Shloka 3
Rājasūya: Agrapūjā for Kṛṣṇa and the Slaying (and Liberation) of Śiśupāla
स भवानरविन्दाक्षो दीनानामीशमानिनाम् । धत्तेऽनुशासनं भूमंस्तदत्यन्तविडम्बनम् ॥ ३ ॥
sa bhavān aravindākṣo dīnānām īśa-māninām dhatte ’nuśāsanaṁ bhūmaṁs tad atyanta-viḍambanam
O lotus-eyed Supreme Lord, that You accept the orders of wretched fools who fancy themselves rulers, O all-pervading one, is a most profound pretense within Your divine līlā.
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “[Yudhiṣṭhira said,] ‘O Kṛṣṇa, You are unlimited, and although we sometimes think of ourselves as royal kings and rulers of the world and become puffed up over our paltry positions, we are very poor in heart. Actually, we are fit to be punished by You, but the wonder is that instead of punishing us, You so kindly and mercifully accept our orders and carry them out properly. Others are very surprised that Your Lordship can play the part of an ordinary human, but we can understand that You are performing these activities just like a dramatic artist.’”
FAQs
This verse highlights the paradox of Kṛṣṇa’s līlā: though supreme, He willingly accepts subordinate roles before worldly rulers, revealing His humility and freedom, not dependence.
During Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya, Śiśupāla criticized Kṛṣṇa’s honor and portrayed His humble roles (like envoy and helper) as weakness—an expression of envy and false pride.
It cautions against mistaking humility for inferiority and warns that ego can misread virtue; spiritually, it encourages honoring selfless service and recognizing divinity beyond social status.