"Sisupala said,--'Old and infamous wretch of thy race, art thou not
ashamed of affrighting all these monarchs with these numerous false
terrors! Thou art the foremost of the Kurus, and living as thou dost in
the third state (celibacy) it is but fit for thee that thou shouldst
give such counsel that is so wide of morality. Like a boat tied to
another boat or the blind following the blind, are the Kurus who have
thee for their guide. Thou hast once more simply pained our hearts by
reciting particularly the deeds of this one (Krishna), such as the
slaying of Putana and others. Arrogant and ignorant as thou art, and
desirous of praising Kesava, why doth not this tongue of thine split up
into a hundred parts? How dost thou, superior as thou art in knowledge,
desire to praise that cow-boy in respect of whom even men of little
intelligence may address invectives? If Krishna in his infancy slew a
vulture, what is there remarkable in that, or in that other feat of
his, O Bhishma, viz., in his slaughter of Aswa and Vrishava, both of
whom were unskilled in battle? If this one threw drown by a kick an
inanimate piece of wood, viz., a car, what is there, O Bhishma,
wonderful in that? O Bhishma, what is there remarkable in this one's
having supported for a week the Govardhan mount which is like an
anthill? "While sporting on the top of a mountain this one ate a large
quantity of food,"--hearing these words of thine many have wondered
exceedingly. But, O thou who art conversant with the rules of morality,
is not this still more wrongful that that great person, viz., Kansa,
whose food this one ate, hath been slain by him? Thou infamous one of
the Kuru race, thou art ignorant of the rules of morality. Hast thou
not ever heard, from wise men speaking unto thee, what I would now tell
thee? The virtuous and the wise always instruct the honest that weapons
must never be made to descend upon women and kine and Brahmanas and
upon those whose food hath been taken, as also upon those whose shelter
hath been enjoyed. It seemeth, O Bhishma, that all these teachings hath
been thrown away by thee. O infamous one of the Kuru race, desiring to
praise Kesava, thou describest him before me as great and superior in
knowledge and in age, as if I knew nothing. If at thy word, O Bhishma,
one that hath slain women (meaning Putana) and kine be worshipped, then
what is to become of this great lesson? How can one who is such,
deserve praise, O Bhishma? "This one is the foremost of all wise
men,"--"This one is the lord of the universe"--hearing these words of
thine, Janarddana believeth that these are all true. But surely, they
are all false. The verses that a chanter sings, even if he sings them
often, produce no impression on him. And every creature acts according
to his disposition, even like the bird Bhulinga (that picks the
particles of flesh from between the lion's teeth, though preaching
against rashness). Assuredly thy disposition is very mean. There is not
the least doubt about it. And so also, it seemeth, that the sons of
Pandu who regard Krishna as deserving of worship and who have thee for
their guide, are possessed of a sinful disposition. Possessing a
knowledge of virtue, thou hast fallen off from the path of the wise.
Therefore thou art sinful. Who, O Bhishma, knowing himself to be
virtuous and superior in knowledge, will so act as thou hast done from
motives of virtue? If thou knowest the ways of the morality, if thy
mind is guided by wisdom, blessed be thou. Why then, O Bhishma, was
that virtuous girl Amva, who had set her heart upon another, carried
off by thee, so proud of wisdom and virtue? Thy brother Vichitravirya
conformably to the ways of the honest and the virtuous, knowing that
girl's condition, did not marry her though brought by thee. Boasting as
thou dost of virtue, in thy very sight, upon the widow of thy brother
were sons begotten by another according to the ways of the honest.
Where is thy virtue, O Bhishma? This thy celibacy, which thou leadest
either from ignorance or from impotence, is fruitless. O thou who art
conversant with virtue, I do not behold thy well-being. Thou who
expoundest morality in this way dost not seem to have ever waited upon
the old. Worship, gift, study,--sacrifices distinguished by large gifts
to the Brahmanas,--these all equal not in merit even one-sixteenth part
of that which is obtainable by the possession of a son. The merit, O
Bhishma, that is acquired by numberless vows and fasts assuredly
becomes fruitless in the case of one that is childless. Thou art
childless and old and the expounder of false morality. Like the swan in
the story, thou shalt now die at the hands of thy relatives. Other men
possessed of knowledge have said this of old. I will presently recite
it fully in thy hearing.
"'There lived of yore an old swan on the sea-coast. Ever speaking of
morality, but otherwise in his conduct, he used to instruct the
feathery tribe. "Practise ye virtue and forego sin,"--these were the
words that other truthful birds, O Bhishma, constantly heard him utter.
And the other oviparous creatures ranging the sea, it hath been heard
by us, O Bhishma use for virtue's sake to bring him food. And, O
Bhishma, all those other birds, keeping their eggs, with him, ranged
and dived in the waters of the sea. And the sinful old swan, attentive
to his own pursuits, used to eat up the eggs of all those birds that
foolishly trusted in him. After a while when the eggs were decreasing
in number, a bird of great wisdom had his suspicions roused and he even
witnessed (the affair) one day. And having witnessed the sinful act of
the old swan, that bird in great sorrow spoke unto all the other birds.
Then, O thou best of the Kurus, all those birds witnessing with their
own eyes the act of the old swan, approached that wretch of false
conduct and slew him.
"'Thy behaviour, O Bhishma, is even like that of the old swan. These
lords of earth might slay thee in anger like those creatures of the
feathery tribe slaying the old swan. Persons conversant with the
Puranas recite a proverb, O Bhishma, as regards this occurrence, I
shall, O Bharata, repeat it to thee fully. It is even this: O thou that
supportest thyself on thy wings, though thy heart is affected (by the
passions), thou preachest yet (of virtue); but this thy sinful act of
eating up the eggs transgresseth thy speech!'