Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

तस्य काशीपतिर्मित्रं पार्ष्णिग्राहोऽन्वयान्नृप । अक्षौहिणीभिस्तिसृभिरपश्यत् पौण्ड्रकं हरि: ॥ १२ ॥ शङ्खार्यसिगदाशार्ङ्गश्रीवत्साद्युपलक्षितम् । बिभ्राणं कौस्तुभमणिं वनमालाविभूषितम् ॥ १३ ॥ कौशेयवाससी पीते वसानं गरुडध्वजम् । अमूल्यमौल्याभरणं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tasya kāśī-patir mitraṁ pārṣṇi-grāho ’nvayān nṛpa akṣauhiṇībhis tisṛbhir apaśyat pauṇḍrakaṁ hariḥ

Translation

パウンドラカの友人であるカーシー王は、王よ、三つのアクシャウヒニ軍団を率いて後衛として従った。主クリシュナは、パウンドラカが法螺貝、円盤、剣、棍棒といった主ご自身の象徴を持ち、さらに模造のシャールンガ弓とシュリーヴァツァの印を身につけているのをご覧になった。彼は偽のカウストゥバ宝石を身につけ、森の花の輪で飾られ、上質で黄色い絹の上下の衣をまとっていた。彼の旗にはガルーダの像が描かれ、高価な王冠と輝くサメの形をした耳飾りをつけていた。

Synonyms

• शङ्ख-अरि-असि-गदा-शार्ङ्ग-श्रीवत्स-आदि-उपलक्षितम्: marked by conch, discus, sword, mace, Śārṅga bow, Śrīvatsa, etc.
• शङ्ख-अरि-असि-गदा-शार्ङ्ग-श्रीवत्स-आदि-उपलक्षितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + उपलक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (उपलक्षितम् = ‘marked by’ + instrumental sense implied)

• बिभ्राणम्: bearing
• बिभ्राणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘bearing’

• कौस्तुभ-मणिम्: the Kaustubha gem
• कौस्तुभ-मणिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Kaustubha jewel)

• वनमाला-विभूषितम्: adorned with a forest garland
• वनमाला-विभूषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वनमाला (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (adorned with a forest-garland)

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda comments in Kṛṣṇa: “When the two kings came before Lord Kṛṣṇa to oppose Him, Kṛṣṇa saw Pauṇḍraka face to face for the first time.”

Characters & Entities

• Pauṇḍraka (false Vāsudeva)
• Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Paundraka, the false Vasudeva?

This verse describes how Pauṇḍraka imitated Lord Hari’s divine insignia—conch, discus, mace, Śārṅga bow, Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, and garland—externally copying the Lord’s appearance.

Why are the Kaustubha jewel and Srivatsa mark important in Vishnu’s identity?

They are distinctive divine identifiers of Lord Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa; the verse highlights Pauṇḍraka’s attempt to appropriate these sacred signs to appear as the Supreme.

Practical application: what is the lesson about imitation vs genuine spirituality?

External symbols without inner surrender can become a costume for ego; the Bhagavatam warns seekers to value authentic devotion and truth over display and pretension.