At the grand sacrificial arena, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras—all eager to witness the great rājasūya sacrifice—gathered together. They were joined by kings from every direction, along with the subjects of their realms, assembling in a vast and majestic congregation. Following sacred tradition, the brāhmaṇas, using golden ploughs, carefully prepared the sacrificial ground, initiating the king into the rite with due ceremony. All the implements used in the sacrifice were fashioned from gold, just as had been done in ancient times for Varuṇa. The guardians of the worlds, beginning with Indra and accompanied by Brahmā and Śiva, were present, filling the assembly with divine radiance. The gathering was further graced by the arrival of siddhas, gandharvas, vidyādharas, great serpents, sages, yakṣas, rākṣasas, birds, kinnaras, and cāraṇas, each with their retinues. Kings arrived with their royal consorts, all coming to the rājasūya sacrifice of the son of Pāṇḍu, Yudhiṣṭhira. Amazed by the grandeur and righteousness of the event, all present agreed that such a ceremony was truly fitting for one so devoted to Kṛṣṇa. Priests, radiant like gods, performed the rājasūya for the great king with perfect precision, just as the gods had once done for Pracetasa. On the day of the sacrifice, Yudhiṣṭhira, lord of the earth, with full attention and devotion, honored the priests and the fortunate masters of the assembly, as was proper. Soon, the assembly began to deliberate on who among them was most worthy of receiving the highest honor, but a unanimous decision eluded them. At that moment, Sahadeva, one of the Pāṇḍavas, rose to speak. Sahadeva declared, “Acyuta, the Lord, master of the Sātvatas, deserves the highest honor; for in him reside all the gods, all places, all times, all wealth, and everything else. He is the self of the entire universe, and all sacrifices are based in him. The fire offerings, the mantras, the paths of Sāṅkhya and Yoga—all are directed toward him. He alone, without a second, is this universe of non-duality; by his own self, the unborn one creates, sustains, and destroys the worlds. “It is he who, by his mere observation, brings about all actions here; whatever is sought—supreme good marked by dharma and all else—arises from him. Therefore, let the highest honor be given to the great Kṛṣṇa; by this, the honoring of all beings and of the self will be accomplished. To Kṛṣṇa, who is the soul of all beings, who sees nothing else, who is peaceful and complete, should honor be given by one desiring the infinite fruit of giving.” Having spoken thus, Sahadeva, knowing the greatness of Kṛṣṇa, fell silent. The assembly, filled with wise and noble men, praised Sahadeva’s words, exclaiming, “Excellent! Excellent!” Hearing these words and perceiving the hearts of those assembled, Yudhiṣṭhira, delighted and overwhelmed with affection, honored Hṛṣīkeśa, Kṛṣṇa himself. With devotion, he washed the Lord’s feet and, together with his wives, brothers, ministers, and family, joyfully bore the purifying water on his head. He adorned Kṛṣṇa with garments of yellow silk and precious ornaments; his eyes filled with tears, and he could not bear to look directly upon the Lord. Witnessing Kṛṣṇa thus honored, all the people, with joined palms, bowed to him, exclaiming, “Victory! Salutations!” Showers of flowers rained down upon Kṛṣṇa in celebration. But amidst this joy, the son of Damaghoṣa, Śiśupāla, angered by the praise lavished upon Kṛṣṇa, rose from his seat. Stretching out his arms, he spoke harsh words to the assembly, making his grievances known to the Lord without fear. He cited the Vedic tradition of Satyavatī: “The Lord is time, insurmountable.” Yet, he said, even the wisdom of elders can be led astray by the words of a child. He addressed the assembly, “You are the foremost among those who discern worth; do not be swayed by childish speech. All the lords of the assembly have agreed that Kṛṣṇa is worthy of this honor. Those who observe austerity, knowledge, and vows, whose impurities are destroyed by wisdom, the supreme sages established in Brahman, honored even by the guardians of the worlds—how, surpassing even these, can a cowherd, a disgrace to his lineage, deserve the honor of worship, just as a crow does not deserve the sacred offering? “Devoid of caste, order, and family, excluded from all duties, acting as he pleases, lacking in virtues—how can he deserve the honor of worship? Their lineage was cursed by Yayāti and cast out by the virtuous, being ever addicted to vain drinking—how can they deserve the honor of worship? Abandoning lands served by Brahmarṣis, lacking in Brahmanical splendor, these outlaws, taking refuge in the difficult-to-cross sea, trouble the people like bandits.” Thus, Śiśupāla spoke many inauspicious words, his own fortune lost. Yet the Lord, like a lion hearing the howl of a jackal, remained silent and did not reply. Hearing the unbearable blasphemy of the Lord, the members of the assembly covered their ears, left the hall, and angrily cursed the king of Cedi. “He who, hearing blasphemy of the Lord or His devotees, does not leave that place, falls down from virtue, even if he was once pious,” they declared. The sons of Pāṇḍu, joined by the kings of Matsya, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya, rose up in anger, weapons in hand, intent on killing Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla, undisturbed, took up his sword and shield, rebuking the kings who sided with Kṛṣṇa in the assembly. At that moment, the Lord Himself rose, restraining His own supporters. With divine anger, He severed the head of His falling enemy with the razor-edged discus. A great tumult arose as Śiśupāla was slain; his follower-kings, seeking to save themselves, fled in all directions. A radiant light emerged from the body of the king of Cedi and entered Vāsudeva, as all present watched, like a meteor falling from the sky to earth. Though Śiśupāla’s mind had been inflamed by enmity over three lifetimes, by meditating constantly upon the Lord, he became absorbed in that very being, for indeed, one’s state of mind is the cause of future birth. Yudhiṣṭhira then gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring all according to the prescribed rites. The emperor performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice, bringing the great ceremony to fulfillment. After the king’s sacrifice, Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the masters of yoga, remained for a few months at the request of His friends. Then, having taken leave of the king—though Yudhiṣṭhira wished Him to stay—the Lord, Devakī’s son, departed with His wives and ministers to His own city. Thus, the story of the two residents of Vaikuṇṭha, their repeated births due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse, has been narrated in detail.