At that dramatic moment, the Lord Himself, Śrī Krishna, rose up amidst the assembly. With divine resolve, He restrained His own supporters, and, His eyes blazing with anger, He hurled His razor-edged discus, the Sudarśana. In a single, swift motion, the Lord severed the head of His enemy, Śiśupāla, just as the king of Cedi was falling, his offenses having reached their limit. A great tumult erupted throughout the assembly. The kings who had followed Śiśupāla, witnessing his sudden and terrible end, were seized by fear. In panic, they scattered in all directions, desperate to save their lives from the wrath of the Lord. As the assembly looked on, a wondrous sight appeared: a radiant light, the very essence of Śiśupāla, emerged from his body. Like a meteor falling from the heavens to the earth, that luminous spark entered directly into the person of Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord, before the eyes of all. Śiśupāla, harboring intense enmity towards Krishna over three successive births, had constantly fixed his mind upon the Lord—even if in hatred. Thus, by the power of that meditation, he became absorbed in Krishna Himself, for it is the state of one’s mind at life’s end that determines the future. After Śiśupāla’s liberation, King Yudhiṣṭhira, the emperor, performed the concluding bath of the Rājasūya sacrifice. He gave abundant gifts to the officiating priests and assistants, honoring each according to the prescribed rites and traditions. Having completed the grand sacrifice, Krishna, the Lord of the masters of yoga, at the request of His dear friends, remained in Hastināpura for a few months. But eventually, though the king wished otherwise, Krishna, son of Devakī, took leave of Yudhiṣṭhira. Accompanied by His wives and ministers, He departed for His own city, Dvārakā. O King, I have thus narrated in detail the story of the two residents of Vaikuṇṭha, who, due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse, were born repeatedly in the mortal world. Their story culminated in these events. Having bathed at the conclusion of the Rājasūya, King Yudhiṣṭhira shone resplendent among the assembly of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, like the king of the gods himself. All the gods, men, and celestial beings, honored by the king, joyfully returned to their abodes, singing praises of Krishna and the great sacrifice. Yet, amidst this joy, there was one exception: Duryodhana, the sinful embodiment of Kali among the Kurus. He alone could not tolerate the immense prosperity of the son of Pāṇḍu when he saw it. Whoever recites these divine 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, “The Slaying of Śiśupāla,” in the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Hearing this, King Parīkṣit inquired, “O brāhmaṇa, seeing the grand Rājasūya sacrifice of Ajātaśatru, all the assembled kings, gods, and men rejoiced. Yet, except for Duryodhana, all were delighted. O Lord, we have heard this—please tell us the reason for Duryodhana’s discontent.” Śrī Bādarāyaṇi replied: At your great ancestor Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya sacrifice, his relatives, bound by affection, took up various services to assist him. Bhīma was in charge of the kitchen, Suyodhana (Duryodhana) of the treasury; Sahadeva oversaw the worship, and Nakula procured the necessary materials. Arjuna attended to the elders, Krishna Himself washed the feet of the guests, Drupada’s daughter, Draupadī, served the food, and noble Karṇa distributed gifts. Yuyudhāna, Vikarṇa, Hārdikya, Vidura, the sons of Bāhlīka, Bhūri, and the Santardanas—all were assigned important tasks, each eager to please the king. When the officiating priests, assistants, and dearest friends had been honored with gifts, kind words, and proper hospitality, and when Krishna, Lord of the Sātvatas, had entered the sacrificial arena after slaying Śiśupāla, they all performed the concluding bath in the celestial river. At this festival, the sounds of mridanga, conch, panava, dhundhuri, anaka, and gomukha drums filled the air. Joyful dancers danced, singers sang in groups, and the notes of vīṇā and flute, along with rhythmic clapping, rose and touched the heavens. Kings adorned with golden garlands departed, riding elephants and chariots decorated with colorful banners and flags, surrounded by their splendidly adorned warriors. The Yadus, Sṛñjayas, Kambojas, Kurus, Kekayas, and Kosalas, leading their armies, shook the very earth as they came to the sacrifice. The distinguished sages, officiants, and the best of the twice-born chanted Vedic hymns loudly, and the gods, sages, ancestors, and gandharvas showered flowers in praise. Men and women, adorned with fragrant garlands, ornaments, and fine garments, joyfully sprinkled each other and delighted in various amusements. Women, their bodies anointed with oil, cow’s ghee, fragrant powders, turmeric, and rich saffron, playfully rubbed and enjoyed with the men. Protected by their guardians, the queens slipped out unnoticed, like goddesses in celestial chariots. As their maternal relatives and friends sprinkled them with water, their faces shone with bashful, radiant smiles. The queens, together with their companions, enthusiastically sprinkled the gods; their garments wet, bodies and breasts partly revealed, garlands loosened, their playful beauty stirred the minds of those with impure thoughts. The emperor Yudhiṣṭhira, mounted on a golden chariot drawn by fine horses, shone among his wives like the lord of sacrifice among its rituals. After the ritual bath with his queens, the officiants, having purified themselves, bathed him in the sacred Ganges along with Krishna. Heavenly drums resounded in concert with human drums, and the gods, sages, ancestors, and humans showered flowers upon them. There, all men—of every class and stage of life—bathed, for even those guilty of great sins were instantly freed from impurity by this holy rite. Then, the king, adorned in fine silk and splendid ornaments, honored the officiants, sages, and brāhmaṇas with gifts of ornaments and garments. Devoted to Nārāyaṇa, Yudhiṣṭhira repeatedly honored his relatives, acquaintances, kings, friends, and all others present. All the people shone with divine radiance, wearing jeweled earrings, garlands, turbans, jackets, fine cloth, and precious necklaces. The women, adorned with pairs of earrings and clusters of bangles, their faces beautiful, shone with golden girdles. The officiants of great virtue, the sages, and the learned brāhmaṇas, together with the assembled kings of all classes—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra—gathered there. The gods, sages, ancestors, spirits, and guardians of the worlds, along with their attendants, having been honored, gave their blessings and returned to their own abodes. The royal sages, delighted beyond measure, did not tire of praising the grand Rājasūya of Haridāsa Yudhiṣṭhira, just as a mortal never tires of drinking nectar.