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Mahābhārata The History of the Great India
<< 124 Entering Jarasandha's Kingdom >>
 |  | Thus addressed, those brothers of vast might—Krsna, Bhima, and Arjuna—encouraged by the moving statements of their loving friends, departed forthwith toward the King of Magadha, concealing themselves in the garments of brilliant brahmana students just graduated from their studies. Burning with rage over the injuries and insults to their relatives in the royal line, those three seemed like the sun, the moon, and fire. Their appearance was at once handsome and terrible.
| | | Yudhisthira Maharaja watched as Krsna and Arjuna—inspired and fixed on a single task, invincible in battle—departed, with awesome Bhima leading the way. Seeing them, Yudhisthira knew Jarasandha to be a dead man. Krsna and Arjuna had the power to control, to execute all duties, to accomplish all the tasks of religion, business, and pleasure, and to overthrow and destroy the wicked.
| | | The three infallible heroes, heading east, crossed over the Ganges and the Sona and arrived at the kingdom of Magadha, whose sesame trees covered the land like a verdant breastplate. Reaching Mount Goratha, which was always filled with a wealth of cows, abundant water, and beautiful woods, they gazed upon the capital city of Magadha.
| | | Lord Krsna said to Arjuna, "This is the beautiful capital of Magadha—a great and charming land always free from troubles, filled with herds and abundant water, and rich with fine mansions. My friend, these five shining mountains with magnificent peaks are the wide Vaihara, Vrsabha, Varaha, Rsi-giri, and Caityaka. These mountains, with their refreshing forests, join together as if to protect the capital, which is thus known as Girivraja, 'the city enclosed by mountains.'
| | | "Jarasandha is confident that he will inevitably achieve his goals, but we shall now approach him and cut down his pride."
| | | When Lord Krsna had spoken thus, the brothers with their vast power—Krsna of the Vrsnis and the two sons of Pandu—advanced toward the city of the Magadhas. They approached the impregnable Girivraja, a prosperous city of lavish festivals that was filled with satisfied, healthy people living by the fourfold division of society.
| | | Instead of approaching the main gate, the three, eager to kill Jarasandha, ran along attractive Caityaka Mountain, at the end of the mountain range protecting the city. Then, as if to smash the head of their enemy, they struck with their wide arms the fixed wide summit of the mountain, so very great and ancient. Simply with their arms the heroes threw down that immovable peak, which was well established and worshiped with garlands.
| | | Then they caught sight of the city of the Magadhas and made their entrance. At that very moment the priests were carrying a fire around Jarasandha as he sat on an elephant, in this way fully worshiping the king.
| | | O Bharata, dressed like devout religious students whose only weapons are their bare arms, and hankering to do battle with Jarasandha, the three warriors made their entrance. They observed the extraordinary opulence of the prosperous food and flower markets, richly stocked with all the finest products and all desirable luxuries.
| | | Krsna, Bhima, and Arjuna, those best of men, went along the king's highway. Seeing the wealth of the shopping district, they forcibly took flower garlands from a florist with their mighty arms. Thus dressed with detachment yet adorned with garlands and polished earrings, they proceeded to the abode of the clever Jarasandha, gazing upon it as Himalayan lions gaze upon a cow pen.
| | | Those three were known for the strength of their arms, and now those arms, adorned with sandalwood and aloe, were as handsome and splendid as magnificent pillars of stone. The people of Magadha were filled with wonder as they looked upon those three, who had deep, wide chests. The three heroes moved like lordly elephants and stood tall like hard sala trees.
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