Shloka 8
सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly
आचार्य मन्यसे कृष्णमथ वा कुरुनन्दन । द्रोणे तिष्ठति वाष्णेयं कस्मादर्चितवानसि
ācārya manyase kṛṣṇam atha vā kurunandana | droṇe tiṣṭhati vāṣṇeyaṃ kasmād arcitavān asi ||
Śiśupāla dijo: «¡Oh Kurunandana! ¿Consideras a Kṛṣṇa tu maestro? O, si afirmas que debe ser honrado aun cuando Droṇa permanece entre los preceptores, ¿por qué has rendido culto a este Vāṣṇeya? Al honrar a Kṛṣṇa en esta asamblea real, has dejado de lado el orden de precedencia establecido—un acto que, a juicio de Śiśupāla, quebranta el decoro ético por el cual primero deben ser respetados los mayores y los maestros reconocidos».
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the dharmic idea of social and ethical precedence: in public rites and assemblies, honor is expected to follow recognized hierarchies—especially toward elders and established teachers. Śiśupāla weaponizes this norm to argue that honoring Kṛṣṇa over Droṇa is improper, illustrating how dharma-language can be used both to uphold order and to attack rivals.
During Yudhiṣṭhira’s great royal rite and assembly, Kṛṣṇa is offered special honor. Śiśupāla objects and challenges the legitimacy of that honor, asking why Kṛṣṇa is treated as an ācārya or worthy of worship when eminent figures like Droṇa are present.