Shloka 23
मागधगिरिव्रजप्रवेशः — Entry into Girivraja and Jarāsandha’s Protocol Inquiry
भ्रामयित्वा शतगुणमेकोनं येन भारत । गदा क्षिप्ता बलवता मागधेन गिरिव्रजात्
bhrāmayitvā śataguṇam ekonaṁ yena bhārata | gadā kṣiptā balavatā māgadhena girivrajāt ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, karena permusuhan itu, raja Magadha yang perkasa memutar gadanya sembilan puluh sembilan kali, lalu melemparkannya dengan kekuatan besar dari Girivraja.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked royal might and enmity express themselves through displays of force. Ethically, it frames power as morally ambiguous: extraordinary strength can become a vehicle for aggression unless governed by restraint and righteous purpose.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a feat of the Magadhan king (Jarāsandha): he whirls his mace ninety-nine times and hurls it from Girivraja toward Mathurā, where it lands after traveling ninety-nine yojanas; at that time Kṛṣṇa is residing in Mathurā.