Shloka 4
Śiśupāla-vadha in the Rājasūya-sabhā (शिशुपालवधः — राजसूयसभायाम्)
येन धर्मात्मना5>त्मानं ब्रह्मण्यमविजानता । नेषितं पाद्यमस्मै तद् दातुमग्रे दुरात्मने
yena dharmātmanātmānaṁ brāhmaṇyam avijānātā | neṣitaṁ pādyam asmai tad dātum agre durātmane ||
قال شيشوبالا: «ذلك الذي يُزعم أنه بارٌّ بالدَّرْمَة، لم يعرف منزلتي كبراهمن، فامتنع منذ البدء عن تقديم ماء الطقس لغسل القدمين—وهو تكريمٌ واجبٌ لضيفٍ براهمن—فحجب عني ما كان ينبغي أن يُعطى.»
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the dharmic weight of atithi-satkāra (honoring a guest). Withholding customary honors like pādya is framed as a moral failing, while also showing how claims of dharma can be weaponized through social-status arguments.
Śiśupāla is criticizing an opponent as ‘dharmātmā’ only in name, alleging that he refused to offer him pādya—an honor due to a Brahmin guest—because he did not acknowledge Śiśupāla’s brahminical standing. Jarāsandha is referenced as the setting/context for this grievance.