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!’”

SECTION XLIII

“Bhishma said,—­The will under which the ruler of Chedi summoneth thee to fight though thou art of strength that knoweth no deterioration, is scarcely his own intention.  Assuredly, this is the purpose of Krishna himself, the lord of the universe.  O Bhima, what king is there on earth that would dare abuse me thus, as this wretch of his race, already possessed by Death, hath done to-day?  This mighty-armed one is, without doubt, a portion of Hari’s energy.  And surely, the Lord desireth to take back unto himself that energy of his own.  In consequence of this, O tiger of the Kuru race, this tiger-like king of Chedi, so wicked of heart, roareth in such a way caring little for us all.”