Section XXXVI

"Sisupala said—

'O you of the Kuru race, this one of the Vrishni race does not deserve royal worship as if he were a king, in the midst of all these illustrious monarchs.

O son of Pandu, this conduct of thine in thus willingly worshipping him with eyes like lotus-petals is not worthy of the illustrious Pandavas. You sons of Pandu. You are children. You know not what morality is, for that is very subtle.

Bhishma, this son also of Ganga is of little knowledge and has transgressed the rules of morality (by giving you such counsel). And, O Bhishma, if one like you, possessed of virtue and morality acts from motives of interest, he is deserving of censure among the honest and the wise.

How does he of the Dasarha race, who is not even a king, accept worship before these kings and how is it that he has been worshipped by you?

O bull of the Kuru race, if you regardest Krishna as the oldest in age, here is Vasudeva, and how can his son be said so in his presence?

Or, if you regardest Vasudeva as your well-wisher and supporter, here is Drupada; how then can Madhava deserve the (first) worship?

Or, O son of Kuru, regardest you Krishna as preceptor?

When Drona is here, how hast you worshipped him of the Vrishni race?

Or, O son of Kuru, regardest you Krishna as the Ritwija?

When old Dvaipayana is here, how has Krishna been worshipped by you?

Again when old Bhishma, the son of Santanu, that foremost of men who is not to die save at his own wish is here, why, O king, has Krishna been worshipped by you?

When the brave Asvatthaman, versed in every branch of knowledge is here, why, O king, has Krishna, O you of the Kuru race, been worshipped by you?

When that King of kings, Duryodhana, that foremost of men, is here, as also Kripa the preceptor of the Bharata princes, why has Krishna been worshipped by you?

How, O son of Pandu, passing over Druma, the preceptor of the Kimpurusas, hast you worshipped Krishna?

When the invincible Bhishmaka and king Pandya possessed of every auspicious mark, and that foremost of kings—Rukmi and Ekalavya and Salya, the king of the Madras, are here, how, O son of Pandu, hast you offered the first worship unto Krishna?

Here also is Karna ever boasting of his strength amongst all kings, and (really) endued with great might, the favourite disciple of the Brahmana Jamadagnya, the hero who vanquished in battle all monarchs by his own strength alone.

How, O Bharata, hast you, passing him over, offered the first worship unto Krishna?

The slayer of Madhu is neither a sacrificial priest nor a preceptor, nor a king. That you have notwithstanding all these worshipped him, O chief of the Kurus, could only have been from motives of gain.

If, O Bharata, it was your wish to offer the first worship unto the slayer of Madhu, why were these monarchs brought here to be insulted thus?

We have not paid tributes to the illustrious son of Kunti from fear, from desire of gain, or from having been won over by conciliation. On the other hand, we have paid him tribute simply because he has been desirous of the imperial dignity from motives of virtue. And yet he it is that thus insults us.

O king, from what else, save motives of insult, could it have been that you have worshipped Krishna, who possesses not the insignia of royalty, with the Arghya in the midst of the assembled monarchs?

Indeed, the reputation for virtue that the son of Dharma has acquired, has been acquired by him without cause, for who would offer such undue worship unto one that has fallen off from virtue. This wretch born in the race of the Vrishnis unrighteously slew of old the illustrious king Jarasandha. Righteousness has today been abandoned by Yudhishthira and meanness only has been displayed by him in consequence of his having offered the Arghya to Krishna.

If the helpless sons of Kunti were affrighted and disposed to meanness, you, O Madhava, ought to have enlightened them as to your claims to the first worship?

Why also, O Janarddana, didst you accept the worship of which you are unworthy, although it was offered unto you by those mean-minded princes?

You think much of the worship unworthily offered unto you, like a dog that laps in solitude a quantity of clarified butter that it has obtained. O Janarddana, this is really no insult offered unto the monarchs; on the other hand it is you whom the Kurus have insulted. Indeed, O slayer of Madhu, as a wife is to one that is without virile power, as a fine show is to one that is blind, so is this royal worship to you who art no king.

What Yudhishthira is, has been seen; what Bhishma is, has been seen; and what this Vasudeva is has been seen. Indeed, all these have been seen as they are!"

"Having spoken these words, Sisupala rose from his excellent seat, and accompanied by the kings, went out of that assembly."