Astonished by all that had transpired, those present reflected that such marvels were only fitting for one devoted to Kṛṣṇa. The priests, radiant with divine energy, performed the rājasūya sacrifice for the great king Yudhiṣṭhira with meticulous care, just as the gods themselves had once done for Pracetasa. On the appointed day of the sacrifice, the sovereign of the earth, Yudhiṣṭhira, attended with full devotion to the priests and the honored masters of the assembly, bestowing upon them all the respect and honor that was their due. The assembly then deliberated among themselves, seeking to decide who among them was most worthy of receiving the highest honor. Yet, despite much discussion, they could not reach a unanimous decision. At that moment, Sahadeva rose and spoke. He declared, "Truly, Acyuta, the Lord, master of the Sātvatas, is most deserving of the highest honor. In him reside all the gods, all places and times, all wealth—everything. He is the very self of this entire universe, the foundation of all sacrifices. The fire offerings, the mantras, the paths of Sāṅkhya and Yoga—all are ultimately directed toward him. He alone, without a second, is this universe of non-duality; by his own will, O assembly, the unborn One creates, sustains, and destroys the worlds. Observing everything, he brings about all actions here; whatever is sought—supreme good marked by dharma and so on—arises from him. Therefore, let the highest honor be offered to the great Kṛṣṇa; by honoring him, we honor all beings and our very selves. To Kṛṣṇa, the soul of all beings, who sees nothing else, who is peaceful and complete, should honor be given by any who desires the infinite fruit of giving." Having spoken thus, Sahadeva, who understood Kṛṣṇa’s greatness, fell silent. The best of men in the assembly, hearing his words, praised him, exclaiming, "Excellent, excellent!" King Yudhiṣṭhira, hearing the words of the brāhmaṇa and discerning the true heart of the assembly, was filled with joy and deep affection. He honored Hṛṣīkeśa, Kṛṣṇa, by washing his feet with purifying water, and together with his wives, brothers, ministers, and family, he bore that sacred water on his head with delight. He adorned Kṛṣṇa with garments of shining yellow silk and precious ornaments; his eyes brimmed with tears, so overwhelmed was he that he could scarcely gaze upon the Lord. Witnessing Kṛṣṇa thus honored, all the people, their palms joined in reverence, bowed before him, crying out, "Victory! Salutations!" From above, showers of flowers rained down upon him. But among those present, the son of Damaghoṣa, Śiśupāla, was stung with anger at the praise bestowed upon Kṛṣṇa. Rising from his seat, arms outstretched, he fearlessly hurled harsh words before the assembly, making his grievances known even to the Lord himself. He invoked the Vedic tradition, declaring, "The Lord is time itself, insurmountable." Yet, he warned, even the wisdom of elders can be overturned by the words of a mere child. "You, O wise ones, are foremost in discerning worth; do not be misled by childish speech. The lords of the assembly have agreed that Kṛṣṇa is worthy of this honor. But those who have practiced austerity, knowledge, and vows, whose impurities have been destroyed by wisdom, the supreme sages established in Brahman, honored even by the guardians of the worlds—how can a cowherd, a disgrace to his lineage, deserve the honor of worship, any more than a crow deserves 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 across the difficult-to-cross sea, trouble the people like bandits." In this way, Śiśupāla spoke many inauspicious words, his fortune lost. Yet the Lord, like a lion unmoved by the howl of a jackal, did not reply. The assembly, unable to bear such blasphemy against the Lord, covered their ears, departed the hall, and angrily cursed the king of Cedi. For one who, hearing blasphemy against the Lord or His devotees, does not leave that place, falls from virtue, even if he was once pious. Then, the sons of Pāṇḍu, together with the kings of Matsya, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya, rose up in anger, weapons drawn, intent on slaying Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla, undaunted, seized his sword and shield, and rebuked the kings who supported Kṛṣṇa in the assembly. At that moment, the Lord Himself rose, restraining His own supporters. With a flash of anger, Kṛṣṇa severed the head of His enemy with the razor-edged Sudarśana discus as Śiśupāla fell. A great tumult arose as Śiśupāla was slain; his followers, fearing for their lives, scattered in all directions. Then, in the sight of all, a radiant light emerged from the body of the king of Cedi and entered into Vāsudeva, just as a meteor falls from the sky to earth. Though his 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 determines the nature of future birth. Afterward, Yudhiṣṭhira gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring all as prescribed, and performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice. Having completed the rājasūya, Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the yogīs, remained for a few months at the request of his friends. Then, though the king wished him to stay, the Lord, son of Devakī, took leave and returned with his wives and ministers to his own city. Thus, the story of the two residents of Vaikuṇṭha—whose repeated births were caused by a brāhmaṇa’s curse—has been narrated at length. After the final bath of the rājasūya sacrifice, King Yudhiṣṭhira shone in the midst of the assembly of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, radiant like the lord of the gods. All the gods, men, and celestial beings, having been honored by the king, joyfully returned to their own abodes, singing the praises of Kṛṣṇa and the great sacrifice. Yet, Duryodhana, the sinful embodiment of Kali among the Kurus, could not tolerate the prosperity of the son of Pāṇḍu when he beheld it. Whoever recites these deeds of Viṣṇu—the slaying of Śiśupāla, the king’s liberation, and the great sacrifice—is freed from all sins. Thus ends the seventy-fourth chapter, entitled "The Slaying of Śiśupāla," in the second half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas.