Shloka 28
Pauṇḍraka’s False Vāsudeva Claim, His Death, and the Burning of Vārāṇasī by Sudarśana
सुदक्षिणस्तस्य सुत: कृत्वा संस्थाविधिं पते: । निहत्य पितृहन्तारं यास्याम्यपचितिं पितु: ॥ २७ ॥ इत्यात्मनाभिसन्धाय सोपाध्यायो महेश्वरम् । सुदक्षिणोऽर्चयामास परमेण समाधिना ॥ २८ ॥
sudakṣiṇas tasya sutaḥ kṛtvā saṁsthā-vidhiṁ pateḥ nihatya pitṛ-hantāraṁ yāsyāmy apacitiṁ pituḥ
Sudakṣiṇa, hijo del rey, tras cumplir los ritos funerarios obligatorios por su padre, resolvió en su corazón: «Sólo matando al asesino de mi padre podré vengar su muerte». Con tal propósito, el generoso Sudakṣiṇa, junto con sus sacerdotes, adoró a Maheśvara con suprema concentración.
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “The lord of the kingdom of Kāśi is Viśvanātha (Lord Śiva). The temple of Lord Viśvanātha is still existing in Vārāṇasī, and many thousands of pilgrims still gather daily in that temple.”
FAQs
He sought Śiva’s help and power to avenge his father Pauṇḍraka by killing the one he believed to be his father’s slayer—Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Here “apaciti” means repayment or requital—Sudakṣiṇa felt he would “repay” his father by taking revenge.
Even strong concentration and ritual power can be misused when driven by anger; Bhagavatam points seekers toward devotion aligned with dharma and humility rather than vengeance.