SECTION XXXVII

“Vaisampayana said,—­Then the king Yudhishthira hastily ran after Sisupala and spoke unto him sweetly and in a conciliating tone the following words,—­’O lord of earth, what thou hast said is scarcely proper for thee.  O king, it is highly sinful and needlessly cruel.  Insult not Bhishma, O king, by saying that he doth not know what virtue is.  Behold, these many kings, older than thou art, all approve of the worship offered unto Krishna.  It behoveth thee to bear it patiently like them.  O ruler of Chedi, Bhishma knoweth Krishna truly.  Thou knowest him not so well as this one of the Kuru race.’”

“Bhishma also, after this, said,—­He that approveth not the worship offered unto Krishna, the oldest one in the universe, deserveth neither soft words nor conciliation.  The chief of warriors of the Kshatriya rare who having overcome a Kshatriya in battle and brought him under his power, setteth him free, becometh the guru (preceptor or master) of the vanquished one.  I do not behold in this assembly of kings even one ruler of men who hath not been vanquished in battle by the energy of this son of the Satwata race.  This one (meaning Krishna) here, of undefiled glory, deserveth to be worshipped not by ourselves alone, but being of mighty arms, he deserveth to be worshipped by the three worlds also.  Innumerable warriors among Kshatriyas have been vanquished in battle by Krishna.  The whole universe without limit is established in him of the Vrishni race.  Therefore do we worship Krishna amongst the best and the oldest, and not others.  It behoveth thee not to say so.  Let thy understanding be never so.  I have, O king, waited upon many persons that are old in knowledge.  I have heard from all those wise men, while talking; of the numerous much-regarded attributes of the accomplished Sauri.  I have also heard many times all the acts recited by people that Krishna of great intelligence hath performed since his birth.  And, O king of Chedi, we do not from caprice, or keeping in view our relationship or the benefits he may confer on us, worship Janarddana who is worshipped by the good on earth and who is the source of the happiness of every creature.  We have offered unto him the first worship because of his fame, his heroism, his success.  There is none here of even tender years whom we have not taken into consideration.  Passing over many persons that are foremost for their virtues, we have regarded Hari as deserving of the first worship.  Amongst the Brahmanas one that is superior in knowledge, amongst the Kshatriyas one that is superior in strength, amongst the Vaisyas one that is superior in possessions and wealth, and amongst the Sudras one that is superior in years, deserveth to be worshipped.  In the matter of the worship offered unto Govinda, there are two reason, viz., knowledge of the Vedas and their branches, and also excess of strength.  Who else is there in the world of men save Kesava that is so