Shishupala (also spelled as Shishupal) is a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was the son of the king of Chedi, and a cousin of Lord Krishna.
Shishupala was notorious for his arrogance and was known for his enmity towards Krishna. During the Rajasuya Yajna (a great Vedic ritual performed by the Pandava king Yudhishthira), Shishupala insulted Krishna, which led to his death. According to the legend, Shishupala had been granted a boon by Lord Vishnu that he could only be killed after committing a hundred sins. When Shishupala crossed the limit of 100 sins during the Rajasuya Yajna, Krishna used his Sudarshan Chakra (a celestial weapon) to behead him, thus fulfilling the boon and putting an end to Shishupala’s tyranny.
Shishupala’s character in Mahabharata serves as an example of how unchecked pride and jealousy can lead to destruction.