MYSTERY SURROUNDING SHISHUPAALA'S BIRTH

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > SHISHUPAALA VADHA PARVA > CHAPTER 42 - MYSTERY SURROUNDING SHISHUPAALA'S BIRTH

“Bhishma said, ‘This Shishupaala was born in the line of the king of Chedi with three eyes and four hands. As soon as he was born, he screamed and brayed like a donkey. On that account, his father and mother along with their relatives, were struck with fear. Looking these extraordinary omens, his parents decided to abandon him. But a non-physical voice (from the sky), about this time, said to the king and his wife with their ministers and Purohitas, all with hearts paralysed by anxiety, those words, ‘This your son, O king, that has been born will become both fortunate and superior in strength. Therefore, you have no fear from him. Indeed, cherish the child without anxiety. He will not die (in childhood). His time has not yet come. He that will slay him with weapons has also been born.’

“Hearing these words, the mother, made anxious by affection for her son, addressed the invisible Being and said, ‘I bow with joined hands to him that has uttered these words respecting my son; whether he be a noble divinity or any other being, let him tell me another word, I desire to hear who will be the slayer of this my son.’

“The invisible Being then said, ‘He upon whose lap this child being placed the excess arms of his will fall down upon the ground like a pair of five-headed snakes, and at the sight of whom his third eye on the forehead will disappear, will be his slayer.’

“Hearing of the child’s three eyes and four arms as also of the words of the invisible Being, all the kings of the earth went to Chedi to see him. The king of Chedi worshipping, as each deserved, the monarchs that came, gave his child upon their laps one after another. Though the child was placed upon the laps of a thousand kings, one after another, yet that which the non-physical voice had said came not to pass.

“Having heard of all this at Dwaravati (present-day Dwaraka, Gujarat, India), the mighty Yaadavaa heroes Sankarshana (Balarama) and Janaarddana (Sri Krishna) also went to the capital of the Chedis, to see their father’s sister – that daughter of the Yaadavaas (the queen of Chedi). Saluting everybody according to the rank and the king and queen also, and enquiring after every body’s welfare, both (Bala)Rama and Keshava (Sri Krishna) took their seats. After those heroes (Veera in Sanskrit) had been worshipped, the queen with great pleasure herself placed the child on the lap of Daamodara (Sri Krishna). As soon as the child was placed on His lap, those surplus arms of his fell down and the eye on his forehead also disappeared. Seeing this, the queen in alarm and anxiety begged of (Sri) Krishna a boon.

“She said, ‘O mighty-armed (Sri) Krishna, I am pained with fear; grant me a boon. You are the assurer of all afflicted ones and that the remover of everybody’s fear.’ Thus addressed by her, (Sri) Krishna, that Yaadavaa, said ‘Fear not, O respected one. You are familiar with Dharma. You need not be afraid from me. What boon shall I give you? What shall I do, O aunt? Whether able or not, I shall do your bidding.’ Thus, spoken to by (Sri) Krishna, the queen said, ‘O You of great strength, You will have to pardon the offences of Shishupaala for my sake. O tiger of the Yadu race, know, O lord, this is the boon that I ask.’

“(Sri) Krishna then said, ‘O aunt, even when he will deserve to be slain, I will forgive a hundred offences of his. You grieve not.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘Thus, O Bhima, is this wretch of a king – Shishupaala of wicked heart, who, proud of the boon granted by Govinda (Sri Krishna), summons you to battle!’”