Krishna defeats Banasur and Bhim challenges jarasandh

HARE KRISHNA

In this chapter of Katha we will see how the supreme Shree Krishna defeats the evil banasur, banasur was an evil demon with thousand arms, his daugther fell in love with grandson of Krishna and with a help of her friend kodnapped Krishna's grandson, knowing this krishna attacked banasur, insipte of banasur attempt to stop krishna with deseases, shree krishna defeated him, but on request of Lord Shiva, shree krishna spared his life and cut all his arms except 4 arms. Also how Krishna leads bhim to fight jarasandh and free 85 kings that jarasadh imprisoned.

Banasur was a ferocious demon who had one thousand arms. His daughter was extremely charming. She chanced to see Anirudh, the grandson of Krishna, and fell in love with him. So, she sent Chitralekha, one of her close friends to bring Anirudh to her by dint of her miraculous power. Chitralekha did the job for her friend. When Banasur came to know of it, he entrapped Anirudh in a snake-trap as he was against his marriage with her daughter. Saint Narada informed Krishna of the mishap. Krishna marched on Banasur with a huge army. Banasur was a devotee of Lord Shiva and so the Lord came to help the demon along with his pupils. Banasur felt quite fearless now. Krishna killed all the soldiers of the demon and also the pupils of Lord Shiva. As for Shiva, he used Jarimbhal--a sleep-prevailing weapon, on him and he was lost in deep slumber. Now Krishna began to cut off the arms of Banasur and he raised a hue and cry, which aroused Lord Shiva from slumber. On Shiva's request, Krishna spared the last four arms of the demon who now gladly gave his daughter to Anirudh in marriage. Also, he became a devotee of Lord Krishna.

As we read in the previous chapter that Krishna, having been invited by Kansa to Mathura; came there to take part in the Bow-yajna along with Nand Baba and other respectable milkmen of Vrindavan. After killing his maternal uncle, Kansa, and his wrestlers, Chanur and Mushtik, he set Vasudeva and Devaki free and enthroned his grandfather, Ugrasena, restoring his lost crown to him. Then Krishna and Balram went to the Gurukula of Saint Sondipani at Ujjain and completed their schooling within a short period of 64 days only. Also, he constructed the town of Dwarika at a peninsula bordering the West Coast of India. Soon after this, he did away with Kalayavana, Bhaumasur, Banasur and several other evil persons. Not only this, he salvaged King Muchukund and king Nriga also. Now Paundrik, the ruler of Chunar, raised his head as he was very jealous of Krishna's rise. Incited by his flatterers, he declared himself to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. As people considered Krishna also to be the human form of Lord Vishnu, Paundrik challenged Krishna for a combat. When Krishna went to him, he was astonished to find him wearing two artificial arms and other accessories often seen in the hands of Lord Vishnu. Krishna defeated him and put him to death along with his supporter, the ruler of Kasha.

Jarasandh, the ruler of Magadha, was Kansa's father-in-law. Enraged at the murder of his son-in-law, he had already attacked Mathura seventeen times but every time he had suffered a crushing defeat. Even then, his power had not been broken and he was ready for a trial of strength once again. Yudhishthir the Pandava king, was planning to perform a Rajsuya Yajna with a view to celebrating his victories over most of the kings of North India. Krishna apprehended trouble at the hands of Jarasandh during the performance of the Yajna. So, he advised Yudhishthir to do away with him before the Yajna. Krishna's advice appealed to Yudhishthir's mind and he sent his brothers, Arjuna and Bhima, with Krishna to the capital of Magadha. Reaching there, Bhima challenged Jarasandh for a wrestling bout. How could he help accepting it. The wrestling bout went on for thirteen days but without a win for either of the contestants. On the fourteenth day, Krishna signaled Bhima to tear his opponent into two halves demonstrating the action by tearing a leaf and throwing its two parts into opposite directions. Bhima followed the signal and acted upto it literally. As a result, Jarasandh was no more.
Jarasandh had imprisoned eighty-five kings on unfounded charges against them. All these kings were set free after the death of Jarasandh. They were sent back to their respective capitals and at the same time invitation to take part in the Yajna to be performed by Yudhishthir was accorded to each of them. Not only this, Sahadev, son of Jarasandh, was coronated to succeed his father as the next ruler of Magadha. Krishna having returned to Indraprastha, capital of Yudhishthir, the yajna was started. All the near relatives were entrusted with important jobs, viz -acceptance of presents was handled by Duryodhana, the job of giving alms was given to Kama, preparation of eatables was put under Bhima while Krishna undertook the humblest of the jobs--washing the feet of the Brahman s and the saints coming to participate in the yajna. The arrangement of the yajna was so efficient that everyone was happy and satisfied. The most remarkable thing about the yajna was that the Brahmans and the saints were beside themselves with joy to have the divine touch of Krishna's hands at their feet.