Shloka 36
Rājasūya: Agrapūjā for Kṛṣṇa and the Slaying (and Liberation) of Śiśupāla
ययातिनैषां हि कुलं शप्तं सद्भिर्बहिष्कृतम् । वृथापानरतं शश्वत् सपर्यां कथमर्हति ॥ ३६ ॥
yayātinaiṣāṁ hi kulaṁ śaptaṁ sadbhir bahiṣ-kṛtam vṛthā-pāna-rataṁ śaśvat saparyāṁ katham arhati
Yayāti cursed the lineage of these Yādavas; ever since, the righteous have cast them out, and they remain perpetually addicted to drink. How, then, could Śrī Kṛṣṇa be worthy of worship?
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī gives the inner meaning of the words of Śiśupāla to show how he continued unintentionally glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa and His Yadu dynasty: “Even though the Yadus were cursed by Yayāti, they have been relieved [ bahis-kṛtam ] of this curse by great saints, and consequently they have been raised to a position of royal sovereignty by such persons as Kārtavīrya. Thus they have become absorbed in pāna, protecting the earth. Considering all this, how does Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadus, deserve useless [ vṛthā ] worship? Rather, He deserves opulent worship.”
FAQs
This verse shows Śiśupāla arguing—wrongly and offensively—that birthline and conduct determine worthiness for honor, denying Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s supreme position despite His being chosen for worship.
Out of envy and hostility, Śiśupāla tried to disqualify Kṛṣṇa by attacking the Yadu line as “cursed” and “rejected,” attempting to sway the Rājasūya assembly against offering Him the foremost honor.
Avoid judging spiritual worth through rumor, lineage, or prejudice; instead cultivate humility and recognize genuine virtue—because envy-driven speech becomes self-destructive, like Śiśupāla’s offenses.