, becometh perverse even like that
of this king of the Chedis. O Yudhishthira, Madhava is the progenitor as
also the destroyer of all created beings of the four species, (oviparous,
etc.,) existing in the three worlds.'"

"Vaisampayana continued--Then the ruler of Chedis, having heard these
words of Bhishma, addressed the latter, O Bharata, in words that were
stern and rough."

SECTION XL

'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