"Krishna continued,--'Hearing these words of the king, the Rakshasa
woman answered--"Blessed be thou, O king of kings. Capable of assuming
any form at will, I am a Rakshasa woman called Jara. I am living, O
king, happily in thy house, worshipped by all. Every day I wander from
house to house of men. Indeed, I was created of old by the Self-create
and was named Grihadevi (the household goddess). Of celestial beauty I
was placed (in the world) for the destruction of the Danavas. He that
with devotion painteth on the walls (of his house) a likeness of myself
endued with youth and in the midst of children, must have prosperity in
his abode; otherwise a household must sustain decay and destruction. O
lord, painted on the walls of thy house is a likeness of myself
surrounded by numerous children. Stationed there I am daily worshipped
with scents and flowers, with incense and edibles and various objects
of enjoyment. Thus worshipped in thy house, I daily think of doing thee
some good in return. It chanced, O virtuous king, that I beheld the
fragmentary bodies of thy son. When these happened to be united by me,
a living child was formed of them. O great king, it hath been so owing
to thy good fortune alone. I have been only the instrument, I am
capable of swallowing the mountain of Meru itself, what shall I say of
the child? I have, however, been gratified with thee in consequence of
the worship I receive in thy house. It is, therefore, O king, that I
have bestowed this child on thee."'
"Krishna continued,--'Having spoken these words, O king, Jara
disappeared there and then. The king having obtained the child then
entered the palace. And the king then caused all the rites of infancy
to be performed on that child, and ordered a festival to be observed by
his people in honour of that Rakshasa woman. And the monarch equal unto
Brahma himself then bestowed a name on his child. And he said that
because the child had been united by Jara, he should be called
(Jarasandha i.e., united by Jara). And the son of the king of Magadha
endued with great energy, began to grow up in bulk and strength like a
fire into which hath been poured libation of clarified butter. And
increasing day by day like the moon in the bright fortnight, the child
began to enhance the joy of his parents.'