''Sinless dost thou, O Jerasundha, claim And thou the world's great princes dost o'erwhelm, Gathered for cruel slaughter? When before Did kings on good kings tyranny explore? But thou, a king, hast conquered and subdued, And Rudra's altar thou wouldst have imbrued With blood of Kings for victims. On our head Their piteous blood shall lie which thy hands shed. For we are virtue's and in her have force Virtue to bulwark. Giving tyranny course We share the sin. Not yet the world has seen That crowning horror, butchery of men. O man, how couldst thou to a god devise, To Shancara a human sacrifice? It is thy blood, thy kind thou levellest Comparing human natures with the beast. Is there a man in all the world whose mind Like thine is violent, like thine is blind? But this remember, not with the deed man does There is an end; he reaps from what he sows And as he planted such the fruit he sees: Footprints his action left, Fate treads in these. Therefore 'gainst thee, destroyer of our caste, We, champions of the miserable oppressed, For rescue of our kindred men are here To slay thee. But thou sayest 'What should I fear? There is no man in all the Kshettriya race And I am he alone.' Great witlessness Is thine, O King, and error most unjust. What Kshettriya has a soul and lives but must Recall with pride his birth from valiant men? Who would not by the way of battle then Enter the doors of Paradise eterne, Felicitous gates? When paradise to earn Heroes to war as to a sacrifice Initiate go, resistless then they rise Conquering Nature. Véda fathers heaven; To glory excellent its gates are given; Austerity masters it. In battle who falls He most infallibly wins the happy halls. For what is Indra's heaven, what Paradise? Heaven in noble deeds and virtue lies. By these the myriad-sacrificing god Conquered the Titans and the world bestrode. And what more excellent way to heaven than strife With thee? Nor thou by lustiness of life Deceived and thy huge armies Magadhine Maddening with strength thy foemen quite disdain. In many hearts a fire of courage dwells That equals thine, nay, may be, far excels. While these are hidden in the hand of fate, So long thou art supreme, but so long great. Yes, I will speak it, we, even we, can bear The brunt of all thy greatness. King, forbear Pride with thy equals and vain insolence. O King, why wilt thou with thy son go hence, With all thy captains and great men below To Yama's melancholy mansions go? Were there not kings as great as thou? Who strove With Brihodruth, Cartoverya, Dumbhodbove, High Uttara? All they are sunk unmourned, Great kings and mighty captains; for they scorned Mightier than they. No Brahmins, learn, are we, Antagonists of thy supremacy. Shourian I am and Hrishikésha styled; These are the Pandove heroes. Brother's child I to their mother am—Krishna, thy foe. Take our defiance, King. In battle show Thy steadfast courage, prince of Magadha, Or while thou mayst escape. Either this day Release the captive princes all or die."
extract from Sabha Parva: The Slaying of Jerasundh - Translated by Sri Aurobindo
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King Jarasandha hears the Challenge of The Lord Krsna
