Jarasandh's Attacks and the Building of Dwarka

Kansa's two queens, Asti and Prapti, were daughters of Jarasandh, the mighty king of Magadh. After their husband's death they went weeping to their father. Furious, Jarasandh surrounded Mathura with a huge army.

Krishna and Balram defeated his whole army but deliberately let Jarasandh live. Krishna knew that he would keep gathering wicked kings who were a burden on the earth, and in this way they would meet their end. Jarasandh attacked seventeen times and lost each time.

As Jarasandh was coming for the eighteenth time, another enemy, Kalayavan, marched on Mathura with a vast foreign army. Krishna saw that His people faced danger from two sides. He had Vishwakarma build a beautiful, safe city in the middle of the sea: Dwarka. By His yogic power He carried all His people there overnight.

Then, unarmed, Krishna ran from Kalayavan, who chased Him into a mountain cave. There King Muchukund lay asleep; the devas had blessed him that whoever woke him would be burnt to ashes. Taking him for Krishna, Kalayavan kicked him. Muchukund woke, and at his glance Kalayavan burst into flames.

Muchukund had Krishna's darshan and went away to do penance. Because Krishna withdrew from battle with Jarasandh, He is lovingly also called Ranchhod, the one who left the battlefield. He chose His people's safety over His own pride. Now the Yadavas lived happily in Dwarka.