Shloka 15

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

ततो बलेन महता काशिराजबलेन च पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवो ऽसौ केशवाभिमुखं ययौ

Transliteration

tato balena mahatā kāśirājabalena ca pauṇḍrako vāsudevo 'sau keśavābhimukhaṃ yayau

Translation

Then Pauṇḍraka—who styled himself “Vāsudeva”—set out to face Keśava, advancing with a mighty host, strengthened also by the army of the king of Kāśī.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): तस्मात्/ततः = thereafter, then

• balena: by strength
• balena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental: 'by/with strength'

• mahatā: great
• mahatā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषण of 'balena': 'great'

• kāśirāja-balena: by the Kāśī king’s forces
• kāśirāja-balena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśirāja (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'काशिराजस्य बलम्' → 'by the king of Kāśī's army/strength'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): and

• pauṇḍrakaḥ: Pauṇḍraka
• pauṇḍrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pauṇḍraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; proper noun

• vāsudevaḥ: (calling himself) Vāsudeva
• vāsudevaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; apposition to 'pauṇḍrakaḥ' (self-styled Vāsudeva)

• asau: that man, he
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun: 'that/he'

• keśava-abhimukham: towards Keśava, facing Keśava
• keśava-abhimukham: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक) + abhimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'केशवस्य अभिमुखम्' = facing Keśava; used adverbially with motion verb

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद: 'went'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect dharma by subduing arrogant impostors and hostile kings who challenge the Lord’s sovereignty and disturb the righteous order in Dvārakā’s sphere.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of true divine authority and the integrity of Viṣṇu’s names, emblems, and worship

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriating divine names and insignia without surrender (śaraṇāgati) is hollow and leads to downfall when set against the true Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate devotion grounded in humility and authentic practice rather than spiritual branding or imitation.

Vishishtadvaita: The personal Lord is the rightful object of devotion; His identity is not a humanly assumed role but the real, sovereign Person.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Characters & Entities

• Paundraka
• Krishna (Keśava/Vāsudeva)
• King of Kāśī (Kāśirāja)
• Armies (bala)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pauṇḍraka calling himself “Vāsudeva” in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights imposture and royal ego: a mortal assumes a divine title, setting up a theological contrast where Keśava alone is the authentic Vāsudeva (the supreme, rightful Lord).

How does Sage Parāśara frame this conflict narratively?

Parāśara presents it as a decisive movement in the Krishna narrative: an arrogant claimant supported by Kāśī’s forces marches toward Krishna, preparing the stage for the restoration of order through the Lord’s authority.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Krishna/Keśava) in this verse?

Krishna is positioned as the true center of sovereignty—others may gather armies and claim sacred names, but the narrative turns on the supremacy of the real Vāsudeva, who upholds dharma.