gift of honour,” the 26th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.).
§ 289: On the abhiṣecanīya day maharṣis and Nārāda
entered the antarvedi and sat down together with the rājarṣis
engaged in various topics of conversation and dispute. No
śūdra was then near the antarvedi, nor anybody without vows
(avratin). Nārada sat there with feelings of awe, remembering
the words he had heard of old in the mansion of Brahmán
regarding the incarnation of the deities, and knowing
that Kṛṣṇa was the incarnation of Nārāyaṇa and would
himself destroy all these assembled kṣattriyas. Bhīṣma
then proposed to Yudhiṣṭhira that arghas should be offered
to the kings, and first to him who was the foremost. As
Bhīṣma declared Kṛṣṇa to be foremost, he caused Sahadeva
to present the first argha to Kṛṣṇa, which filled the Cedi
king Śiśupāla with envy (II, 36). Śiśupāla gravely
censures Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa (saying that
he was a servant and cowherd and no king, and speaking
depreciatingly of his exploits), and accompanied by the
kings left the assembly (II, 37). Yudhiṣṭhira ran after
Śiśupāla and spoke sweetly to him in order to conciliate
him; Bhīṣma maintained the fitness of giving Kṛṣṇa the
first argha (II, 38). Sāhadeva and Nārada declared it to
be highly improper not to worship Kṛṣṇa. Sunītha
(i.e. Śiśupāla) stirred the kings up in order to obstruct the
completion of the sacrifice (II, 39).