He was angry with Krishna for killing Kamsa and was roused to fury by the distress of his daughters. He was determined to kill Krishna. He marched with a big army to Mathura. Krishna mobilised the Yadava youths.Jarasandha's army camped outside the fort. Krishna attacked the enemy's forces like lightning. The Magadha soldiers fled. Jarasandha was filled with shame. He invaded Mathura with a much bigger force. Several kings also joined him.

Krishna's army met the enemy half way and attacked even before Jarasandha could reach Mathura. The Magadha forces were not prepared for this assault.

In the confusion their own elephants crushed them. But again and again Jarasandha attacked Mathura and did so seventeen times.

But how long could this kind of war go on? Krishna observed that the strength of the Yadavas was diminishing. It is not enough to fight heroically on the battlefield. When one is at a disadvantage one should retreat from the battlefield, and should strike again at the right moment and destroy the enemies.

When the Magadha forces attacked for the seventeenth time Krishna led all his people to Dwaraka, by a secret route.