Shloka 20
Pauṇḍraka’s False Vāsudeva Claim, His Death, and the Burning of Vārāṇasī by Sudarśana
त्याजयिष्येऽभिधानं मे यत्त्वयाज्ञ मृषा धृतम् । व्रजामि शरनं तेऽद्य यदि नेच्छामि संयुगम् ॥ २० ॥
tyājayiṣye ’bhidhānaṁ me yat tvayājña mṛṣā dhṛtam vrajāmi śaranaṁ te ’dya yadi necchāmi saṁyugam
«يا أحمق! سأجعلك اليوم تتخلى عن اسمي الذي اتخذته زورًا؛ وإن كنت لا أرغب في قتالِك، فعندئذٍ فقط ألجأ إليك اليوم.»
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes as follows: “Now, Pauṇḍraka, I shall force you to give up this false representation. You wanted Me to surrender unto you. Now this is your opportunity. We shall fight, and if I am defeated and you become victorious, I shall certainly surrender unto you.”
FAQs
Here ‘abhidhāna’ refers to a public title or reputation a person carries; the speaker says he will renounce a designation he considers falsely maintained due to the other person.
The line is spoken as a pointed challenge: refusing battle is portrayed as abandoning kṣatriya spirit, so the speaker implies that only by seeking protection (shelter) could one avoid combat.
It highlights integrity and accountability: do not uphold a false image, and face duties honestly rather than avoiding responsibility while claiming honor.