39.5 - Jarasandh

Summary

In this episode of 'Stories from India,' host Narad Muni, a mythological character with eternal life, corrects a previous historical inaccuracy and addresses listener feedback on Shivaji's tales. The mini episode introduces Jarasandha, a character from the Mahabharat with a unique birth story. Born as two halves, he was brought to life by a rakshasi, Jara, who assembled him. Jarasandha, Krishna's uncle's father-in-law, was considered undefeatable until Bhima, with Krishna's advice, disassembled him permanently. The podcast promises a folk tale from Rajasthan in the next full episode, involving a girl, locked doors, and hungry demons.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The podcast 'Stories from India' is dedicated to sharing myths, legends, and folk tales from India.
• 👤 The host, Narad Muni, is a mythological character with the gift of eternal life and knowledge of past, present, and future.
• 🎶 Narad Muni is also a traveling musician and storyteller, and the podcast is his medium for sharing stories.
• 🔄 A correction is made to a previous episode, clarifying that Chandragupta Maurya was a king in ancient India, not medieval.
• 👵 Listener feedback is acknowledged, with mention of alternate versions of the Shivaji stories.
• 🤴 Jarasandha is introduced as a character from the Mahabharat, with a unique birth story involving 'assembly required'.
• 🍎 King Brihadratha of Magadha is mentioned, who, without a son, sought the help of the Rishi Chandra Kosik.
• 🥭 A magical mango is given to the king, which, when eaten by his wives, results in the birth of half-babies.
• 🧚‍♀️ A rakshasi named Jara finds the disposed halves of the baby and, out of curiosity, brings them together, resulting in a fully formed, living baby.
• 👶 The baby, named Jarasandha, grows up to be a strong and undefeatable warrior.
• 🤺 The story concludes with the tale of how Jarasandha was finally defeated by Bhima, with a strategy suggested by Krishna.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the 'Stories from India' podcast?

The podcast focuses on myths, legends, and folk tales from India.

Who is the host of 'Stories from India' and what is their mythological significance?

The host is Narad Muni, a mythological character known for his gift of eternal life and omniscience.

What is the correction mentioned by the host regarding Chandra Gupta Maurya's historical period?

The host corrected the previous episode's mistake by stating that Chandra Gupta Maurya was a king in Ancient India, not medieval India.

How does the host address listener feedback about the Shivaji stories?

The host acknowledges that there are other versions of the Shivaji stories, including one where the old lady teaches Shivaji a defense trick instead of an offensive one.

Who is Jarasandha and what is his connection to Krishna?

Jarasandha is a character from the Mahabharat, known as Krishna's uncle's father-in-law. He is Krishna's enemy because Krishna fought with Jarasandha's son-in-law, Kansa.

What is unique about Jarasandha's birth story that earns him the nickname 'Lego King'?

Jarasandha was born with a 'some assembly required' aspect, as he was initially two halves of a baby that needed to be brought together by a rakshasi named Jara.

Why did King Brihad, the father of Jarasandha, split a mango and give half to each wife?

King Brihad was advised by the Rishi Chandra Kosik to let his wife eat the mango to solve the problem of not having an heir. Since he had two wives, he split the mango between them.

How did the rakshasi Jara bring Jarasandha to life?

Jara found the disposed halves of the baby, brought them together, and when the two halves clicked together like magnets, the baby came to life and began to cry.

Why was Jarasandha considered undefeatable?

Jarasandha was considered undefeatable because every time anyone tried to disassemble him, he would magically reassemble himself.

How did Bhima finally manage to defeat Jarasandha?

Bhima, following Krishna's advice, disassembled Jarasandha and reversed the polarity so that the pieces repelled each other, preventing Jarasandha from reassembling.

What is the teaser for the upcoming full episode of the podcast?

The upcoming full episode will feature a folk tale from Rajasthan about a little girl who gets into trouble due to forgetting to lock one door at night.

How can listeners provide feedback or stay updated with the podcast?

Listeners can leave comments or reviews on the site SFI podcast.com, tweet at SFI podcast, or follow the host on Instagram and Facebook. They can also subscribe to the show for automatic notifications of new episodes.