Verse Text
yathā māgha-kāvye –
prativācam adatta keśavaḥ
śapamānāya na cedi-bhūbhṛte |
anuhuṅkurute ghana-dhvaniḥ
na hi gomāyu-rutāni keśarī ||112||
Translation
An example from Śiṣupāla-vadha, Māgha-kāvya (16.25): Though Śiṣupāla criticized Kṛṣṇa hundreds of times, Kṛṣṇa did not give any response. Though the lion replies to the thunder, it does not pay attention to the howl of the jackal.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s forgiving quality is described in the Śiśupāla-vadha in connection with His forbidding the killing of Śiśupāla. King Śiśupāla was the monarch of the Cedi kingdom, and although he happened to be a cousin of Kṛṣṇa’s, he was always envious of Him. Whenever they would meet, Śiśupāla would try to insult Kṛṣṇa and call Him ill names as much as possible. In the arena of the Rājasūya sacrifice of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, when Śiśupāla began to call Lord Kṛṣṇa ill names, Kṛṣṇa did not care and remained silent. Some of the people at the arena were prepared to kill Śiśupāla, but Kṛṣṇa restricted them. He was so forgiving. It is said that when there is a thundering sound in the clouds, the mighty lion immediately replies with his thundering roar. But the lion doesn’t care when all the foolish jackals begin to make their less important sounds.