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Birth of Jaraasandh
Jaraasandh is the Mahaabhaarat character. He was the son of Brihadrath, the King of Chedi Desh. His capital was Raajgeer. Brihadrath was married to two princesses of Kaashee kingdom and he promised to love them equally. He got old but he didn't have any child. One day he heard that the descendent of Gautam Rishi, Chand Kaushik had come in his kingdom. So he went there to greet him. He requested to him - "Mahaaraaj, I have no child yet, please give me a child." Chand Kaushik picked up a mango fruit and gave it to Raajaa to feed his queen. He came back with the mango fruit. Since Raajaa loved his both queens equally, so he divided the mango in halves and gave one half to each of his wives.

When the time came both gave birth to a half child. Thus Jaraasandh was born in two pieces. His mothers got frightened seeing those half child pieces and they threw their halves outside the palace. There those pieces were picked up by a Raakshasee named Jaraa who was wandering in search for food. As she picked them up for eating purpose, she just started playing with them and by chance both pieces got joined and came to life. She got very surprised to see this. Her heart filled with love and she brought the child home and brought him up affectionately as her own child and that is how he got his name Jaraasandh (Jaraa = Raakshasee's name, Sandh = joining, means who was joined by Jaraa). Jaraasandh was the King of Magadh Desh. He was a very mighty King. Krishn told Yudhishthir since he was not one but two that was why even Yam Raaj could not harm him.

(MBH, G-6/24) - Once Krishn told Arjun that Kans, Jarasandh and Eklavya together could win the whole world and they could not be killed even  by Inda. Telling about his might, He also told him that At one time Jaraasandh hurled his Gadaa capable of killing all creatures towards us. Seeing that Gadaa coming to us Balaraam used his weapon Sthoonkarn to destroy its force. The Gadaa fell down on the Earth splitting her. Since Jaraasandh was made alive by a Raakshas woman called Jaraa that is why he was named as Jaraasandh. He was born in two halves of one child and was joined by Jaraa named Raakshas woman. That Raakshas woman who was there within the earth was killed along with her son and people by the weapon Sthoonkarn. After Jaraasandh had lost his Gadaa, he was killed by Bheem before your eyes.

Jaraasandh and Kans
Jaraasandh was the King of Magadh Des. He was a good friend of Kans (Mathuraa's Raajaa Ugrasen's son and Krishn's Maamaa), so he married his two daughters  - Asti and Praapti - to Kans to make his relations stronger with him. When Krishn had killed Kans, his both daughters got widow that is why he attacked Mathuraa 17 times with his 23 Akshauhinee army each time. Krishn pushed him back and killed his army all the times. When he came 18th time then Krishn and Balaraam Jee ran away from the battlefield and inhabited Dwaarakaa Puree for the safety of Yadu Vansh. Since then Krishn was called "Ranachhod". "Ranachhod" means who has run away from the battlefield.

Death of Jaraasandh
Jaraasandh was killed by Bheemsen later when Yudhishthir wanted to do Raajsooya Yagya and it became necessary to win him. Then how to win him? was a great problem because he was very mighty. Somebody suggested that he regarded Braahman very much so Krishn, Bheemsen and Arjun should go there in disguise of Braahman and ask for a fight in donation, He won't fight with Arjun because he would take him as an archer, he wouldn't fight with Krishn because He has already defeated him 17 times, now remains Bheem. He would get ready to fight with him. And only Bheem can defeat him, because only Bheem had 10,000 elephants' strength as Jaraasandh had.

So they went to Magadh Desh in disguise of Braahman. When Jaraasandh saw them, he welcomed them and asked - "What can I do to please you?" Krishn said - "We are not here to ask for any money, or land, or clothes, or food etc. We want that you accept one of us for a dual fight." Then Jaraasandh saw them carefully and said - "If I am not wrong I have seen you somewhere." Then Krishn said - "You are right. We are not Braahman. This is Arjun, this is Bheem, and I am Krishn." Jaraasandh said - "Oh! Now I know why do you look familiar to me? As you wish. I don't want to choose you Krishn, because I have already defeated you 17 times. This Arjun is a child for me. Yes, I can accept Bheem to fight with."

So they came out of the city and started fighting. Both were mighty, both were of almost equal strength. No one was able to defeat the other one so soon. This fight continued for 28 days. In the day time they fought and in the night they behaved normally. Then Bheem said to Krishn - "This man is very mighty, I cannot kill him like this, we will have to find some other way to kill him." Then Krishn told him the way to kill him, that he should part him by pulling his legs and throwing them on opposite sides. Next day Bheem did the same and thus Jaraasandh was killed by Bheemsen.

Jaraasandh had imprisoned 86 kings, Krishn released them all and crowned his son Sahadev as King and came back to Indraprasth. Then only Yudhishthir could do his Raajsooya Yagya.

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