[2-39] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Seeing kings coming towards him, Yudhishthir said to Bheeshm - "All these kings are filled with rage, what should I do now, O Grandfather, so that my sacrifice is also completed without any obstruction and my people are also not injured." Bheeshm said - "Do not fear, can any dog slay the lion? I know the way that is both beneficial and comfortable. These kings are barking like dogs bark in front of a sleeping lion. Achyut is like a lion that is asleep. Till He is asleep, all these kings look like lions. Shishupaal is a fool and wants to take all these kings with him to the world of Yam. O Yudhishthir, Maadhav is the Creator of all the creatures in the three worlds."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing this Shishupaal said to Bheeshm.

[2-40] Shishupaal said - "O Old man of your race, Don't you feel ashamed making these kings frightened with your false terrors? You are the foremost of all Kuru people, and you are observing celibacy also, are you supposed to advise Kuru like this? It is like blind leading blind. Why your tongue cut into hundred pieces while praising Krishn. If Krishn killed a vulture in His infancy what is great in it? If one kicked a cart (Chhakadaa) what is big deal in it? He has killed Kans whose food He ate. Wise say that one should use weapon on cows, women, Braahman and whose food and whose shelter one has enjoyed. O Bheeshm If you consider yourself very intelligent and moralist then why you should bring Ambaa who loved somebody else? Your brother Vichitraveerya considering this point did not marry her although she was brought by you.

Worship, gift, study, sacrifices with large gifts to Braahman are not even equal to having a son. Numberless vows and fasts are useless for the one who is childless. Your celibacy, by ignorance or by impotence is useless. Like the swan in this story, you will die by your relatives. This story is old, but I again tell it to you. There lived an old swan on the sea coast. He was moral in speaking but in conduct he was not. Other birds used to tell him - "Practice the virtue and forego the sin". Other birds used to keep their eggs far from him and then used to dive for food. But according to his habit he used to eat their eggs. Then those creatures found that their eggs were decreasing. One intelligent bird's suspicion roused and even witnessed it also. After witnessing the incident, that bird told it to all other birds. So other birds also witnessed it an slew him. So O Bheeshm, Your behavior is like that of that old swan. In the same way these kings can also slay you."

[2-41] Shishupaal said - "The mighty Jaraasandh who did not fight with Krishn because he considreed Him a slave, in my opinion he was great. Who is going to praise whatever Krishn, Bheem and Arjun did with him. They entered his palace as a Braahman and when he wanted to wash His feet, He told that He was not a Braahman. When Jaraasandh asked them to eat, they refused to eat also. If this Krishn is the Lord of the Universe, why does He not consider Himself Braahman?"

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Hearing this from Shishupaal, Bheem filled with rage and he looked like Death himself at the end of the Yug prepared to eat every creature. And as he was about to leap on Shishupaal, Bheeshm caught his arm as Mahaadev had caught Mahaasen (Kaarttikeya) and pacified him. Bheem could not obey his grandfather Bheeshm. But Shishupaal was not at all afraid of Bheem as he believed in his might so he said to Bheeshm,  "Let him come, let people see that how my might burns him like an insect in a fire." Bheeshm said to Bheem.

[2-42] Bheeshm said - "this king of Chedi Shishupal was born with three eyes and four arms. As soon as he was born he brayed like an ass. Seeing all this his parents got afraid and wanted to throw him, that a Divine voice said - "Do not throw him. Your son will be very fortunate and mighty so do not fear from him. Bring him up with love, he will not die and whoever will kill him has already been born." Hearing this his mother got anxious and asked he voice - "I ask you with my joined hands that will he be any Divine person? Besides, I wish to know who will be his slayer." The voice said - "In whoever's lap his two arms fall and with whose look his third eye disappears, he will slay him."

Hearing this all the kings of Earth went to Chedi to look at Shishupaal. His father welcmed all of them and gave him in each person's lap, but although he gave him even to thousand people but nothing happened. And hearing this in Dwaarakaa, Sankarshan and Janaardan also went to Chedi Desh to see their Buaa (their father's sister). All asked each other's welfare, the queen placed her child in Daamodar's lap and as he did that, the child's two arms fell down and his third eye disappeared. Seeing this his mother asked a boon from Him - "I very much fear, so please grant me a boon. You remove everybody's afflictions and fears." Hearing this Krishn said to His aunt - "Fear not. You know morality. You should not fear from me. What boon I should give to you? Whether I can do or not, but I will obey you."

His Buaa said - "O Krishn, You will have to pardon his offences of Shishupaal for me. This is the boon I ask from you." Krishn said - "Even when he will deserve to be slain, I will pardon his such one hundred offences. So do  not grieve for him." Bheeshm continued - "He is proud of this boon that is why he is inviting you for fighting."

[2-43] Bheeshm said - "The intention by which he is inviting you is not his own. This is all because of Krishn. Just think, who in the whole world can abuse me like this as he has abused me here. Hari wants to take his whole energy like this that is why he is shouting at us all." Hearing these words of Bheeshm, Shishupaal could not sit silent, he said -"If you like to praise, then praise these kings, not Krishn. Daarad, the king of Baalheek who rented this earth as soon as he was born. Praise this Karn who is the ruler of Ang and Bang and is equal to thousand-eyed Indra, who is born with celestial earrings and armor and who shines like Soorya, who defeated invincible Jaraasandh in a wrestling contest. (We have never heard of any Karn-Jaraasandh wrestling feat.) Praise Drone and Ashwatthaamaa, who both father and son are mighty warriors and worthy Braahman and can finish every creature on this earth. I do not see any king who can win them. Why don't you praise them

Instead of Duryodhan, Jayadrath, Drum, and Sharadwaan's son Kripaa, why do you praise only Keshav? There are others also to praise - Rukmee, Bheeshmak, Dantavakra, Bhagadatt, and Jayatsen the king of Magadh, Viraat, Drupad, Shakuni, Brihadwal, Vind and Anuvind of Avantee, Paandyaa, Shwet Uttam, Saankhya, Vrishsen, Eklavya and the great charioteer of Kaling - why do you praise only Keshav? And if like to praise others why don't you praise Shalya? There is no one here who can approve your behavior. Keshav is so unworthy of praise. Your words are not true to to your nature. There is a bird Bhoo-ling living on the other side of Himvant. It always says - "Never do anything in rash." but rarely follows it. That fool takes out a piece of flesh from lion's mouth from between his teeth, when he is eating it, so it is on the mercy of that lion; in the same way you are also at the mercy of these kings."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing these words, Bheeshm said to Shishupaal - "You are right that I am alive at the mercy of these kings, but I do not regard these kings equal to even a straw." Hearing this all kings became very angry, some of them stood and some of them started abusing him - "This Bheeshm cannot be pardoned. In spite of being old, he is boasting himself. Let us burn him." Bheeshm agai said - "There is no end of speeches because words can be replied by words. But listen, whether I will be slain like an animal or burn like a straw, but I keep my foot on your head. Whoever Govind we have worshipped, let Him enter here with the body of God.