There were twenty thousand eight hundred Kings defeated and captured in the battles . They came out of Gridroni dirty and wearing dirty clothes

***

Release of the Kings

Suka Deva continued

There were twenty thousand eight hundred Kings defeated and captured by Jarasandha in the battles . They came out of the fortress Gridroni , the capital of Magadh released by the Lord who responded to their message .

They came out of the fortress dirty and wearing dirty clothes . They came out of fortress hungry . They were looking emaciated with dried up faces . Because of bondage they were looking weakened . As they came out they saw the Lord in all his glory like a black cloud wearing yellow silk garments , wearing the Srivatsa mark , with a smile on his face , carrying a club, conch and Sudarshan disc , wearing a garland of forest flowers . Looking at the Lord their hunger seemed to have vanished for they were drinking the nectar of sight of that form , the beauty of which is yet unexplained. Their weakness too seemed to have disappeared. They bowed down in prayer and ecstasy . They placed their heads at His feet and spoke.

“ Obeisance to you Lord of the Lords, who destroys the sins of those who surrender. We have surrendered. We are despondent. Save us from this terrible material life . O Madhusudana , we do not find fault with Jarasandha, because of him today we have this darshan. Just as it is ignorant to see a mirage as a reservoir of water, it is foolish to see the Maya in life as real. Previously intoxicated by the riches of Kingdom and with a desire of conquering everybody we fought with each other. We troubled our own people. O Krishna the irresistible power of time has distanced the riches . Now that you have destroyed our pride too, we want your shelter. Never again we shall have the hunger for Kingdom in this life. Nor do we hanker for one in the next life . Please tell us the secret by which our remembrance of your lotus feet is not lost even as we continue this cycle of life and death.”

“We offer our obeisance to you Krishna, Vaasudeva. Oh Govinda who destroys the sufferings of those who surrender to him , we offer our obeisance ”.

Suka Deva continued ,' O King thus spoke the Kings released by the Lord. Then the Lord himself spoke gently to them ‘.

“ O Kings beginning from now very firm devotion will arise as desired by you .O Kings fortunately you are truthfully speaking of a resolve. The lack of restraint due to intoxication of riches leads to madness. Hihaya , Nahuasa, Vena, Ravana Narakasura and other Devas and demons were made to fall from their positions because of their intoxications with riches . You people, knowing the birth and life cycle ,worshipping me, protect your people according to Dharma. Generating lines of progeny, facing happiness and distress, facing life and death as you encounter, you should go about with minds fixed on me. Be indifferent to the body . Be self satisfied . Hold firmly to your vows . Concentrating fully on me you will attain the absolute truth.”

Having instructed them , Lord engaged people to let them go through the cleaning process. Then the Lord made King Sahadev , now the King of Maghad , honor all the Kings freed from the Kings prisons. Having honored them, Lord ensured that all the Kings were sent away to their Kingdoms safely . The Kings too , having been liberated by the Lord of all Lords , went away remembering him . The Kings related the happenings to their ministers and people. And the Kings also diligently carried out what ever knowledge that was imparted to them by the Lord.

Lord too accepted the worship from the new King of Maghad and left for Indraprastha.

Krishna, Arjun and Bhim blew their conches as they arrived in Indraprastha signifying the victory they achieved . Hearing the blowing of Conches the people of Indraprastha were pleased and poured on to the streets to welcome the victorious trio. Then Bhim Arjun and Janardana , having bowed to the King Yudhistira , related all the events leading to the death of Jarasandha .

Hearing that account of Bhim and Arjun and realizing the mercy shown by Lord Kesava Yudhistira could not say anything, shedding tears of ecstasy with love.

***

Hearing that mercy shown by Lord Kesava , shedding tears of ecstasy with love he could not say anything.