Bhishma recommends Krishna to be the one to be worshipped first
On the day of the consecration, the Brahmins, together with the kings, and the great sages, entered the inner sacrificial enclosure for the purpose of receiving honour.
Then Bhishma said to Yudhishthira, “Let the kings be honoured according to what is appropriate for each of them. The teacher, the officiating priest, an associate or ally, a learned man who has completed his period of study, a dear friend, and a king are said to be the six who deserve the arghya. Those who have come after staying here for a year are also said to deserve it. These men have come to us after a great passage of time. Therefore, let an arghya be brought for each of them individually. Then let it be offered to the most senior and most deserving among them.”
Yudhishthira said, “Grandfather, whom do you consider worthy of receiving the arghya? Tell me whom you think it is proper to honour with the single arghya.”
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, after deciding the matter with his understanding, considered Krishna of the Vrishni clan to be the most worthy of honour on earth.
“Among all these assembled men, he shines in the midst of them through his splendour, strength, and valour, like the sun among the heavenly lights. This assembly of ours has been illuminated and delighted by Krishna, just as something without the sun is illuminated by the sun, and something without wind is stirred by the wind.”
With Bhishma's permission, the mighty Sahadeva then brought the excellent arghya, in accordance with the prescribed procedure, to Krishna of the Vrishni clan. Krishna accepted it according to the act prescribed by the scriptures. But Shishupala could not tolerate that honour being given to Vasudeva. The mighty king of Cedi then reproached Bhishma and the righteous king Yudhishthira in the assembly and began to disparage Vasudeva.
Shishupala said: “This Vrishni does not deserve the honour appropriate to a king while these great kings are standing here, O Kauravya. This is not proper conduct for you great Pandavas—that, simply because you wished it, you have honoured the lotus-eyed Krishna.
You are children; you do not know that dharma is subtle, O Pandavas. In this matter, this son of the river, Bhishma, has gone beyond what is proper, being a man of limited understanding. Krishna is neither an officiating priest nor a teacher nor a king, O foremost of the Kurus. Yet you have honoured him. What else could this be, except that you wanted to please him?
Or, if this Madhusudana is worthy of honour by you, why were these kings brought here, O Bharata? Was it for the purpose of dishonouring them? We all pay tribute to this great Kauteya not out of fear, nor out of greed, nor to win him over by conciliation.
We pay tribute to him because he follows dharma and seeks to establish himself as a sovereign. Yet he does not consider us worthy of respect. What else is an insult, if not this—that you have honoured this Krishna with the arghya in the royal assembly, although he does not possess the qualifications of a king?
Today righteousness has been driven away from Yudhishthira, and miserly conduct has taken its place through the offering of the arghya to Krishna. If the sons of Kunti are frightened and miserly, then surely you too should understand what kind of honour Madhava deserves.
Or, if this worship has been offered to you, Janardana, by these miserly men, why have you permitted it when you are not worthy of it? You regard this inappropriate honour shown to yourself as something very great—like a dog that, having obtained a dripping portion of sacrificial food, goes off to eat it in solitude. This is not an insult being directed against the foremost of kings. Clearly, the Kurus themselves are making a fool of you, Janardana.
Just as marriage with a eunuch is (absurd), or seeing beauty through a blind man, so is your being honoured as a king, O Madhusudana, when you are not a king. We have seen Yudhishthira as a king; we have seen what Bhishma is like; and we have also seen this Vasudeva. Everything has now been seen exactly as it is.”
Having said this, Shishupala rose from his excellent seat and then left that assembly, accompanied by the kings.
Bhishma defends his decision
King Yudhishthira then approached Shishupala and addressed him in a gentle and conciliatory manner:
“O King, what you have said is not appropriate. Your words are completely out of place. They are a grave violation of dharma, and they are also needlessly harsh, O King. Surely no ruler should ever fail to understand the highest dharma. Bhishma, son of Shantanu, understands it. So do not think of him otherwise. Bhishma knows Krishna in his true nature, O King of Cedi. You do not know him as the Kuru does.”
Bhishma said: “Krishna himself is the origin of the worlds and also their dissolution. This entire universe has been offered up for Krishna's sake. He is the unmanifest Prakriti, and he is also the eternal creator. He is higher than all beings; therefore Achyuta is the eldest of all.
Intellect, mind, the Great Principle, wind, fire, water, space, and earth, and every created thing in its fourfold form—all of this is established in Krishna. The sun, the moon, the stars, and the planets, the directions and the intermediate directions—all of this is established in Krishna.
But this foolish young Shishupala does not understand Krishna, who is present everywhere and at all times. That is why he speaks as he does. A wise man who investigates the highest dharma would recognize what is dharma and what is adharma. But this King of Cedi does not see it that way.
Among these elders, youths, and great kings, who would not regard Krishna as worthy of honour? Who, indeed, would fail to worship him? If Shishupala considers this honour to be an improper act, then let him do to the one responsible for it whatever he thinks should rightly be done to one who has committed such an act.” Having said this, the illustrious Bhishma fell silent.
Then Sahadeva spoke these significant words in reply: “I have placed my foot upon the heads of all the powerful kings here while I honour Keshava, the slayer of Keshi, Krishna of immeasurable valour. Let whichever king among you cannot tolerate Krishna being honoured by me speak now. I have placed this foot upon the heads of all the mighty men here. Let the one who objects to what I have done now give his answer properly. Let all intelligent kings among you accept this act of honouring one who deserves honour—one who is to be revered like an acarya, a father, or a guru.”
After Sahadeva had issued this challenge, none of the intelligent, virtuous, proud, and powerful kings spoke a word. But all the groups who had been summoned and had come there, beginning with Sunitha, were seen becoming enraged, their faces turning pale.
The kings there spoke of Yudhishthira's consecration and the honour given to Vasudeva with disapproval, having made up their minds for themselves out of resentment. Although their friends tried to restrain them, they appeared like lions roaring after being driven away from their prey.
Then Krishna saw that the vast host of armed forces, an inexhaustible ocean of kings, was preparing for battle, and he understood that the moment for war had arrived.
Bhishma challenges the kings to fight Krishna
Then, seeing that the great ocean of kings, vast as the sea, had been stirred up entirely by anger, Yudhishthira said to Bhishma, foremost among the wise, the venerable grandsire of the Kurus, whose brilliance is immense, like that of Brihaspati, and who destroys his enemies like Puruhuta,
“This great ocean of kings has been stirred up by anger. Grandfather, tell me what should be done in this situation. Tell me today what must be done so that there is no obstruction to the sacrifice and so that the welfare of the people is preserved everywhere.’”
When the righteous King Yudhishthira, knower of dharma, had spoken thus, Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kurus, replied:
“Do not be afraid, tiger of the Kurus. A dog cannot kill a lion. I have already secured a favourable and auspicious course of action here. When a lion is asleep, dogs gather around it and all bark together. These rulers are just like those dogs. While the lion of the Vrishnis lies asleep, these men, standing before him, bark angrily like dogs in the presence of a lion.
Achyuta has not yet awakened, still lying asleep like a lion. Therefore this man-lion, Shishupala, the foremost of the Cedis, is making these men into lions. This foolish Shishupala, O foremost of kings, wants by every means to lead all these rulers to the destruction that belongs to Yama.
Surely Adhokshaja now wishes once again to take back the splendour that remains within Shishupala, O Bharata. Whenever this tiger among men wishes to take someone, that person's understanding becomes disturbed—just as the understanding of the King of Cedi has become disturbed now. Madhava is the source and the dissolution of all the four kinds of beings throughout the three worlds, O Yudhishthira.”
When Bhishma had spoken thus, the kings became enraged. Some rejoiced, while others condemned Bhishma.
Some great bowmen (kings), having heard Bhishma's words, said: “This Bhishma is wicked, arrogant, and old. He does not deserve forgiveness. Let this evil-minded Bhishma be killed by all the kings together, as an animal is killed; or let him be burned with the fire of the sacrificial enclosure.”
Hearing their words, Bhishma, the wise grandsire of the Kurus, addressed those very rulers of the earth:
“I see no end here to all the things you keep saying again and again. But whatever I am about to say, listen to all of it, O rulers of the earth. Whether you kill me like an animal or burn me with the fire of the enclosure, I have already placed this entire foot upon your heads.
Here stands Govinda Achyuta, whom we have honoured. Whoever among you is eager for death should challenge this Madhava. Call Krishna, the bearer of the Sarnga bow and the mace, to battle today. Let the fallen one enter the body of this very god.”
Slaying of Shishupala
Then, as soon as the King of Cedi, a man of immense prowess, heard Bhishma's words, he wished to fight Vasudeva and addressed him:
“I challenge you to battle. Go to war with me, Janardana. Today I will kill you, together with all the Pandavas. For the Pandavas must all be killed by me along with you, Krishna—those who, passing over all the kings, honoured you even though you are not a king.”
When this had been said, Krishna spoke first in gentle words. In the presence of all the kings and the Pandavas, he said:
“This son of Satvata is our most bitter enemy, O kings. He is cruel by nature and is no friend to the Satvatas, who have done him no wrong. Long ago, after learning that we had gone to Pragjyotisapura, this cruel man—your ruler, though he is my own mother's sister's son—burned Dvaraka.
Once, when the Bhoja princes were playing on Mount Raivataka, he attacked them, killed them, bound them all, and then returned to his own city. On another occasion, when we were setting out against the Sauviras, this famous man, acting out of delusion, carried away Babhru's wife, even though she did not desire him, after she had come here.
Disguised through his magic, this cruel man carried away Bhadra of Vaisali, the ascetic woman, on behalf of the king of Karusha, who was his maternal uncle. For the sake of my paternal aunt's daughter, I have endured a very great sorrow. Fortunately, this matter is taking place today in the presence of all the kings.
You see today the offence he has committed against me. But learn also about the things he has done to me in secret. This offence of his, however, I cannot forgive today. Because of his arrogance, he deserves to be killed in the presence of the entire circle of kings.”
Hearing these and other such words from Vasudeva, all the kings together condemned the King of Cedi. Then, hearing those words, the powerful Shishupala laughed with a loud laugh and said:
“Forgive me if you wish, Krishna; or do not forgive me. Whether you are angry with me or pleased with me, what will I gain from you?”
While he was still speaking thus, the Blessed Lord Madhusudana, enraged, cut off his head with his discus, the destroyer of his enemies.
Then the kings saw a brilliant light emerging from the body of the King of Cedi, O great king, rising into the sky like the sun. That radiance then bowed to Krishna, the lotus-eyed one whom the world worships, and entered him.
All the rulers of the earth considered it a wonder when they saw that radiance enter that mighty-armed Supreme Person. The great sages, the great-souled Brahmins, and the powerful kings, delighted, approached Kesava while praising him.
Yudhisthira then said to his brothers, “Honour the King of Cedi with due ceremony. Do not delay in making proper arrangements for the hero, the son of Damaghosha.”
Then Partha, together with the other rulers of the earth, consecrated his son as king over the Cedis. After that, the sacrifice of the Kuru king, endowed with every kind of abundance, proceeded with great splendour and brought joy to the young men, O King.
It was free from obstacles, auspicious in its beginning, rich in wealth and grain, abundant in food and supplied with many kinds of provisions, having been protected by Kesava.
Conclusion of Rajasuya
Then, after King Yudhishthira had bathed in the avabhrtha ceremony, the entire warrior class of kings approached the righteous king and said:
“Having been honoured with every kind of hospitality and having had all our wishes fulfilled, O tiger among men, we now take our leave of you. We shall return to our own kingdoms. You should give us your permission to depart.”
Hearing the words of the kings, the righteous King Yudhishthira, after honouring each of the rulers according to his rank, addressed all his brothers:
“The foremost kings are departing for their own kingdoms after taking leave of me. Accompany them as far as the boundaries of their territories. May all be well with you.”
Obeying their brother's command, the Pandavas, devoted to dharma, each accompanied the leading kings as far as was appropriate. The foremost warriors among the Ksatriyas likewise accompanied the other Ksatriya kings. Thus, having been duly honoured, all the Brahmins and the kings departed.
When all the foremost kings had departed, O best of the Bharatas, the powerful Vasudeva said to Yudhisthira:
“I take my leave of you. I shall return to Dvaraka, O delight of the Kurus. By good fortune, you have successfully completed the foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya.”
The righteous king replied to Madhusudana: “By your favour, Govinda, I have indeed obtained this sacrifice. By your favour, the entire warrior class of kings has come under my authority and, having brought the principal tribute, has presented itself to me. O hero, we cannot enjoy ourselves here in any way without you. And you must certainly go to the city of Dvaravati.”