| Sahadeva | |
|---|---|
| Mahabharata character | |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Magadha King |
| Family | Jarasandha (father) Jayatsena (brother) Asti and Prapti (sisters) |
| Children | Somadhi and Marjasp (sons) |
| Origin | Brihadratha |
Sahadeva (Sanskrit:सहदेव) was a prince and later a king mentioned in theMahabharata and variousPuranas. He was the son of the powerful Magadhan kingJarasandha and was installed on the throne following his father's death.
Sahadeva was the son ofJarasandha, the formidable king ofMagadha. According to theMahabharata, his sisters Asti and Prapti were married toKamsa, the tyrannical ruler ofMathura. After Jarasandha was killed byBhima, with the help ofArjuna andKrishna, Sahadeva was placed on the throne of Magadha by thePandavas and Krishna. Sahadeva had a brother,Jayatsena (or Jayasena), who may have some sovereignty.[1]
According to thePuranas, after being placed on the throne, he arranged for the ceremonial bath, dress, and meals of the kings who had been released from Jarasandha’s captivity at Krishna’s request. He later honoured Krishna when the latter departed from the capital.[2]
Although Sahadeva was installed as king, he seemingly governed only the western portion of the Magadhan kingdom. The eastern region, with its capital atGirivraja, appears to have been controlled by two other rulers, Dandadhara and Danda. These kings are separately mentioned in the epic tradition and are not identified as sons of Jarasandha. They, along with another prince named Jalasandha, aligned themselves with theKauravas during theKurukshetra War, while Sahadeva supported the Pandavas. This suggests a political split within Magadha following Jarasandha’s fall.[3]
According to thePuranas, Sahadeva had two sons: Somapi (also called Somadhi in some sources)[4] and Marjasp. His dynasty continued through Somapi, who ruled at Girivraja for 58 years. Somapi’s son was Shrutashravas.[2]
Sahadeva was present at thesvayamvara ofDraupadi and is recorded as one of the kings who showed allegiance to thePandavas. He supported their cause in the Kurukshetra War, bringing one akshauhini of troops. He was designated one of the sevenmaharathis—great warriors—in the Pandava army. TheMahabharata states that he was slain byDrona during the war.[1]
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