ते चतुष्पथनिक्षिप्ते जरा नामाथ राक्षसी ॥
जग्राह मनुजव्याघ्र मांसशोणितभोजना ॥
कर्तुकामा सुखवहे शकले सा तु राक्षसी ॥
संघट्टयाम् आस तदा विधानबलचोदिता ॥
ते समानीतमात्रे तु शकले पुरुषर्षभ ॥
एकमूर्तिकृते वीरः कुमारः समपद्यत ॥
te catuṣpathanikṣipte jarā nāmātha rākṣasī ||
jagrāha manujavyāghra māṃsaśoṇitabhojanā ||
kartukāmā sukhavahe śakale sā tu rākṣasī ||
saṃghaṭṭayām āsa tadā vidhānabalacoditā ||
te samānītamātre tu śakale puruṣarṣabha ||
ekamūrtikṛte vīraḥ kumāraḥ samapadyata ||
"Those two halves, cast down at the crossroads, were taken up by a rakshasi named Jara, who feeds on flesh and blood, O tiger among men; wishing to carry them conveniently, that rakshasi joined the halves together, impelled by the power of a higher ordinance; and no sooner were the halves joined than there appeared, O bull among men, fused into a single form, a heroic child."
b4a9bfbc11bb · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:13:23 PM UTC
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Here providence works through one who meant to destroy: the flesh-eater, without knowing it, joins the child together. It is significant that what people rejected, God gathers into one through the hand of a rakshasi, 'impelled by a higher ordinance': the Lord's will is accomplished even through an evil instrument. Hence the name — Jarasandha, 'joined by Jara.' The verse shows that providence is not bound to the goodness of its instruments; and next, the child's strength.