Krishna Decapitates Shishupala

He then challenged Krishna himself. "Krishna, come here and face me. The Pandavas are cowards; they don't know your true character. Scoundrel! Conspirator! Fraudster!"

Krishna listened quietly to Shishupala's volley of abuse, then stood up and said calmly, "I have never hurt Shishupala. He, on the other hand, has never missed an opportunity to hurt me. I have kept forgiving him because he is my aunt's son. He once burnt down Dwarka, but I pardoned him. He even wished to snatch my wife Rukmini away from me, but I chose to overlook this. However, he has crossed all bounds today."

Consumed by arrogance, Shishupala laughed loudly. "Yes, I lusted after your wife. How shamelessly you admit this! I don't need your forgiveness. Come and show what you can do to me."

Krishna reflected for some time. He then summoned his Sudarshana Chakra, which appeared on his right forefinger. "Let all the kings listen," he said. "I promised my aunt that I would forgive Shishupala a hundred times. He has now committed his one hundred and first offence, which I will not forgive."

He then unleashed the Sudarshana Chakra at Shishupala. The Chakra whizzed through the air and decapitated Shishupala in one swift motion. A divine light emanated from the corpse of Shishupala, King of Chedi, and merged with Krishna.

Shishupala was actually an incarnation of Jaya, one of the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha (the abode of Lord Vishnu). As a result of the curse of the Kumaras (four sages who roam the universe as children), Jaya and his brother, Vijaya, were born as humans on Earth multiple times. They were given the choice between being born nine times as devotees of Vishnu and being born three times as enemies of Vishnu.  They chose the latter option in order to return to the service of their Lord as soon as possible.

Yudhishthira instructed his brothers to perform the last rites of Shishupala. Shishupala's son was crowned the king of Chedi. The remaining rites of the Rajasuya Yajna were completed without any impediments. All the kings were delighted to have witnessed such a magnificent yajna and then returned to their respective kingdoms. Krishna remained in Indraprastha for a few more days before returning to Dwarka.