Shishupala or Sisupala was the son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi and Srutadeva. Shishupala, in his previous birth was born as the heroic monarch of the Daityas, Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu was killed by Narasimha, the divine guardian of the creation in the man-lion Avatar. Shishupala was Krishna"s enemy, because Krishna had eloped with Rukmini. Later Shishupala was slain by Krishna at the great sacrifice of Yudhisthir as the punishment of critical abuse.
Birth of Shishupala
In the Puranas, it is mentioned that Shishupala was the son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi, and Srutadeva. Srutadeva was the sister of Vasudeva and therefore Shishupala was the cousin of Krishna. Mahabharata states that Shishupala was born with three eyes and four arms. When he was born, a heavenly voice proclaimed that his extra eye and arms will leave him when someone takes him on their lap and that person would also be responsible for Shishupala"s end.
Myths of Shishupala
According to the myths, Hiranyakasipu was born as Shishupala. In this character he renewed with great inveteracy than ever his hostile hatred towards Pundariksha (Vishnu). Shishupala was united with him after death. Once, Yudhisthir organised a Rajasuya yagna in their capital city of Indraprastha. After the customs were over, Yudhisthir called Krishna to receive the presents made for the yagna and wished to give the offerings as a mark of respect. Shishupala raged with anger by witnessing this. He got up from his seat and showed his anger at Krishna by saying a mere cowherd is being honoured earliest. At one point, Krishna lost his temper and killed Shishupala with his chakra.
Once Krishna visited his aunt Satyavathi, Shishupala was a baby. Krishna took the baby from the cradle and sat down with the baby on his lap. At that moment the extra eye and arms left the body of Shishupala. Krishna was shocked. Satyavathi told him about the heavenly voice which had said that Shishupala would die one day in the hands of the person who held him in his lap. She made Krishna assure that he would pardon Shishupala for a hundred times before he kills him and Krishna agrees. She also told him that after her son dies he should go to heaven. Krishna told Uddhava that he had been provoked a hundred times by Shishupala after which he had to be killed.
There is one more story to Shishupala"s end. Once there were two brothers Jaya and Vijaya. They were the protectors to the heavenly gate. Due to a curse they were born on earth as the enemies of Vishnu. According to the Puranas, Jaya and Vijaya were born in the Dwapara Yuga as Thanthavakra and Shishupala and both were killed by Krishna.
