In the previous episode, we had witnessed Sishupaala “spoiling the party” at the Raaja-Suya Yaaga, wherein he was the only person to oppose the “Agra-Puja” being offered to Bhagawan Krishna. He had a huge enmity against Bhagawan Krishna right from childhood days, which only fuelled up when Bhagawan Krishna “abducted” Rukmini Devi from Sishupaala just before he was about to marry her. Thus, Sishupaala was all in anger and frustration since then and he was waiting for an apt time to pour out his anger. As Sishupaala learnt that Bhagawan Krishna was present at Yudishtra’s Raaja-Suya Yaaga, he made his way to Indraprastha, waited for the right opportunity and started ranting about Bhagawan Krishna amidst the huge gathering. He poured insult after insult on Bhagawan Krishna, as the entire audience was stunned to bits! The “Agra-Puja” came to a brief halt as Sishupaala continued with his ranting. Sishupaala outlined to the gathering as to how Bhagawan Krishna was a “thief” and a “cheater” right from his childhood till date!
Many of us might be knowing this – Sishupaala was not just Bhagawan Krishna’s enemy in this particular birth. He had enmity with Bhagawan for three consecutive births! During the Krita-Yuga, he was in the forms of “Hiranyaaksha” and “Hiranyakashibu” who were Raakshasas opposing Bhagawan Vishnu. In the previous Tretha-Yuga, he was none other than “Ravana” and “Kumbakarna ”, who were opposed to Bhagawan when He incarnated as Bhagawan Rama. In the Dvaapara-Yuga it’s again Sishupaala and Dantavaktra, who are opposing Bhagawan Krishna! Thus, this duo were none other than Bhagawan Vishnu’s security guards at Vaikunta, namely Jaya and Vijaya. It is because of Sage Sanaka’s curse that these two were taking three births in the world as human beings (Raakshasas) and Bhagawan would liberate them back to Vaikunta during three different incarnations at three different Yugas. Now it is turn for Bhagawan Krishna to liberate Sishupaala, who was a Raakshasa in this birth, but was an ardent Vishnu devotee at Vaikunta. Readers must understand this point very clearly.
As Sishupaala rants thus, he quickly gets up and rushes out of the Indraprastha palace with great fury and frustration. Upon seeing Sishupaala rushing away with anger, Yudishtra was highly disturbed. He was only intending to satisfy all the people who marked their presence for the “Raaja-Suya Yaaga”, however, there was one person who was dissatisfied. Upon seeing this, Yudishtra rushed behind Sishupaala and stopped him at the end of the courtroom. Yudishtra replies thus, “Oh Sishupaala! We have extremely high regards for you and that is why we invited you for this Yaaga. However, just because you might have some enmity with Bhagawan Krishna, please do not scold Him in public like this. As a king, I feel that this is not a fair act from your end. If you have enmity, you should keep it outside of this purview and not during an auspicious occasion like this. If there are any shortfalls from my end in terms of hospitality, etc. here at Indraprastha, I seek your forgiveness and apology on behalf of all my brothers!” As Yudishtra explains politely thus, Bhishmaachaarya intervenes. Bhishmaachaarya was equally angry on Sishupaala’s behavior, and replies to Yudishtra thus, “Oh Yudishtra! Why do you want to waste your time and effort in convincing a person who doesn’t understand what you’re saying? All of us know who Bhagawan Krishna is. If he doesn’t want to know of Bhagawan Krishna, it is his problem and not yours! Moreover, it is not good on your part to run behind such crooks and seek apologies! Hence, please come back and let us continue with the proceedings of the Yaaga!”
With this argument raging and Sishupaala’s walking out, chaos starts reigning amidst the audience! So for today, let us understand up to this point and in the next episode, we shall witness how this chaos came to a halt! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 