The Fight Begins

Jarasandha crowned his son in a brief ceremony.

Krishna knew that Jarasandha would prefer to duel him or Bhima. He asked, "Who among us would you like to fight?"

Jarasandha took off his crown and kept it aside. 

"I would not stoop so low as to fight a cattle rearer. Rather than defeat a cowherd, I would lose to a true warrior. I will fight Bhima."

The next day, Jarasandha and Bhima entered the arena. News of the duel had spread throughout Magadha, and people gathered in large numbers to watch.

The fight began. Both warriors were bent on killing the other, and they were evenly matched. The fighting began on the first day of the month of Kartik and continued until the day of the full moon. Neither of them ate, drank, nor slept. The battle grew more ferocious as the days passed. The death of one of them seemed inevitable.

The duel went on for thirteen days, but neither of them showed any signs of fatigue. 

On the fourteenth day, intending to dampen Jarasandha's enthusiasm, Krishna said, "Bhima, your opponent seems exhausted. Don't hit him with too much force lest he die. Don't use the divine powers you have inherited from Vayu against him."