Section Xl

’sisupala said,—

'Old and infamous wretch of your race, art you not ashamed of affrighting all these monarchs with these numerous false terrors!

You are the foremost of the Kurus, and living as you dost in the third state (celibacy) it is but fit for you that you should give such counsel that is so wide of morality. Like a boat tied to another boat or the blind following the blind, are the Kurus who have you for their guide.

You have once more simply pained our hearts by reciting particularly the deeds of this one (Krishna), such as the slaying of Putana and others. Arrogant and ignorant as you are, and desirous of praising Kesava, why does not this tongue of thine split up into a hundred parts?

How dost you, superior as you are in knowledge, desire to praise that cow-boy in respect of whom even men of little intelligence may address invectives?

If Krishna in his infancy slew a vulture, what is there remarkable in that, or in that other feat of his, O Bhishma, viz., in his slaughter of Asva and Vrishava, both of whom were unskilled in battle? If this one threw drown by a kick an inanimate piece of wood, viz., a car, what is there, O Bhishma, wonderful in that?

O Bhishma, what is there remarkable in this one’s having supported for a week the Govardhan mount which is like an anthill?

'While sporting on the top of a mountain this one ate a large quantity of food,'

—hearing these words of thine many have wondered exceedingly.

But, O you who art conversant with the rules of morality, is not this still more wrongful that that great person, viz., Kansa, whose food this one ate, has been slain by him?

You infamous one of the Kuru race, you are ignorant of the rules of morality. Hast you not ever heard, from wise men speaking unto you, what I would now tell you?

The virtuous and the wise always instruct the honest that weapons must never be made to descend upon women and kine and Brahmanas and upon those whose food has been taken, as also upon those whose shelter has been enjoyed. It seems, O Bhishma, that all these teachings has been thrown away by you.

O infamous one of the Kuru race, desiring to praise Kesava, you describest him before me as great and superior in knowledge and in age, as if I knew nothing.

If at your word, O Bhishma, one that has slain women (meaning Putana) and kine be worshipped, then what is to become of this great lesson?

How can one who is such, deserve praise, O Bhishma?

'This one is the foremost of all wise men,—

'This one is the lord of the universe'

—hearing these words of thine, Janarddana believes that these are all true. But surely, they are all false. The verses that a chanter sings, even if he sings them often, produce no impression on him.

And every creature acts according to his disposition, even like the bird Bhulinga (that picks the particles of flesh from between the lion’s teeth, though preaching against rashness). Assuredly your disposition is very mean. There is not the least doubt about it.

And so also, it seems, that the sons of Pandu who regard Krishna as deserving of worship and who have you for their guide, are possessed of a sinful disposition. Possessing a knowledge of virtue, you have fallen off from the path of the wise. Therefore you are sinful.

Who, O Bhishma, knowing himself to be virtuous and superior in knowledge, will so act as you have done from motives of virtue? If you knowest the ways of the morality, if your mind is guided by wisdom, blessed be you.

Why then, O Bhishma, was that virtuous girl Amva, who had set her heart upon another, carried off by you, so proud of wisdom and virtue?

Your brother Vicitravirya conformably to the ways of the honest and the virtuous, knowing that girl’s condition, did not marry her though brought by you. Boasting as you dost of virtue, in your very sight, upon the widow of your brother were sons begotten by another according to the ways of the honest.

Where is your virtue, O Bhishma? This your celebacy, which you leadest either from ignorance or from impotence, is fruitless. O you who art conversant with virtue, I do not behold your well-being.

You who expoundest morality in this way dost not seem to have ever waited upon the old. Worship, gift, study,—sacrifices distinguished by large gifts to the Brahmanas,—these all equal not in merit even one-sixteenth part of that which is obtainable by the possession of a son. The merit, O Bhishma, that is acquired by numberless vows and fasts assuredly becomes fruitless in the case of one that is childless.

You are childless and old and the expounder of false morality. Like the swan in the story, you shalt now die at the hands of your relatives. Other men possessed of knowledge have said this of old. I will presently recite it fully in your hearing.

"There lived of yore an old swan on the sea-coast. Ever speaking of morality, but otherwise in his conduct, he used to instruct the feathery tribe. Practise you virtue and forego sin,—these were the words that other truthful birds, O Bhishma, constantly heard him utter And the other oviparous creatures ranging the sea, it has been heard by us, O Bhishma use for virtue’s sake to bring him food.

And, O Bhishma, all those other birds, keeping their eggs, with him, ranged and dived in the waters of the sea. And the sinful old swan, attentive to his own pursuits, used to eat up the eggs of all those birds that foolishly trusted in him.

After a while when the eggs were decreasing in number, a bird of great wisdom had his suspicions roused and he even witnessed (the affair) one day. And having witnessed the sinful act of the old swan, that bird in great sorrow spoke unto all the other birds. Then, O you best of the Kurus, all those birds witnessing with their own eyes the act of the old swan, approached that wretch of false conduct and slew him.

"Your behaviour, O Bhishma, is even like that of the old swan. These lords of earth might slay you in anger like those creatures of the feathery tribe slaying the old swan. Persons conversant with the Puranas recite a proverb, O Bhishma, as regards this occurrence, I shall, O Bharata, repeat it to you fully.

It is even this: O you that supportest thyself on your wings, though your heart is affected (by the passions), you preachest yet (of virtue); but this your sinful act of eating up the eggs transgresses your speech!"