Shloka 24
पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः
इत्य् उच्चार्य विमुक्तेन चक्रेणासौ विदारितः पोथितो गदया भग्नो गरुत्मांश् च गरुत्मता
ity uccārya vimuktena cakreṇāsau vidāritaḥ pothito gadayā bhagno garutmāṃś ca garutmatā
So saying, he was torn apart by the released discus; he was crushed and broken by the mace—and even the Garuḍa of the one who bore Garuḍa as his emblem was overpowered by Garuḍa himself.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: He descends to eliminate the impostor Pauṇḍraka and his allies, demonstrating the inviolability of the Lord’s true power and emblems.
Leela: Yuddha
Dharma Restored: Vindication of Bhagavān’s authentic sovereignty; destruction of deception and hubris that threaten social and spiritual order
Concept: Falsehood that masquerades as divinity is forcibly undone; the real and the counterfeit cannot stand equal before the Supreme.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Let inner integrity match outer symbols; cultivate genuine bhakti and surrender rather than seeking status through imitation.
Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s grace and justice operate concretely in history: Bhagavān protects the cosmos by real intervention, while remaining the supreme personal reality.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
FAQs
In this verse, the released discus decisively tears the enemy apart, highlighting the chakra as an embodiment of Vishnu’s invincible, order-restoring power.
Parāśara narrates the Lord’s swift, irresistible action—discus and mace functioning as instruments of cosmic justice—showing that adharma collapses when confronted by the Supreme’s will.
The verse frames Krishna’s victory as more than martial strength: it is the Supreme Reality safeguarding dharma, with even Garuḍa acting as an extension of that protective sovereignty.