Bharata, let Arghya (an article of respect) be offered unto the kings as
each of them deserveth. Listen, O Yudhishthira, the preceptor, the
sacrificial priest, the relative, the Snataka, the friend, and the king,
it hath been said are the six that deserve Arghya. The wise have said that
when any of these dwell with one for full one year he deserveth to be
worshipped with Arghya. These kings have been staying with us for some
time. Therefore, O king, let Arghyas be procured to be offered unto each
of them. And let an Arghya be presented first of all unto him among those
present who is the foremost.'

"Hearing these words of Bhishma, Yudhishthira said--'O Grandsire, O thou
of the Kuru race, whom thou deemest the foremost amongst these and unto
whom the Arghya should be presented by us, O tell me.'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Then, O Bharata, Bhishma the son of Santanu,
judged it by his intelligence that on earth Krishna was the foremost of
all. And he said--'As is the sun among all luminous objects, so is the one
(meaning Krishna) (who shines like the sun) among us all, in consequence
of his energy, strength and prowess. And this our sacrificial mansion is
illuminated and gladdened by him as a sunless region by the sun, or a
region of still air by a gust of breeze. Thus commanded by Bhishma,
Sahadeva endued with great prowess duly presented the first Arghya of
excellent ingredients unto Krishna of the Vrishni race. Krishna also
accepted it according to the forms of the ordinance. But Sisupala could
not bear to see that worship offered unto Vasudeva. And this mighty king
of Chedi, reproving in the midst of that assembly both Bhishma and.
Yudhishthira, censured Vasudeva thereafter.'


SECTION XXXVI