Death of Jarasandha

Bhima and Jarasandha fought non stop. First it was with maces. Jarasandha said to Bhima You have invited your death by coming to Magadha. Bhima said Death is calling out to you. I have come as death's messenger.
Maces discarded they started wrestling. They started throwing each other around, in the arena.
The sounds they made were loud. Slapping of bodies and their voices were the only sounds that could be heard.
They picked up the maces again, and sparks flew when the maces struck each other. For fourteen days they kept fighting.

The two were tired. Constant fighting without a break and food was getting to them.

Jarasandha soon collapsed on the ground. Taking this as an opportunity, Bhima picked up Jarasandha and swinging his body around, dashed it against the ground. He was surprised to see Jarasandha alive.
Bhima looked at Krishna for help. Krishna said to Bhima, you have forgotten about Jarasandha's birth. To kill him, you will have to tear his body into two.

Bhima taking that as a clue, went back. Pressing one foot of Jarasandha, he ripped the body apart and threw the body pieces away. Jarasandha was dead.

Hearing this, Sahadeva, son of Jarasandha came to Krishna and fell at his feet. Krishna consoled him and announced that he would be the next king of Magadha. All the imprisoned kings were released. Krishna asked the kings to return to their kingdom and show their good will when Yudhistira would be performing the Rajsuya sacrifice.

Krishna along with Bhima and Arjuna then left Magadha in a chariot and reached Indraprastha. They bowed down before Yudhistira and told him all that had happened.

Krishna then set forth for Dwaraka. 

Krishna goes to Magadha with Bhima and Arjuna

Seeing an auspicious day, Krishna along with Arjuna and Bhima left for Magadha. They went in the guise of ascetics. Crossing rives, lakes and mountains, they reached the kingdom of Magadha. It was surrounded by five hills. Krishna said he would tell them about the five hills. The hills would embrace the city if enemies approached. The gates were guarded by two ferocious snakes. The gates could scream and if the enemies came till the gates unannounced, the gates would raise a huge noise and awake the city and make the citizens aware.

Krishna said they would need to enter the city very carefully. The screaming gates and hills had to be avoided. Krishna thought of Garuda. Garuda, the enemies of snakes arrived. Seeing him, the sankes fearing their lives fled.

Arjuna said he would tackle the gates. With an arrow he shot down the gates. They then climbed the mountains. The peaks started trembling, trying to close but Bhima broke the mountains. Bhima, with Krishna and Arjuna quickly jumped into and entered the city.

It was a beautiful city. Peaceful, with flowers scattered around. They got three garlands and put those around their necks. They roamed around till they reached the palace of Jarasandha. As they were dressed as brahmins, they were not stopped from entering.

They saw the king, sitting in a sacrifice.

Seeing three brahmanas enter, the king got up and welcomed them. He gave them seats to sit. He then looked at them closely. These brahmanas had broad shoulders, long arms and their hands had marks that came from yeilding weapons.
The king said, sages wear garlands around their necks, which brahmanas usually do not. You are dressed like brahmanas but have marks Tell the truth. Who are you? Why are you here?

Krishna said, Flowers and garlands are beloved of Lakshmi, and those who worship prosperity (Lakshmi) adorn themselves. You said we did not ask permission for entering but walked in straight. We have not come in peace which is why we barged in.

Jarasandha said he did not recall having had a feud with the three of them. He said he did not attack without being provoked and did not go around making enemies.

Kirshna said It was the opposite. Jarasandha had captured ninety five kings and had made them prisoners. He was awaiting five more. When he had a hundred captured kings, he would sacrifice them in front of Shiva and proclaim himself emperor. Krishna said he was against this kind of practice and he wanted to put an end to this. He then he said he was the same person had got defeated and had run away to Dwarka. He was Krishna, son of Vasudeva. Two of the sons of Pandu, Bhima and Arjuna, were with him.
Krishna asked Jarasandha to surrender or have fight.

Jarasandha got angry. He said You talk of the olden days. You ran away and hid in the middle of the sea when you were defeated. You tell me to release kings, whom I have fought and capture using my force. You have no right to say anything. The kings will be sacrificed in front of Shiva. Do not talk of olden days, O son of cowherd. You ask for a fight even after facing defeats.

Bhima hearing this started shaking in anger. Krishna said Jarasandha was free to choose that one person of the three he wanted to fight.

Jarasandha said, if a fight was needed, it would happen. He was ready. The three were not. They were not prepared for war. Krishna said a war between armies was known. How about a man to man combat.

Jarasandha said he was fine with that. He looked and said Arjuna was a child in front of him. Krishna was not eligible. Bhima came close and he would choose Bhima for a wrestling match.

The king got up and got two strong maces. He gave one to Bhima. They went to the arena where they would wrestle.

Krishna tells Yudhistira about Jarasandha

Yudhistira told Krishna about the conversation that he had had with Narada and about Pandu's wish.
Krishna said he was absolutely fine with Yudhistira performing Rajsuya sacrifice. Along with Yudhistira needed to be aware of the fact that the consent of a hundred thousand kings was needed for this, and they needed to accept Yudhistira's supremacy.
In Magadha, Jarasandha was ruling and he had many followers. Jarasandha's two daughters had been married to Kamsa, Krishna's maternal uncle. Kamsa had died in Krishna's hands. The two wives of Kamsa asked their father to attack Krishna.
Seventeen times Jarasandha attacked Mathura, and every time Krishna and Balarama fought with Jarasandha but were defeated him. When Jarasandha tried attacking for the eighteenth time, Krishna decided Mathura was no longer safe. They moved to Dwaraka. The people who did not go with Krishna to Dwaraka, were made captive my Jarasandha.
Saying this, Krishna said, Yudhistira needed to defeat Jarasandha and free the prisoners. Jarasandha needed to be killed.
Yudhistira said he was fine with that but before killing someone he wanted to try and see if the method of friendship and peace worked, before attacking Bhima disagreed and said it was good to finish him off upfront.
Krishna said he would think of a way of killing Jarasandha and for that he needed Arjuna and Bhima.
Yudhistira said Jarasandha was the reason why Krishna had to flee from Mathura. If this was the power of Jarasandha, then there was no point in performing a sacrifice like that.
Arjuna said No one was immortal and all would have to die one day. It was good to die a hero's death rather than running away.
Yudhistitra asked Krishna to tell more about Jarasandha. Krishna then started telling Yudhistira :

The land of Magadha was ruled by the king Brihadratha. He was a powerful king, married to the two princesses of Kashi. He had no children. Frustrated, he left the kingdom and along with his two wives retired into the forest. As soon he entered the forest, he met the sage Chandakaushika. He prostrated himself in front of the sage and asked for blessings. The sage asked him where he was going. The king said he was frustrated as he had no children and was going to the forest along with his wives. Suddenly a mango fell on the lap of the sage, who was sitting below a mango tree. He gave the mango to the king and asked him to give the fruit to his chief queen. A child would be born to her.

Taking the blessings of the sage, the king returned back. He divided the mango equally among the two queens. The two queens soon were pregnant and gave birth at the same time. Each had given birth to half a child. The queens asked the maids to throw the delivered parts away.

A rakshashi named Jara happened to be passing by. She saw the two parts and put the two, together. The moment they came together, it formed a child and it started crying out.

Jara, who was hungry decided not eat the baby. This would not satisfy her hunger. On the contrary if the king was pleased, he would give her gifts. Changing into a human form, she took the child to the king and told the king all that had happened. The king rewarded Jara and she left. As the child had been joined by Jara, it was named Jarasandha.

When he was of age, Jarasandha was handed the throne of Magadha. He was a very powerful and ruled by force. It was impossible to defeat him in war. The only way to defeat him was to wrestle with him.

Saying this, Krishna said Bhima was capable of defeating Jarasandha. He said would go with Bhima and Arjuna to Magadha and put an end to Jarasandha, 

Bhanumati's swayamvar

The sage listen then, O king.
In the land of Pragajyotish, ruled a king called Bhagdatta. He had a beautiful daughter called Bhanumati. The king arranged for her swayamvara and invited many kings. Sons of Dhritarashtra, Bhishma, Karna and Drona, all had gone there. Kings like Jarasandha were also there.
Bhagdatta pointed to the target which was like a fish, placed high up. Anyone who could hit the fish would win his daughter.
When Bhaumati came into the hall, she shone like the sun.
The guests all tried and failed.
The king then declared the contest open for all who could easily handle the bow and shoot the target. Hearing this Karna got and with a single arrow was able to hit the fish.

Bhanumati pleased went with her garland, to put it around Karna's neck. Jarasandha asked Bhanumati to stop. Karna was offended. He had achieved the goal, so what was the issue? Jarasandha said he had helped Karna hold the bow, so he was also equally eligible to have Bhanumati as his wife. The invited guests agreed with what Jarasandha said.

A war of words broke out between Karna and Jarasandha which soon became a war of weapons. While Karna had an upper hand with archery, Jarasandha yielded the mace. Karna with great difficulty was able to use an arrow to cut of Jarasandha's mace. Jarasandha picked up another mace which Karna cut off similarly.
Jarasandha then said he was without weapons and it would not be fair of Karna to fight with weapons. He invited Karna for a wrestling match . They had a fierce match. Karna getting an upper hand, pushed Jarasandha onto the ground and sat on his chest, victorious.

Defeated and insulted, Jarasandha left. Karna then took Bhanumati to Duryodhana, presented her to him.

Janmajeya then asked the sage, what happened then in the hall of Panchala.