Krishna and Wheel of Time

 Part 1: The Sworn Enemy

Kamsa was the cruel king of Mathura and the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna. A divine voice had once warned him that he would be killed by the eighth son of his sister Devaki. Filled with fear, Kamsa tried to stop this from happening, but destiny cannot be escaped. When Krishna was born and grew up, he returned to Mathura and defeated Kamsa, ending his tyranny.

Jarasandha was the mighty king of Magadha, a kingdom known for its strength and wealth. He admired Kamsa’s courage and gave his two daughters, Asti and Prapti, in marriage to him. This made Kamsa Jarasandha’s son-in-law. When Krishna killed Kamsa, Jarasandha was filled with rage and grief. His daughters were now widows, and his pride was deeply wounded. He swore to destroy Krishna and avenge his son-in-law’s death.

From that day, Jarasandha became Krishna’s most relentless enemy. He gathered huge armies and marched again and again toward Mathura. Sometimes he came alone; other times he brought other angry kings with him. Each time, the battlefield shook with the sound of horses, chariots, and war cries. And each time, Krishna and his brother Balarama stood firm, protecting their people.

The dust would rise. The conch shells would blow. Arrows would fill the sky like dark clouds. But no matter how large Jarasandha’s army was, Krishna’s skill and wisdom turned the battle in his favor. Soldiers fell. Generals fled. And Jarasandha, though powerful, was forced to retreat.

Yet, after every victory, Krishna did something that puzzled everyone. He did not kill Jarasandha. He let him escape.

Balarama could not understand it. After the first few battles, he asked Krishna, “Brother, why do you spare him? He will only return again, stronger and angrier. Why not end this now?”

Krishna smiled gently. “If I kill him today,” he said, “the other hostile kings will scatter in fear. Then I will have to chase them one by one, across many lands. But as long as Jarasandha lives, he gathers them together. He brings my enemies to one place, as if he is helping me without knowing it. Why should I stop a man who is doing my work for me?”

Balarama was silent. He began to see that Krishna’s mercy was not weakness. It was part of a larger plan.