Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच चेदिराजकुले जातस्त्र्यक्ष एष चतुर्भुजः रासभारावसदृशं रुराव च ननाद च
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said This Shishupala was born with three eyes and four hands in the dynasty of the kings of Chedi. As soon as he was born, he screamed and brayed like an ass.
तेनास्य मातापितरौ त्रेसतुस्तौ सबान्धवौ वैकृतं तच्च तौ दृष्ट्वा त्यागाय कुरुतां मतिम्
M. N. Dutt: His father and mother along with all their relatives were struck with fear (on seeing this fearful phenomenon). seeing these evil omens, they resolved to abandon him.
ततः सभार्यं नृपतिं सामात्यं सपुरोहितम् चिन्तासंमूढहृदयं वागुवाचाशरीरिणी
M. N. Dutt: But at that time an invisible voice (thus) said to the king and his wife with their ministers and priest, all of whose hearts were paralysed by anxiety.
एष ते नृपते पुत्रः श्रीमाञ्जातो महाबलः तस्मादस्मान्न भेतव्यमव्यग्रः पाहि वै शिशुम्
M. N. Dutt: The Voice said. O king, this your son, who has been (just) born, will become fortunate and superior in strength. Therefore you have no fear from him. Cherish this child without (any) anxiety.
न चैवैतस्य मृत्युस्त्वं न कालः प्रत्युपस्थितः मृत्युर्हन्तास्य शस्त्रेण स चोत्पन्नो नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: O king, he will not die. His time is not yet come. He that will kill him with weapons has also been born.
संश्रुत्योदाहृतं वाक्यं भूतमन्तर्हितं ततः पुत्रस्नेहाभिसंतप्ता जननी वाक्यमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said. Having heard these words, the mother becoming anxious by affection for her son, spoke thus to the invisible being.
येनेदमीरितं वाक्यं ममैव तनयं प्रति प्राञ्जलिस्तं नमस्यामि ब्रवीतु स पुनर्वचः
AI Translation: To him who has uttered this speech on behalf of my son, I bow with folded hands and ask him to speak again.
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.7 After 7, N ins.: *380 याथातथ्येन भगवान्देवो वा यदि वेतरः On the other hand, S ins. (Cv glosses) after 7: *381 महद्बलं महद्भूतमित्युक्त्वा पुनरुत्तरम्
श्रोतुमिच्छामि पुत्रस्य कोऽस्य मृत्युर्भविष्यति अन्तर्हितं ततो भूतमुवाचेदं पुनर्वचः
AI Translation: I wish to hear about the death of my son. Then the invisible spirit spoke these words again:
येनोत्सङ्गे गृहीतस्य भुजावभ्यधिकावुभौ पतिष्यतः क्षितितले पञ्चशीर्षाविवोरगौ
AI Translation: Whose arms, when he was held in his lap, were more than the two, Like the five-headed serpent about to fall to the ground.
तृतीयमेतद्बालस्य ललाटस्थं च लोचनम् निमज्जिष्यति यं दृष्ट्वा सोऽस्य मृत्युर्भविष्यति
AI Translation: This is the third eye of the child, located on the forehead. Seeing him, he will sink, and that will be his death.
त्र्यक्षं चतुर्भुजं श्रुत्वा तथा च समुदाहृतम् धरण्यां पार्थिवाः सर्वे अभ्यगच्छन्दिदृक्षवः
AI Translation: Having heard about the three-eyed, four-armed one, as it was proclaimed, all the kings on earth came to see it.
तान्पूजयित्वा संप्राप्तान्यथार्हं स महीपतिः एकैकस्य नृपस्याङ्के पुत्रमारोपयत्तदा
AI Translation: Having honored them as befitted them, the king then placed each prince on the lap of a king.
एवं राजसहस्राणां पृथक्त्वेन यथाक्रमम् शिशुरङ्के समारूढो न तत्प्राप निदर्शनम्
AI Translation: Thus, for thousands of kings, each individually, in due order, He who was seated on the lap of a child did not attain that example.
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.13 After 13, K4 V1 B D (except D4.6) T1 G1-3.5 ins.: *382 एतदेव तु संश्रुत्य द्वारवत्यां महाबलौ
ततश्चेदिपुरं प्राप्तौ संकर्षणजनार्दनौ यादवौ यादवीं द्रष्टुं स्वसारं तां पितुस्तदा
M. N. Dutt: The Yadu princes, Sankarashans (Valadeva) and Janarddana (Krishna) went to the capital of the Chedi (king) to see their aunt, the princess of the Yadu race (the queen of the Chedi king).
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.14 After 14, B1 ins.: *383 पितृस्वसारं तां दृष्ट्वा समाश्वास्य महाभुजौ while T1 G1.4-6 M ins. (Cv cites parts): *384 तौ दामघोषं राजानमभिवाद्य यथाक्रमम्
अभिवाद्य यथान्यायं यथाज्येष्ठं नृपांश्च तान् कुशलानामयं पृष्ट्वा निषण्णौ रामकेशवौ
M. N. Dutt: Saluting every body according to his rank and saluting also the king and the queen and inquiring after every body's welfare, Rama and Keshava (Balaram and Krishna) took their seats.
अभ्यर्चितौ तदा वीरौ प्रीत्या चाभ्यधिकं ततः पुत्रं दामोदरोत्सङ्गे देवी संन्यदधात्स्वयम्
M. N. Dutt: When those two heroes were duly worshipped, the queen with great pleasure and joy herself placed the child on the lap of Damodara (Krishna).
न्यस्तमात्रस्य तस्याङ्के भुजावभ्यधिकावुभौ पेततुस्तच्च नयनं निममज्ज ललाटजम्
M. N. Dutt: As soon as the child was placed on his lap, his extra arms fell down and the eye on his forehead disappeared.
तद्दृष्ट्वा व्यथिता त्रस्ता वरं कृष्णमयाचत ददस्व मे वरं कृष्ण भयार्ताया महाभुज
M. N. Dutt: Seeing this, the queen became alarmed and aggrieved, she begged Krishna to grant her a boon. (She said), O mighty armed hero, I am afflicted with fear; grant me a boon.
त्वं ह्यार्तानां समाश्वासो भीतानामभयंकरः पितृष्वसारं मा भैषीरित्युवाच जनार्दनः
AI Translation: You are the solace of the afflicted, the bestower of fearlessness on the fearful. Janardana said to his sister, the daughter of his father's sister, "Do not be
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.19 After 19ab, N ins.: *385 एवमुक्तस्ततः कृष्णः प्रोवाच यदुनन्दनः V1 B2.5.6 D1.2 cont.: *386 स तं द्व्यक्षं ततो दृष्ट्वा समाश्वास्य महाभुजः On the other hand, G2 ins. after 19ab: *387 श्रुत्वा पितृष्वसुर्वाक्यं भक्तानामभयप्रदः
ददानि कं वरं किं वा करवाणि पितृष्वसः शक्यं वा यदि वाशक्यं करिष्यामि वचस्तव
AI Translation: "What boon shall I grant you? What shall I do for you, my sister's son? " "Whatever you ask, whether it be possible or impossible, I shall do it."
एवमुक्ता ततः कृष्णमब्रवीद्यदुनन्दनम् शिशुपालस्यापराधान्क्षमेथास्त्वं महाबल
AI Translation: Having been thus addressed, she then spoke to Krishna, the descendant of Yadu, saying: "O greatly powerful one, please forgive the faults of Shishupala."
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.21 After 21, N ins.: *388 मत्कृते यदुशार्दूल विद्ध्येनं मे वरं प्रभो On the other hand, S ins. after 21: *389 इत्युक्तः पुण्डरीकाक्षः प्रत्युवाच महाबलः
कृष्ण उवाच अपराधशतं क्षाम्यं मया ह्यस्य पितृष्वसः पुत्रस्य ते वधार्हाणां मा त्वं शोके मनः कृथाः
M. N. Dutt: Krishna Said O Aunt, even when he will deserve to be killed, in such one hundred (occasions of) offences of this (Shishupala), I will pardon him. Do not be (therefore) aggrieved.
Supplementary Passages:
2.40.22 After 22, M1 ins.: *390 एवमेतत्पुरावृत्तं शिशावस्मिन्वृकोदर M1 cont.: T1 G M2 ins. after 22 (replacing 23ab): *391 स जानन्नात्मनो मृत्युं कृष्णं यदुसुखावहम्
भीष्म उवाच एवमेष नृपः पापः शिशुपालः सुमन्दधीः त्वां समाह्वयते वीर गोविन्दवरदर्पितः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said. O Bhima, such is this wretch Shishupala, a king with a wicked heart. Being proud for the boon granted by Govinda (Krishna), he now calls you to battle.