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Shishupal was a prominent character in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the king of Chedi, a cousin of Lord Krishna, and is best known for his enmity with Krishna, which ultimately led to his death at Krishna’s hands during the Rajasuya Yagna of King Yudhishthira.
Despite being related, Shishupal harbored deep animosity toward Krishna, which stemmed from multiple reasons including Krishna’s role in marrying Rukmini, who was initially promised to Shishupal. His story is a blend of royal pride, karmic destiny, and divine intervention.
Key Facts About Shishupal
| Attribute | Details |
| Name | Shishupal (also spelled Shishupala or Sishupala) |
| Kingdom | Chedi |
| Parents | King Damaghosha (father) and Shrutashrava (mother) |
| Relation to Krishna | Cousin (Shrutashrava was Krishna’s aunt – sister of Vasudeva) |
| Notable Trait | Intense hatred for Krishna |
| Deformities at Birth | Born with three eyes and four arms |
| Prophecy | He would be killed by the person who caused his extra limbs to fall off |
| Death | Slain by Krishna after exceeding the limit of insults during Rajasuya Yagna |
| Rebirth Theory | Believed to be a reincarnation of Jaya, gatekeeper of Lord Vishnu |
Story of Shishupal in Brief
At birth, Shishupal had physical deformities—three eyes and four arms. An oracle predicted that these anomalies would vanish when he was held by the person destined to kill him. When Krishna held the baby, the extra limbs disappeared, confirming the prophecy.
Despite knowing the prophecy, Shishupal’s mother (Krishna’s aunt) pleaded with Krishna to spare her son. Krishna promised to forgive 100 offenses from Shishupal before taking action.
During the Rajasuya Yagna of the Pandava king Yudhishthira, Krishna was chosen as the chief guest, which enraged Shishupal. He launched into a tirade against Krishna, insulting him over 100 times. Upon crossing the limit, Krishna used his Sudarshana Chakra to behead Shishupal on the spot.
It is believed that Shishupal’s soul merged with Krishna, as he was a reincarnation of Jaya, one of the two gatekeepers of Lord Vishnu who had been cursed to be born as demons due to an earlier incident.
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