The Deliverance of Sisupala

In the seventy fourth chapter the brahmanas worship Krsna at the beginning of the sacrifice, Sisupala gets killed and Duryodhana’s pride is injured.

Hearing about the killing of Jarasandha and the power of Krsna , the king was pleased and spoke.

Even the leaders of the three worlds carry your orders on their heads.

That you (sa) accept the orders of us low persons is certainly a disgrace for us (atyanta vidambanam). People will mock us for making the supreme lord our order carrier.

But still, carrying out the orders of jives like us, you do not suffer any loss of position. That is expressed in this verse.

Because all of your forms are only the Lord, with similar quality, you are called one, eka. Because maya and the jivas are your saktis, there is nothing different from you. Therefore you are called advitiya, without a second. How then is it possible for you to lose your position. Moreover though you are all pervading (brahman) there is no reduction in your position. Being the controller of all jives as paramatma, you have no quality of being controlled like us jivas.”

Because of his humility Yudhisthira makes this statement. In fact Krsna is controlled by the devotee, but this is also not a decrease in position for the Lord. Rather this raises the lord’s position, because it reveals the profound mercy of the Lord, which is permanently residing in him. This is seen in such statements as darsayams tvad vidam loka atmano bhakta vasyatam. “You are like the sun, which shines on the house of the dog eater and also shines on the house of Brahma on Mount Meru without decrease of power.”

“You are thinking that it is not possible for me, the lord, to commit low activities. Why is it not possible?” Yudhisthira answers in this verse.

“O unconquerable on, your devotees do not have the false separatist material (vaikrti) intelligence of the ignorant (pasunam) thinking in terms of I and mine, you and yours such as “I am greatly learned, I am the best. I do not follow anyone’s order. Because you have no knowledge of scriptures you are a fool and should be servant of others.”

Your devotees have spiritual intelligence. What then to speak of yourself, the Lord.”

At the time proper for sacrifice, the beginning of spring time, Yduhisthira with Krsna’s permission appointed suitable brahmanas for the sacrifice.

Ploughing the sacrificial arena with a golden plough they purified it with various rituals, they then initiated Yudhisthira for ritual purification.

They were not astonished, for what is not possible for the devotee of Krsna?

Just as the devatas performed sacrifice at the rajasuya of Varuna, so the priests performed sacrifice for Yudhisthira.

On the day of extracting soma (sutye ahani) Yudhisthira worshiped the priests.

Among the assembled persons those in the assembly who were less intelligent could not decide who should be selected as the first to be worshipped because of yhe presence of many qualified persons. This however was not true of the highly intelligent persons such as Brahma, Vyasa and others. “Since we were not asked, how could we say? Sahadeva, who was well known for being wise in examining everything, is authorized for worship. If he does not speak or does not know what to say, even if not asked, we will say.” Considering in this way they remained silent.

Acyuta is most excellent, absolutely. However even relatively speaking then it goes without saying that he is supreme among all devatas, place, time and wealth.

Here he expands on his previous statement. He is the object (yat parah) of jnana ( sankhya) and astanga yoga.

He explains further his previous statement. He is one, all other forms of God being non different. He is advitiya : nothing is different from him, since he is one with everything (etad atmyam). This is because of the actions of his saktis: By himself as material sakti, prakrti, he creates, maintains and destroys. He is the ultimate shelter of all (atmasraya). O assembled persons, if you have differing opinions then present them, and I will settle them.

It is proper to worship him first because by his mercy all actions achieve their results by his mercy. On this earth (iha) by his mercy alone are austerities, yoga and other practices (vivvidha karmani) performed, and from him all people gain auspicious results such as dharma. Both the action and the result depend on him.

This principle applies not only to this time in this kingdom, but to all time and all places, as he is dwelling within all living beings and sees all equally.

“O Krsna you are eager to wash the feet of all the people assembled in my palace. But the eager kings is inviting you in order to wash your feet, as you are worthy of worship by all including Brahma and Siva. Please quickly go there.” Messengers informed Krsna in this way and brought him, and then Yudhisthira worshipped him elaborately. Krsna, though protesting this worship, being irritated in an affectionate way, was attractive to all.

Here was the intention of Sisupala in speaking after the worship was over instead of speaking before the worship. “If I object before the worship and supply many reasons why Krsna is inelegilbe for the worship, I certainly cannot be defeated in argument. The assembly, hearing my points, will then not worship Krsna and select someone else for the worship who is qualified. Then the sacrifice will proceed properly. But I want to stop

the sacrifice. So I will remain silent now, After he is worshipped I will establish his lack of qualification. It is said that if one worships who is not qualified then it is a violation for the worshipped person. Where there is such violation then all auspiciousness is prevented. This is the statement of scripture. I will then announce that the sacrifice of Yudhisthira is destroyed. Departing with my associates, many kings, learned brahmanas, and his relatives like Duryodhana, and laughing, my desire will be fulfilled.”

32.”O leaders of the assembly, do not accept the words of a child by which Krsna was selected as the first worshipped.” However another meaning by the skill of Sarasvati is “Duryodhana and other members of the opposition, do not regard these as a child’s words. They are actually the words of the veda.”

Sisupala used words to praise the members of the assembly in order to please them, and then establish his own idea. He calls Krsna a polluter of the dynasty because he killed his uncle Kamsa. However there is another meaning. Ku lapa means those who criticize or offend. Amsayati means he kills. Therefore kulapamsanah means one who kills those who speak ill words. He says Krsna is like a crow (kaka). However another meaning is: yatha akakah he is without (a) happiness (ka) or distress (aka), transcendental to all material dualities. Being in such a position how does he deserve the same sacrificial offerings as Indra and others? More than that, you should offer your soul.

Varnasrama kula apetah: The superficial means is : he is a person who has transgressed (apeta) varna, asrama and kula. The other meaning is : he is a person who has accepted the position of son (itah) for Vasudeva and others who exactly accepted ( a pa) varna, asrama and kula. He is devoid of all dharma and moves independently. The other meaning is: because he is the supreme lord, he is beyond all the gunas such as sattva (dharma), because he is the form of suddha sattva. How can such a person deserve just the first worship? He is deserving of complete surrender by all.

The dysnasty was cursed by Yayati and ostracized by the saintly persons. The other meaning is : the dynasty was cursed by Yayait but then reinstated by saintly persons. Therefore Kartavirya arjuna and others became emperors. He is engaged in whimsically drinking liquor (vrtha pana ratah). The other meanings is: he is engaged in protecting the earth. Therefore how does he deserve this worthless (vrtha) worship. However, by accepting it he makes it successful

These dacoit Yadavas without the luster of Brahman, have taken shelter of Dvaraka, a fort in the ocean and imprisoned the citizens there.

The other meaning is : Leaving the land of Mathura, served by the brahmarsis, because it did not have protection, they took shelter of Dvaraka in the ocean which is effulgent with Brahman, with a fort, and they surpress the unlawful persons, such as Sisupala who have been born (ja) with great power ( pra).

As a lion hears the howling of the jackal (siva arutam), Krsna listened to Sisupala without replying. The other meaning is “As nrsimha deva hears the praises spoken by Siva and remains silent because there was no comparable auspicious reply, Krsna remained silent hearing those praises (unintended of course) from Sisupala.”

The assembly shouted at Sisupala, “Oh Sisupala, you should immediately die.” They then left the hall.

This verse gives scriptural support for their leaving the hall.

The sons of Pandu, Bhima and others, becoming angry, suddenly sprang to their feet.

Then the Lord stood up. This was his intention: “If I remain silent, then they will fight amongst each other and fill the sacrificial arena with blood. Even if I mount my chariot and with troops engage in combat with him, the place will be soaked with blood. Either way, the sacrifice of my dearmost Yudhisthira will be destroyed. Reconciliation at this point is too difficult. Therefore this must be done.” Deciding this, he at that moment rose and cut off Sisupala’ss head, in such a way that even a drop of blood did not fall on the sacrificial arena.

The spiritual body being eternal, in the form of light, (like a comet falling from the sky) Sisupala rose up to Vaikuntha. He therefore merged into Krsna, within whom the Lord of Vaikuntha had merged. He remained inside Krsna at the side of his Lord of Vaikuntha. At the end of Krsna’s earthly pastimes at Prabhasa ksetra, he would go to Vaikuntha along with his lord the master of Vaikuntha. The popular view however is that Sisupala attained sayujya with Krsna at the rajasuya sacrifice.

By absorbing his thoughts in enmity to the Lord for three births, he attained a similar form as the Lord. That means that he again attained his position as an associate of the Lord. The reason is given: thoughts (bhava) are the cause of attainment (bhavasya karanam) of the next body. (bhu =bhava means attainment).

It is said, “vairanubandha tivrena dhyanenacyuta satmatam nitau punar hareh parsvam jagmutur visnu parsvadau.

These two associates of Lord Visnu—Jaya and Vijaya—maintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Krsna in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead. 7.1.47

Krsna is the lord of all lords of yoga such as Siva (yogesvaresvara). Out of great love for Yudisthira however, he became the servant and carried out the desires of Yudhisthira. He personally bore all the burdens for the sacrifice.

He who glorifies the activities of Visnu, the killing of Sisupala, the release of the kings and the sacrifice (vitanam) will be freed of all sins.