"Bhishma said,--'This Sisupala was born in the line of the king of
Chedi with three eyes and four hands. As soon as he was born, he
screamed and brayed like an ass. On that account, his father and mother
along with their relatives, were struck with fear. And beholding these
extraordinary omens, his parents resolved to abandon him. But an
incorporeal voice, about this time, said unto the king and his wife
with their ministers and priest, all with hearts paralysed by anxiety,
those words,--"This thy son, O king, that hath been born will become
both fortunate and superior in strength. Therefore thou hast no fear
from him. Indeed cherish the child without anxiety. He will not die (in
childhood). His time is not yet come. He that will slay him with
weapons hath also been born." Hearing these words, the mother, rendered
anxious by affection for her son, addressed the invisible Being and
said,--"I bow with joined hands unto him that hath uttered these words
respecting my son; whether he be an exalted divinity or any other
being, let him tell me another word. I desire to hear who will be the
slayer of this my son." The invisible Being then said,--"He upon whose
lap this child being placed the superfluous arms of his will fall down
upon the ground like a pair of five-headed snakes, and at the sight of
whom his third eye on the forehead will disappear, will be his slayer?"
Hearing of the child's three eyes and four arms as also of the words of
the invisible Being, all the kings of the earth went to Chedi to behold
him. The king of Chedi worshipping, as each deserved, the monarchs that
came, gave his child upon their laps one after another. And though the
child was placed upon the laps of a thousand kings, one after another,
yet that which the incorporeal voice had said came not to pass. And
having heard of all this at Dwaravati, the mighty Yadava heroes
Sankarshana and Janarddana also went to the capital of the Chedis, to
see their father's sister--that daughter of the Yadavas (the queen of
Chedi). And saluting everybody according to his rank and the king and
queen also, and enquiring after every body's welfare, both Rama and
Kesava took their seats. And after those heroes had been worshipped,
the queen with great pleasure herself placed the child on the lap of
Damodara. As soon as the child was placed on his lap, those superfluous
arms of his fell down and the eye on his forehead also disappeared. And
beholding this, the queen in alarm and anxiety begged of Krishna a
boon. And she said,--"O mighty-armed Krishna, I am afflicted with fear;
grant me a boon. Thou art the assurer of all afflicted ones and that
the dispeller of everybody's fear." Thus addressed by her, Krishna,
that son of the Yadu race, said--"Fear not, O respected one. Thou art
acquainted with morality. Thou needest have no fear from me. What boon
shall I give thee? What shall I do, O aunt? Whether able or not, I
shall do thy bidding."--Thus spoken to by Krishna, the queen said, "O
thou of great strength, thou wilt have to pardon the offences of
Sisupala for my sake. O tiger of the Yadu race. Know O lord, even this
is the boon that I ask." Krishna then said, "O aunt, even when he will
deserve to be slain, I will pardon an hundred offences of his. Grieve
thou not."'
"Bhishma continued,--'Even thus, O Bhima, is this wretch of a
king--Sisupala of wicked heart, who, proud of the boon granted by
Govinda, summons thee to battle!'