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Shloka 31

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

दक्षिणाग्निं परिचर ब्राह्मणै: सममृत्विजम् । अभिचारविधानेन स चाग्नि: प्रमथैर्वृत: ॥ ३० ॥ साधयिष्यति सङ्कल्पमब्रह्मण्ये प्रयोजित: । इत्यादिष्टस्तथा चक्रे कृष्णायाभिचरन् व्रती ॥ ३१ ॥

dakṣiṇāgniṁ paricara brāhmaṇaiḥ samam ṛtvijam abhicāra-vidhānena sa cāgniḥ pramathair vṛtaḥ

ശിവൻ പറഞ്ഞു: 'ബ്രാഹ്മണരോടൊപ്പം ദക്ഷിണാഗ്നിയെ സേവിക്കുക, അഭിചാര വിധി അനുസരിക്കുക. എങ്കിൽ ആ അഗ്നി പ്രമഥഗണങ്ങളോടൊപ്പം ചേർന്ന്, ബ്രാഹ്മണദ്രോഹിക്കെതിരെ പ്രയോഗിച്ചാൽ നിന്റെ ആഗ്രഹം സാധിച്ചുതരും.' ഈ നിർദ്ദേശപ്രകാരം സുദക്ഷിണൻ കൃഷ്ണനെതിരെ അഭിചാരക്രിയ ചെയ്തു.

dakṣiṇa-agniṁthe southern fire
dakṣiṇa-agniṁ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
paricaraserve
paricara:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√car (धातु; चर्) उपसर्गः परि-
Formलोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन
brāhmaṇaiḥwith brāhmaṇas
brāhmaṇaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
samamtogether
samam:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsama (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण
ṛtvijamthe priest
ṛtvijam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
abhicāra-vidhānenaby the sorcery procedure
abhicāra-vidhānena:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootabhicāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
saḥhe/that
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
agniḥfire
agniḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootagni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
pramathaiḥby pramathas
pramathaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpramatha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
vṛtaḥsurrounded
vṛtaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvṛta (कृदन्त; √vṛ वृ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

It is clearly stated here that the powerful Dakṣiṇāgni fire could be directed only against someone unfavorable to brahminical culture. Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, is most favorable to the brāhmaṇas and in fact maintains the brahminical culture. Lord Śiva thus knew that if Sudakṣiṇa attempted to direct the power of this ritual against Lord Kṛṣṇa, Sudakṣiṇa himself would perish.

Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
B
brāhmaṇas
ṛtvijas
P
pramathas

FAQs

This verse shows abhicāra being attempted through ritual fire and spirit-beings, but within the narrative it is ultimately powerless before Śrī Kṛṣṇa, teaching that such misused rites cannot harm the Supreme Lord or overturn dharma.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates that an ascetic, after being instructed to use a southern fire-rite with abhicāra procedures, performs sorcery aimed at Śrī Kṛṣṇa as part of the conflict in this chapter.

It cautions against using spiritual practices for harm or egoic rivalry and encourages aligning religious actions with dharma—seeking protection and progress through devotion rather than manipulation.