city, in the cave of the lord of mountains, just as great elephants are by the lion. (2-13-62)
King Jarāsandha also, wishing for victory over the rulers of the earth, worshipped Mahādeva; by him, the kings were conquered. (2-13-63)
He, having conquered the kings who had come to the battle, brought them to the city, bound them, and made a multitude of men. (2-13-64)
O great king, we then, out of fear of Jarāsandha, completely abandoned Mathurā and went to the city of Dvāravatī. (2-13-65)
If you wish to perform the sacrifice here, O great king, then strive for their liberation and for the slaying of Jarasandha as well. (2-13-66)
O Kurunandana, the undertaking is possible only in this way, not otherwise, to perform the rājasūya sacrifice in its entirety, O best among the wise. (2-13-67)
This is my opinion, O king; but if you think otherwise, O sinless one, then, in this situation, tell me your view after considering the reasons yourself. (2-13-68)
