# शिशुपाल (śiśupāla)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/shishupala

शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) is a Sanskrit word meaning the king of the Cedis, the king of Cedi, an opponent of Krishna slain by him, a king of India killed by Krishna, the name of a king slain by Krishna, king of the Cedis and son of Damaghosha, a son of Shrutashravas and Damaghosha. Its 8 recorded definitions are grouped into 2 contexts, among them Śiśupāla: Detailed Mythological and Literary Profile, Śiśupāla: Basic Identification as a King.

- **Etymology:** E. शिशु a child, and पाल who cherishes — E. śiśu a child, and pāla who cherishes
- **SLP1:** `SiSupAla`  **IAST:** śiśupāla  **Devanagari:** शिशुपाल
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishupala
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/shishupala/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** शैशुपाल (śaiśupāla)

## Meanings by context

### Śiśupāla: Detailed Mythological and Literary Profile (5 definitions)
- the king of the Cedis  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 1076,2] शिशु (śiśu) — पाल (—pāla) m. ‘child-protector’, N. of the king of the Cedis inhabiting a country in central India, probably the same as Bundelkhand (see चेदि (cedi); he was son of Dama-ghoṣa, and is also called Sunītha; his impiety in opposing the worship of Kṛṣṇa is described in the Sabhā-parvan of the Mahā-bhārata; when Yudhi-ṣṭhira was about to perform a Rājasūya sacrifice, numerous princes attended, and Bhīṣma proposed that especial honour should be paid to Kṛṣṇa, who was also present, but Śiśu-pāla objected, and after denouncing Kṛṣṇa as a contemptible person challenged him to fight, whereupon Kṛṣṇa struck off his head with his discus; the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa identifies this impious monarch with the demons Hiraṇya-kaśipu and Rāvaṇa; his death forms the subject of Māgha's celebrated poem called Śiśupāla-vadha) [ ID=218048 ]
- The king of Cedi, an opponent of Krishna slain by him  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शिशु (śiśu) पाल (pāla) (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 847 ] शिशु (śiśu) पाल (pāla) (śiśupāla) m. ( - लः (-laḥ) ) The sovereign of a country in the central part of India or Cedi, opposed to KṚṢṆA and slain by him: his death forms the subject of one of the Hindu epic poems, thence named Śiśupāla Badha, by MĀGHA. E. शिशु (śiśu) a child, and पाल (pāla) who cherishes. [ ID=38458 ]
- The king of Chedi who was an enemy of Krishna and slain by him.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शिशु (śiśu) पाल (pāla) (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 721-a ] शिशु (śiśu) पाल (pāla) (śiśupāla) m. ( - लः (-laḥ) ) The sovereign of a country in the central part of India or Chedi, opposed to KRISHṆA and slain by him: his death forms the subject of one of the Hindu epic poems, thence named Śiśupāla-Badha, by MĀGHA. E. शिशु (śiśu) a child, पाल (pāla) who cherishes. [ ID=40310 ]
- King of the Cedis and son of Damaghosha  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 200-2 ] Śiśupāla, king of the Cedis, son of Damaghoṣa. § 130 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 67, 2641 (incarnation of the Asura Hiraṇyakaśipu).—§ 232 (Svayaṃvarap.): I, 186, 7003 (present at the svayaṃvara of Draupadī); 187, 7029 ( Cedīnām adhipaḥ…Damaghoṣasutaḥ ).—§ 264 (Sabhākriyāp.): II, 4 β, 124 (among the kings who were present when Yudhiṣṭhira entered his palace).—§ 273 (Rājasūyārambhap.): II, 14, 574 (had become the general- issimo of Jarāsandha).—§ 280 (Bhīmasena): II, 29, 1069, 1074 (vanquished by Bhīmasena on his digvijaya ).—§ 287 (Rājasūyikap.): II, 34, 1273 (came to the rājasūya of Yudhiṣṭhira).—§ 289 (Arghāharaṇap.): II, 36, 1336; 37, (1338), 1368; 38, 1369, 1397, 1400 (did not regard Kṛṣṇa as deserving the argha).—§ 290 (Śiśupālavadhap.): II, 40, 1427, 1428; 41, (1433); 42, (1474), 1489 (censured Kṛṣṇa); 43, 1516, 1518 (his former history).—§ 291 (do.): II, 44, (1524); 45, 1576 ( Ś. is slain by Kṛṣṇa, and his son [Dhṛṣṭaketu] is installed as king of the Cedis).— § 294 (Dyūtap.): II, 47, 1686 ( Sātvatamukhyena —i.e. by Kṛṣṇa— nipātitaḥ ); 50, 1812 ( iva ).—§ 317 b (Kṛṣṇa): III, 12, 489 (all. to § 291).—§ 319 (Saubhavadhap.): III, 14, 616 (do.), 625, 626 (Śālva will revenge the death of Ś., his relative, bhrātā ).—§ 556 b (Sañjayayānap.): In order to enhance the fame and honour of the Pāṇḍavas, Keśava (i.e. Kṛṣṇa) formerly smote Ś., who was honoured Page201-a+ 61 by the Karūṣa king, etc. Then the other kings, deeming Kṛṣṇa unassailable when seated on his chariot, left the chief of the Cedis and ran away: V, 22, †671 (cf. § 291).— § 567 (Bhagavadyānap.): V, 130 ξ, 4411 (all. to § 291).— § 592 (Saṃśaptakavadhap.): VII, 23 ο, 970 ( putran tu Ś°sya, different from Dhṛṣṭaketu).—§ 604 (Karṇap.): VIII, 6, 183 ( putras tu Ś°sya Suketuḥ, slain by Droṇa).—§ 608 (do.): VIII, 49 λ, 2334 ( °sya cātmajaḥ, i.e. Dhṛṣṭaketu).—§ 621 (Rājadh.): XII, 4 ε, 113. (came to the svayaṃvara of king Citrāṅgada's daughter).—§ 717 b (Nārāyaṇīya): XII, 340, 12962 (in a prophecy by Nārāyaṇa, all. to § 291). Cf. also the following synonyms:— Caidya, Cedīnām adhipaḥ, Cedipa, Cedipati, Cedipuṅgava, Cedirāj, Cedirāja, Cedivṛṣa, q.v. Śrautaśrava, metron. (“son of Śrutaśravā,” cf. Harivaṃśa, v. 1930): III, 637. Damaghoṣasuta (“son of Damaghoṣa”): I, 7029. Damaghoṣātmaja (do.): II, 1594; III, 516. [ ID=2612 ]
- 1. A son of Shrutashravas and Damaghosha. 2. The reincarnation of Hiranyakashipu and Ravana who was a hater of Hari but attained liberation after being killed by Krishna.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 3-432 ] Śiśupāla — a son of Śrutaśravas and Damaghoṣa; in pre- vious births, Hiraṇyakaśipu killed by Narasimha and Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva) killed by Rāma; a hater of Hari but was shown grace by Kṛṣṇa; 1 attacked the northern gate of Mathurā and Gomanta when they were besieged by Jarāsandha; 2 engaged by Bhīṣmaka for his daughter Rukmiṇī under the influence of Rukmin, his eldest son; defeated by Kṛṣṇa who carried off Rukmiṇī; consoled by his friends that Time was not in his favour he returned to his city. 3 Protested against the place of honour being given to Kṛṣṇa when Brahmaṛṣis and Rājaṛṣis were available. He vilified him as a cowherd given to drinking and not an observer of Varṇadharma. While the Pāṇḍavas drew their swords, Kṛṣṇa cut off his head. 4 His Page3-433+ 35 friend was Śālva who summoned a conference at Kuṇḍina to which Śiśupāla went. 5 As he died remembering the Lord, he attained mokṣa; 6 (see Caidya). Maitreya asked Parāśara how it was that though he was killed by the Lords Nara- simha and Rāma, Hiraṇyakaśipu did not attain salvation but was reborn as Śisupāla, and how he attained it when killed by Kṛṣṇa; Parāśara replied that neither Hiraṇyakaśipu nor Rāvaṇa knew that Narasimha or Rāma were the avatārs of Viṣṇu; Śiśupāla knew in his heart of hearts that Kṛṣṇa was God Viṣṇu and welcomed death at his hands. Hence his salvation. 7 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. IX. 24. 40; VII. 1. 17; X. 60. 18; 29. 13; Br. 71. 158-59; Vā. 96. 157-58.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. X. 50. 11 [7]; 52. 11 [15].] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. X. 53 (whole); 54. 9-17; Vi. V. 26. 3 and 7.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. X. 74 (whole).] [ Footnote: 5) Ib. X. 57. 19; 76. 2 [10]; 78. [5]; Vi. IV. 14. 45. 52.] [ Footnote: 6) Bhā. VII. 10. 38; XI. 5. 48; Br. IV. 29. 122.] [ Footnote: 7) Vi. IV. 15. 1-15.] [ ID=14518 ]

### Śiśupāla: Basic Identification as a King (3 definitions)
- A king of India killed by Krishna  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 765-b ] शिशु - पाल (śiśu-pāla) ( लः ) ((laḥ)) 1. m. A king of India killed by Krishna. [ ID=38104 ]
- name of a king  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 720-08 ] शिशु - पाल (śiśu-pāla) m. name of a king. (See App. II.) [ ID=37859 ]
- the name of a king slain by Krishna  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) [Printed book page 548 ] शिशुपाल (śiśupāla) m. N. of a king slain by Kṛṣṇa. [ ID=32585 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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