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 ||
Śiśupāla said: “That so-called righteous man, not recognizing my brahminical status, refused at the outset to offer me the ceremonial water for washing the feet—an honor due to a Brahmin guest—thus withholding from me what should have been given.”
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.