VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 73
Lord Krishna Blesses the Liberated Kings
This chapter relates how Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, after freeing the kings imprisoned by Jarāsandha, mercifully gave them His audience and bestowed royal gifts upon them.
When Lord Kṛṣṇa freed the 20,800 kings Jarāsandha had imprisoned, they immediately fell to the ground to pay Him obeisances. Then they stood with joined palms and began to pray to Him. Seeing their imprisonment as an act of mercy by the Lord to smash their false pride, the kings prayed only to be granted whatever would facilitate their perpetual remembrance of His lotus feet.
The Lord assured the kings that their prayer would be fulfilled. He instructed them, "Worship Me by performing Vedic sacrifices, and protect your subjects in accordance with the principles of religion. Fixing your minds on Me, beget progeny, and remain always equipoised in happiness and distress. Thus at the end of your lives you will surely attain Me."
Lord Kṛṣṇa then saw to it that the kings were properly bathed and dressed, and He had Sahadeva offer them flower garlands, sandalwood pulp, fine clothing and other things suitable for kings. After having them adorned with jewels and golden ornaments, He seated them on chariots and sent them off to their respective kingdoms. In accordance with the orders the Lord had given them, they began to carry out their various duties once again.
Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna then departed for Indraprastha, where they met with King Yudhiṣṭhira and related to him everything that had happened.
10.73.1-6
padma-garbhāruṇekṣaṇam
rathāńgair upalakṣitam
kaṭi-sūtrāńgadāñcitam
pibanta iva cakṣurbhyāḿ
jighranta iva nāsābhyāḿ
praṇemur hata-pāpmāno
mūrdhabhiḥ pādayor hareḥ
(1-6) S'rî S'uka said: 'The twenty thousand eight hundred [kings] who in battle were defeated [by Jarâsandha] came out of the fortress of Giridronî [the capital] being dirty and with dirty clothes. Emaciated of hunger, with dried up faces and because of their imprisonment being greatly weakened drank they Him in with their eyes and were they as if licking with their tongues, as if smelling Him with their nostrils and embracing Him with their arms. He the One dark gray like a cloud, in yellow clothing, marked by the S'rîvatsa, by four arms, charming eyes pinkish as the whorl of a lotus, a pleasant face, the gleaming makara [seamonster shaped] earrings; with a lotus, a club, a conch shell and a disc in His hands; a helmet, necklace, golden bracelets, a belt and armlets decorating Him and with the splendid brilliant jewel and a forest flower garland around His neck. They, whose sins were destroyed, bowed, with their heads down at His feet.
10.73.7
kṛṣṇa-sandarśanāhlāda
praśaśaḿsur hṛṣīkeśaḿ
(7) And while the kings with joined palms with their words praised the Master of the Senses was by the ecstasy of seeing Krishna the weariness of their imprisonment dispelled.
10.73.8
prapannārti-harāvyaya
(8) The kings said: 'Obeisances to You, o God of the Gods, o Lord of the Surrendered and Remover of Distress, o Inexhaustible One; please o Krishna save us, the surrendered ones who are so despondent about the terrible of a material existence.
10.73.9
nainaḿ nāthānusūyāmo
anugraho yad bhavato
(9) O Madhusûdana, we do not point our finger, o Master, at the ruler of Magadha since it is by Your furthering of the good, o Almighty One, that kings [in defiance] fall from their position.
It is significant that upon seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa and thus becoming purified of their sins, the kings did not feel any mundane hatred or bitterness toward Jarāsandha, who had imprisoned them. Simply by seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa, the kings came to the position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spoke these verses, which show deep spiritual wisdom.
10.73.10
rājyaiśvarya-madonnaddho
(10) Exhilarated and clamoring with the sovereignty and opulence does a king not obtain the real benefit in his being deluded by Your mâyâ thinking that the temporary assets would be permanent.
The word unnaddha indicates that one who is intoxicated by false pride goes beyond the boundaries of proper behavior. Human life is meant to be governed by dharma, spiritual principles for gradual advancement to the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Blinded by wealth and power, however, a foolish person does not hesitate to act whimsically, against the laws of nature and God. Unfortunately, this is now the situation in the prosperous Western countries.
10.73.11
manyanta udakāśayam
(11) The same way as a child considers a mirage a reservoir of water, do those lacking in discrimination see the illusory subject to transformation as substantial.
10.73.12-13
durante-vīryeṇa vicālitāḥ śriyaḥ
(12-13) We who before in our lusting about the wealth lost our sight and quarreling with each other about ruling this earth very mercilessly harassed our own citizens o Master, have with [You as] death standing before us arrogantly disregarded You. We o Krishna, have been forced to part from our opulence in our pride being hurt by Your mercy in the form of the irresistible power of the Time which moves so mysteriously. We beg You to allow us please to live in the remembrance of Your feet.
10.73.14
(14) Henceforward we no longer hanker for a kingdom that appearing like a mirage must constantly be served by the material body that subjected to demise is a source of disease; nor do we, o Almighty One, hanker for the fruit of pious work in an hereafter so attractive to the ears [compare B.G. 1: 32-35].
One must work very hard to maintain a kingdom or political sovereignty. And yet the body, which works so hard to maintain one's political power, is itself doomed. At every moment the mortal body moves toward death, and all along the way the body is subject to many painful diseases. The whole affair of mundane power is thus a waste of time for the pure soul, who needs to revive his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The Vedic scriptures and other religious scriptures contain many promises of prosperity and heavenly enjoyment in the next life for one who acts piously in this life. Such promises are pleasing to the ears, but they are nothing more than that. Material enjoyment, whether in heaven or in hell, is a type of illusion for the pure soul. By the personal association of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the fortunate kings have now realized the higher spiritual reality beyond the phantasmagoria of the material creation.
10.73.15
(15) Please instruct us in the means by which we may remember Your lotus-like feet, even though we time and again keep returning to this world [see B.G. 8: 14].
One can constantly remember the Lord only by His mercy. Such remembrance is the easy method to obtain supreme liberation, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā (8.14):
ananya-cetāḥ satataḿ
tasyāhaḿ sulabhaḥ pārtha
"For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service."The words api saḿsaratām iha indicate that the kings were approaching Lord Kṛṣṇa not merely for liberation but rather for the boon of always being able to remember His lotus feet. Such constant remembrance is a symptom of love, and love of Godhead is the actual goal of life.
10.73.16
(16) Over and over our obeisances for Krishna the son of Vasudeva, the Lord and Supersoul of the ones of salute; to Govinda, the Destroyer of the Distress.'
10.73.17
saḿstūyamāno bhagavān
rājabhir mukta-bandhanaiḥ
(17) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord, the Giver of Shelter, commendably praised by the kings freed from their bondage, my dear, mercifully spoke to them with gentle words.
10.73.18
mayy ātmany akhileśvare
(18) The Supreme Lord said: 'I assure you, as from now, o Kings, as you wish will rise your very firm devotion to Me, the Self and Controller of All.
10.73.19
bhavanta ṛta-bhāṣiṇaḥ
śrīy-aiśvarya-madonnāhaḿ
(19) Your resolve is fortunate, o rulers, for I see you truthfully speak about the impudent infatuation one can have with the opulence and power that is so maddening to the human being.
10.73.20
haihayo nahuṣo veṇo
rāvaṇo narako 'pare
śrī-madād bhraḿśitāḥ sthānād
(20) Haihaya [or Kârtavîryârjuna 9.15: 25], Nahusha [9.18: 1-3], Vena [see 4.14], Râvana [9.10], Naraka [or Bhauma 10.59: 2-3] and others fell from their positions as gods, demons and men because of their being intoxicated by the opulence.
because Haihaya stole the desire cow of Lord Paraśurāma's father, Jamadagni, Paraśurāma killed him and his impudent sons. Nahuṣa became puffed up when he temporarily assumed the post of Indra. When out of pride Nahuṣa ordered some brāhmaṇas to carry him in a palanquin to an illicit meeting with Lord Indra's chaste wife, Śacī, the brāhmaṇas made him fall down from his position and become an old man. King Vena was similarly mad, and when he insulted the brāhmaṇas they killed him by loud incantations of the syllable hum. Rāvaṇa was a famous ruler of the Rākṣasas, but out of lust he kidnapped mother Sītā, and thus her husband, Lord Rāmacandra, killed him. Naraka was a ruler of the Daityas who dared to steal mother Aditi's earrings, and for his offense he was also killed. Thus throughout history powerful leaders have fallen from their positions because they became intoxicated with their so-called opulence.
10.73.21
bhavanta etad vijñāya
(21) You, understanding that this material body and such is subject to birth and finality, should, in being connected to Me in worship with sacrifices, protect your citizens according the dharma.
10.73.22
mac-cittā vicariṣyatha
(22) Facing the facts of happiness and distress, birth and death, should you engage in begetting generations of progeny, while you in the spirit are fixed in accepting Me.
10.73.23
udāsīnāś ca dehādāv
(23) Neutral in relation to the body and all that and, steadfast in keeping to the vows, being satisfied within, will you, fully concentrating your minds upon Me, in the end reach Me, the Absolute of the Truth [compare B.G. 4: 9; 8: 7; 9: 28; 12: 3-4].'
10.73.24
bhagavān bhuvaneśvaraḥ
(24) S'rî S'uka said: 'Krishna, the Supreme Lord and Controller of All the Worlds, who thus had instructed the kings, engaged menservants and women in bathing them.
10.73.25
naradevocitair vastrair
bhūṣaṇaiḥ srag-vilepanaiḥ
(25) O descendent of Bharata, He took care that Sahadeva [Jarâsandha's son] served them befittingly with clothing, ornaments, garlands and sandalwood paste.
10.73.26
bhojayitvā varānnena
bhogaiś ca vividhair yuktāḿs
tāmbūlādyair nṛpocitaiḥ
(26) Properly bathed and well decorated were they fed with excellent food and bestowed with various pleasures worthy of kings like bethelnut etc.
10.73.27
rājāno mṛṣṭa-kuṇḍalāḥ
(27) Honored by Mukunda shone the kings freed from their distress splendidly with their gleaming earrings like they were the planets at the end of the rainy season.
10.73.28
(28) Having them mount chariots with fine horses adorned with gold and jewels sent He, gratifying them with pleasing words, off to their own kingdoms.
10.73.29
yayus tam eva dhyāyantaḥ
(29) They, the greatest of personalities, who thus by Krishna were liberated from all difficulty went away thinking of nothing but the deeds of Him, the Lord of the Living Being that is the Universe.
10.73.30
yathānvaśāsad bhagavāḿs
tathā cakrur atandritāḥ
(30) To their ministers and other associates they spoke of the activities of the Supreme Personality and just as the Lord had instructed carried they out His orders diligently.
10.73.31
(31) Having had Jarâsandha killed by Bhîmasena, departed, after being worshiped by Sahadeva, Kes'ava, accompanied by the two sons of Prithâ.
10.73.32
śańkhān dadhmur jitārayaḥ
harṣayantaḥ sva-suhṛdo
durhṛdāḿ cāsukhāvahāḥ
(32) Arriving in Indraprastha blew they the conch shells that brought discomfiture to the enemies they defeated but now brought delight to their well-wishers.
10.73.33
rājā cāpta-manorathaḥ
(33) The residents of Indraprastha pleased in their heart to hear that, understood that Jarâsandha was put to rest and that the king [Yudhishthhira] his objectives were met.
10.73.34
abhivandyātha rājānaḿ
bhīmārjuna-janārdanāḥ
sarvam āśrāvayāḿ cakrur
(34) Arjuna, Bhîma and Janârdana then recounted, after having offered the king their obeisances, everything they had done.
10.73.35
keśavenānukampitam
(35) The king of the dharma couldn't speak a word when he heard that. In ecstasy over Krishna's mercy shed he tears out of love.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Seventy-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Lord Kṛṣṇa Blesses the Liberated Kings."
Canto 10
Chapter 74
The Râjasûya: Krishna the First and S'is'upâla Killed
(The Deliverance of Śiśupāla at the Rājasūya Sacrifice)
This chapter describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa received the honor of first worship during the Rājasūya sacrifice, and how He killed Śiśupāla.
After glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Yudhiṣṭhira selected qualified brāhmaṇas such as Bharadvāja, Gautama and Vasiṣṭha to serve as the priests of the Rājasūya sacrifice. Then many exalted guests of all the four social orders arrived to see the sacrificial performance.
As the sacrifice proceeded, the ritual of "first worship" had to be performed, and the members of the assembly were called upon to decide who would receive this honor. Sahadeva spoke up: "Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is indeed the most exalted person, for He Himself comprises all the deities worshiped by Vedic sacrifice. In His role as the Supersoul in the heart, He arranges for everyone in the universe to engage in his particular kind of work, and by His mercy alone human beings can perform various kinds of pious activities and receive the resultant benefits. One who worships Him worships all living entities. Surely Lord Kṛṣṇa should be worshiped first."
Nearly everyone in the assembly agreed with Sahadeva's proposal and loudly congratulated him. Thus King Yudhiṣṭhira happily worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa. After bathing His feet, the King took the wash water and sprinkled it on his head, and his wives, younger brothers, ministers and relatives also sprinkled that water on their heads. Then everyone shouted, "All victory, all victory!" and bowed down to Lord Kṛṣṇa as flowers rained down from above.
Śiśupāla, however, could not tolerate this worship and glorification of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He stood up from his seat and harshly rebuked the wise elders for choosing Kṛṣṇa to be worshiped first. "After all" he said, "this Kṛṣṇa is outside the system of Vedic social and spiritual orders and the society of respectable families. He follows no principles of religion and has no good qualities."
Even as Śiśupāla continued to blaspheme Him in this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa remained silent. But many members of the assembly covered their ears and quickly left the hall, while the Pāṇḍava brothers raised their weapons and prepared to kill Śiśupāla. Lord Kṛṣṇa stopped them from attacking, however, and instead used His Sudarśana disc to decapitate the offender. At that moment an effulgent spark of light rose out of Śiśupāla's dead body and entered the transcendental body of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Having lived through three births as the enemy of the Lord, Śiśupāla now attained the liberation of sāyujya, merging into Him, by dint of his constant meditation on Him.
King Yudhiṣṭhira then distributed profuse gifts to the respected guests of the assembly and to the priests, and finally he executed the purificatory oblations known as the prāyaścitta-homa, which counteract errors made during the sacrifice. Yudhiṣṭhira's Rājasūya sacrifice having now been completed, Lord Kṛṣṇa took His leave from the King and set off for Dvārakā in the company of His wives and ministers.
Duryodhana could not bear to see this abundant manifestation of King Yudhiṣṭhira's prosperity, but apart from him, everyone happily praised the glories of the Rājasūya sacrifice and of the Lord of all sacrifices, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
10.74.1
kṛṣṇasya cānubhāvaḿ taḿ
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Yudhishthhira, the king, thus hearing of the death of Jarâsandha and the display of power of the almighty Krishna, pleased with that addressed Him.
10.74.2
vahanti durlabhaḿ labdvā
śirasaivānuśāsanam
(2) S'rî Yudhishthhira said: 'All the spiritual masters, inhabitants, and great controllers there are of the three worlds, carry the indeed rarely obtained command [of You] on their heads.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's statement as follows: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, O eternal form of bliss and knowledge, all the exalted directors of the affairs of this material world, including Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and King Indra, are always anxious to receive and carry out orders from You, and whenever they are fortunate enough to receive such orders, they immediately take them and keep them in their hearts."
10.74.3
dhatte 'nuśāsanaḿ bhūmaḿs
(3) That He, the Lotus-eyed Lord Yourself, takes directions of those to the day living people [like us] who presume themselves to be controllers, is, o All-pervading One, the greatest annoyance.
"[Yudhiṣṭhira said,] 'O Kṛṣṇa, You are unlimited, and although we sometimes think of ourselves as royal kings and rulers of the world and become puffed up over our paltry positions, we are very poor in heart. Actually, we are fit to be punished by You, but the wonder is that instead of punishing us, You so kindly and mercifully accept our orders and carry them out properly. Others are very surprised that Your Lordship can play the part of an ordinary human, but we can understand that You are performing these activities just like a dramatic artist.' "
10.74.4
na hy ekasyādvitīyasya
(4) Like with the sun indeed, does of the One without a Second, the Absolute Truth, the Supersoul, the power not increase nor diminish by [His] activities [see B.G. 2: 40].
"[King Yudhiṣṭhira said,] 'Your real position is always exalted, exactly like that of the sun, which always remains at the same temperature, both during the time of its rising and the time of its setting. Although we feel the difference in temperature between the rising and the setting sun, the temperature of the sun never changes. You are always transcendentally equipoised, and thus You are neither pleased nor disturbed by any condition of material affairs. You are the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, and for You there are no relativities.' "
the Vedic mantras: na karmaṇā vardhate no kanīyān (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 14.7.2.28, Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa 3.12.9.7 and Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.23). "He is not increased by His activities, nor does He become lesser." As explained here by King Yudhiṣṭhira, the Lord is one without a second. There is no other entity in His supreme category, and thus it is simply by His causeless mercy that He agrees to carry out the orders of His pure devotees, like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. There is certainly no loss of status for the Supreme Personality of Godhead when He thus extends His causeless mercy to His surrendered devotees.
10.74.5
(5) O Mâdhava, the perverted mentality of setting apart 'you and yours' and 'I and mine', as if one is of the animals, is verily not Yours, o Unconquerable One, nor of your bhaktas.'
An ordinary person thinks, "I am so attractive, intelligent and wealthy that people should simply serve me and do what I want. Why should I obey anyone else?" This proud, separatist mentality is also found in animals who battle one another for supremacy. Such a mentality is conspicuously absent in the mind of an advanced devotee, and it is certainly absent in the sublime, omniscient mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
10.74.6
kṛṣṇānumoditaḥ pārtho
(6) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having spoken chose the son of Prithâ, at the right time for the sacrifice, with the permission of Krishna the priests who were suitable, the brahmins who were vedic experts:
10.74.7-9
dvaipāyano bharadvājaḥ
sumantur gotamo 'sitaḥ
vasiṣṭhaś cyavanaḥ kaṇvo
maitreyaḥ kavaṣas tritaḥ
viśvāmitro vāmadevaḥ
pailaḥ parāśaro gargo
atharvā kaśyapo dhaumyo
vītihotro madhucchandā
vīraseno 'kṛtavraṇaḥ
(7-9) Dvaipâyana [Vyâsa], Bharadvâja, Sumantu, Gotama, Asita, Vasishthha, Cyavana, Kanva, Maitreya, Kavasha, Trita, Vis'vâmitra, Vâmadeva, Sumati, Jaimini, Kratu, Paila, Parâs'ara, Garga, Vais'ampâyana as also Atharvâ, Kas'yapa, Dhaumya, Râma of the Bhârgavas [Pâras'urâma], Âsuri, Vîtihotra, Madhucchandâ, Vîrasena and Akritavrana.
King Yudhiṣṭhira invited all these exalted brāhmaṇas to act in different capacities as priests, advisers and so on.
10.74.10-11
upahūtās tathā cānye
dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ saha-suto
tatreyuḥ sarva-rājāno
(10-11) Also invited were others like Drona, Bhîshma, Kripa and Dhritarâshthra with his sons, and the highly intelligent Vidura; kings with their royal entourages, brahmins, kshatriyas, vais'yas and s'ûdras, all came there eager to attend the sacrifice, o King.
10.74.12
(12) Then furrowed the brahmins with plowshares of gold the place of worshiping the gods and inaugurated they there the king according the injunctions.
10.74.13-15
haimāḥ kilopakaraṇā
vidyādhara-mahoragāḥ
munayo yakṣa-rakṣāḿsi
rājānaś ca samāhūtā
sūpapannam avismitāḥ
(13-15) The utensils were of gold like it had been in the past when Varuna sacrificed [compare 9.2: 27]. The rulers of the worlds headed by Indra, including Brahmâ and S'iva; the perfected and heavenly singers with their entourage; the scholars, the great serpents [v.i.p.s, egos], the sages, the wealth keepers and wild men; the birds of heaven [see khaga], the mighty, the venerable and the earthly kings who were invited, as also the wives of the kings came from everywhere to the Râjasûya sacrifice which they, not being surpised, for a devotee of Krishna deemed quite appropriate.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was universally famous as a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus nothing was impossible for him.
10.74.16
pracetasam ivāmarāḥ
(16) The priests who were as powerful as the gods performed for the great king the Râjasûya sacrifice as was vedically prescribed, exactly the way the demigods had done it for Varuna.
10.74.17
(17) On the day for extracting the soma-juice worshiped the king very attentively the sacrificers and the exalted personalities of the assembly.
"According to the Vedic system, whenever there is an arrangement for sacrifice, the members participating in the sacrifice are offered the juice of the soma plant. The juice of the soma plant is a kind of life-giving beverage. On the day of extracting the soma juice, King Yudhiṣṭhira very respectfully received the special priest who had been engaged to detect any mistake in the formalities of sacrificial procedures. The idea is that the Vedic mantras must be enunciated perfectly and chanted with the proper accent; if the priests who are engaged in this business commit any mistake, the checker, or referee priest, immediately corrects the procedure, and thus the ritualistic performances are perfectly executed. Unless it is perfectly executed, a sacrifice cannot yield the desired result. In this age of Kali there is no such learned brāhmaṇa or priest available; therefore, all such sacrifices are forbidden. The only sacrifice recommended in the śāstras is the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra."
10.74.18
sadasyāgryārhaṇārhaḿ vai
nādhyagacchann anaikāntyāt
sahadevas tadābravīt
(18) The members seated in the assembly pondering over who of them deserved to be worshiped first could not arrive at a conclusion because there were many [who qualified]; then Sahadeva [the Pândava] spoke up:
"Another important procedure is that the most exalted personality in the assembly of such a sacrificial ceremony is first offered worship.... This particular ceremony is called agra-pūjā. Agra means 'first,' and pūjā means 'worship.' This agra-pūjā is similar to the election of the president. In the sacrificial assembly, all the members were very exalted. Some proposed to elect one person as the perfect candidate for accepting agra-pūjā, and others proposed someone else.
Text 15 of this chapter states that the members of the assembly were not astonished at the opulence of the sacrifice, since they knew that King Yudhiṣṭhira was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Still, Text 18 now states that the assembly could not select the most deserving candidate for being worshiped first. This indicates that many of the brāhmaṇas present were not fully realized transcendentalists but rather conventional brāhmaṇas uncertain of the supreme conclusion of Vedic wisdom.
Similarly, Ācārya Viśvanātha comments that the undecided members of the assembly were the less intelligent ones, and not such exalted personalities as Brahmā, Śiva and Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva, who thought, "Since today no one is asking our opinion, why should we say anything? Furthermore, here is Sahadeva, who is renowned for his sharp skill in analyzing all sorts of circumstances. He can help appoint the person who is to be worshiped first. Only if he somehow fails to speak or cannot understand the situation will we speak up, despite no one's having inquired from us." Having made up their minds in this way, the greatest personalities remained silent.
10.74.19
(19) 'Acyuta for sure deserves the supreme position, He is the Supreme Lord, the leader of the Sâtvatas, He doubtlessly covers all the demigods as well as the place, time and necessities and such.
10.74.20-21
agnir āhutayo mantrā
eka evādvitīyo 'sāv
ātmanātmāśrayaḥ sabhyāḥ
(20-21) This universe as well as the great sacrificial performances, the sacred fire, the oblations and the incantations are founded upon Him and the analytical perspective and the yoga are aiming at Him. He is the One alone without a second upon whom the Living Being builds, the Unborn One relying on Himself alone, o members of the assembly, who creates, maintains and destroys.
10.74.22
vividhānīha karmāṇi
śreyo dharmādi-lakṣaṇam
(22) He generates the various activities out here; to His grace does the whole world endeavor and follow its ideals known as the religiosity and so on [the purusharthas].
10.74.23
dīyatāḿ paramārhaṇam
ātmanaś cārhaṇaḿ bhavet
(23) Therefore should the greatest honor be given to Krishna, the Supreme One; if we do it this way, will we be honoring all living beings as well as ourselves.
10.74.24
kṛṣṇāyānanya-darśine
dattasyānantyam icchatā
(24) It is to be given to Krishna, the Soul of all beings who sees no one as separate from Himself; to the One of Peace Perfectly Complete who for one who wishes his love to be reciprocated, is the Unlimited [the Infinite of Return].'
"[Sahadeva said:] 'Ladies and gentlemen, it is superfluous to speak about Kṛṣṇa, because every one of you exalted personalities knows the Supreme Brahman, Lord Kṛṣṇa, for whom there are no material differences between body and soul, between energy and the energetic, or between one part of the body and another. Since everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, there is no qualitative difference between Kṛṣṇa and all living entities. Everything is an emanation of Kṛṣṇa's energies, the material and spiritual energies. Kṛṣṇa's energies are like the heat and light of the fire; there is no difference between the quality of heat and light and the fire itself.... He should therefore be offered the first worship of this great sacrifice, and no one should disagree.... Kṛṣṇa is present as the Supersoul in every living being, and if we can satisfy Him, then automatically every living being becomes satisfied.' "
10.74.25
tac chrutvā tuṣṭuvuḥ sarve
(25) Sahadeva thus speaking fell silent and all the ones of excellence and truth who heard this and had awoken to the influence of Krishna said happily: 'This is excellent, very fine!'
10.74.26
samarhayad dhṛṣīkeśaḿ
(26) Hearing what the twice-born pronounced, worshiped the king overwhelmed by love Hrishîkes'a fully, glad to know that the members of the assembly were content.
10.74.27-28
tat-pādāv avanijyāpaḥ
arhayitvāśru-pūrṇākṣo
nāśakat samavekṣitum
(27-28) Washing His feet and taking the water that purifies the world on his own head, carried he it with pleasure to his wife, his brothers, his ministers and family. And as he with precious yellow silken garments and jewelry was honoring Him, could he, with the tears filling his eyes, not look Him straight in His face.
10.74.29
(29) Seeing Him honored this way exclaimed all the people with joined palms: 'Obeisances to You, all victory to You!' and to that they bowed down to Him and showered they Him with flowers.
10.74.30
itthaḿ niśamya damaghoṣa-sutaḥ sva-pīṭhād
saḿśrāvayan bhagavate paruṣāṇy abhītaḥ
(30) The son of Damaghosha [S'is'upâla, see 10.53] hearing this rose, aroused by the descriptions of Krishna's qualities, from his seat angrily waving with his arms and said, resolutely addressing the Fortunate One with harsh words, this in the middle of the assembly:
"In that meeting, King Śiśupāla was also present. He was an avowed enemy of Kṛṣṇa for many reasons, especially because of Kṛṣṇa's having stolen Rukmiṇī from the marriage ceremony; therefore, he could not tolerate such honor to Kṛṣṇa and glorification of His qualities. Instead of being happy to hear the glories of the Lord, he became very angry."
that the reason Śiśupāla did not object when Sahadeva proposed Kṛṣṇa for the agra-pūjā is that Śiśupāla wanted to ruin King Yudhiṣṭhira's sacrifice. If Śiśupāla had argued earlier against Lord Kṛṣṇa's receiving the first worship and another person had been selected, the sacrifice would have then proceeded normally. Therefore Śiśupāla allowed Kṛṣṇa to be selected, waited until the worship was over, and then spoke up, hoping in this way to demonstrate that the sacrifice was now spoiled. Thus he would ruin the endeavor of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. In this regard the ācārya quotes the following smṛti reference: apūjyā yatra pūjyante pūjyānāḿ ca vyatikramaḥ. "In the place where those who are not to be worshiped are worshiped, there is offense to those who are actually worshipable." There is also the following statement: pratibadhnāti hi śreyaḥ pūjyapūjya-vyatikramaḥ. "Improperly understanding who is to be worshiped and who is not to be worshiped will impede one's progress in life."
10.74.31
īśo duratyayaḥ kāla
vṛddhānām api yad buddhir
bāla-vākyair vibhidyate
(31) 'The vedic word of truth that Time is the unavoidable controller, has been proven true since even the intelligence of the elders could be led astray by the words of a boy!
10.74.32
kṛṣṇo yat sammato 'rhaṇe
(32) All of you very well know who would be the most praiseworthy; please, all you leaders of the assembly, pay no attention to the statements of the boy that Krishna should be chosen for being honored.
10.74.33-34
(33-34) You overlook the leaders in the assembly who are the best among the wise. They, dedicated to the Absolute Truth, are held high by the local authorities, they are men who by spiritual understanding, austerity, vedic knowledge and vows eradicated their impurities. How can a cowherd, who is a disgrace to His family, deserve it to be worshiped? He deserves it no more than a crow deserves the sacred rice cake!
Śiśupāla's words as follows. The term go-pāla means not only "cowherd" but also "protector of the Vedas and the earth." Similarly, kula-pāḿsana has a double meaning. Śiśupāla intended it to mean "the disgrace of His family," which is its meaning when divided as above. But the word may also be analyzed as ku-lapām aḿsana, giving a totally different meaning. Kulapām indicates those who prattle with crooked words contrary to the Vedas, and aḿsana, derived from the verb aḿsayati, means "destroyer." In other words, he was praising Lord Kṛṣṇa as "He who vanquishes all misguided and frivolous speculations about the nature of truth." Similarly, although Śiśupāla wanted to compare Lord Kṛṣṇa to a crow with the words yathā kākaḥ, these words may also be divided yathā a-kākaḥ. In that case, according to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word kāka is a combination of ka and āka, which indicate material happiness and misery. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa is akāka in the sense that He is beyond all material misery and happiness, being on the pure, transcendental platform. Finally, Śiśupāla was right in saying the Lord Kṛṣṇa does not deserve merely the puroḍāśa rice cake, offered to the lesser demigods as a substitute for the heavenly beverage soma. In fact, Lord Kṛṣṇa deserves to receive everything that we possess, since He is the ultimate proprietor of everything, including ourselves. Thus we should give Lord Kṛṣṇa our life and soul, not merely a ritualistic offering of rice cakes.
10.74.35
varṇāśrama-kulāpetaḥ
(35) How can He, acting on His own accord and devoid of kula [a proper upbringing] varna [vocational propriety] and âs'rama [sense of duty to one's age], thus missing the qualities, deserve it to be worshiped?
"Actually, Kṛṣṇa does not belong to any caste, nor does He have to perform any occupational duty. It is stated in the Vedas that the Supreme Lord has nothing to do as His prescribed duty. Whatever has to be done on His behalf is executed by His different energies.... Śiśupāla indirectly praised Kṛṣṇa by saying that He is not within the jurisdiction of Vedic injunction. This is true because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That He has no qualities means that Kṛṣṇa has no material qualities, and because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He acts independently, not caring for conventions or social or religious principles."
10.74.36
(36) With their [Yadu-]dynasty cursed by Yayâti [see 9.18: 40-44], being ostracized by well-behaved persons [see 10.52: 9] and wantonly addicted to drinking [e.g. 10.67: 9-10], how can such a one deserve the worship?
the inner meaning of the words of Śiśupāla to show how he continued unintentionally glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa and His Yadu dynasty: "Even though the Yadus were cursed by Yayāti, they have been relieved [bahis-kṛtam] of this curse by great saints, and consequently they have been raised to a position of royal sovereignty by such persons as Kārtavīrya. Thus they have become absorbed in pāna, protecting the earth. Considering all this, how does Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadus, deserve useless [vṛthā] worship? Rather, He deserves opulent worship."
10.74.37
(37) Abandoning the lands [of Mathurâ] graced by the brahmin sages took these Ones to a fortress in the sea [10.50: 49] where the brahminical is not observed [10.57: 30], and where They as thieves give a lot of trouble to the people [e.g. 10.61].'
The words brahmarṣi-sevitān deśān ("holy lands inhabited by saintly sages") allude to the district of Mathurā. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "Śiśupāla went crazy because of Kṛṣṇa's being elected the supreme, first worshiped person in that meeting, and he spoke so irresponsibly that it appeared that he had lost all his good fortune."
10.74.38
evam-ādīny abhadrāṇi
novāca kiñcid bhagavān
(38) Before him who, with speaking such and more harsh words, had lost all his chances, spoke the Supreme Lord not a word. He kept silent like a lion to a jackal's cry.
10.74.39
(39) Hearing that intolerable criticism, covered the members of the assembly their ears and went they away cursing the king of Cedi angrily.
10.74.40
nindāḿ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvaḿs
tato nāpaiti yaḥ so 'pi
(40) A person dedicated to Him who does not leave the place where criticism of the Supreme Lord is heard, will, having lost his pious credit, fall down.
10.74.41
(41) The sons of Pându, the Matsyas, Kaikayas and Sriñjayas then, infuriated raising their weapons, stood prepared to kill S'is'upâla.
10.74.42
tataś caidyas tv asambhrānto
(42) Thereupon, o scion of Bharata, took S'is'upâla undaunted up his sword and shield to challenge with insults the kings in the assembly who were the proponents of Krishna.
10.74.43
(43) The Supreme Lord just then rising stopped His devotees and displeased attacked His enemy with His sharp-edged disc with which He severed his head.
the Lord's action as follows: If Lord Kṛṣṇa had done nothing, there probably would have been a savage fight on the sacrificial grounds, and thus the whole ceremony would have been drenched in blood, spoiling the sanctified atmosphere. Therefore, in order to protect the Rājasūya sacrifice of Kṛṣṇa's beloved devotee Yudhiṣṭhira, the Lord immediately severed Śiśupāla's head with His razor-sharp disc in such a way that not a drop of blood fell within the sacrificial grounds.
10.74.44
śabdaḥ kolāhalo 'thāsīc
tasyānuyāyino bhūpā
dudruvur jīvitaiṣiṇaḥ
(44) With S'is'upâla killed there was a tumultuous uproar among the audience, which thus offered the kings who sided with him and feared for their lives the opportunity to flee.
10.74.45
(45) Right before the eyes of all the living rose from the body of S'is'upâla a light that entered Krishna like it was a meteor from the sky falling to earth [see also 10.12: 33].
In this connection, the ācāryas remind us that Śiśupāla is actually one of the Lord's eternal associates playing the part of a belligerent demon. Thus to most observers it appeared that Śiśupāla achieved the impersonal liberation of merging into Lord Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. In fact, after being liberated from his mortal frame, Śiśupāla returned to the side of his master, the Supreme Lord of the spiritual world. The following verse further explains this.
10.74.46
janma-trayānuguṇita-
(46) Extending throughout three lifetimes had he been obsessed by a mentality of enmity and attained he thus meditating Oneness with Him [B.G. 4: 9]. It is really so that one's attitude is the cause of one's rebirth! [see B.G. 8: 6 & Jaya and Vijaya]
Śiśupāla and his friend Dantavakra, who will be killed by Kṛṣṇa in Chapter Seventy-eight, were previously Jaya and Vijaya, two gatekeepers in Vaikuṇṭha. Because of an offense, the four Kumāras cursed them to take three births in the material world as demons. The first birth was as Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu, the second as Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa, and the third as Śiśupāla and Dantavakra. In each birth they were completely absorbed in enmity toward the Lord and were slain by Him.
the position of Śiśupāla as follows: "Although Śiśupāla acted as the enemy of Kṛṣṇa, he was not for a single moment out of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He was always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa, and thus he got first the salvation of sāyujya-mukti, merging into the existence of the Supreme, and finally became reinstated in his original position of personal service. The Bhagavad-gītā corroborates the fact that one who is absorbed in the thought of the Supreme Lord at the time of death immediately enters the kingdom of God after quitting his material body."
The Third and Seventh cantos of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam elaborately describe the incident wherein the Lord's personal associates were cursed to come to the material world as His enemies. In this connection, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī quotes the following verse (Bhāg. 7.1.47):
vairānubandha-tīvreṇa
dhyānenācyuta-sātmatām
"These two associates of Lord Viṣṇu — Jaya and Vijaya — maintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Kṛṣṇa in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead."10.74.47
ṛtvigbhyaḥ sa-sadasyebhyo
(47) The emperor gave in gratitude the priests and the members of the assembly abundant gifts, respecting them all properly according the scriptural injunctions, and performed the avabhritha ceremony [of washing himself and the utensils to conclude the sacrifice].
10.74.48
kṛṣṇo yogeśvareśvaraḥ
suhṛdbhir abhiyācitaḥ
(48) Krishna, the Controller of the Controllers of Yoga, seeing to it that the sacrifice of the king was performed, stayed a couple of months [in Indraprastha] on the request of His well-wishers.
Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is the master of all masters of yoga, such as Lord Śiva, still He was controlled by King Yudhiṣṭhira's pure love. Thus the Lord personally saw to the successful completion of the King's sacrificial performance. And after that He agreed to stay with His dear friends in Indraprastha for a few more months.
10.74.49
tato 'nujñāpya rājānam
anicchantam apīśvaraḥ
(49) Then asking permission with a reluctant king, went the son of Devakî, Îs'vara, with His wives and ministers away to His own city.
10.74.50
vaikuṇṭha-vāsinor janma
(50) The tale of the two Vaikunthha residents that due to the curse of the learned ones had to be born again and again, has by me been related to you in detail [see 3.16].
10.74.51
rājasūyāvabhṛthyena
snāto rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
(51) King Yudhishthhira in the midst of the brahmins and kshatriyas bathing at the avabhritha of the Râjasûja shone as brilliant as the king of the demigods.
10.74.52
(52) All the gods, humans and beings in the sky [the lesser gods, the Pramathas] honored by the king happily returned to their own domains, full of praise for Krishna and the sacrifice.
the term khecarāḥ here refers to the pramathas, mystic yogīs who accompany Lord Śiva.
10.74.53
(53) [All were happy], except for the sinful Duryodhana, who was the pest of the Kuru dynasty and the personification of the Age of Quarrel. To face the flourishing opulence of the Pândavas was something he couldn't bear.
"Duryodhana by nature was very envious because of his sinful life, and he appeared in the dynasty of the Kurus as a chronic disease personified in order to destroy the whole family." Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions that Duryodhana hated pure religious principles.
10.74.54
(54) He who recites these activities of Lord Vishnu, the deliverance of the kings, the sacrifice and the killing of the king of Cedi and such, is delivered from all sin.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Seventy-fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Deliverance of Śiśupāla at the Rājasūya Sacrifice."
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