Bhīma and Jarāsandha stood face to face, each a match for the other in strength and valor. Though Arjuna was equal to Jarāsandha in age, he lacked the might required for such a contest; only Bhīma could rival the king of Magadha’s power. Thus, after declaring as much, Jarāsandha presented a great mace to Bhīmasena, kept another for himself, and together they strode out of the city to the chosen field of battle. There, the two warriors met, both ablaze with the spirit of combat. Their maces, as formidable as thunderbolts, crashed against each other with terrible force. They circled each other skillfully, moving left and right in a deadly dance, their battle as graceful as it was fierce—like expert dancers upon a stage. The sound of their weapons colliding rang out like thunder, echoing across the field, reminiscent of elephants clashing their tusks in fury. With lightning speed, the maces struck shoulders, hips, feet, knees, and heads. So powerful were their blows that the weapons themselves shattered, just as the radiant branches of the sun seem to break when two blazing elephants collide. Undeterred, the warriors, now overcome with wrath, began to pummel each other with their iron-hard fists. The slaps of their palms resounded like thunderbolts, filling the air with their ferocity. So evenly matched were Bhīma and Jarāsandha in skill, strength, and vigor that the battle seemed endless. Neither showed any sign of fatigue, and the contest raged on, indistinguishable in its intensity. For twenty-seven days they fought thus, while their friends and companions watched through the nights. At last, weary from the struggle, Bhīma turned to his cousin Kṛṣṇa and confessed, “O Mādhava, I am unable to defeat Jarāsandha in battle.” Kṛṣṇa, knowing the secret of Jarāsandha’s birth and the strange way his life was sustained by the being Jara, infused Bhīma with his own divine energy and pondered how to bring the conflict to an end. Having conceived a strategy, Kṛṣṇa, whose vision never fails, gave a subtle sign to Bhīma by tearing a branch as if to demonstrate the method. Understanding the signal, Bhīma, the mightiest of fighters, seized Jarāsandha by the feet, hurled him to the ground, and, placing one foot upon his enemy’s leg while grasping the other with his arms, tore him asunder from the anus—like a mighty elephant splitting a branch. The onlookers beheld Jarāsandha’s body split into two parts: one half with a single leg, thigh, testicle, hip, back, breast, and shoulder; the other with one arm, eye, brow, and ear. A great cry arose as the king of Magadha fell. Bhīma was embraced and honored by his companions and the victorious, infallible Lord. Then, the Supreme Lord, creator of all beings and master of himself, installed Sahadeva, the son of Jarāsandha, as king over the Magadhas and released all the kings whom Jarāsandha had imprisoned. Thus concludes the seventy-second chapter, “The Slaying of Jarāsandha,” from the second half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: From the mountain cave emerged sixteen thousand eight hundred kings who had been defeated and imprisoned by Jarāsandha. Their bodies were emaciated by hunger, their faces drawn and weary, and their garments soiled from long captivity. Yet, as they emerged, their eyes fell upon the dark-complexioned Lord, clad in radiant yellow silk. They beheld him marked with the Śrīvatsa, four-armed, with lotus-like, reddish eyes, a beautiful and gracious face, and gleaming makara-shaped earrings. In his hands he held the lotus, mace, conch, and discus. His form was adorned with a crown, necklace, bracelets, a girdle, and armlets. His neck sparkled with the finest jewels and was garlanded with forest flowers. The kings gazed upon him, drinking in his beauty with their eyes as if tasting him with their tongues, seeming to smell his fragrance, longing to embrace him with their arms. Freed from their sins, they bowed their heads at Hari’s feet. Delighted by the sight of Kṛṣṇa, all their fatigue and suffering vanished. With palms joined in reverence, the kings offered heartfelt praises to Hṛṣīkeśa: “Salutations to you, Lord of gods, imperishable one, remover of the distress of those who take refuge! We have come to your shelter, O Kṛṣṇa—protect us, weary as we are from this dreadful cycle of birth and death. “O Madhusūdana, we do not blame you for our kingdoms lost at the hands of the Magadhan; O Lord, for us kings, your favor is the true cause. A ruler, intoxicated by sovereignty and riches, cannot attain real welfare; deluded by your māyā, he mistakes fleeting wealth for something lasting. Just as children imagine water in a mirage, so do the unwise mistake illusion for reality. Once, blinded by the intoxication of prosperity, we sought to conquer one another, mercilessly harming our own people, heedless of death approaching. “But those riches, O Kṛṣṇa, have been swept away by your profound power. Through time, your form, and your compassion, our pride has been destroyed, and we remember your feet. Now, we no longer desire a kingdom, which is like a mirage, nor a body doomed to decay and pain. O Lord, we long only to worship you, for such devotion bears sweet fruit in this life and beyond. “Please instruct us how, even as we move about this world, our minds may never forget your lotus feet. Again and again we bow to you, Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva; to Hari, the Supreme Self; to Govinda, destroyer of the distress of those who seek your shelter.” Śuka said: Thus praised by the freed kings, the compassionate Lord—shelter of all beings—addressed them with gentle words: “From this day, O kings, you shall have firm devotion to me, the Self, the Lord of all, just as you have sincerely desired. By good fortune you have spoken truly and chosen wisely. See how pride in wealth and power drives men to madness. Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Vena, Rāvaṇa, Naraka, and many others—rulers over gods, demons, and men—were cast down from their greatness by pride in prosperity. “Knowing that all things arising from the body and so forth are perishable, worship me through sacrifices and protect your subjects with righteousness. Sustain your people, experience happiness and sorrow, birth and death as they come, serve what destiny brings, and move about with your minds fixed on me.” Thus did the Lord instruct the freed kings, guiding them on the path of devotion and dharma.