Shloka 7
सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly
अथ वा वासुदेवो5पि प्रियकामो<नुवृत्तवान् । द्रपदे तिष्ठति कथं माधवो5हति पूजनम्,अथवा यह मान लिया जाय कि वासुदेव कृष्ण तुमलोगोंका प्रिय चाहनेवाला और तुम्हारा अनुसरण करनेवाला सुहृद् है, इसीलिये तुमने इसकी पूजा की है, तो यह भी ठीक नहीं है, क्योंकि तुम्हारे सबसे बड़े सुहृद् तो राजा ट्रुपद हैं। उनके रहते यह माधव पूजा पानेका अधिकारी कैसे हो सकता है। कुरुनन्दन! अथवा यह समझ लें कि तुम कृष्णको आचार्य मानते हो, फिर भी आचार्योमें भी बड़े-बूढ़े द्रोणाचार्यके रहते हुए इस यदुवंशीकी पूजा तुमने क्यों की है?
atha vā vāsudevo 'pi priyakāmo 'nuvṛttavān | drupade tiṣṭhati kathaṁ mādhavo 'rhati pūjanam ||
Śiśupāla said: “Or suppose Vāsudeva is indeed one who seeks your pleasure and follows your wishes—then even that does not justify this worship. For while King Drupada, your greatest well-wisher, is present, how can Mādhava be entitled to receive the foremost honor? And if you claim you regard Kṛṣṇa as an ācārya, then why honor this Yadu prince when elders among teachers—such as Droṇa—are still here?”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the dharmic idea of precedence in public honor: in assemblies, respect is expected to follow recognized hierarchies—seniority, benefaction, and established roles (friend, elder, teacher). Śiśupāla uses this norm to argue that honoring Kṛṣṇa over figures like Drupada (as chief ally) or Droṇa (as senior teacher) violates accepted protocol.
During Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya-related assembly, the question of who should receive the foremost honor becomes contentious. Śiśupāla publicly attacks the decision to honor Kṛṣṇa, offering alternative justifications (Kṛṣṇa as a pleasing follower or as an ācārya) and rejecting them by citing Drupada’s friendship and Droṇa’s seniority as reasons Kṛṣṇa should not receive the highest worship.