SECTION XLII
"Bhishma said,--This Sisupala was born in the line of the king of Chedi
with three eyes and four hands. As soon as he was born, he screamed and
brayed like an ass. On that account, his father and mother along with
their relatives, were struck with fear. And beholding these extraordinary
omens, his parents resolved to abandon him. But an incorporeal voice,
about this time, said unto the king and his wife with their ministers and
priest, all with hearts paralysed by anxiety, those words,--'This thy
son, O king, that hath been born will become both fortunate and superior
in strength. Therefore you hast no fear from him. Indeed cherish the
child without anxiety. He will not die (in childhood). His time is not
yet come. He that will slay him with weapons hath also been born.'
Hearing these words, the mother, rendered anxious by affection for her
son, addressed the invisible Being and said,--I bow with joined hands
unto him that hath uttered these words respecting my son; whether he be
an exalted divinity or any other being, let him tell me another word, I
desire to hear who will be the slayer of this my son. The invisible Being
then said,--'He upon whose lap this child being placed the superfluous
arms of his will fall down upon the ground like a pair of five-headed
snakes, and at the sight of whom his third eye on the forehead will
disappear, will be his slayer?' Hearing of the child's three eyes and
four arms as also of the words of the invisible Being, all the kings of
the earth went to Chedi to behold him. The king of Chedi worshipping, as
each deserved, the monarchs that came, gave his child upon their laps one
after another. And though the child was placed upon the laps of a
thousand kings, one after another, yet that which the incorporeal voice
had said came not to pass. And having heard of all this at Dwaravati, the
mighty Yadava heroes Sankarshana and Janarddana also went to the capital
of the Chedis, to see their father's sister--that daughter of the Yadavas
(the queen of Chedi) And saluting everybody according to his rank and the
king and queen also, and enquiring after every body's welfare, both Rama
and Kesava took their seats. And after those heroes had been worshipped,
the queen with great pleasure herself placed the child on the lap of
Damodara. As soon as the child was placed on his lap, those superfluous
arms of his fell down and the eye on his forehead also disappeared. And
beholding this, the queen in alarm and anxiety begged of Krishna a boon.
And she said,--'O mighty-armed Krishna, I am afflicted with fear; grant
me a boon. Thou are the assurer of all afflicted ones and that the
dispeller of everybody's fear. Thus addressed by her. Krishna, that son
of the Yadu race, said--'Fear not, O respected one. Thou are acquainted
with morality. Thou needest have no fear from me. What boon shall I give
thee? What shall I do, O aunt? Whether able or not, I shall do thy
bidding.'--Thus spoken to by Krishna, the queen said, 'O you of great
strength, you wilt have to pardon the offences of Sisupala for my sake.
O tiger of the Yadu race. Know O lord, even this is the boon that I ask.'
Krishna then said, 'O aunt, even when he will deserve to be slain, I will
pardon an hundred offences of his. Grieve you not.'
"Bhishma continued,--'Even thus, O Bhima, is this wretch of a
king--Sisupala of wicked heart, who, proud of the boon granted by
Govinda, summons you to battle!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 42 ---------------------
