Krishna was holding council in the Assembly Room called Sudharmâ. A Brâhmana came as a messenger from the Rajas who had been imprisoned by Jarâsandha and confined in a hill fort. The Rajas sought their delivery from Krishna, who had defeated Jarâsandha seven times and had been defeated by him only once. Nârada appeared at the time. Krishna enquired from him about the Pândavas. The Rishi said: — "Râjâ Yudhisthira intends to perform the great Yajna Râjâ Sûya in Thy honor. Please give thy consent". Krishna turned towards Uddhava and asked for advice. Uddhava gauged the feelings of Nârada, of Krishna and the assembly and said: — "It is meet thou shouldst help thy cousin in the performance of Râjâ Sûya Yajna and also that thou shouldst protect the Rajas that seek relief from thee. Kings all round will have to be conquered at the Râjâ Sûya sacrifice. The defeat of Jarâsandha will follow as a matter of course. Thus shall we see the fulfilment of our great desire and the liberation of the Rajas shall redound to Thy glory. Both ends will be served in this way. But Jarâsandha is very powerful. He should not be fought with while at the head of his large army. Bhima is equal to him in strength. Let him fight singly with Jarâsandha. That king does not refuse any prayer of Brâhmanas. Let Bhima ask for single combat in the disguise of a Brâhmana. Surely that son of Pându will kill him in thy presence." Krishna gave kind assurances to the messenger of the captive kings and left for Hastinâpura. The Pândavas vied with one another in shewing respectful love to Krishna and Arjuna delivered up the Khândava forest to Agni and liberated Mâyâ. In return for this kindness, Mâyâ made the magical assembly ground for the Yajna. All the kings were brought under submission by Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and the allied kings, except Jarâsandha. Bhima, Arjuna and Krishna went to the seat of Jarâsandha in the disguise of Brâhmanas. They begged hospitality from the king. King Jarâsandha concluded from their voice, their shape and from the arrow marks on their hands that they were Kshatriyas. He also thought they were his acquaintances. "These are Kshatriyas, though they wear the marks of brahmanas. I will give them what they ask even though it be my own self, so difficult to part with. Is not the pure glory of Bali spread in all directions, though he was deprived of his lordly powers by Vishnu in the disguise of a Brâhmana? Vishnu wanted to restore the lordship of the Trilokî to India. Bali knew the Brâhmana in disguise to be Vishnu. He still made over the Trilokî to him, even against the protests of his Guru Sukra. This body of a Kshatriya, frail as it is, what purpose will it serve if wide fame is not acquired by means of it for the sake of a Brâhmana?" Turning to Krishna, Arjuna and Bhima, Jarâsandha said: — "O Brâhmanas, ask what you wish for. Even if it be my own head, I shall give it to you."