Mahabharat: Lokapala Sabha

Lokapala sabha is the twenty-first upa parva or the second upa parva under the second maha parva in Mahabharata. Mantra parva or Sabhakhyana is another name for this upa parva. Vyshampayana had narrated the historical events to Janamejaya, on his queries:

What were the instructions received from the learned scholars to Yudhishtira?

The learned scholars instructed Yudhishtira to start for the performance of the Rajasuya yaga. He was presiding in the meeting and asked various experts regarding Rajasuya yaga and received their assurances for the successful conduction of the same.

Krishna, Bhishma and Yudhistira discussing Rajasuya yaga — Krishna, Bhishma and Yudhishtira discussing Rajasuya Yaga

What were the details of kings narrated by Krishna to Yudhishtira?

Krishna had narrated the details of various kings like his uncle Bhishmaka, king of Magadha called Brihadratha and many others who had been allowed to live after Parashurama’s worldwide tours. Parashurama had already eliminated the kings who were not worthy to be allowed to live on this Earth. The remaining kings were required for the smooth ruling of the world as heads of their respective kingdoms.

Why should Jarasandha be killed?

Jarasandha was the son of Brihadratha, king of Magadha and many kings of the small countries desired to kill Jarasandha due to his immoralities towards them, but Jarasandha had fought with many such kings and made them surrender to him. Those who surrendered in the war were captivated and put in his jail and later Jarasandha had killed them mercilessly as a human sacrifice to please his own devoted God. Those kings who were compromising and had sought his pardon unanimously were allowed to live but they were to live under humiliations and subdued lifelong and surrendered to him. There were no moral principles with Jarasandha. Hence people thought he should not be allowed to live.

As per his own principle of human sacrifice, he should be sacrificed first by killing him after proper judgment, by another able king. Krishna was a king, an able one, and he could judge properly regarding moral principles. Hence Yudhishtira thought Krishna would deal with Jarasandha appropriately.

Why Yudhishtira hesitated to send Bhima with Krishna?

Rajasuya yaga was a personal desire of Yudhishtira. If Rajasuya yaga was to be conducted, Jarasandha was to be killed first but Jarasandha was a cruel king with whom Bhima had to deal. Yudhishtira thought, for achieving his personal desire and satisfaction, his brother Bhima need not suffer. Thus Yudhishtira hesitated to send Bhima with Krishna to the palace of Magadha without weapons to meet with Jarasandha.

How Bhima had consoled Yudhishtira?

Bhima had a strong belief in Krishna. When Krishna was with Bhima, it would be easy for him to get success in the fight over Jarasandha. Thus Bhima consoled Yudhishtira. Moreover, he was confident about his own physical strength.

What Krishna told to Yudhishtira?

Krishna told to Yudhishtira, to be a king, the person should possess good self-confidence. One should do some heroic actions, only then some results could come out. Arjuna and Bhima were born heroes and when Krishna accompanied them, Yudhishtira need not worry about their life and safety.

What Arjuna had assured?

Arjuna told to Yudhishtira, as he was the elder brother possessing good self-confidence, he could permit him. Arjuna desired to do some heroic actions to achieve some results that could come out. When Krishna accompanied them, Yudhishtira need not worry about their life and the safety of the body. It was same as Krishna’s opinion.

What method had been suggested by Krishna to Yudhishtira to kill Jarasandha?

Krishna suggested Yudhishtira about his movement to Magadha, without taking any weapons and enter his palace from the rear side like three scholars who just completed their learning. The dress code of the scholars was different from the dress code for facing any war situation. It would be similar to the Brahmins in a pilgrimage. Then, Krishna, Arjuna and Bhima would approach Jarasandha at night without any weapons. Krishna guessed about the ego of Jarasandha and expected his fight with Bhima in the style of wrestling, or say fist fighting. Krishna was confident about the physical strength of Bhima. He would be able to kill Jarasandha without any weapons.

Who was Jarasandha’s father?

Brihadratha was the father of Jarasandha. He was a good ruler of the Magadha kingdom.

Who was Jarasandha’s mother?

Jarasandha had three mothers. The twin daughters of Kashi and the third mother was Jara who had made his body to be a single perfect human body.

How was Jarasandha born?

Brihadratha was a good king of Magadha. King of Kashi had twin daughters and the king had given them in marriage to Brihadratha, with a condition. The condition was very simple and it was, Brihadratha would never do anything against the will and desire of the married twin princesses of Kashi.

After many years, Brihadratha had become sad as he had no children. He observed many fasts and followed many Vratas, worshipping Gods to get a child. One day, a seer sage named Chanda Kaushika had visited near the palace, in the town and took rest under a mango tree of his palace garden. Brihadratha had visited him and sought his blessings to get a child. The mango tree was full of ripe fruits and a good mango fruit had fallen on the lap of the Rishi Chanda Kaushika and after chanting some verses, he gave it to Brihadratha and instructed him to give it to his wife. The king had taken the fruit and gave it to his wives. They made it into two equal parts and consumed it.

After few months, both wives had given birth to two different but strange children. Each child was having only one hand, one eye, one ear and one leg. Both queens were afraid to see the strange children and desired to abandon them. The royal nurses had donated them to a lady flesh-eater called Jara who used to wander in that country. That lady had tied the children together very tightly and carried them in a single basket and went out of the palace. Jara was surprised to hear the loud cry of the single child and when she opened the basket, to her surprise, found only one perfect child in it. She knew the king had been praying to Gods for many years to get a child and then the king also heard the cry of the child and then Jara with sympathy returned it to Brihadratha.

Since the child got a new life after getting a perfect body of a human being, because of Jara, the king had named it Jarasandha. The child had grown up with tender care in the palace of Magadha and after few years, the same Rishi Chanda Kaushika had visited the palace again. King Brihadratha had treated him with great respect and provided him food and a place to rest. But the Rishi liked only forest life. He predicted the child would be a great king of huge strength and blessed him as he would be always victorious in any kind of wars as no weapon could harm his body.

What had been done by Brihadratha after the predictions of sage Chanda Kaushika?

After a few years, Brihadratha crowned Jarasandha and went to the forest for penance with his two wives. Jarasandha had appointed two black commandos Kaushika and Chitrasena and had renamed them Hamsa and Dibaka. Later, Jarasandha had conquered many countries and accumulated huge wealth with the help of these commandos. His military was also very strong.

Why commandos were required for Jarasandha?

Jarasandha was lacking proper education. He had never learned moral lessons. He had relied only on physical strength. Hence he was dependent on the two black commandos.

Why Jarasandha was cruel in nature even though he was blessed by sage Chanda Kaushika?

The parents of Jarasandha had left for penance and there was no legal cell or an expert minister in his country Magadha who would be capable to advise him. Without a good education, Jarasandha had grown up with his cruel nature and his commandos also had no moral support or good life lessons to protect his people. Hence he resorted to human sacrifice and used to offer in sacrifice the captivated kings, like animals.

What Krishna and Yudhishtira discussed as per the advice of Bhishma?

As per the advice of Bhishma, Yudhishtira had enquired with Krishna regarding the remedial actions to secure the front seat in heaven for his father late Pandu. Krishna agreed to the idea of starting a Rajasuya yaga by Yudhishtira.