HARIHARESHWARI 16 - विशृंखलित राजवंशाः

CHAPTER 41

As the sun blazes over the battlefield, the air is charged with tension and anticipation. Jarasandh, the mighty king of Magadh, stands tall on his chariot, his eyes burning with rage and determination. His armor glistens in the morning light, a formidable figure in front of his massive army.

The soldiers of Magadh stand behind him, their weapons at the ready, their faces grim and resolute. They are eager to avenge the death of their king, Kamsa, and to crush the kingdom of Mathura under their feet.

Suddenly, a thunderous sound pierced the silence, echoing across the battlefield. It was the resounding blow of a conch shell, powerful and commanding. The soldiers of Magadh froze in their tracks, struck by a sense of dread at the sound. It was a sound that  likely signified the presence of divine power.

They looked ahead to see the source of the sound, and there, on majestic divine chariots, stood Krishna and Balram, their presence commanding and powerful. Krishna held a conch shell to his lips, its sound echoing like a clarion call of war. It had unleashed a wave of fear among the enemy troops, who now trembled at the sight of the two young princes. Despite their small contingent of soldiers, the brothers exuded an aura of confidence and strength that seemed to shake the very foundation of the battlefield.

In spite of the intimidating presence of the two young princes, Jarasandh remained unfazed. His confidence in his army and his own strength was unshaken. With a steely gaze, he glared at Krishna and Balram, his lips curling into a snarl of defiance.

"O Krishna ! Tum toh ek balak ho, tumse yudh karna mere liye apmaanjanak hoga ! Apne kul ke hatyaare, tum jaao ! Mai tumse yudh nahi karunga !" Jarasandh said and then looked at Balram, "Samkarshan ! Yadi sahas hai toh tum mujhse yudh karo. Ya toh mere teero se swarg ko praapt karoge, ya fir Mera vadh karoge. Mai tumhe awahan deta hu !"

Krishna raised a brow, "Vastavik yoddha dinge nahi maarte, Jarasandh ! Woh apna parakram dikhate hai ! Hum dono uske baato ko gambhirta se nahi le sakte, jo bhayebhit aur mrityu ke liye adig ho !"

"SAINIKO ! AKRAMAN !" Jarasandh blazed in anger.

Just as the wind covers the sun with clouds or a fire with dust, the king of Magadh marched toward the Krishna and Balram with his huge assemblage of armies.  The ground trembled under the thunderous march of fifty lakh troops, their armor glinting in the fading light. Krishna and Balram stood resolute on their divine chariots, their presence commanding and unwavering.

The clash of steel and the battle cries of warriors filled the air as the armies closed in on each other. The army of Magadh surrounded the brothers and their small contingent of soldiers, chariots, flags, horses and charioteers.

Meanwhile, in the city of Mathura, women stand atop watchtowers, in palaces, and at high gates, straining to catch a glimpse of the unfolding battle. Their hearts sank when they could no longer see the chariots of Krishna and Balram, identified by banners marked with the emblems of Garud and a palm tree. Grief washes over them, and some are so overwhelmed that they faint at the sight of the unfolding tragedy.

As Krishna gazed upon his army being mercilessly bombarded by a relentless storm of arrows from the vast enemy forces looming like dark clouds above him, he grasped his divine bow, Sharang, revered by both gods and asuras alike.

With swift precision, he plucked arrows from his quiver, notched them on the bowstring, drew back, and unleashed a ceaseless deluge of razor-sharp shafts that pierced through the enemy's chariots, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers.

Elephants fell to the ground, their foreheads split open, cavalry horses fell with severed necks, chariots fell with their horses, flags, drivers and masters all shattered, and foot soldiers collapsed with severed arms, thighs and shoulders. The Lord's archery prowess was akin to a fiery ring of destruction, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

On the battlefield, hundreds of rivers of blood flowed from the limbs of the men, elephants and horses who had been cut to pieces. Arms resembled snakes; human heads seemed like turtles; dead elephants like islands; and dead horses akin to crocodiles. Hands and thighs appeared like fish, human hair like weeds, bows like waves, and various weapons like clumps of bushes.

It was no great deal for Krishna, for it was he who orchestrates the creation, maintenance and destruction of the three worlds.

On the other hand, with lightning speed and unmatched agility, Balram pounced on Jarasandh like a lion hunting its prey, seizing him in a grip that seemed unbreakable. The sheer force of Balram's strength was awe-inspiring as he effortlessly overpowered the mighty Jarasandh, who struggled in vain against his iron grip. As the dust settled around them, Balram swiftly bound Jarasandh with unyielding noose of Varundev, among other ropes.

"MAGADH ME SAINIKO SHASHTRA NICHE KARO !" Balram's voice thundered, "TUMHARA SAMRAT BANDHI BAN CHUKA HAI !"

The soldiers of Magadh, witnessing their revered king being effortlessly restrained by the fierce Balram, were struck with awe and disbelief. In that moment, a hush fell over the battlefield as the soldiers of Magadh, who hesitatingly lowered their weapons.

Jarasandh, once a symbol of power, now found himself humiliated and defeated, his pride shattered as he stares at the ropes that bind him. The expression of shame and disbelief on his face was palpable, a stark contrast to the arrogance he once exuded on the battlefield.

"Dau !" Krishna came towards them, with Daruk driving his chariot, "Jaane dijiye use."

Balram obeyed, untying the ropes that held the defeated king captive. Jarasandh felt a wave of deep shame wash over him, realizing the extent of his defeat. The once proud and formidable king of Magadh, whom fighters had highly honored, now stands stripped of his power and dignity, his spirit broken by the mercy shown to him by his enemies.

□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□
A/N

And that was the first war of Krishna Balram vs Jarasandh 🌝