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
atha vā vāsudevo 'pi priyakāmo 'nuvṛttavān | drupade tiṣṭhati kathaṁ mādhavo 'rhati pūjanam ||
Śiśupāla dijo: «O supongamos que Vāsudeva, en efecto, busca complaceros y se amolda a vuestra voluntad: ni aun eso justifica este culto. Pues mientras el rey Drupada, vuestro mayor bienhechor, está presente, ¿cómo puede Mādhava tener derecho al honor supremo? Y si afirmáis que tenéis a Kṛṣṇa por ācārya, ¿por qué honráis a este príncipe yadu cuando aún están aquí maestros ancianos, como Droṇa?»
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.