Sages & Others
Jara
जरा
The Household Goddess of Magadha
Who was Jara?
Jara (जरा): The Household Goddess of Magadha, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. A rakshasi who called herself Grihadevi, made by the Self-create for the destruction of the danavas and worshipped in painted likeness on the walls of houses, including the palace of Brihadratha of Magadha.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | जरा |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Household Goddess of Magadha |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | capricious, grateful, mighty, protective |
| Notable relationships | Maker and namesake: Jarasandha, Worshipped in his house: Brihadratha, Whose mango made the child: Chandakausika |
| Featured in | 5 stories |
About Jara
A rakshasi who called herself Grihadevi, made by the Self-create for the destruction of the danavas and worshipped in painted likeness on the walls of houses, including the palace of Brihadratha of Magadha. Finding the two half-bodies of the king's stillborn son thrown out at a crossroads, she joined them to carry them away and the joined child roared into life; she gave him back in human shape and asked nothing beyond the scent and flowers she already received. The boy was named Jarasandha, joined by Jara.
In Their Words
I could swallow Meru; what is a child to me? Take him, for the flowers you have given me.
Jara
Traits
- capricious
- grateful
- mighty
- protective
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Jara
4 further tales on this site name Jara, in canonical reading order.
- The Divine ChildKrishna's life is the Mahabharata's answer to the question: What does God look like when God walks among us? The answer...
- What Krishna Had Already DoneArjuna asks, and gets a list he did not expect
- The Omens of DwarakaA City Watches Its Own Death Approach
- Balarama Returns to the SeaThe Serpent Leaves by the Mouth It Came From
Character Arc
- The CrossroadsTwo discarded halves of a prince fitted together in her arms
- The NamingShe names herself the goddess on the wall, and vanishes
Key Relationships
- Maker and namesakeJarasandha
- Worshipped in his houseBrihadratha
- Whose mango made the childChandakausika
Places in Jara's Story
Drawn from the stories Jara appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.