|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 275 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  126

Thasmath Krishnaya  Mahathe  Dheeyatham  Paramarhanam | Yevam  Chetha Sarvabhoothamanam Athmanacharhanam Bhaveth|| Sarvabhoothathma  Bhoothaya  Krishnaya Anyadharshine | Dheyam Shanthaya Poornnaya  Dhaththasyam Ananthyamicchatha ||

Shuka Bhramam continues “ Oh! Rajan, the preparation for the Rajasuya Yaga took place in full swing under the supervision of Krishna.  The supreme Lord who is aware of all, controller and protector of the Universe and its living beings undertake the function of the Universe and its living beings incarnated on the Earth as a human and working for the welfare of Pandavas, the thought and watching Krishna amidst them made Yudhishtira’s eyes filled with tears, thinking about the compassionate Lord who has performed as a emissary and a charioteer and an intimate guide,  like the sun illuminates the whole Universe with its brilliance, and do not get attached to anything on Earth.   Yudhishtira could not stop tears of gratitude,  he repeatedly prostrated before the supreme Lord Krishna.  The grand Rajasuya Yaga was attended by illustrious Rishis, Dhvaipayana, Bharadhvaja, Sumantha, Gauthama, Asitha, Vashishta, Chyavana, Kanva, Maitreya, Kavasha, Vishwamithra, Vamadeva, Sumathi, Jaimini, Krathu, Paila, Parashara, Garga, Vaishampayana, Kashyapa, Dhaumya, Rama, Bhargava, and all the sages, Bheeshmapithamaha, Drona, Kripa, Dhritarashtra with his children, rulers of the various Kingdom, Vidura, Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudras were present in that grand fire sacrifice.  The celestials, Siddha, Gana, Gandharva, Vidhyadhara, Mahoraga, Muni, Yaksha, Gaga, Kinnara, and Charana were assembled to witness the grand Rajasuya Yaga held in Indraprastha.   During the ceremonial rites, a question was raised who should be honored and worshiped as prominent in the Yaga.  Immediately Sahadeva rose from his seat and pronounced that the supreme Lord Acchyutha should be worshiped and honored, it would be equivalent to the worship of all the prominent Rishis, Sages, and all the deities.   He is supreme Lord who is beyond time and region, he resides as a soul in living beings, he symbolizes Universe and its living beings, and therefore the worship of him would be equivalent to the worship of all.  He is supreme Lord who is serene and flawless.”  Thus the people assembled in the grand assembly supported the idea of Sahadeva.”

  A grand throne made of the precious yellow metal was brought in the assembly, and invited Krishna to take a seat on the throne, Pandavas along with Devi Draupadi and their children assembled, once again all of their eyes overflown with tears thinking the sacrifices made by Krishna to protect them from all the troubles.  They washed the feet of Krishna with the water brought from the sacred rivers and sprinkled that water on their head.  They adorned Krishna with various precious ornaments, flower garlands, smeared with vermilion and sandalwood paste and rich fragrances, they could not utter a word, and their eyes were overflown with tears.  While Pandavas were worshiping Krishna, the people assembled were cheering “Victory to Supreme Lord Krishna, Victory to supreme Lord!” and showered flower upon him.  Krishna showered compassionate grace upon the people assembled and his marvelous features transported them into the state of ecstasy. 

Shabdha: Kolahaloapyasi Shishupale  Hathe Mahan | Thasyanunayino Bhoopa Dhudhruvur Jeevithaishina: || Chaidhyadhehoththitham Jyothir Vasudevam Upavishath | Pashyatham Sarvabhoothanamulkeva Bhuvikhacchyutha ||

Suddenly, they could hear a boisterous commanding to put a halt on the ceremony, all the eyes were moved to the corner where the deafening voice has raised.  It was Shishupala who expressed extreme hatred on Krishna, cursed himself for attending the function, he abused the elderly people called them behaving like children.  He humiliated the people who honored Krishna; he insulted all those illustrious Rishis and Sages, prominent members in the family of Kuru and Pandava.  He expressed hatred on Krishna, saying that he is the most unsuitable person to worship, as he was born in the clan of Yadhava, so illustrious twice-born and Rishis should be worshiped during the auspicious occasion.   In this way, Shishupala openly criticized Krishna, about his birth in the Yadhava clan, his Maharas with the women of cowherds, ran off from the battlefield for several times, flipped the clothes of women while they were taking bath, abducted Rukmini and married.   Shishupala showered non-stop abuses on Krishna who was seated with a serene smile on his face.  The people assembled were started to leave the assembly, after hearing the chattering of Shishupala was calmed by Krishna.  Finally, he hurled the powerful Sudharshana Chakra toward Shishupala, it sieved his head off from the neck.  The people assembled were cheered in extreme delight.  The companions of Shishupala ran out of the grand assembly.  At that moment Maharishi Narada instructed Yudhistira to watch a brilliant ray rose from the body of Shishupala and it merged in the body of Krishna.

There is an interesting legend about Shishupala who was born with unique bodily features, a saintly person visited the palace and advised the Chedhi King that the child will get its normal bodily features once he seated on the lap of a divine personality, and that person would be the death of the child.  Once, Balarama and Krishna took a visit to Chedhi Kingdom, Shishupala was seated on the lap of Krishna and immediately the child regained normal features, his mother fallen at the feet of Krishna and prayed not to kill her son.  Krishna promised her that he will not kill her son until he commits mistake for hundredth of time.

Whoever reads or listen to the Shishupalavadham would be relieved from all the sins.