“Hearing these words of Bhishma, Yudhishthira said—­’O Grandsire, O thou of the Kuru race, whom thou deemest the foremost amongst these and unto whom the Arghya should be presented by us, O tell me.’

“Vaisampayana continued,—­Then, O Bharata, Bhishma the son of Santanu, judged it by his intelligence that on earth Krishna was the foremost of all.  And he said—­’As is the sun among all luminous objects, so is the one (meaning Krishna) (who shines like the sun) among us all, in consequence of his energy, strength and prowess.  And this our sacrificial mansion is illuminated and gladdened by him as a sunless region by the sun, or a region of still air by a gust of breeze.  Thus commanded by Bhishma, Sahadeva endued with great prowess duly presented the first Arghya of excellent ingredients unto Krishna of the Vrishni race.  Krishna also accepted it according to the forms of the ordinance.  But Sisupala could not bear to see that worship offered unto Vasudeva.  And this mighty king of Chedi, reproving in the midst of that assembly both Bhishma and.  Yudhishthira, censured Vasudeva thereafter.”

SECTION XXXVI

“Sisupala said—­’O thou of the Kuru race, this one of the Vrishni race doth not deserve royal worship as if he were a king, in the midst of all these illustrious monarchs.  O son of Pandu, this conduct of thine in thus willingly worshipping him with eyes like lotus-petals is not worthy of the illustrious Pandavas.  Ye sons of Pandu.  Ye are children.  Ye know not what morality is, for that is very subtle.  Bhishma, this son also of Ganga is of little knowledge and hath transgressed the rules of morality (by giving ye such counsel).  And, O Bhishma, if one like thee, possessed of virtue and morality acteth from motives of interest, he is deserving of censure among the honest and the wise.  How doth he of the Dasarha race, who is not even a king, accept worship before these kings and how is it that he hath been worshipped by ye?  O bull of the Kuru race, if thou regardest Krishna as the oldest in age, here is Vasudeva, and how can his son be said so in his presence?  Or, if thou regardest Vasudeva as your well-wisher and supporter, here is Drupada; how then can Madhava deserve the (first) worship?  Or, O son of Kuru, regardest thou Krishna as preceptor?  When Drona is here, how hast thou worshipped him of the Vrishni race?  Or, O son of Kuru, regardest thou Krishna as the Ritwija?  When old Dwaipayana is here, how hath Krishna been worshipped by thee?  Again when old Bhishma, the son of Santanu, that foremost of men who is not to die save at his own wish is here, why, O king, hath Krishna been worshipped by thee?  When the brave Aswatthaman, versed in every branch of knowledge is here, why, O king, hath Krishna, O thou of the Kuru race, been worshipped by thee?  When that King of kings, Duryyodhana, that foremost of men, is here, as also Kripa the preceptor of the Bharata princes,