शिशुपाल की कथा

Bhishma said This Shishupala was born with three eyes and four hands in the dynasty of the kings of Chedi. As soon as he was born, he screamed and brayed like an ass.

His father and mother along with all their relatives were struck with fear (on seeing this fearful phenomenon). seeing these evil omens, they resolved to abandon him.

But at that time an invisible voice (thus) said to the king and his wife with their ministers and priest, all of whose hearts were paralysed by anxiety.

The Voice said. O king, this your son, who has been (just) born, will become fortunate and superior in strength. Therefore you have no fear from him. Cherish this child without (any) anxiety.

O king, he will not die. His time is not yet come. He that will kill him with weapons has also been born.

Bhishma said. Having heard these words, the mother becoming anxious by affection for her son, spoke thus to the invisible being.

"I bow with joined hands to him that has uttered these words regarding my son. Let him (the invisible being), whether he is an exalted god or any other being, tell me another word. I desire to hear who will be the slayer of this my son".

The invisible being then again said, "He, upon whose lap this child being taken, his extra arms will fall down on the ground like a pair of five headed snakes, and observing whom his third eyes on the forehead will disappear, will be his slayer." Having heard of the child's three eyes and five arms and also of the words of the invisible being.

All the kings of the world came to see him. The (Chedi) king worshipped the monarchs that came as each deserved.

And gave his child upon their laps one after the other. Thus the child was placed on the laps of one thousand kings one after the other. But what was heard (from the invisible being) did not come to pass. having heard this (about the child) at Dvaravati, the two greatly powerful heroes.

The Yadu princes, Sankarashans (Valadeva) and Janarddana (Krishna) went to the capital of the Chedi (king) to see their aunt, the princess of the Yadu race (the queen of the Chedi king).

Saluting every body according to his rank and saluting also the king and the queen and inquiring after every body's welfare, Rama and Keshava (Balaram and Krishna) took their seats.

When those two heroes were duly worshipped, the queen with great pleasure and joy herself placed the child on the lap of Damodara (Krishna).

As soon as the child was placed on his lap, his extra arms fell down and the eye on his forehead disappeared.

Seeing this, the queen became alarmed and aggrieved, she begged Krishna to grant her a boon. (She said), O mighty armed hero, I am afflicted with fear; grant me a boon.

You are the assuager of all men afflicted with grief; you are the dispeller of every body's fear". Having been thus addressed, the : descendant of Yadu, Krishna replied.

"O lady, do not be alarmed. O virtuous queen, you have no fear from me. O aunt, what boon shall I give you? What shall I do?

Whether I am able or not, I shall do what you will say." Having been thus addressed, she thus spoke to the descendant of Yadu, Krishna.

"O greatly powerful hero, O best of the Yadu race, you will have to pardon for my sake the offence committed by Shishupala. O lord, know, this is the boon I ask”.

Krishna Said O Aunt, even when he will deserve to be killed, in such one hundred (occasions of) offences of this (Shishupala), I will pardon him. Do not be (therefore) aggrieved.

Bhishma said. O Bhima, such is this wretch Shishupala, a king with a wicked heart. Being proud for the boon granted by Govinda (Krishna), he now calls you to battle.