Bhishma Recounts the Portentous Birth of Shishupala
Bhishma tells the assembly about the monstrous birth of Shishupala, the king of Chedi. The child had three eyes and four arms, and a divine voice prophesied that only the man on whose lap the extra limbs vanished would be his slayer. When the infant is finally placed on Krishna's lap, the prophecy is fulfilled, and his mother secures a fateful boon.
Bhishma spoke to the assembly, describing the evil king Shishupala. He began with his birth.
In the royal lineage of Chedi, a son was born with three eyes and four arms. As soon as he emerged, he screamed and brayed like an ass. His father and mother, along with all their relatives, were struck with fear at the sight of his malformed body. Their hearts were befuddled with anxiety. They resolved to abandon him.
Then a disembodied voice spoke from the sky.
"O king! This son that has been born will be fortunate and supreme in strength. Therefore, do not be scared of him. Carefully tend to the child. His death will not be at your hands. The time has not yet come. The one who will bring about his death with weapons has also been born."
Hearing these invisible words, the mother’s affection for her son overcame her fear. With hands joined in salutation, she addressed the voice. "I bow down before you. Please speak more. I wish to know who will bring about my son’s death."
The voice spoke again. "There is one on whose lap this child will be placed. There, the extra arms will fall down on the ground like five-headed snakes and the third eye on the forehead will disappear. He will be the slayer."
Word of the three-eyed, four-armed child and the prophecy spread. Kings from all over the earth came to Chedi to see him. The king of Chedi received each one with due homage and, one after another, placed his son on each visiting king's lap. The child ascended thousands of laps, but nothing happened. The extra limbs remained.
Then the two Yadava heroes, Samkarshana (Balarama) and Janardana (Krishna), came to the Chedi capital to visit their father’s sister, the queen. After honoring the assembled kings and being shown homage themselves, they sat down. The queen, with more than usual pleasure, took her son and placed him on Damodara’s (Krishna’s) lap.
The moment the child touched Krishna, the prophecy was fulfilled. The two extra arms fell off. The third eye on the forehead sank in and vanished.
The queen was miserable and frightened. She prayed to Krishna for a boon. "O Krishna! O mighty-armed one! I am afflicted with fear. Please grant me a boon. You provide relief to everyone who is oppressed. You are the refuge of everyone who is frightened."
Krishna told his aunt, "Do not be afraid. What boon will I give you? What shall I do? I will obey your words, be it possible or impossible."
She said, "O immensely strong one! Please pardon Shishupala’s transgressions."
Krishna replied, "O aunt! I will pardon one hundred offences of your son, even if they are offences that deserve death. Therefore, do not grieve."
Bhishma concluded his account. "Such is this evil king Shishupala, evil in intelligence. Insolent because of Govinda’s boon, he can now challenge you."