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अर्घाहरणपर्वन् (arghAharaNaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Arghāharaṇaparvan]
(“on the handing over of the gift of honour, ” the 26th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.). § 289: On the abhishecanīya day maharshis and Nārāda entered the antarvedi and sat down together with the rājarshis 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 Kṛshṇa was the incarnation of Nārāyaṇa and would himself destroy all these assembled kshattriyas. Bhīshma then proposed to Yudhishṭhira that arghas should be offered to the kings, and first to him who was the foremost. As Bhīshma declared Kṛshṇa to be foremost, he caused Sahadeva to present the first argha to Kṛshṇa, which filled the Cedi king Śiśupāla with envy (II, 36). Śiśupāla gravely censures Bhīshma, Yudhishṭhira, and Kṛshṇa (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). Yudhishṭhira ran after Śiśupāla and spoke sweetly to him in order to conciliate him
Bhīshma maintained the fitness of giving Kṛshṇa the first argha (II, 38). Sāhadeva and Nārada declared it to be highly improper not to worship Kṛshṇa. Sunītha (i.e. Śiśupāla) stirred the kings up in order to obstruct the completion of the sacrifice (II, 39).