"Krishna said,--'some time after this, the great ascetic, the exalted
Chandakausika, again came into the country of the Magadhas. Filled with
joy at the advent of the Rishi, king Vrihadratha, accompanied by his
ministers and priest and wives and son, went out to receive him. And, O
Bharata, worshipping the Rishi with water to wash his feet and face,
and with the offerings of Arghya the king then offered his whole
kingdom along with his son for the acceptance of the Rishi. The
adorable Rishi accepting that worship offered by the king, addressing
the ruler of Magadha, O monarch, said with well-pleased heart,--"O
king, I knew all this by spiritual insight. But hear, O king of kings,
what this son of thine will be in future, as also what his beauty,
excellence, strength, and valour will be. Without doubt this son of
thine, growing in prosperity and endued with prowess, will obtain all
these. Like other birds that can never imitate the speed of Vinata's
son (Garuda), the other monarchs of the earth will not be able to equal
in energy this thy son, who will be endued with great valour. And all
those that will stand in his way will certainly be destroyed. Like the
force of the current that can never make the slightest impression upon
the rocky breast of a mountain, weapons hurled at him even by the
celestials will fail to produce the least pain in him. He will blaze
forth above the heads of all that wear crowns on their brows. Like the
sun that dims the lustre of all luminous bodies, this son of thine will
rob all monarchs of their splendour. Even kings that are powerful and
own large armies and numberless vehicles and animals, upon approaching
this son of thine, will all perish as insects upon fire. This child
will seize the growing prosperity of all kings like the ocean receiving
the rivers swollen with the water of the rainy season. Like the huge
earth that bears all kinds of produce, supporting things that are both
good and evil, this child endued with great strength will support all
the four orders of men. And all the kings of the earth will live in
obedience to the commands of this child just as every creature endued
with body live in dependence upon Vayu that is dear as self unto
beings. This prince of Magadha--the mightiest of all men in the
world--will behold with his physical eyes the god of gods called Rudra
or Hara, the slayer of Tripura." O thou slayer of all foes, saying
this, the Rishi, thinking of his own business, dismissed king
Vrihadratha. The lord of the Magadhas then, re-entering his capital,
and calling together his friends and relations, installed Jarasandha,
on the throne. King Vrihadratha then came to feel a great distaste for
worldly pleasures. And after the installation of Jarasandha king
Vrihadratha followed by his two wives became an inmate of an ascetic
asylum in the woods. And, O king, after his father and mothers had
retired into the woods, Jarasandha by his valour brought numerous kings
under his sway.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"King Vrihadratha, having lived for some time
in the woods and practised ascetic penances, ascended to heaven at last
with his wives. King Jarasandha, also, as uttered by Kausika, having
received those numerous boons ruled his kingdom like a father. Some
time after when king Kansa was slain by Vasudeva, an enmity arose
between him and Krishna. Then, O Bharata, the mighty king of Magadha
from his city of Girivraja, whirling a mace ninety-nine times, hurled
it towards Mathura. At that time Krishna of wonderful deeds was
residing at Mathura. The handsome mace hurled by Jarasandha fell near
Mathura at a distance of ninety-nine yojanas from Gririvraja. The
citizens beholding the circumstance well, went unto Krishna and
informed him of the fall of the mace. The place where the mace fell is
adjacent to Mathura and is called Gadavasan. Jarasandha had two
supporters called Hansa and Dimvaka, both of whom were incapable of
being slain by weapons. Well-conversant with the science of politics
and morality, in counsel they were the foremost of all intelligent men.
I have already told thee everything about that mighty pair. They two
and Jarasandha, I believe, are more than a match for three worlds. O
brave king, it was for this reason that the powerful Kukkura, Andhaka
and Vrishni tribes, acting from motives of policy, did not deem it
proper to fight with him.