330 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

were quickly killed. The incessant arrows thrown by Krsna appeared as a
whirlwind of blazing fire killing all the military strength of Jarasandha.
As Krsna released His arrows, gradually all the elephants began to fall
down, their heads severed by the arrows. Similarly, all the horses fell, and
the chariots also, along with their flags. The chariot fighters and the
chariot drivers fell as well. Almost all the infantry soldiers fell on the field
of battle, their heads, hands and legs cut off. In this way, many thousands
of elephants and horses were killed, and their blood began to flow just like
the waves of a river. In that river, the severed arms of the men appeared to
be snakes, their heads appeared to be tortoises, and the dead bodies of the
elephants appeared to be small islands. The dead horses appeared to be
sharks. By the arrangement of the supreme will, there was a great river
of blood filled with paraphernalia. The hands and legs of the infantry
soldiers were floating like seaweed, and the floating bows of the soldiers
appeared to be waves of the river. And all the jewelry from the bodies of
the soldiers and commanders appeared to be so many pebbles flowing
down the river of blood.

Lord Balarama, who is also known as Sankarsana, began to fight with
His club in such a heroic way that the river of blood created by Krsna
overflooded. Those who were cowards became very much afraid upon
seeing the ghastly and horrible scene, and those who were heroes began to
talk delightedly among themselves about the heroism of the two brothers.
Although Jarasandha was equipped with a vast ocean of military strength,
the fighting of Lord Krsna and Balarama converted the whole situation
into a ghastly scene which was far beyond ordinary fighting. Persons of
ordinary mind cannot estimate how it could be possible, but when such
activities are accepted as pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
under whose will everything is possible, then this can be understood. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead is creating, maintaining and dissolving
the cosmic manifestation by His will only. For Him to create such a vast
scene of devastation while fighting with an enemy is not so wonderful.
And yet, because Krsna and Balarama were fighting with Jarasandha just
like ordinary human beings, the affair appeared to be wonderful.

All the soldiers of Jarasandha were killed, and he was the only one left
alive. Certainly he became very depressed at this point. Sri Balarama
immediately arrested him, just as, with great strength, one lion captures
another lion. But while Lord Balarama was binding Jarasandha with the
rope of Varuna and ordinary ropes also, Lord Krsna, with a greater plan in
mind for the future, asked Him not to arrest him. Jarasandha was then
released by Krsna. As a great fighting hero, Jarasandha became very much
