Liberation of King Jarāsandha
129
can give anything and everything he is asked for. For a great personality like you, there is no distinction between relatives and outsiders. A famous man lives forever, even after his death; therefore, any person who is completely fit and able to execute acts which will perpetuate his good name and fame and yet does not do so becomes abominable in the eyes of great persons. Such a person cannot be condemned enough, and his refusal to give charity is lamentable throughout his whole life. Your majesty must have heard the glorious names of charitable personalities such as Hariścandra, Rantideva and Mudgala, who used to live only on grains picked up from the paddy field, and the great Mahārāja Śibi, who saved the life of a pigeon by supplying flesh from his own body. These great personalities have attained immortal fame simply by sacrificing this temporary and imperishable body.” Lord Kṛṣṇa, in the garb of a  brāhmaṇa , thus informed Jarāsandha that fame is imperishable, but the body is perishable. If one can attain imperishable name and fame by sacrificing his perishable body, he becomes a very respectable figure in the history of human civilization.
While Lord Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the garb of a  brāhmaṇa  along with Arjuna and Bhīma, Jarāsandha marked that the three of them did not appear to be actual  brāhmaṇas . There were signs on their bodies by which Jarāsandha could understand that they were  kṣatriyas . Their shoulders were marked with an impression due to carrying bows; they had beautiful bodily structure, and their voices were grave and commanding. Thus he definitely concluded that they were not  brāhmaṇas , but  kṣatriyas . He was also thinking that he had seen them somewhere before. Although these three persons were  kṣatriyas , they had come to his door begging alms like  brāhmaṇas . Therefore he decided that he would fulfill their desires, in spite of their being  kṣatriyas . He thought in this way because their position had already been diminished by their appearing before him as beggars. “Under the circumstances,” he thought, “I am prepared to give them anything. Even if they ask for my body, I shall not hesitate to offer it to them.” In this regard, he began to think of Bali Mahārāja. Lord Viṣṇu in the dress of a  brāhmaṇa  appeared as a beggar before Bali, and in that way He snatched away all of his opulence and kingdom. He did this for the benefit of Indra, who, having been defeated by Bali Mahārāja, was bereft of his kingdom. Although Bali Mahārāja was cheated, his reputation as a great devotee who was able to give anything and everything in charity is still glorified throughout the three worlds. Bali Mahārāja could guess that the  brāhmaṇa  was Lord Viṣṇu Himself and that He had come to him just to take away his opulent kingdom on behalf of Indra. Bali’s spiritual master and family priest, Śukrācārya, repeatedly warned him about this,