Krishna Tells How Jarasandha and Others Were Slain

Verse 1 (7.182.1)

कथमस्मद्धितार्थं ते कैश्च योगैर्जनार्दन । जरासन्धप्रभृतयो घातिताः पृथिवीश्वराः ॥

kathamasmaddhitārthaṃ te kaiśca yogairjanārdana | jarāsandhaprabhṛtayo ghātitāḥ pṛthivīśvarāḥ

Janardana, for our sake and by what means were Jarasandha and the other lords of the earth killed?

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the input has 33 verses and agrees with the raw page's table row for row (printed 5-182-1 to 5-182-33; the page's “5-” is a typo for 7). Wikisource 182 corresponds to the critical edition 7.156.1–33; the CE's star passage 7.156.22b*1251_01–03 (on the Chedi king's birth) is not on the page. Recension variants kept.

Verse 2 (7.182.2)

जरासन्धश्चेदिराजो नैषादिश्च महाबलः । यदि स्युर्न हताः पूर्वमिदानीं स्युर्भयङ्कराः ॥

jarāsandhaścedirājo naiṣādiśca mahābalaḥ | yadi syurna hatāḥ pūrvamidānīṃ syurbhayaṅkarāḥ

Had Jarasandha, the king of Chedi, and the mighty Nishada not been slain earlier, they would be dreadful now.

Verse 3 (7.182.3)

दुर्योधनस्तानवश्यं वृणुयाद्रथसत्तमान् । तेऽस्मासु नित्यविद्विष्टाः संश्रयेयुश्च कौरवान् ॥

duryodhanastānavaśyaṃ vṛṇuyādrathasattamān | te'smāsu nityavidviṣṭāḥ saṃśrayeyuśca kauravān

Duryodhana would surely have chosen those best of charioteers, and, always hostile to us, they would have taken refuge with the Kauravas.

Verse 4 (7.182.4)

ते हि वीरा महेष्वासाः कृतास्त्रा दृढयोधिनः । धार्तराष्ट्रचमूं कृत्स्नां रक्षेयुरमरा इव ॥

te hi vīrā maheṣvāsāḥ kṛtāstrā dṛḍhayodhinaḥ | dhārtarāṣṭracamūṃ kṛtsnāṃ rakṣeyuramarā iva

Those heroes, great archers, skilled in weapons and firm in fight, would have guarded the entire army of Dhritarashtra's sons like immortals.

Verse 5 (7.182.5)

सूतपुत्रो जरासन्धश्चेदिराजो निषादजः । सुयोधनं समाश्रित्य तपेरन्पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥

sūtaputro jarāsandhaścedirājo niṣādajaḥ | suyodhanaṃ samāśritya taperanpṛthivīmimām

Karna the charioteer's son, Jarasandha, the king of Chedi and the Nishada-born, taking refuge with Suyodhana, would scorch this whole earth.

Verse 6 (7.182.6)

योगैरभिहता यैस्ते तन्मे शृणु धनञ्जय । अजय्या हि विना योगैर्मृधे ते दैवतैरपि ॥

yogairabhihatā yaiste tanme śṛṇu dhanañjaya | ajayyā hi vinā yogairmṛdhe te daivatairapi

Hear from me, Dhananjaya, the means by which they were killed; for without such means they could not have been conquered in battle even by gods.

Verse 7 (7.182.7)

एकैको हि पृथक् तेषां समस्तां रिपुवाहिनीम् । योधयेत्समरे पार्थ लोकपालाभिरक्षिताम् ॥

ekaiko hi pṛthak teṣāṃ samastāṃ ripuvāhinīm | yodhayetsamare pārtha lokapālābhirakṣitām

Each one of them, singly, could fight an entire hostile army, even one guarded by the guardians of the world, Partha.

Verse 8 (7.182.8)

जरासन्धो हि रुषितो रौहिणेयप्रधर्षितः । अस्मद्वधार्थं चिक्षेप गदां वै सर्वघातिनीम् ॥

jarāsandho hi ruṣito rauhiṇeyapradharṣitaḥ | asmadvadhārthaṃ cikṣepa gadāṃ vai sarvaghātinīm

Jarasandha, enraged and assailed by Rohini's son, hurled at us a mace that kills everything, to bring about our death.

Verse 9 (7.182.9)

सीमन्तमिव कुर्वाणा नभसः पावकप्रभा । अदृश्यतापतन्ती सा शक्रमुक्ता यथाऽशनिः ॥

sīmantamiva kurvāṇā nabhasaḥ pāvakaprabhā | adṛśyatāpatantī sā śakramuktā yathā'śaniḥ

Making as it were a parting in the sky, blazing like fire, it was seen falling like a thunderbolt hurled by Shakra.

Note on the text: Corrected शक्रुमुक्ता → शक्रमुक्ता (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ु; “hurled by Shakra”, the critical edition reads śakramuktā).

Verse 10 (7.182.10)

तामापतन्तीं दृष्ट्वैव गदां रोहिणिनन्दनः । प्रतिघातार्थमस्त्रं वै स्थूणाकर्णमवासृजत् ॥

tāmāpatantīṃ dṛṣṭvaiva gadāṃ rohiṇinandanaḥ | pratighātārthamastraṃ vai sthūṇākarṇamavāsṛjat

Seeing that mace coming down, Rohini's son let loose the weapon called Sthunakarna to counter it.

Verse 11 (7.182.11)

अस्त्रवेगप्रतिहता सा गदा प्रापतद्भुवि । दारयन्ती धरां देवीं कम्पयन्तीव पर्वतान् ॥

astravegapratihatā sā gadā prāpatadbhuvi | dārayantī dharāṃ devīṃ kampayantīva parvatān

Struck by the force of the weapon, that mace fell to the earth, tearing the goddess Earth and as if making the mountains tremble.

Verse 12 (7.182.12)

तत्र सा राक्षसी घोरा जरानाम्नी सुविक्रमा । सन्दधे सा हि सञ्जातं जरासन्धमरिन्दमम् ॥

tatra sā rākṣasī ghorā jarānāmnī suvikramā | sandadhe sā hi sañjātaṃ jarāsandhamarindamam

There that fearsome rakshasi named Jara, of great prowess, had joined together the newborn Jarasandha, subduer of foes.

Verse 13 (7.182.13)

द्वाभ्यां जातो हि मातृभ्यामर्धदेहः पृथक्पृथक् । जरया सन्धितो यस्माज्जरासन्धस्ततोऽभवत् ॥

dvābhyāṃ jāto hi mātṛbhyāmardhadehaḥ pṛthakpṛthak | jarayā sandhito yasmājjarāsandhastato'bhavat

Born of two mothers, each half of his body apart, he was joined together by Jara, and so he came to be called Jarasandha.

Verse 14 (7.182.14)

सा तु भूमिं गता पार्थ हता ससुतबान्धवा । गदया तेन चास्त्रेण स्थूणाकर्णेन राक्षसी ॥

sā tu bhūmiṃ gatā pārtha hatā sasutabāndhavā | gadayā tena cāstreṇa sthūṇākarṇena rākṣasī

That rakshasi, Partha, fell to the earth, killed with her sons and kinsmen by that mace and by the weapon Sthunakarna.

Note on the text: Corrected बान्दवा → बान्धवा (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध; the critical edition reads bāndhavā).

Verse 15 (7.182.15)

विनाभूतः स गदया जरासन्धो महामृधे । निहतो भीमसेनेन पश्यतस्ते धनञ्जय ॥

vinābhūtaḥ sa gadayā jarāsandho mahāmṛdhe | nihato bhīmasenena paśyataste dhanañjaya

Deprived of his mace, Jarasandha was killed in the great battle by Bhimasena as you looked on, Dhananjaya.

Verse 16 (7.182.16)

यदि हि स्याद्गदापाणिर्जरासन्धः प्रतापवान् । सेन्द्रा देवा न तं हन्तुं रणे शक्ता नरोत्तम ॥

yadi hi syādgadāpāṇirjarāsandhaḥ pratāpavān | sendrā devā na taṃ hantuṃ raṇe śaktā narottama

If glorious Jarasandha had still had the mace in his hand, even the gods with Indra could not have killed him in battle, best of men.

Verse 17 (7.182.17)

त्वद्धितार्थं च नैषादिरङ्गुष्ठेन वियोजितः । द्रोणेनाचार्यकं कृत्वा छद्मना सत्यविक्रमः ॥

tvaddhitārthaṃ ca naiṣādiraṅguṣṭhena viyojitaḥ | droṇenācāryakaṃ kṛtvā chadmanā satyavikramaḥ

For your good the Nishada's son was parted from his thumb by Drona, who played the teacher by a trick, though Ekalavya was of true valour.

Verse 18 (7.182.18)

स तु बद्धाङ्गुलित्राणो नैषादिर्दृढविक्रमः । अतिमानी वनचरो बभौ राम इवापरः ॥

sa tu baddhāṅgulitrāṇo naiṣādirdṛḍhavikramaḥ | atimānī vanacaro babhau rāma ivāparaḥ

Wearing his finger-guard, that Nishada of steady courage, very proud, ranging the forest, shone like a second Rama.

Note on the text: Corrected वचनरो → वनचरो (misprint in Wikisource; the syllables transposed, “ranging the forest”; the critical edition reads vanacaraḥ).

Verse 19 (7.182.19)

एकलव्यं हि साङ्गुष्ठमशक्ता देवदानवाः । सराक्षसोरगाः पार्थ विजेतुं युधि कर्हिचित् ॥

ekalavyaṃ hi sāṅguṣṭhamaśaktā devadānavāḥ | sarākṣasoragāḥ pārtha vijetuṃ yudhi karhicit

With his thumb, Ekalavya could not be conquered in battle at any time by gods and danavas, by rakshasas and serpents, Partha.

Verse 20 (7.182.20)

किमु मानुषमात्रेण शक्यः स्यात्प्रतिवीक्षितुम् । दृढमुष्टिः कृती नित्यमस्यमानो दिवानिशम् ॥

kimu mānuṣamātreṇa śakyaḥ syātprativīkṣitum | dṛḍhamuṣṭiḥ kṛtī nityamasyamāno divāniśam

How could a mere man even face him, that firm-fisted and skilful archer, ever shooting by day and by night?

Verse 21 (7.182.21)

त्वद्धितार्थं तु स मया हतः सङ्ग्राममूर्धनि ॥

tvaddhitārthaṃ tu sa mayā hataḥ saṅgrāmamūrdhani

For your good I killed him at the head of the battle.

Note on the text: Single line as printed = CE 7.156.21a (the alignment left it unmatched). The CE's second line 21c opens the next page verse.

Verse 22 (7.182.22)

चेदिराजश्च विक्रान्तः प्रत्यक्षं निहतस्तव । स चाप्यशक्यः सङ्ग्रामे जेतुं सर्वसुरासुरैः ॥

cedirājaśca vikrāntaḥ pratyakṣaṃ nihatastava | sa cāpyaśakyaḥ saṅgrāme jetuṃ sarvasurāsuraiḥ

The valiant king of Chedi too was killed before your eyes; and he could not be conquered in battle by all the gods and asuras.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 7.156.21c, line 2 = CE 7.156.22a. The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 23 (7.182.23)

वधार्थं तस्य जातोऽहमन्येषां च सुरद्विषाम् । त्वत्सहायो नरव्याघ्र लोकानां हितकाम्यया ॥

vadhārthaṃ tasya jāto'hamanyeṣāṃ ca suradviṣām | tvatsahāyo naravyāghra lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā

I was born to slay him and the other enemies of the gods, to be your helper, tiger among men, for the good of the worlds.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 7.156.22c, line 2 = CE 7.156.23a. The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 24 (7.182.24)

हिडिम्बबककिर्मीरा भीमसेनेन पातिताः । रावणेन समप्राणा ब्रह्मयज्ञविनाशनाः ॥

hiḍimbabakakirmīrā bhīmasenena pātitāḥ | rāvaṇena samaprāṇā brahmayajñavināśanāḥ

Hidimba, Baka and Kirmira, equal in vigour to Ravana, destroyers of the brahmins' sacrifices, were felled by Bhimasena.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 7.156.23c, line 2 = CE 7.156.23e. The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 25 (7.182.25)

हतस्तथैव मायावी हैडिम्बेनाप्यलायुधः । हैडिम्बश्चाप्युपायेन शक्त्या कर्णेन घातितः ॥

hatastathaiva māyāvī haiḍimbenāpyalāyudhaḥ | haiḍimbaścāpyupāyena śaktyā karṇena ghātitaḥ

Likewise the illusionist Alayudha was killed by Hidimba's son, and Hidimba's son, too, was killed by a trick, by Karna with the spear.

Verse 26 (7.182.26)

यदि ह्येनं नाहनिष्यत्कर्णः शक्त्या महामृधे । मया वध्योऽभविष्यत्स भैमसेनिर्घटोत्कचः । मया न निहतः पूर्वमेष युष्मत्प्रियेप्सया ॥

yadi hyenaṃ nāhaniṣyatkarṇaḥ śaktyā mahāmṛdhe | mayā vadhyo'bhaviṣyatsa bhaimasenirghaṭotkacaḥ | mayā na nihataḥ pūrvameṣa yuṣmatpriyepsayā

If Karna had not struck him with the spear in the great battle, Ghatotkacha, Bhimasena's son, would have had to be killed by me; I did not kill him earlier only because I wished to please you.

Note on the text: Corrected मयां → मया (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara on the instrumental). Three-line verse = CE 7.156.25a, 25c and 26a (the page numbers it 26a, 26b, 27c). The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 27 (7.182.27)

एष हि ब्राह्मणद्वेषी यज्ञद्वेषी च राक्षसः । धर्मस्य लोप्ता पापात्मा तस्मादेव निपातितः । व्यंसिता चाप्युपायेन शक्रदत्ता मयाऽनघ ॥

eṣa hi brāhmaṇadveṣī yajñadveṣī ca rākṣasaḥ | dharmasya loptā pāpātmā tasmādeva nipātitaḥ | vyaṃsitā cāpyupāyena śakradattā mayā'nagha

For this rakshasa hated brahmins and hated sacrifice, a violator of dharma, evil in spirit, and so he was laid low; and by a trick, sinless one, I had Shakra's spear wasted.

Note on the text: Corrected चाप्यूपायेन → चाप्युपायेन (misprint in Wikisource; long ū for short u; the critical edition reads cāpy upāyena). Three-line verse = CE 7.156.26c, 27a and 27c. The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 28 (7.182.28)

ये हि धर्मस्य लोप्तारो वध्यास्ते मम पाण्डव । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थं हि प्रतिज्ञैषा ममाव्यया ॥

ye hi dharmasya loptāro vadhyāste mama pāṇḍava | dharmasaṃsthāpanārthaṃ hi pratijñaiṣā mamāvyayā

Those who violate dharma are to be killed by me, Pandava; this is my unfailing vow, made for the establishing of dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected येहि → ये हि (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together, ye hi; the critical edition reads ye hi).

Verse 29 (7.182.29)

ब्रह्म सत्यं दमः शौचं धर्मो ह्रीः श्रीर्धृतिः क्षमा । यत्र तत्र रमे नित्यमहं सत्येन ते शपे ॥

brahma satyaṃ damaḥ śaucaṃ dharmo hrīḥ śrīrdhṛtiḥ kṣamā | yatra tatra rame nityamahaṃ satyena te śape

Brahman, truth, self-control, purity, dharma, modesty, prosperity, steadfastness and forbearance: where these are, there I delight always; I swear it to you by truth.

Note on the text: Corrected हीः → ह्रीः (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct ह्र is broken (“modesty”); the critical edition reads hrīḥ).

Verse 30 (7.182.30)

न विषादस्त्वया कार्यः कर्णं वैकर्तनं प्रति । उपदेक्ष्याम्युपायं ते येन तं प्रसहिष्यसि ॥

na viṣādastvayā kāryaḥ karṇaṃ vaikartanaṃ prati | upadekṣyāmyupāyaṃ te yena taṃ prasahiṣyasi

You should not despair on account of Karna Vaikartana; I shall show you a means by which you will overcome him.

Verse 31 (7.182.31)

सुयोधनं चापि रणे हनिष्यति वृकोदरः । तस्यापि च वधोपायं वक्ष्यामि तव पाण्डव ॥

suyodhanaṃ cāpi raṇe haniṣyati vṛkodaraḥ | tasyāpi ca vadhopāyaṃ vakṣyāmi tava pāṇḍava

Vrikodara will also kill Suyodhana in battle, and I will tell you, Pandava, the means of his slaying too.

Verse 32 (7.182.32)

वर्धते तुमुलस्त्वेष शब्दः परचमूं प्रति । विद्रवन्ति च सैन्यानि त्वदीयानि दिशो दश ॥

vardhate tumulastveṣa śabdaḥ paracamūṃ prati | vidravanti ca sainyāni tvadīyāni diśo daśa

This tumult is rising against the enemy army, and your armies are fleeing in the ten directions.

Note on the text: Corrected पचरमूं → परचमूं (misprint in Wikisource; the syllables transposed; “the enemy army”, the critical edition reads paracamūṃ).

Verse 33 (7.182.33)

लब्धलक्ष्या हि कौरव्या विधमन्ति चमूं तव । दहत्येष च वः सैन्यं द्रोणः प्रहरतां वरः ॥

labdhalakṣyā hi kauravyā vidhamanti camūṃ tava | dahatyeṣa ca vaḥ sainyaṃ droṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ

The Kauravas, having found their aim, are cutting down your army, and Drona, best of those who strike, is burning your host.