Shloka 20
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
येषामर्च्यतम: कृष्णस्त्वं च येषां प्रदर्शक: । धर्मवांस्त्वमधर्मज्ञ: सतां मार्गादवप्लुत:
yeṣām arcyatamaḥ kṛṣṇas tvaṃ ca yeṣāṃ pradarśakaḥ | dharmavāṃs tvam adharmājñaḥ satāṃ mārgād avaplutaḥ ||
“Bagi mereka yang menjadikan Kṛṣṇa sebagai yang paling layak disembah—dan yang mengangkat engkau, yang telah tersasar dari jalan orang benar, sebagai penunjuk arah—bagaimana mungkin tidak jadi begini? Engkau dipamerkan sebagai ‘berbudi’ walhal engkau jahil tentang adharma; engkau telah tergelincir dari jalan yang ditempuh orang baik.”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse dramatizes how claims of moral authority can be weaponized: Śiśupāla attacks the legitimacy of honoring Kṛṣṇa by portraying the ‘guide’ (the addressee) as one who has deviated from the path of the good. Ethically, it highlights the contested nature of dharma in public life—who is deemed worthy of worship and who is accepted as a moral exemplar.
In the royal assembly during Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya context, Śiśupāla delivers a hostile speech objecting to the special honor shown to Kṛṣṇa. Here he mocks the assembly’s judgment, insinuating that those who revere Kṛṣṇa must also accept a misguided ‘teacher’ and thus have strayed from the righteous path.