In the midst of the grand Rājasūya sacrifice, the assembly was filled with reverence and awe. It was declared that Kṛṣṇa is the very self of the universe, the foundation upon which all sacrifices rest. 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 power, the unborn Lord creates, sustains, and destroys the worlds. He observes and orchestrates 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 Kṛṣṇa; by honoring Him, all beings and the self are honored as well. To Kṛṣṇa, the soul of all beings, who sees nothing else, who is peaceful and complete, honor should be given by one desiring the infinite fruit of giving. Sahadeva, knowing Kṛṣṇa’s greatness, spoke these words and then fell silent. Hearing this, all the distinguished men in the assembly praised him, exclaiming, "Excellent, excellent!" The king, delighted and overwhelmed with affection, honored Hṛṣīkeśa, understanding both the words of the brāhmaṇa and the hearts of the assembly. He washed the purifying water from Kṛṣṇa’s feet and, with his wives, brothers, ministers, and family, joyfully bore it on his head. They honored Kṛṣṇa with garments of yellow silk and precious ornaments. The king’s eyes filled with tears, and he could not bear to look directly upon Him. Seeing Kṛṣṇa thus honored, all the people, with joined palms, bowed to Him, exclaiming, "Victory! Salutations!" Showers of flowers fell upon Him. But at that moment, the son of Damaghoṣa, Śiśupāla, angered by the praise of Kṛṣṇa’s qualities, rose from his seat. Stretching out his arms, unafraid, he spoke harsh words to the assembly, making his grievances known to the Lord. He cited the Vedic tradition of Satyavatī, declaring, "The Lord is time, insurmountable." Yet, he remarked, 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, asserting that all the lords of the assembly had agreed that Kṛṣṇa was worthy of this honor. He claimed that 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—should be honored, not Kṛṣṇa. He questioned how a cowherd, a disgrace to his lineage, could deserve the honor of worship, likening him to a crow unworthy of the sacred offering. He continued, claiming Kṛṣṇa was devoid of caste, order, and family, excluded from all duties, acting as He pleased, lacking in virtues—how could He deserve the honor of worship? He reminded the assembly that their lineage had been cursed by Yayāti and cast out by the virtuous, being ever addicted to vain drinking—how could they deserve the honor of worship? He accused them of abandoning lands served by Brahmarṣis, lacking in Brahmanical splendor, and troubling people like bandits, having taken refuge in the difficult-to-cross sea. Thus, Śiśupāla spoke many inauspicious words, his fortune lost. But the Lord, like a lion hearing the howl of a jackal, said nothing in 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. It was declared that anyone who hears blasphemy of the Lord or His devotees and does not leave that place falls down from virtue, even if he was once pious. Then, the sons of Pāṇḍu, along with the kings of Matsya, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya, rose up in anger, weapons in hand, desiring to kill Śiśupāla. The king of Cedi, undisturbed, took up sword and shield and rebuked the kings who sided with Kṛṣṇa. At that moment, the Lord Himself rose, restrained His own supporters, and, with anger, severed the head of His enemy with the razor-edged discus. A great tumult arose as Śiśupāla was slain, and 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. Though Śiśupāla’s mind was inflamed by enmity accumulated over three lifetimes, he meditated upon Kṛṣṇa and became absorbed in Him, for indeed, one’s state of mind is the cause of future birth. The emperor then gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring all according to the prescribed rites, and performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice. Having completed the king’s sacrifice, Krishna, Lord of the masters of yoga, stayed for a few months at the request of his friends. Eventually, having taken leave of the king, though the king did not wish it, the Lord, Devakī’s son, departed with his wives and ministers to his own city. Thus, the story of the two Vaikuṇṭha residents—whose repeated births were due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse—was narrated. 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 the son of Pāṇḍu. 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 asked the brāhmaṇa, "O brāhmaṇa, seeing the grand Rājasūya sacrifice of Ajātaśatru, all the assembled kings, gods, and men rejoiced. Except for Duryodhana, all the kings, sages, and gods rejoiced; O Lord, we have heard this—please tell us the reason for it." Śrī Bādarāyaṇi replied, "At your great ancestor’s Rājasūya sacrifice, his relatives, bound by affection, were engaged in various services. Bhīma was in charge of the kitchen, Suyodhana of the treasury; Sahadeva managed the worship, and Nakula procured the materials.