Yadhavabhyudhaya-chapter15 continued-Sisupalavadham

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Rajasuyayaga and the agrapuja of krishna

 

Krishna went to Indhraprastha accepting the invitation of Yudhishtira for the rajasuya yaga. Desika says that the Lord who is worshipped even by the devas disguised Himself as a yadhava and hence all except those who knw Him treated him with disrespect and added to this Krishna showed his soulabhya in undertaking the duty of washing the feet of the Brahmins.

 

Then at the time of agrapuja, the ritual of first honour, Sahadeva announce his intention to do agrapuja to Krishna thus:

 

Avadhath cha tham etham agragaNyam

vibuDhAnAm pitharam pathim gurm cha

harim archithum archyamudhyathAh smah

thath aSeshaih anmanyathAm suDheebhih

 

He is Lord Vishnu Himself,known through the Vedas, the first and foremost of all devas and the father, Lord and acharya of all. Hence we have come forward to worship Him fi that st. Let this be permitted by the wise of this assembly.

 

Desika says that there was a shower of flowers, accompanied by the buzzing of bees that came with them, on the head of Sahadeva indicating that the devas will honour the one who worships Hari.

 

All have agreed except Sisupla who got angry and insulted the pandavas and udhidhtira in particular for doing puja for a cowherd, ignoring Bheeshma and others.

He also started abusing Krishna, saying that he was a juggler, pretending as Vishnu wearing conch and the disc, and a coward who ran from Kalayavana etc.

 

Bheeshma tried to pacify him with good words. He said that to worship someone else when the one who bestows all benefits including moksha is nearby, is like discarding kousthubha for red stones. Propitiating Kishna will bring all purusharthas including moksha and abusing him will result only in residence in hell. Bheeshma also reminded Sisupala that when Krishna came to his house when he was born his third eye and two extra arms vanished and hence he is inviting his own destruction.

 

Sisupala was the son of sister of Vasudeva and when he was born a celestial voice told his mother that when the person who will cause hid death come b near him the extra two arms and eye will vanish. This happened when Krishna came there and the mother of Sisupala requested Krishna to bear with her son till he hurls 100 abuses at Krishna. Hat is what Bheeshma refers to here and cautions Sisupala not to abuse Krishna.

 

Bheeshma further said that there are so many in the assembly who knew the meaning of the Vedas and they are being disgraced by the words of Sisupala and censure him. Bheeshma admonishing Sisupala said that if he did not listen to the words which were uttered for his own benefit he could as well consider himself gone with final ablution performed in respect of him.

 

Then Bheeshma addressed the assembly of kings and sages extolling Krishna.

 

viDhihastha DhrthAth yadhanghri padhmAth

chyavamAnA pavan mAna veganeetha

vipunAthi jaganthi dhivyasinDhuh

kramathe hantha thadharchane vivAdDhah

 

To debate on worshipping Him, from whose feet, grasped by Brahma, the divine Ganga flows and carried by the wind purifies all the worlds, is really distressing and Sisupala is like an animal that is going to be sacrificed in the battle that is to be but he can be excused if he thinks that Krishna, whom devas worship should not be worshipped by humans. But hehad been abusing Krishna and hence he is going to be the fuel to he hell-fire, because he had already crossed the limit of 100 insults which Krishna promised his mother to tolerate.

 

Then Sisupal got furious and insulted Bheeshma also. All those assembled were shocke and the yadhavas though flared up kept their silence seeing the face of Krishna which showed no anger. Bhima rose to attack Sisupala but Bheeshma restrained him saying that Sisupala is to be killed by Krishna only and Bhima should not incur the blame of attacking one of his guests.

 

Bheeshma told everyone to allow the agrapuja of Krishna and Narada who was there praised him and sang the glory of Krishna, playing his veena and dancing accordingly. Desika says that the song of Narada was same as the udhgita of the rthviks in the yaga. (udhgita is the singing of SAma hymns)

 

The four slokas that follow are the same as those in Gopalavimsathi.

 

vrajyoshidhapaangaveDHaneeyam madhuraabhaagyam ananyabhogyameede

vasudevavadhoosthanandhayam thath kimapi brahma kishorabhaava dhrsyam-(Gopalavimsati-6)

 

I worship that Brahman, who appears as a child of Vasudeva and Devaki , who is pierced by the glances of the gopis ( like arrows) and who is the fortune of the kingdom of Madhura and is the delight of His ardent devotees.

 

nikateshu nisaamayaami nithyam nigamaantharairadhunaapi mrgyamaanam

yamalaarjuna dhrshtabaalakelim yamunaasaakshikayouvanam kumaaram

(Gopalavimsathi-8)

Let me observe everywhere near me, Him, who is inquired by the vedas even now and eternal, whose childhood sport is witnessed by the twin trees and whose boyhood is wirnessed by the river Yamuna.

 

Padhaveem adhaveeyaseem vimukthEh ataveesampadham ambuvAhayantheem

aruNADHara sAbilAshavamsAm karuNAm kAraNa mAnusheem bajAmi

(Gopalavimsathi-9)

 

 

I worship HIm, who is the cause of the world and the personification of mercy in human form, thus a shortcut to salvation, who is the rainbearing cloud to Brindavan forest and holds the flute, which looks eager to be near His red lips.

 

adharaahitha chaaruvamsanaaLaah makutaalambhimayoorapicchamaalaah

harineelasilaavibhangaleelaah prathibhaah mamaanthimaprayaaNe santhu

(Gopalavimsathi-12)

 

May the appearance of the flute applied to the lowerlips, of the garland of peacock feathers at his crown, of the lustre resembling that of sapphire blue always be in front of me when I start on my last journey.

 

Narada concluded his eulogy with the words `Krathurathra samarpithah krthArThah,' the yaga has become fruitful by this act.

 

The death of Sisupala

 

Then Sahadeva,who was respected by those who had the knowledge of the Vedas, performed the worship of Krishna. Sisupala continued to abuse everyone including Bheeshma. Desika describes his anger and outburst in detil and says that it was like the drumbeat signifying his own end. He was looking like the Sun in eclipse over powered with thamas(ignorance and delusion) which was like Rahu. Then Sisupala challenged the yadhavas for battle and went out. Krishna gave sanction for the Pandavas to conduct the yaga and followed Sisupala with his army and a battle ensued between the supporters of Sisupala and the yadhavas.

 

Sisupala went towards Krishna like a moth towards a fire. Desika says both devas and the friends of Sisupala were watching with anguish, the former anxious for his death and the latter out of fear.

Desika describes Sisupala attacking Krishna thus:

 

madhalupthaDhiyA thadhA abhiyukthah

yadhusimhah sisupAlakunjareNa

vijahAra guhASayah tharasvee

nikhilAraNyaka nirvighAthavrtthih

 

The foolish elephant, SisupAla ataacked the Lion of Yadhus, who is in his cave, strong and wanders among the animals of the forest unchallenged. The Lord is in the cave of the heart, and has free movement among the Upanishads called Aranyakas. There is pun on the word `AraNyaka,' which means wild animals as well as Upanishads.

 

Desika describes the battle as `athirAghavarAvaNam,' excelling even that between Rama and Ravana, to indicate its fierceness. Here we see the kavithArkika kesari comparing the battle to vAdfhaprathivAdha, debate between two opponents, who desirous of winning each other, make use of all their arguments like weapons. It created wonder and satisfaction among the kings who were witnessing the fight as the humans and devas get satisfaction from a sacrifice. The word `naradeva' is used to denote the kings which can also be construed as nara+deva, men and devas.

 

Sisupala, the moon, lost his luster gradually by coming closer to Krishna, the Sun but on the part of Krishna, krishnapaksha, there was no decrease. The light of the moon coming nearer and nearerthe Sun is reduced until it unites with the Sun causing Amavasya. The implication is that Sisupala was going to merge with the Lord, that being his last janma of the three.

 

Then Krishna cut offthe head of Sisupala wo ith Hids sudarsanachara, and a light arose from the body of Sisupal and merged with Krishna.