<P> According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Jarasandha (Sanskrit: जरासन्ध) was the king of Magadha . He was a descendant of King Brihadratha, the founder of the Barhadratha dynasty of Magadha . He was also a great devotee of the Hindu god Shiva . He was a great senapati and a Maharathi, but he is generally held in a negative light owing to his enmity with the Yadava clan in the Mahabharata . </P> <P> The word Jarasandha is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Jara (जरा) and sandha (सन्ध), "joining". Jara was a demoness who put the two halves of Jarasandha together after finding them by a tree . In return for saving Brihadratha's son, he named Jarasandha after her . The meaning of Jarasandha is' the one who is joined by Jara' . </P> <P> Jarasandha's father king Brihadratha was married to the twin daughters of the King of Kashi . Brihadratha loved both his wives equally, but had no sons . Once sage Chandakaushika visited his kingdom and gave a mango to the king as a boon . The king divided the mango equally and gave to his both the wives . Soon, both wives became pregnant and gave birth to two halves of a human body . These two lifeless halves were very horrifying to view . So, Brihadratha ordered these to be thrown in the forest . A Rakshasi (demoness) named Jara (or Barmata) found the two pieces and held each of them in her two palms . Incidentally, when she brought both of her palms together, the two pieces joined giving rise to a living child . The child cried loudly which created panic for Jara . Not having the heart to eat a living child, the demoness gave it to the king and explained to him all that had happened . The father was overjoyed to see him . </P> <P> Chandakaushika arrived at the court and saved the child . He prophesied to Brihadratha that his son would be specially gifted and would be a great devotee of the god Shiva . </P>

Who was born from two mothers in mahabharta