The outlaws, abandoning the lands once served by the great Brahmarṣis and bereft of Brahmanical splendor, took refuge in the difficult-to-cross sea, troubling the people like bandits. In the midst of the grand assembly, Śiśupāla, his fortune lost, uttered many inauspicious words. Yet the Lord Kṛṣṇa, like a lion hearing the howl of a jackal, remained silent, offering no reply. The unbearable blasphemy against the Lord filled the hearts of the assembly with horror. The members, unable to tolerate such words, covered their ears, left the hall, and angrily cursed the king of Cedi. For one who hears blasphemy against the Lord or His devotees and does not leave that place, even if once virtuous, falls from righteousness. At that moment, the sons of Pāṇḍu, together with the kings of Matsya, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya, rose in anger, weapons in hand, intent on slaying Śiśupāla. Unperturbed, the king of Cedi drew his sword and shield, rebuking those kings who sided with Kṛṣṇa. Then, the Lord Himself stood, restraining His own supporters, and with anger, He severed the head of His falling enemy with His razor-edged discus. A tumult erupted as Śiśupāla was slain. His followers, seeking to save themselves, fled in all directions. As all watched, a radiant light emerged from the body of Śiśupāla and entered Vāsudeva, just as a meteor falls from the sky to earth. Though his mind had been inflamed by enmity accumulated over three lifetimes, through constant meditation upon the Lord, Śiśupāla became absorbed in Him—for indeed, one's state of mind determines one's future birth. Afterward, the emperor Yudhiṣṭhira gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring all according to prescribed rites, and performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice. Kṛṣṇa, Lord of yoga masters, remained for a few months at the request of His friends, after the king’s sacrifice was completed. Then, though the king wished Him to stay, the Lord, son of Devakī, departed with His wives and ministers to His own city. Thus, the story of the two Vaikuṇṭha residents, whose repeated births were caused by a brāhmaṇa’s curse, was recounted. Having bathed at the conclusion of the Rājasūya sacrifice, King Yudhiṣṭhira shone in the midst 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 abodes, praising Kṛṣṇa and the sacrifice. Only Duryodhana, embodiment of Kali among the Kurus, could not tolerate the prosperity of the son of Pāṇḍu. Whoever recites these deeds of Viṣṇu—the slaying of Śiśupāla, the king’s liberation, and the great sacrifice—is freed from all sins. Thus concludes the seventy-fourth chapter, “The Slaying of Śiśupāla,” in the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. King Parīkṣit then asked, “O brāhmaṇa, seeing the grand Rājasūya sacrifice of Ajātaśatru, all the assembled kings, gods, and men rejoiced. Except for Duryodhana, all were joyful. O Lord, please tell us the reason for this.” Śrī Bādarāyaṇi replied, “At your great ancestor’s Rājasūya sacrifice, his relatives, bound by affection, were engaged in various services. Bhīma managed the kitchen, Suyodhana the treasury, Sahadeva oversaw the worship, and Nakula procured materials. Arjuna attended to the elders, Krishna washed the feet, Drupada’s daughter served the food, and Karṇa, noble-minded, distributed gifts. Yuyudhāna, Vikarṇa, Hārdikya, Vidura, the sons of Bāhlīka, Bhūri, and the Santardanas—all were assigned various duties. Each acted with the desire to please the king. When the priests, assistants, and friends had been honored with gifts, sweet words, and proper hospitality, and after the Lord of the Sātvatas had entered the arena following Śiśupāla’s slaying, they performed the concluding bath in the celestial river. The festival resounded with the mridanga, conch, panava, dhundhuri, anaka, and gomukha instruments. Joyful dancers performed, singers sang, and the sounds of vina, flute, and clapping rose to the heavens. Kings adorned with golden garlands departed, riding elephants and chariots decorated with colorful banners and flags, accompanied by splendidly adorned warriors. The Yadus, Sṛñjayas, Kambojas, Kurus, Kekayas, and Kosalas, leading their armies, shook the earth as they approached the sacrifice. Distinguished sages, officiants, and the best of the twice-born chanted Vedic hymns, praised by gods, sages, ancestors, and gandharvas, who showered flowers upon them. Men and women, adorned with fragrant garlands, ornaments, and fine garments, playfully sprinkled each other and enjoyed various delights. Women, smeared with oil, ghee, fragrant powders, turmeric, and saffron, playfully rubbed and enjoyed with the men. Protected by men, the queens went out unnoticed, like celestial ladies in divine chariots. As their maternal relatives and friends sprinkled them, their faces shone with bashful smiles. Together with their friends, the queens enthusiastically sprinkled the gods; their garments wet, bodies and breasts exposed, loosened garlands falling, they stirred the minds of those with impure thoughts by their charming play. The emperor, mounted on a chariot drawn by fine horses and adorned with gold, shone among his wives like the lord of a sacrifice among its rituals. After the ritual bath with his wives, the officiants, purified, bathed him in the Ganges together with Krishna. Divine drums resounded alongside human drums, and gods, sages, ancestors, and humans showered flowers. There, all men, regardless of class or stage of life, bathed; even those guilty of great sins were instantly freed from impurity. Thus, the grandeur of the Rājasūya sacrifice and the liberation of Śiśupāla unfolded, with all but Duryodhana rejoicing in the glory of the son of Pāṇḍu and the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa.