02.038
Pancharatra: Shishupala starts insulting Bhishma.
Shishupala said.
Being old and a disgrace to the family, why do you not feel ashamed, frightening all kings by many terrors? (2-38-1)
This is proper in the third context as you are acting; to speak something devoid of dharma is not fitting for you, for you are indeed the foremost among all Kurus. (2-38-2)
Just as in a boat, one boat bound to another, a blind man would follow another blind man; so too, O Bhishma, the Kauravas have become, of whom you are the leader. (2-38-3)
When you recount his deeds, especially those beginning with the slaying of Pūtanā, our minds are once again unsettled. (2-38-4)
O Bhīṣma, how is it that your tongue is not split into a hundred pieces when an arrogant fool desires to praise Keśava? (2-38-5)
O Bhishma, where reproach is to be uttered by very young men, you, being advanced in knowledge, wish to praise him secretly. (2-38-6)
If Śakuni was killed in childhood by this person, then what is strange here? Or those two, the horse and the bull, Bhīṣma—are they not skilled in battle? (2-38-7)
O Bhishma, if this unconscious wood was knocked down by the foot, what is so wonderful done there with the cart? (2-38-8)
O Bhīṣma, if he held a mountain the size of an anthill for a week, then I do not consider Govardhana to be a wonder. (2-38-9)
O Bhīṣma, hearing that this one had eaten much food while playing on the mountain top, they were greatly astonished. (2-38-10)
It is not at all surprising that the one whose food was eaten by this knower of dharma, and who was stronger, was also killed by him; thus, the slaying of Kaṃsa by him is not very wonderful. (2-38-11)
O Bhīṣma, you have certainly not heard this from the virtuous; what I am about to say to you, O knower of unrighteousness, O lowest of the Kuru dynasty, is unprecedented. (2-38-12)
Weapons should not be used against women, cows, or Brāhmaṇas; one should eat the food of those whose food it is, and of those who have sought refuge. (2-38-13)
Thus, the good and noble always instruct the righteous. But, O Bhīṣma, in this world, all that is seen in you appears false. (2-38-14)
You describe Keśava, who is grown in knowledge, aged, and greater than me, as if you do not know, praising him, O best of Kurus. How does Bhīṣma, being a killer of cows and women, deserve praise? (2-38-15)
That Janardana, the best among the intelligent and lord of the world, considers thus if it is so from your statement. Thus, all this, all that, is certainly false. (2-38-16)
A song does not teach the singer, even if he sings much. Beings return to their nature, just as a trained bird does. (2-38-17)
Indeed, this is your nature, the lowest; there is no doubt about it. Therefore, this is considered even more sinful among the Pāṇḍavas. (2-38-18)
You, Kṛṣṇa, who are the most worshipful among them, and their guide, speaker of dharma, knower of adharma, have deviated from the path of the righteous. (2-38-19)
O Bhishma, who among the wise, knowing himself to be righteous, would act as you have done, performing duty with such careful consideration? (2-38-20)
Ambā, who desired another and was knowledgeable in dharma, was taken away by you, who considered yourself wise. How did this happen? May you fare well. (2-38-21)
The maiden whom you, Bhīṣma, had taken away, the king sought to marry; your brother Vicitrapīrya acted according to the conduct of the virtuous. (2-38-22)
Your children, born of your two wives, in the presence of another who considers himself wise, have been set on the path practiced by the virtuous. (2-38-23)
O Bhishma, this celibacy you maintain is not truly righteousness, for it is in vain—whether you uphold it out of delusion or impotence, there is no doubt about it. (2-38-24)
O knower of dharma, I do not see any increase of your (virtue) anywhere. Indeed, your elders who spoke thus about dharma were not served by you. (2-38-25)
All that has been sacrificed, given, studied, and all the sacrifices performed with many gifts—none of this is worthy of even a sixteenth part of a son. (2-38-26)
O Bhīṣma, whatever is performed by many vows and fasts, all of that certainly becomes fruitless for one who has no offspring. (2-38-27)
He, being childless and aged, because of false instruction on righteousness, like a swan, you too may now meet your death at the hands of your kinsmen. (2-38-28)
Thus, as others—men who are knowers of knowledge—have narrated in former times, O Bhīṣma, that which I shall properly explain to you as you listen.
Once, there was an old swan at the edge of the ocean; though he spoke of righteousness, he acted otherwise, and he used to instruct the other birds. (2-38-30)
"Practice righteousness, not unrighteousness"—such was his statement, O Bhishma, which the birds, always devoted to righteousness, heard. (2-38-31)
Then, O Bhīṣma, those who move in the ocean and water, the egg-born beings, brought him food. Others also, for the sake of dharma, did likewise, as we have heard. (2-38-32)
And near him, having placed all their eggs, the fearsome birds moved about rejoicing in the waters of the ocean. (2-38-33)
The evil-doer ate all their eggs. The swan, unlike the careless ones, was attentive to his own duty. (2-38-34)
Then, as those eggs were being destroyed, another egg-born creature became suspicious; at some point, the great wise one saw him. (2-38-35)
Then, having seen the swan's wrongdoing, he, the bird who was most afflicted with sorrow among all the birds, spoke to them. (2-38-36)
Then, O best of the Kurus, the birds, having seen the swan acting falsely, assembled together and killed him. (2-38-37)
O Bhishma, even these kings of the earth, if greatly enraged, would slay you, who are as pure as a swan, just as birds would kill one of their own kind hatched from an egg. (2-38-38)
O Bhārata, I shall properly narrate to you that song which the people who know the Purāṇas sing here, and which Bhīṣma also sang. (2-38-39)
When the inner self is established, O Rishi, the leaf-chariot is false. Eating eggs is impure; your action surpasses your words. (2-38-40)
