Jalandhara is believed to be ‘The Demon Son of Lord Shiva’, or Lord Shiva’s Asura creation. He is also the disciple of –Guru of Asuras (Shukracharya). Jalandhara means the one who holds water. Jalandhara is known also as chalantarana, meaning the one who swims and walks. As indicated in the Shiva Purana, once Brihaspati and Indra went to meet Shiva and walked towards Mount Kailash, a yogi (Shiva) with a radiant face and matted hair blocked their way. Shiva wanted to test Brihaspati and Indra’s knowledge. However Indra was enraged and threatened Shiva with his thunderbolt. This action made Shiva angry and he neutralized Indra’s thunderbolt and besides that Indra’s arm became paralyzed. Shiva frightened Indra with his open third eye which was fuming red with anger. Brihaspati requested Shiva to forgive India. Shiva sent fire from his eye towards the ocean, to avoid killing Indra. The fire turned into a boy on reaching the ocean. Brahma descended from heaven to console the crying boy and told the ocean that one day this boy would become emperor of Asuras. Only Shiva would kill him and would return back to the third eye of Shiva, upon death.
As a child, Jalandhara’s life was filled with wonders, like keeping lions as pets, flying over the ocean etc. He turned into a handsome man and later became the powerful emperor of the Asuras and ruled with nobility and justice. His wife Vrinda the daughter of Asura Kalanemi was a pious goddess.
Vishnu creates an illusion that Shiva has killed Jalandhara and then restores life in him. Jalandhara is actually Vishnu in disguise and Vrinda unknowingly embraces him and curses him that someone would trick his own wife as well – (this becomes true when Ravana tricks Sita and kidnaps her) and immolates herself. Mad with anger on her death, Jalandhara leaves for Mount Kailash, then returns to the battlefield but gets killed by Shiva, with a Trishula thrust into the chest and head severed with a discus. Just like Vrinda’s soul merges with Lord Vishnu, Jalandhara’s soul merges with Shiva.
