| Philosophy and Religion / Mahabharata |
Mahabharata
Arghabhiharana Parva
Arghya presentation to Krishna. The wrath of Shishupala. The words of Bhishma. The consultation of the kings.
Vaishampayana said:
On the last day of the sacrifice when the king (Yudhishthira) was to be sprinkled over with sacred water, the great Brahmana Rishis with (all) the monarchs(present there) entered the inner enclosure (of the sacrificial ground).
Those illustrious and Mantra- knowing Rishis, with Narada at their head and with the royal sages seated at their ease looked like the celestiaiss seated in the mansion of Brahma in the company of the celestials Rishis. those Rishis of immeasurable energy, having then obtained leisure, started various topics of conversation.
'This is so," "This is not so." "This is even so," "This cannot be other wise," thus did many of them engage in arguments with one another.
Some amongst the disputants made the weaker arguments to appear stronger, and the stronger ones the weaker by their arguments based on Shastras.
Some greatly intelligent disputants fell upon the position urged by others as hawks dart at meat thrown into the air.
Some amongst them, learned in the interpretations of Shastras, and some others of rigid vows, well acquainted with every commentary and gloss, engaged themselves in pleasant conversations.
That (sacrificial) plate for, crowded with the celestiaiss, Brahmanas and the great Rishis, all endued with the Vedas, looked as beautiful as the sky studded with the stars.
O king, there was no Shudra or any man without vows near the inner (sacrificial) platform of Yudhishthira's palace.
Seeing the prosperity of the prosperous and intelligent Dharamraja which was the result of that sacrifice, Narada became exceedingly happy.
O ruler of men, seeing the assemblage of all Kshatriyas, (in that sacrifice), the Rishi Narada became thoughtful.
O best of men, he recollected the words he had heard in the abode of Brahma; regarding the Angshavatarana, (incarnations of portions of every deity).
O descendant of Kuru, knowing that assembly was an assembly of the celestiaiss, Narada thought in his mind the lotus-eyed Hari.
He knew that the creator of every object, the exalted god of all gods, Narayana, who had formerly commanded the celestiaiss saying, "Take your births on earth and kill one another and then come back to heaven," that chastiser of all the enemies of the celestiaiss, that subjugator of all hostile towns, had taken his birth in the Kshatriya order to fulfil his own purpose.
The illustrious lord of the universe, Shambhu, Narayana, having thus commanded all the celestials, had taken his birth in the race of Yadu.
Having been born in the Andhaka Vrishni race on earth, that foremost of all perpetuator of races was graced with great good fortune and was shinning like the moon among the stars.
He whose prowess of arms was adored by the celestiaiss with Indra, that Hari, that chastiser of foes; was then living in the world of men in a human form.
"Oh! what could be greater wonder than that the self-creates himself will take away (from earth) all these Kshatriyas endued with great strength.
Thus reflected the omniscient Narada who knew that Hari, Narayana, (Krishna) was no other than the Supreme Being, whom every body worships with sacrifices.
That foremost of all men, learned in the precepts of virtue, that greatly intelligent man (Narada), (thinking of all this), sat in the sacrifice of the intelligent Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) with feelings of awe.
O king, Bhishma then thus spoke to Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, "O descendant of Bharata, now offer Arghyas to the kings as each deserves".
O Yudhishthira, hear, the preceptor, the sacrificial priest, the relative,, the Snataka, the friend and the king, these are the six (classes of persons) who deserve to get the Arghya. The wise men have said that when any of there live with one for a full one year, he deserves to be worshipped with the presentation of Arghya. These kings have been staying with us for a very long time,
Therefore, O king, bring Arghya for each of them; and let the Arghya be first presented to him who is the foremost of all of them.
Yudhishthira said:
O descendant of Kuru, O grandsire, whom do you consider to be the foremost of these (men present here), and to whom should the Arghya be presented first. Tell me this.
Vaishampayana said:
O Descendant of Bharata, the son of Shantanu, Bhishma, settled it by his great intelligence that Krishna was the foremost of all on earth.
Bhishma said:
As sun shines among all luminous objects, so shines this (Krishna) among all (these kings and potentates) by his effulgence, strength and prowess.
This sacrificial ground is illuminated and gladdened by Krishna like a sunless region by the sun and a airless region by the air.|
Vaishampayana said:
Then commanded by Bhishma, the powerful Sahadeva proceeded to present in due form the excellent Arghya to the prince of the Vrishni race, (Krishna).
Krishna also (agreed to) accept that worship according to the forms of the ordinance. But Shishupala could not bear that worship (proposed to be) offered to Vasudeva (Krishna).
The greatly powerful Chedi-king (Shishupala), after reproving Bhishma and Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) in the presence of that assembly, began to censure Vasudeva (Krishna).
Shishupala said:
O descendant of Kuru, when so many illustrious kings are present here, this man of the Vrishni race does not deserve a royal worship like a king.
Your this conduct in willfully making this lotus-eyed hero worshipped by the Pandavas is not worthy of the illustrious Pandavas.
O sons of Pandu, you are children; you do now know what Dharma is, for it (the ways of Dharma) is very subtle. This son of the river (Bhishma) has but little knowledge, and therefore he has transgressed the Smriti (rules of morality).
O Bhishma, if a man like you, possessing virtue and morality, acts from motives of pleasing others, he (surely) becomes worthy of censure among all the honest and wise men.
How does this man of the Dasarha race, who is not a king, deserve to be worshipped among these kings that you have worshipped him?
O foremost man of the Puru race, if you consider him to be the eldest, why, here is Vasudeva. How can his son be worshipped before him?
If you consider him your well-wisher and supporter, why, when Drupada is here, how can he get the (first) worship?
O descendant of Kuru, if you consider Krishna your preceptor, when Drona is here, how have you worshipped the Vrishni prince?
O descendant of Kuru, if you consider Krishna as the Ritvija, when old Dvaipayana is here, how have you worshipped Krishna?
O king, when that best of men, the son of Shantanu, old Bhishma, who can die only at his will, is here, why have you worshipped Krishna?
O king, O descendant of Kuru, when the hero Ashvathama who is learned in every branch of knowledge is here, why has Krishna been worshipped by you.
When that best of men, that king of kings, Duryodhana, and also that preceptor of the Kuru race, Kripa, are present here, why Krishna has been worshipped?
Passing over the preceptor of the Kimpurushas, he (Krishna) has been worshipped by you. When the invincible Bhishmaka, auspicious marked king of Paundrya.
That best of kings, Rukmi, and Ekalavya, and the king of the Madras, Shalya, are present, why Krishna has been worshipped?
O descendant of Bharata, this greatly powerful hero whose prowess is the pride amongst all kings, who is the favourite disciple of the son of the Brahmana Jamadagni, the hero who defeated all the kings by his prowess alone, that Karna being present here, passing over him, why Krishna has been worshipped?
O best of the Kuru race, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) is neither a sacrificial priest, nor a preceptor, nor a king, why have you worshipped Krishna with the motive of pleasing others?
O descendant of Bharata, if it was your intention to offer the first worship to the slayer of Madhu, why were these kings brought here to be insulted?
We have not paid tribute to the illustrious son of Kunti out of fear of temptation (the desire of gain) or conciliation:
We have paid him tribute only because he was desirous of obtaining the imperial dignity from the motive of virtue. He it is who is now insulting us.
What else could be your motive, except that of insult, that in the midst of this assembly of kings, you have worshipped Krishna, who does not possess the insignia of royalty, with the Arghya?
The tile of "virtuous" achieved by the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira), has been obtained without any cause. Who will offer such unworthy worship to one who has failed from religion?
This wretch, born in the Vrishni race, formerly most unrighteously killed the illustrious king Jarasandha.
Righteousness has today left Yudhishthira, and his meanness only has been displayed by his offering the Arghya to Krishna.
O Janardana, if the helpless sons of Kunti are frightened, and if they have become mean for their asceticism, you ought to have enlightened them as to your claim to the first worship.
O Janardana, why did you accept the worship of which you are not worthy, although it was offered to you by these mean-minded princes?
You (surely) think much of the worship so unworthy of freed to you, as a dog (joyfully) licks in solitude a quantity of Ghee which he has obtained.
O Janardana, this is no insult to the kings, but it is you whom the Kurus have insulted.
O slayer of Madhu, as a wife is to an impotent man and a beautiful sight to a blind man, so is this worship to you who are not a king (at all).
What (sort of man) Yudhishthira is, it has been (well) seen today; what (sort of man) Bhishma is, it has (also) been seen: what (sort of man) Vasudeva is, it has been also seen. all these men have been seen as they (really) are.
Vaishampayana said:
Having said this, Shishupala rose from the excellent seat (on which he was seated). He then went out of the assembly accompanied by the kings.
Thereupon king Yudhishthira ran after Shishupala and spoke thus to him in sweet and conciliating tone.
Yudhishthira said:
O lord of the earth, what you have said does not suit you, O king, it is highly sinful and needlessly cruel.
O king, do not insult the son of Shantanu, Bhishma, by erroneously thinking that he does not know what is the great Dharma.
Look, these many kings, who are all older than you, approve the worship offered to Krishna. You should also approve it.
O king of Chedi, the descendant of Kuru, Bhishma, knows truly and well what Krishna is. You do not know him so well as he knows.
Bhishma said:
He, who does not approve of the worship offered to Krishna, who is the oldest in the universe, deserves neither soft words nor conciliation.
That chief of warriors in the Kshatriya race, who, having overcome a Kshatriya in battle and brought him under his power, sets him free, becomes his preceptor.
I do not see any king in this assembly of monarchs who has not been defeated by the prowess of this descendant of Satvata race (Krishna).
This mighty-armed hero of unfading glory deserve to be worshipped not only by us alone, but by all the three worlds.
Many best of Kshatriyas have been defeated by Krishna in battle. The infinite universe is established in this Vrishni hero.
Therefore, we worship Krishna. Amongst the best and the oldest, we do not worship any other, you should not say so, your understanding should not be so.
O king, I have worshipped many men who are old in knowledge. I have heard from all those wise men when they came and talked to me what are the many accomplishments of Shauri (Krishna). I have heard many times narrated by the people all the acts which greatly intelligent Krishna performed since his birth. O king of Chedi, we do not worship Janardana only from caprice,
Or from keeping in view our relationship with him, or from expected benefits (to be received from him). He is worshipped by all the pious men on earth, and he is the source of all happiness.
We have offered him the first worship in consideration of his fame, his heroism and his success. There is none here, even if he is a child, whom we have not taken into our consideration (when offering the Arghya to Krishna).
Passing over many persons who are accomplished and learned, we have thought Hari as deserving of the first worship. Amongst Brahmanas he, who is old in knowledge, amongst Kshatriyas he, who is great in strength.
Amongst Vaishyas, he, who is rich in possessions and wealth; and amongst the Shudras he, who is old in age, deserves to be worshipped. There are two reasons for offering the worship to Govinda (Krishna).
He is vastly learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, and he is also very great in prowess. Who else is there in the world of men except Keshava (Krishna) who is so distinguished?
Liberality, cleverness, knowledge of the Shruti (Veda), bravery, modesty, achievements, excellent intelligence, humility, beauty, firmness, contentment and prosperity, all live for ever in Achyuta (Krishna).
Therefore, you should approve the worship offered to one who is endued with such accomplishments, who is (our) preceptor, father, and Guru, and who is worthy of the Arghya and of the worship.
Hrishikesha (Krishna) is the Ritvija, preceptor, worthy of being solicited to marry one's daughter, the Snataka, the king and the friend. Therefore, Achyuta (Krishna) has been worshipped.
Krishna is the origin of the universe, and he is that in which the universe is to dissolve. This universe of mobile and immobile creatures has sprung into existence from Krishna alone.
He is unmanifest primal nature, he is the creator, he is eternal, and he is beyond all creatures. Therefore, Achyuta deserves the highest worship.
The intellect, the seat of sensibility, the primal elements, air, heat, water, space, earth and the four kings of life, are all established in Krishna.
The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the chief directions and the intermediate directions are all established in Krishna.
As the Agnihotra is the foremost of all Vedic rites, as Gayatri is that of the metres, as the king is that of men as the ocean is that of all rivers, as the moon is the foremost of all constellations, as the sun is that of luminous bodies, as the Meru is that of all mountains, as Garuda is that of all birds.
So is the illustrious Keshava, (Krishna) the foremost in all the worlds including that of the celestials, so he is as long as the upward, downward and sideways course of the universe lasts.
This Shishupala is a mere child. He does not know who Krishna is, and therefore every where and always he speaks of Krishna thus.
This ruler of Chedi cannot see virtue in that light in which those intelligent men who desire to acquire high merits sees it.
Who is there among the young or the old or among these illustrious kings who does not consider Krishna worthy of worship, or who does not worship Krishna?
If ShishupaJa considers this worship undeserved, in this undeserved worship he should do that which is proper in this matter.
Vaishampayana said:
Having said this, the greatly strong Bhishma stopped. Then Sahadeva gave this reply (to Shishupala) of grave import.
"If there is any king (present here) who cannot bear the worship offered by me to Keshava, the slayer of Keshi, and the possessor of immeasurable energy.
On the head of such heroes I place my foot. When I say this, let that one give me the proper reply.
Let those kings who possess intelligence approve the worship of the preceptor, the father, and the Guru (Krishna) who (fully) deserves the Arghya and the worship." When Sahadeva thus showed his foot, no one among those intelligent, wise, proud and powerful kings said anything. Thereupon, showers of flowers fell upon the head of Sahadeva.
An invisible voice said, "Excellent, Excellent!" Clad in a black deer skin, the speaker of both the past and the future,
The dispeller of all doubts, Narada learned in(the mysteries) of all the world, then said in the midst of innumerable creatures these words of the clearest import.
Those men, who will not worship the lotus-eyed Krishna, should be considered as dead though living. He should never be talked to."
Vaishampayana said:
Having worshipped those that deserved worship, then that god among men, Sahadeva, well-acquainted with the difference between a Brahmana and a Kshatriya competed the ceremony.
When Krishna received the first worship, that slayer of foes, Sunitha (Shishupala), with eyes red as copper in anger, thus addressed the kings (present there).
"When I am here to be the generalissimo, what are you thinking now? In battle array let us stand against the assembled Vrishnis and the Pandavas".
Having thus stirred up the kings, that best of the Chedis (Shishupala) began to consult with them how to obstruct the completion of the sacrifice.
The invited kings, who had come to the sacrifice, all with Sunitha (Shishupala) at their head, looked angry, and their face became pale.
They all said, "We must act in such a way as the final sacrificial rites to be performed by Yudhishthira and this worship of Krishna may not be supposed to have our acquiescence".
Having been impelled by a belief in their great power and confidence, and having been also deprived of all sense by anger, all the kings began to talk in this way.
Though they were appeased by their friends, their faces glowed with anger, and they roared like lions driven away from their prey.
Krishna understood that the undeteriorating great sea of kings with its countless waves of soldiers was making preparation for a fight.
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