On the day appointed for the grand Rājasūya sacrifice, King Yudhiṣṭhira, lord of the earth, attended with utmost care to the priests and the distinguished masters of the assembly, honoring them as was fitting for their good fortune and wisdom. As the assembly gathered, its members began to deliberate on who among them was most deserving of the highest honor. Unable to reach a unanimous decision, Sahadeva, one of the Pandava brothers, rose and spoke. He declared, “Indeed, Acyuta, the Lord, master of the Sātvatas, is most worthy of the highest honor. In Him reside all gods, all sacred places, times, wealth—everything. He is the very self of the universe, the foundation of all sacrifices; the fire offerings, mantras, Sāṅkhya and Yoga—all are ultimately directed toward Him. He alone, without a second, is this universe of non-duality, and by His own will, the unborn One creates, sustains, and destroys the worlds. It is He who brings about all actions here; whatever is sought—supreme good, dharma, and all else—arises from Him. Therefore, let the highest honor be given to the great Krishna; by honoring Him, all beings and the self are honored. To Krishna, soul of all beings, seeing nothing else, peaceful and complete, should honor be given by one desiring the infinite fruit of giving.” Having spoken, Sahadeva, aware of Krishna’s greatness, fell silent. The assembly, hearing his words, praised him, exclaiming, “Excellent, excellent!” King Yudhiṣṭhira, understanding the hearts of the assembly and the words of the brāhmaṇa, was filled with joy and affection. He honored Krishna, the Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, by washing the purifying water from Krishna’s feet. Then, with his wives, brothers, ministers, and family, he bore the water upon his head with delight. The king further honored Krishna with garments of yellow silk and precious ornaments. Tears filled his eyes, and he could not bear to look directly at Krishna. Seeing Krishna thus honored, all the people, with joined palms, bowed to Him, exclaiming, “Victory! Salutations!” Showers of flowers fell upon the Lord. But at this moment, the son of Damaghoṣa—Śiśupāla—angered by Krishna’s praise, rose from his seat. Stretching out his arms, unafraid, he spoke harsh words before the assembly and made his grievances known to the Lord. He cited the Vedic tradition of Satyavatī: “The Lord is time, insurmountable.” Yet he contended that even the wisdom of elders can be confounded by the words of a child. He urged the assembly not to be swayed by childish speech, declaring that Krishna was not worthy of such honor, despite the consensus of the lords of the assembly. Śiśupāla argued that those who observe austerity, knowledge, and vows—supreme sages established in Brahman, honored by the guardians of the worlds—are worthy of worship. But Krishna, he said, was a cowherd, a disgrace to his lineage, undeserving of honor, just as a crow does not deserve the sacred offering. He accused Krishna of lacking caste, order, and family, excluded from all duties, acting as He pleased, and lacking virtues. He cited the curse of Yayāti that cast Krishna’s lineage out, and their addiction to vain drinking. He claimed they abandoned lands served by Brahmarṣis, lacked Brahmanical splendor, and troubled people like bandits. Thus, Śiśupāla spoke many inauspicious words, his fortune lost. Yet Krishna, like a lion hearing the howl of a jackal, remained silent. The members of the assembly, unable to bear the blasphemy against the Lord, covered their ears, left the hall, and angrily cursed the king of Cedi. For one who hears blasphemy of the Lord or His devotees and does not leave that place falls from virtue, even if once pious. Then the sons of Pandu, along with the kings of Matsya, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya, rose in anger, weapons in hand, intent on killing Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla, undisturbed, took up sword and shield and rebuked the kings who sided with Krishna. At that moment, Krishna Himself rose, restrained His own supporters, and, with anger, 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 their lives, fled in all directions. A radiant light emerged from the body of the king of Cedi and entered Vāsudeva, as all beings watched, like a meteor falling from the sky to earth. With a mind inflamed by enmity accumulated over three lifetimes, meditating upon Krishna, Śiśupāla became absorbed in that very being; for indeed, one’s state of mind determines future birth. Afterward, King Yudhiṣṭhira gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring all according to prescribed rites. The emperor then performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice. Krishna, 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 Krishna to stay longer—the Lord, Devakī’s son, departed with His wives and ministers to His own city. Thus was narrated the story of the two Vaikuṇṭha residents, their repeated births due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse. Having bathed at the conclusion of the Rājasūya sacrifice, King Yudhiṣṭhira shone in the midst of the assembly of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, like the lord of the gods. All the gods, men, and celestial beings, honored by the king, joyfully returned to their own abodes, praising Krishna and the sacrifice. Only Duryodhana, the sinful embodiment of Kali among the Kurus, could not tolerate the great prosperity of Yudhiṣṭhira upon seeing it. Whoever recites these deeds of Viṣṇu—including 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. Afterward, King Parīkṣit spoke: “O brāhmaṇa, seeing the grand Rājasūya sacrifice of Ajātaśatru, all the assembled kings, gods, and men rejoiced.