Shloka 1
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत सभापव॑के अन्तर्गत राजसूयारम्भपर्वमें जरासंधकी उत्पत्तिविषयक सत्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १७ ॥। (दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके ९३ “लोक मिलाकर कुल ६१३ “लोक हैं) >> ह्य हि की अष्टादशो<् ध्याय: जरा राक्षसीका अपना परिचय देना और उसीके नामपर बालकका नामकरण होना राक्षस्युवाच जरा नामास्मि भद्रें ते राक्षमी कामरूपिणी । तव वेश्मनि राजेन्द्र पूजिता न्यवसं सुखम्,राक्षसीने कहा--राजेन्द्र! तुम्हारा कल्याण हो। मेरा नाम जरा है। मैं इच्छानुसार रूप धारण करनेवाली राक्षसी हूँ और तुम्हारे घरमें पूजित हो सुखपूर्वक रहती चली आयी हूँ
rākṣasy uvāca | jarā nāmāsmi bhadre te rākṣasī kāmarūpiṇī | tava veśmani rājendra pūjitā nyavasam sukham ||
The rākṣasī spoke: “O king, blessings upon you. My name is Jarā. I am a rākṣasī who can assume forms at will. In your household, O lord of kings, I have long dwelt comfortably, honored with due regard.”
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of how one treats even unknown or marginal beings: the rākṣasī emphasizes that she has lived ‘honored’ in the king’s house. In Mahābhārata’s moral universe, conduct (pūjā, respect, hospitality) creates relational obligations and can shape unforeseen outcomes, including matters of lineage and destiny.
At the opening of the chapter on Jarāsandha’s origin, a shape-shifting rākṣasī named Jarā introduces herself to the king, stating that she has long resided in his household with honor and comfort. This self-identification sets up the explanation of how the child later receives the name connected with her—Jarāsandha.