Shloka 42

Pauṇḍraka’s False Vāsudeva Claim, His Death, and the Burning of Vārāṇasī by Sudarśana

Devanagari script

दग्ध्वा वाराणसीं सर्वां विष्णोश्चक्रं सुदर्शनम् । भूय: पार्श्वमुपातिष्ठत् कृष्णस्याक्लिष्टकर्मण: ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dagdhvā vārāṇasīṁ sarvāṁ viṣṇoś cakraṁ sudarśanam bhūyaḥ pārśvam upātiṣṭhat kṛṣṇasyākliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ

Translation

Nachdem Viṣṇus Sudarśana-Cakra ganz Vārāṇasī verbrannt hatte, kehrte er zurück und stellte sich wieder an die Seite Śrī Kṛṣṇas, dessen Handeln mühelos ist.

Synonyms

• dagdhvā: having burned
• dagdhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having burned’

• vārāṇasīm: Vārāṇasī
• vārāṇasīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīlinga, Accusative, Singular

• sarvām: entire
• sarvām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīlinga, Accusative, Singular; qualifying vārāṇasīm

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṁlinga, Genitive, Singular

• cakram: the discus
• cakram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative, Singular

• sudarśanam: Sudarśana
• sudarśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudarśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative, Singular; apposition to cakram

• bhūyaḥ: again
• bhūyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘again/further’

• pārśvam: to the side/presence
• pārśvam: Karma (कर्म) (goal of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative, Singular; ‘side/presence’

• upātiṣṭhat: stood near/returned
• upātiṣṭhat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + sthā (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘stood near/returned to attend’

• kṛṣṇasya: of Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁlinga, Genitive, Singular

• akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ: whose actions are untroubled
• akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kliṣṭa + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁlinga, Genitive, Singular; bahuvrīhi: akliṣṭāni karmāṇi yasya (whose deeds are effortless) qualifying kṛṣṇasya

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Sudarśana Cakra
• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

Why did Sudarśana Cakra burn Vārāṇasī in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

In this episode, Sudarśana acts as the Lord’s irresistible weapon to uproot adharma; after completing its divine task of burning Vārāṇasī, it returns to Kṛṣṇa’s side.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.66.42?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while describing Kṛṣṇa’s victory and the action of Sudarśana.

What is the practical lesson of Sudarśana returning to Kṛṣṇa’s side?

It highlights that the Lord’s protection and justice are perfectly controlled and purposeful—divine power acts when needed and then rests under Kṛṣṇa’s supreme will, encouraging devotees to trust His governance.