Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तथा काशिपते: कायाच्छिर उत्कृत्य पत्रिभि: । न्यपातयत् काशिपुर्यां पद्मकोशमिवानिल: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

tathā kāśī-pateḥ kāyāc chira utkṛtya patribhiḥ nyapātayat kāśī-puryāṁ padma-kośam ivānilaḥ

Translation

ฉันนั้นเอง พระกฤษณะทรงใช้ศรตัดศีรษะกษัตริย์แห่งกาศีออกจากกาย แล้วเหวี่ยงให้ตกลงในนครกาศี ดุจลมพัดโยนดอกบัวตูม

Synonyms

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb (तद्वत्/एवम्)

• kāśī-pateḥ: of the lord of Kāśī
• kāśī-pateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: काश्याः पतिः = ‘lord of Kāśī’

• kāyāt: from the body
• kāyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (ablative), एकवचन (singular)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• utkṛtya: having severed
• utkṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut + kṛt (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having cut out/off’

• patribhiḥ: with arrows
• patribhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन (plural); ‘feathered (arrows)’

• nyapātayat: made fall / hurled down
• nyapātayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + pat (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); णिच् (causative): ‘caused to fall’

• kāśī-puryām: in Kāśī-city
• kāśī-puryām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष: काश्यां पुरी = ‘in the city of Kāśī’

• padma-kośam: a lotus-bud
• padma-kośam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + kośa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष: पद्मस्य कोशः = ‘lotus-bud/calyx’

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; उपमानसूचक (comparative particle)

• anilaḥ: the wind
• anilaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains why Kṛṣṇa threw Kāśirāja’s head into the city: “As he went off to battle, the King of Kāśī had promised the citizens: ‘My dear residents of Kāśī, today I will bring the enemy’s head into the midst of the city. Have no doubt of this.’ The King’s sinful queens had also boasted to their maids-in-waiting: ‘Today our master will certainly bring the head of the Lord of Dvārakā.’ Therefore the Supreme Lord threw the King’s head into the city to astonish the inhabitants.”

Characters & Entities

• Kāśīpati (King of Kāśī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s divine justice in battle?

This verse shows Bhagavān decisively removing the King of Kāśī, illustrating that when adharma and aggression rise against the Lord and His order, He protects dharma and ends the threat.

Why did Krishna kill the King of Kāśī in Canto 10 Chapter 66?

In the narrative, the King of Kāśī becomes aligned with hostility toward Krishna (in the aftermath of Pauṇḍraka’s offense). Krishna responds by defeating him, demonstrating the consequence of opposing the Lord.

Practical application of this shloka’s teaching in modern life?

It encourages aligning with dharma, avoiding envy and aggression toward the sacred, and trusting that harmful injustice is ultimately checked by a higher moral order.