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----- bhagap335.html
"It is meet thou shouldst help thy cousin in the performance
of Raja Siiya Yajna and also that thou shouldst protect the Rajas
that seek relief from thee. Kings all round will have to be conquered
at the Raja Suya sacrifice. The defeat of Jarasandha will follow as
a matter of course. Thus shall we see the fulfilment of our great
desire and the liberation of the Rajas shall redound to Thy glory.
Both ends will be served in this way. But Jarasandha is very power-
ful. He should not be fought with while at the head of his large
army. Bhima is equal to him in strength. Let him fight singly with
Jarasandha. That king does not refuse any prayer of Brahmanas.
Let Bhima ask for single combat in the disguise of a Brahmana.
Surely that son of Pandu will kill him in thy presence."
Krishna gave kind assurances to the messenger of the captive
kings and left for Hastinapura.
The Pandavas vied with one another in shewing respectful love
to Krishna and Arjuna delivered up the Khandava forest to Agni and
liberated Maya. In return for this kindness, Maya made the magical
assembly ground for the Yajna.
All the kings were brought under submission by Bhima,
Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and the allied kings, except Jarasandha.
Bhimp, Arjuna and Krishna went to the seat of Jarasandha In
the disguise of Brahmanas.
They begged hospitality from the king. King Jarasandha con-
cluded from their voice, their shape and from the arrow marks on their
hands that they were Kshatriyas. He also thought they were his
acquaintances. " These are Kshatriyas, though they wear the marks
of brahmanas. I will give them what they ask even though it be my
own self, so difficult to part with. Is not the pure glory of Bali
spread in all directions, though he was deprived of his lordly powers
by Vishnu in the disguise of a Brahmana? Vishnu wanted to restore
the lordship of the Triloki to India. Bali knew the Brahmana in
disguise to be Vishnu. He still made over the Triloki to him, even
against the protests of his Guru Sukra. This body of a Kshatriya,
frail as it is, what purpose will it serve if wide fame is not acquired
by means of it for the sake of a Brahmana?" Turning to Krishna,
Arjuna and Bhima, Jarasandha said: "O Brahmanas, ask what you
wish for. Even if it be my own head, I shall give it to you."
Krishna replied: "Give us a single combat, if you please,
O King. We are Kshatriyas and have come for fight. We desire no-
thing else. This is Bhima. This is his brother Arjuna. Know me
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