THE FIRST HONOUR

The time came for doing the honours of the occasion. The custom was to render first honour to the guest who was conside- red most worthy of taking precedence over all others.

The question arose as to who should be honoured first. The grandsire was emphatically of opinion that Sri Krishna, the king of Dwaraka, should be honoured first, which was also Yudhishthira's own opinion.

Yudhishthira followed the advice and under his instructions Sahadeva offered to Sri Krishna the honours enjoined by tradition. Sisupala, the king of Chedi, who hated Krishna as wicked ness alone can hate goodness, could not tolerate it.

He laughed aloud in derision and said: "How ridiculous and unjust, but I am not surprised. The man who sought advice was born in illegitimacy. (This was an insulting allusion to the sons of Kunti) The man who gave advice was born of one who ever declines from high to low.

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