Pauṇḍraka’s False Vāsudeva Claim, His Death, and the Burning of Vārāṇasī by Sudarśana
पौण्ड्रकोऽपि तदुद्योगमुपलभ्य महारथ: । अक्षौहिणीभ्यां संयुक्तो निश्चक्राम पुराद् द्रुतम् ॥ ११ ॥
pauṇḍrako ’pi tad-udyogam upalabhya mahā-rathaḥ akṣauhiṇībhyāṁ saṁyukto niścakrāma purād drutam
Khi quan sát thấy sự chuẩn bị chiến đấu của Chúa Krishna, chiến binh hùng mạnh Paundraka nhanh chóng rời khỏi thành phố với hai sư đoàn quân đội.
Pauṇḍraka is a rival king who falsely claimed to be Vāsudeva; upon hearing of the opposing military preparations, he marched out swiftly with a large army.
An akṣauhiṇī is a standard full military division in ancient Indian warfare; this verse states Pauṇḍraka went forth supported by two such divisions.
It highlights how ego-driven ambition pushes one into reckless action; instead of imitating the Divine, a seeker should cultivate humility and genuine devotion.