Shishupal

Shishupal and Krishna
  • Shishupal was a king of Chedi, son of king Damghosh by his wife Shrutshrava, the sister of Vasudev.
  • Therefore, he was a cousin of Krishna and Balram. Shishupal was born with three eyes and four arms, and brayed like an ass.
  • His parents wanted to abandon the ugly child, but a celestial voice stopped them and told them that their son would become very powerful, and the man, on whose lap when placed, the child would lose his superfluous members, would be the one who would ultimately slay him.
  • Many kings came to see the weird child, and Damghosh placed the child on the lap of each, but no change came about in the child.
  • One day, Krishna and Balram came to visit their aunt. The moment Krishna took the child in his arms, the additional limbs and eye disappeared.
  • His aunt begged Krishna not to kill the child, and so Krishna promised his aunt to forgive Shishupal a hundred climes.
  • Shishupal became a powerful king and was a strong ally of Jarasandh. He also attended the Rajsuya sacrifice performed by Yudhishthir.
  • Here he started insulting Bhishma and Krishna. Krishna let him carry on and then stated the hundred crimes he (Shishupal) had committed. After this, Krishna thought of his discus, and it appeared on his finger, which he sent hurling at Shishupal.
  • Shishupal's head was severed. Yudhishthir performed the funeral rites and Shishupal's son Dhrishtaketu was installed on the throne of Chedi.


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