Chapter 179

“Arjuna said, ‘How, O Janardana, for our good, and by what means, werethose lords of the earth, viz., Jarasandha and the others, slain?’

“Vasudeva said, If Jarasandha, and the ruler of the Chedis, and themighty son of the Nishada king, had not been slain, they would havebecome terrible. Without doubt, Duryodhana would have chosen thoseforemost of car-warriors (for embracing his side). They had always beenhostile to us, and, accordingly, they would all have adopted the side ofthe Kauravas. All of them were heroes and mighty bowmen accomplished inweapons and firm in battle. Like the celestials (in prowess), they wouldhave protected Dhritarashtra’s sons. Indeed, the Suta’s son, andJarasandha, and the ruler of the Chedis, and the son of the Nishadaadopting the son of Suyodhana, would have succeeded in conquering thewhole earth. Listen, O Dhananjaya, by what means they were slain. Indeed,without the employment of means, the very gods could not have conqueredthem in battle. Each of them, O Partha, could fight in battle with thewhole celestial host protected by the Regents of the world. (On oneoccasion), assailed by Valadeva, Jarasandha, excited with wrath, hurledfor our destruction a mace capable of slaying all creatures. Endued withthe splendour of fire, that mace coursed towards us dividing the welkinlike the line on the head that parts the tresses of a woman, and with theimpetuosity of the thunder hurled by Sakra. Beholding that mace thuscoursing towards us the son of Rohini hurled the weapon calledSthunakarna for baffling it. Its force destroyed by the energy ofValadeva’s weapon, that mace fell down on the earth, splitting her (withits might) and making the very mountains tremble. There was a terribleRakshasa of the name Jara, endued with great prowess. She, O prince, hadunited that slayer of foes, and, therefore, was the latter calledJarasandha. Jarasandha had been made up of two halves of one child. Andbecause it was Jara that had united those two halves, it was for thisthat he came to be called Jarasandha.[237] That Rakshasa woman, O Partha,who was there within the earth, was slain with her son and kinsmen bymeans-of that mace and the weapon of Sthunakarna. Deprived of his mace inthat great battle, Jarasandha was afterwards slain by Bhimasena in thypresence, O Dhananjaya.[238] If the valiant Jarasandha had stood armedwith his mace, the very gods with Indra at their head could not haveslain him in battle. O best of men! for thy good, the Nishada’s son also,of prowess incapable of being baffled, was, by an act of guile, deprivedof his thumb by Drona, assuming the position of his preceptor. Proud andendued with steady prowess, the Nishada’s son, with fingers cased inleathern gloves, looked resplendent like a second Rama. Undeprived ofthumb, Ekalavya, O Partha, was incapable of being vanquished in battle bythe gods, the Danavas, the Rakshasas, and the Uragas (together). Of firmgrasp, accomplished in weapons, and capable of shooting incessantly dayand night, he was incapable of being looked at by mere men. For thy good,he was slain by me on the field of battle. Endued with great prowess, theruler of the Chedis was slain by me before thy eyes. He also wasincapable of being vanquished in battle by the gods and the Asurastogether. I was born to slay him as also the other enemies of the gods,with thy assistance, O tiger among men, from desire of benefiting theworld. Hidimva and Vaka and Kirmira have all been slain by Bhimasena. Allthose Rakshasas were endued with might equal to that Ravana and all ofthem were destroyers of Brahmanas and sacrifices. Similarly, Alayudha,possessed of large powers of illusion, had been slain by Hidimva’s son.Hidimva’s son also, I have slain by the employment of means, viz.,through Karna with his dart. If Karna had not slain him with his dart ingreat battle, I myself would have had to slay Bhima’s son Ghatotkacha.From desire of benefiting you, I did not slay him before. That Rakshasawas inimical to Brahmanas and sacrifices. Because he was a destroyer ofsacrifices and of a sinful soul, therefore hath he been thus slain. Osinless one, by that act as a means, the dart given by Sakra, hath alsobeen rendered futile. O son of Pandu, they that are destroyers ofrighteousness are all slayable by me. Even that is the vow made by me,for establishing righteousness. Whither the Vedas and truth andself-restraint and purity and righteousness and modesty and prosperityand wisdom and forgiveness are always to be met with, thither I myselfalways remain. Thou needst not be at all anxious about Karna’s slaughter.I will tell you the means by which you will slay him. Vrikodara also willsucceed in slaying Suyodhana. I will tell thee, O son of Pandu, the meansby which that will have to be compassed. Meanwhile, the uproar made bythe hostile army is increasing. Thy troops also are flying away on allsides. Having achieved their objects, the Kauravas are destroying thyhost. Indeed, Drona, that foremost of all smiters, is scorching us inbattle.'”