Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 66

Pauṇḍraka, the False Vāsudeva

VERSE 10.66.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

nanda-vrajaṁ gate rāme
karūṣādhipatir nṛpa
vāsudevo ’ham ity ajño
dūtaṁ kṛṣṇāya prāhiṇot

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; nanda — of Nanda Mahārāja; vrajam — to the cowherd village; gate — having gone; rāme — Lord Balarāma; karūṣa-adhipatiḥ — the ruler of Karūṣa (Pauṇḍraka); nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); vāsudevaḥ — the Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva; aham — I; iti — thus thinking; ajñaḥ — foolish; dūtam — a messenger; kṛṣṇāya — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; prāhiṇot — sent.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, while Lord Balarāma was away visiting Nanda’s village of Vraja, the ruler of Karūṣa, foolishly thinking “I am the Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva,” sent a messenger to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

VERSE 10.66.2

tvaṁ vāsudevo bhagavān
avatīṛno jagat-patiḥ
iti prastobhito bālair
mena ātmānam acyutam

SYNONYMS

tvam — you; vāsudevaḥ — Vāsudeva; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; avatīrṇaḥ — descended; jagat — of the universe; patiḥ — the master; iti — thus; prastobhitaḥ — emboldened with flattery; bālaiḥ — by childish men; mene — he imagined; ātmānam — himself; acyutam — the infallible Lord.

TRANSLATION

Pauṇḍraka was emboldened by the flattery of childish men, who told him, “You are Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord and master of the universe, who have now descended to the earth.” Thus he imagined himself to be the infallible Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 10.66.3

dūtaṁ ca prāhiṇon mandaḥ
kṛṣṇāyāvyakta-vartmane
dvārakāyāṁ yathā bālo
nṛpo bāla-kṛto ’budhaḥ

SYNONYMS

dūtam — a messenger; ca — and; prāhiṇot — he sent; mandaḥ — slow-witted; kṛṣṇāya — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; avyakta — inscrutable; vartmane — whose path; dvārakāyām — at Dvārakā; yathā — as; bālaḥ — a boy; nṛpaḥ — king; bāla — by children; kṛtaḥ — made; abudhaḥ — unintelligent.

TRANSLATION

Thus slow-witted King Pauṇḍraka sent a messenger to the inscrutable Lord Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā. Pauṇḍraka was acting just like an unintelligent child whom other children are pretending is a king.

VERSE 10.66.4

dūtas tu dvārakām etya
sabhāyām āsthitaṁ prabhum
kṛṣṇaṁ kamala-patrākṣaṁ
rāja-sandeśam abravīt

SYNONYMS

dūtaḥ — the messenger; tu — then; dvārakām — at Dvārakā; etya — arriving; sabhāyām — in the royal assembly; āsthitam — present; prabhum — to the almighty Lord; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; kamala — of a lotus; patra — (like) the petals; akṣam — whose eyes; rāja — of his King; sandeśam — the message; abravīt — spoke.

TRANSLATION

Arriving in Dvārakā, the messenger found lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa in His royal assembly and relayed the King’s message to that almighty Lord.

VERSE 10.66.5

vāsudevo ’vatīrno ’ham
eka eva na cāparaḥ
bhūtānām anukampārthaṁ
tvaṁ tu mithyābhidhāṁ tyaja

SYNONYMS

vāsudevaḥ — Lord Vāsudeva; avatīrṇaḥ — descended to this world; aham — I; ekaḥ eva — the only one; na — not; ca — and; aparaḥ — anyone else; bhūtānām — to the living beings; anukampā — of showing mercy; artham — for the purpose; tvam — You; tu — however; mithyā — false; abhidhām — designation; tyaja — give up.

TRANSLATION

[On Pauṇḍraka’s behalf, the messenger said:] I am the one and only Lord Vāsudeva, and there is no other. It is I who have descended to this world to show mercy to the living beings. Therefore give up Your false name.

VERSE 10.66.6

yāni tvam asmac-cihnāni
mauḍhyād bibharṣi sātvata
tyaktvaihi māṁ tvaṁ śaraṇaṁ
no ced dehi mamāhavam

SYNONYMS

yāni — which; tvam — You; asmat — our; cihnāni — symbols; mauḍhyāt — out of delusion; bibharṣi — carry; sātvata — O chief of the Sātvatas; tyaktvā — giving up; ehi — come; mām — to me; tvam — You; śaraṇam — for shelter; na — not; u — otherwise; cet — if; dehi — give; mama — me; āhavam — battle.

TRANSLATION

O Sātvata, give up my personal symbols, which out of foolishness You now carry, and come to me for shelter. If You do not, then You must give me battle.

VERSE 10.66.7

śrī-śuka uvāca

katthanaṁ tad upākarṇya
pauṇḍrakasyālpa-medhasaḥ
ugrasenādayaḥ sabhyā
uccakair jahasus tadā

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; katthanam — boasting; tat — that; upākarṇya — hearing; pauṇḍrakasya — of Pauṇḍraka; alpa — small; medhasaḥ — whose intelligence; ugrasena-ādayaḥ — headed by King Ugrasena; sabhyāḥ — the members of the assembly; uccakaiḥ — loudly; jahasuḥ — laughed; tadā — then.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: King Ugrasena and the other members of the assembly laughed loudly when they heard this vain boasting of unintelligent Pauṇḍraka.

VERSE 10.66.8

uvāca dūtaṁ bhagavān
parihāsa-kathām anu
utsrakṣye mūḍha cihnāni
yais tvam evaṁ vikatthase

SYNONYMS

uvāca — said; dūtam — to the messenger; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; parihāsa — joking; kathām — discussion; anu — after; utsrakṣye — I will throw; mūḍha — O fool; cihnāni — the symbols; yaiḥ — about which; tvam — you; evam — in this way; vikatthase — are boasting.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead, after enjoying the jokes of the assembly, told the messenger [to relay a message to his master:] “You fool, I will indeed let loose the weapons you boast of in this way.

VERSE 10.66.9

mukhaṁ tad apidhāyājña
kaṅka-gṛdhra-vaṭair vṛtaḥ
śayiṣyase hatas tatra
bhavitā śaraṇaṁ śunām

SYNONYMS

mukham — face; tat — that; apidhāya — being covered; ajña — O ignorant man; kaṅka — by herons; gṛdhra — vultures; vaṭaiḥ — and vaṭa birds; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; śayiṣyase — you will lie; hataḥ — killed; tatra — thereupon; bhavitā — you will become; śaraṇam — shelter; śunām — for dogs.

TRANSLATION

“When you lie dead, O fool, your face covered by vultures, herons and vaṭa birds, you will become the shelter of dogs.”

VERSE 10.66.10

iti dūtas tam ākṣepaṁ
svāmine sarvam āharat
kṛṣṇo ’pi ratham āsthāya
kāśīm upajagāma ha

SYNONYMS

iti — thus addressed; dūtaḥ — the messenger; tam — those; ākṣepam — insults; svāmine — to his master; sarvam — entire; āharat — carried; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; api — and; ratham — His chariot; āsthāya — riding; kāśīm — to Vārāṇasī; upajagāma ha — went near.

TRANSLATION

When the Lord had thus spoken, the messenger conveyed His insulting reply to his master in its entirety. Lord Kṛṣṇa then mounted His chariot and went to the vicinity of Kāśī.

VERSE 10.66.11

pauṇḍrako ’pi tad-udyogam
upalabhya mahā-rathaḥ
akṣauhiṇībhyāṁ saṁyukto
niścakrāma purād drutam

SYNONYMS

pauṇḍrakaḥ — Pauṇḍraka; api — and; tat — His; udyogam — preparations; upalabhya — noticing; mahā-rathaḥ — the mighty warrior; akṣauhiṇībhyām — by two full military divisions; saṁyuktaḥ — joined; niścakrāma — went out; purāt — from the city; drutam — quickly.

TRANSLATION

Upon observing Lord Kṛṣṇa’s preparations for battle, the mighty warrior Pauṇḍraka quickly went out of the city with two full military divisions.

VERSE 10.66.12-14

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

śaṅkhāry-asi-gadā-śārṅga-
śrīvatsādy-upalakṣitam
bibhrāṇaṁ kaustubha-maṇiṁ
vana-mālā-vibhūṣitam

kauśeya-vāsasī pīte
vasānaṁ garuḍa-dhvajam
amūlya-mauly-ābharaṇaṁ
sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

tasya — his (Pauṇḍraka’s); kāśī-patiḥ — the master of Kāśi; mitram — friend; pārṣṇi-grāhaḥ — as the rear guard; anvayāt — followed; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); akṣauhiṇībhiḥ — with divisions; tisṛbhiḥ — three; apaśyat — saw; pauṇḍrakam — Pauṇḍraka; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; śaṅkha — with conchshell; ari — disc; asi — sword; gadā — club; śārṅga — Śārṅga bow; śrīvatsa — with the Śrīvatsa sign of hair on His chest; ādi — and other symbols; upalakṣitam — marked; bibhrāṇam — bearing; kaustubha-maṇim — the Kaustubha gem; vana-mālā — with a garland of forest flowers; vibhūṣitam — decorated; kauśeya — of fine silk; vāsasī — a pair of garments; pīte — yellow; vasānam — wearing; garuḍa-dhvajam — his banner marked with the image of Garuḍa; amūlya — valuable; mauli — a crown; ābharaṇam — whose ornament; sphurat — gleaming; makara — shark-shaped; kuṇḍalam — with earrings.

TRANSLATION

Pauṇḍraka’s friend, the King of Kāśī, followed behind, O King, leading the rear guard with three akṣauhiṇī divisions. Lord Kṛṣṇa saw that Pauṇḍraka was carrying the Lord’s own insignia, such as the conchshell, disc, sword and club, and also an imitation Śārṅga bow and Śrīvatsa mark. He wore a mock Kaustubha gem, was decorated with a garland of forest flowers and was dressed in upper and lower garments of fine yellow silk. His banner bore the image of Garuḍa, and he wore a valuable crown and gleaming, shark-shaped earrings.

VERSE 10.66.15

dṛṣṭvā tam ātmanas tulyaṁ
veṣaṁ kṛtrimam āsthitam
yathā naṭaṁ raṅga-gataṁ
vijahāsa bhṛśaṁ harīḥ

SYNONYMS

dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tam — him; ātmanaḥ — to His own; tulyam — equal; veṣam — in dress; kṛtrimam — imitation; āsthitam — arrayed; yathā — like; naṭam — an actor; raṅga — a stage; gatam — entered upon; vijahāsa — laughed; bhṛśam — strongly; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

Lord Hari laughed heartily when He saw how the King had dressed up in exact imitation of His own appearance, just like an actor onstage.

VERSE 10.66.16

śulair gadābhiḥ parighaiḥ
śakty-ṛṣṭi-prāsa-tomaraiḥ
asibhiḥ paṭṭiśair bāṇaiḥ
prāharann arayo harim

SYNONYMS

śūlaiḥ — with tridents; gadābhiḥ — clubs; parighaiḥ — and bludgeons; śakti — pikes; ṛṣṭi — a kind of sword; prāsa — long, barbed darts; tomaraiḥ — and lances; asibhiḥ — with swords; paṭṭiśaiḥ — with axes; bāṇaiḥ — and with arrows; prāharan — attacked; arayaḥ — the enemies; harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

The enemies of Lord Hari attacked Him with tridents, clubs, bludgeons, pikes, ṛṣtis, barbed darts, lances, swords, axes and arrows.

VERSE 10.66.17

kṛṣṇas tu tat pauṇḍraka-kāśirājayor
balaṁ gaja-syandana-vāji-patti-mat
gadāsi-cakreṣubhir ārdayad bhṛśaṁ
yathā yugānte huta-bhuk pṛthak prajāḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tu — however; tat — that; pauṇḍraka-kāśirājayoḥ — of Pauṇḍraka and the King of Kāśī; balam — military force; gaja — elephants; syandana — chariots; vāji — horses; patti — and infantry; mat — consisting of; gadā — with His club; asi — sword; cakra — disc; isubhiḥ — and arrows; ārdayat — tormented; bhṛśam — fiercely; yathā — as; yuga — of an age of universal history; ante — at the end; huta-bhuk — the fire (of universal annihilation); pṛthak — of different kinds; prajāḥ — living entities.

TRANSLATION

But Lord Kṛṣṇa fiercely struck back at the army of Pauṇḍraka and Kāśirāja, which consisted of elephants, chariots, cavalry and infantry. The Lord tormented His enemies with His club, sword, Sudarśana disc and arrows, just as the fire of annihilation torments the various kinds of creatures at the end of a cosmic age.

VERSE 10.66.18

āyodhanaṁ tad ratha-vāji-kuñjara-
dvipat-kharoṣṭrair ariṇāvakhaṇḍitaiḥ
babhau citaṁ moda-vahaṁ manasvinām
ākrīḍanaṁ bhūta-pater ivolbaṇam

SYNONYMS

āyodhanam — battlefield; tat — that; ratha — with the chariots; vāji — horses; kuñjara — elephants; dvipat — two-legged (humans); khara — mules; uṣṭraiḥ — and camels; ariṇā — by His disc; avakhaṇḍitaiḥ — cut to pieces; babhau — shone; citam — spread; moda — pleasure; vaham — bringing; manasvinām — to the wise; ākrīḍanam — the playground; bhūta-pateḥ — of the lord of ghostly spirits, Lord Śiva; iva — as if; ulbaṇam — horrible.

TRANSLATION

The battlefield, strewn with the dismembered chariots, horses, elephants, humans, mules and camels that had been cut to pieces by the Lord’s disc weapon, shone like the gruesome playground of Lord Bhūtapati, giving pleasure to the wise.

VERSE 10.66.19

athāha pauṇḍrakaṁ śaurir
bho bho pauṇḍraka yad bhavān
dūta-vākyena mām āha
tāny astraṇy utsṛjāmi te

SYNONYMS

atha — then; āha — said; pauṇḍrakam — to Pauṇḍraka; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhoḥ bhoḥ pauṇḍraka — My dear Pauṇḍraka; yat — those which; bhavān — your good self; dūta — of the messenger; vākyena — through the words; mām — to Me; āha — spoke about; tāni — those; astrāṇi — weapons; utsṛjāmi — I am releasing; te — unto you.

TRANSLATION

Lord Kṛṣṇa then addressed Pauṇḍraka: My dear Pauṇḍraka, the very weapons you spoke of through your messenger, I now release unto you.

VERSE 10.66.20

tyājayiṣye ’bhidhānaṁ me
yat tvayājña mṛṣā dhṛtam
vrajāmi śaranaṁ te ’dya
yadi necchāmi saṁyugam

SYNONYMS

tyājayiṣye — I will make (you) renounce; abhidhānam — designation; me — My; yat — which; tvayā — by you; ajña — O fool; mṛṣā — falsely; dhṛtam — assumed; vrajāmi — I will go; śaraṇam — to the shelter; te — your; adya — today; yadi — if; na icchāmi — I do not desire; saṁyugam — battle.

TRANSLATION

O fool, now I shall make you renounce My name, which you have falsely assumed. And I will certainly take shelter of you if I do not wish to fight you.

VERSE 10.66.21

iti kṣiptvā śitair bāṇair
virathī-kṛtya pauṇḍrakam
śiro ’vṛścad rathāṅgena
vajreṇendro yathā gireḥ

SYNONYMS

iti — with these words; kṣiptvā — deriding; śitaiḥ — sharp; bāṇaiḥ — with His arrows; virathī — chariotless; kṛtya — making; pauṇḍrakam — Pauṇḍraka; śiraḥ — his head; avṛścat — He cut off; ratha-aṅgena — with His Sudarśana disc; vajreṇa — with his thunderbolt weapon; indraḥ — Lord Indra; yathā — as; gireḥ — of a mountain.

TRANSLATION

Having thus derided Pauṇḍraka, Lord Kṛṣṇa destroyed his chariot with His sharp arrows. The Lord then cut off his head with the Sudarśana disc, just as Lord Indra lops off a mountain peak with his thunderbolt weapon.

VERSE 10.66.22

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

SYNONYMS

tathā — similarly; kāśī-pateḥ — of the King of Kāśī; kāyāt — from his body; śiraḥ — the head; utkṛtya — severing; patribhiḥ — with His arrows; nyapātayat — He sent it flying; kāśi-puryām — into the city of Kāśī; padma — of a lotus; kośam — the flower cup; iva — as; anilaḥ — the wind.

TRANSLATION

With His arrows, Lord Kṛṣṇa similarly severed Kāśirāja’s head from his body, sending it flying into Kāśī city like a lotus flower thrown by the wind.

VERSE 10.66.23

evaṁ matsariṇam hatvā
pauṇḍrakaṁ sa-sakhaṁ hariḥ
dvārakām āviśat siddhair
gīyamāna-kathāmṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; matsariṇam — envious; hatvā — killing; pauṇḍrakam — Pauṇḍraka; sa — together with; sakham — his friend; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; dvārakām — Dvārakā; āviśat — He entered; siddhaiḥ — by the mystics of heaven; gīyamāna — being sung; kathā — narrations about Him; amṛtaḥ — nectarean.

TRANSLATION

Having thus killed envious Pauṇḍraka and his ally, Lord Kṛṣṇa returned to Dvārakā. As He entered the city, the Siddhas of heaven chanted His immortal, nectarean glories.

VERSE 10.66.24

sa nityaṁ bhagavad-dhyāna-
pradhvastākhila-bandhanaḥ
bibhrāṇaś ca hare rājan
svarūpaṁ tan-mayo ’bhavat

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (Pauṇḍraka); nityam — constant; bhagavat — upon the Supreme Lord; dhyāna — by his meditation; pradhvasta — completely shattered; akhila — all; bandhanaḥ — whose bondage; bibhrāṇaḥ — assuming; ca — and; hareḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); svarūpam — the personal form; tat-mayaḥ — absorbed in consciousness of Him; abhavat — he became.

TRANSLATION

By constantly meditating upon the Supreme Lord, Pauṇḍraka shattered all his material bonds. Indeed, by imitating Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, O King, he ultimately became Kṛṣṇa conscious.

VERSE 10.66.25

śiraḥ patitam ālokya
rāja-dvāre sa-kuṇḍalam
kim idaṁ kasya vā vaktram
iti saṁśiśire janāḥ

SYNONYMS

śiraḥ — the head; patitam — fallen; ālokya — seeing; rāja-dvāre — at the gate of the royal palace; sa-kuṇḍalam — with earrings; kim — what; idam — is this; kasya — whose; — or; vaktram — head; iti — thus; saṁśiśire — expressed doubt; janāḥ — the people.

TRANSLATION

Seeing a head decorated with earrings lying at the gate of the royal palace, the people present were puzzled. Some of them asked, “What is this?” and others said, “It is a head, but whose is it?”

VERSE 10.66.26

rājñaḥ kāśī-pater jñātvā
mahiṣyaḥ putra-bāndhavāḥ
paurāś ca hā hatā rājan
nātha nātheti prārudan

SYNONYMS

rājñaḥ — of the King; kāśī-pateḥ — the lord of Kāśī; jñātvā — recognizing; mahiṣyaḥ — his queens; putra — his sons; bāndhavāḥ — and other relatives; paurāḥ — the citizens of the city; ca — and; — alas; hatāḥ — (we are) killed; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); nātha nātha — O master, master; iti — thus; prārudan — they cried out loud.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, when they recognized it as the head of their King — the lord of Kāśi — his queens, sons and other relatives, along with all the citizens of the city, began to cry pitifully: “Alas, we are killed! O my lord, my lord!”

VERSE 10.66.27-28

sudakṣiṇas tasya sutaḥ
kṛtvā saṁsthā-vidhiṁ pateḥ
nihatya pitṛ-hantāraṁ
yāsyāmy apacitiṁ pituḥ

ity ātmanābhisandhāya
sopādhyāyo maheśvaram
su-dakṣiṇo ’rcayām āsa
parameṇa samādhinā

SYNONYMS

sudakṣiṇaḥ — named Sudakṣiṇa; tasya — his (Kāśirāja’s); sutaḥ — son; kṛtvā — executing; saṁsthā-vidhim — the funeral rituals; pateḥ — of his father; nihatya — by killing; pitṛ — of my father; hantāram — the killer; yāsyāmi — I will achieve; apacitim — revenge; pituḥ — for my father; iti — thus; ātmanā — with his intelligence; abhisandhāya — deciding; sa — with; upādhyāyaḥ — priests; mahā-īśvaram — the great Lord Śiva; su-dakṣiṇaḥ — being very charitable; arcayām āsa — he worshiped; parameṇa — with great; samādhinā — attention.

TRANSLATION

After the King’s son Sudakṣiṇa had performed the obligatory funeral rituals for his father, he resolved within his mind: “Only by killing my father’s murderer can I avenge his death.” Thus the charitable Sudakṣiṇa, together with his priests, began worshiping Lord Maheśvara with great attention.

VERSE 10.66.29

prīto ’vimukte bhagavāṁs
tasmai varam adād vibhuḥ
pitṛ-hantṛ-vadhopāyaṁ
sa vavre varam īpsitam

SYNONYMS

prītaḥ — satisfied; avimukte — at Avimukta, an especially holy area within the district of Kāśī; bhagavān — Lord Śiva; tasmai — to him; varam — a choice of benedictions; adāt — gave; vibhuḥ — the powerful demigod; pitṛ — of his father; hantṛ — the killer; vadha — to slay; upāyam — the means; saḥ — he; vavre — chose; varam — as his benediction; īpsitam — desired.

TRANSLATION

Satisfied by the worship, the powerful Lord Śiva appeared in the sacred precinct of Avimukta and offered Sudakṣiṇa his choice of benedictions. The prince chose as his benediction a means to slay his father’s killer.

VERSE 10.66.30-31

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

sādhayiṣyati saṅkalpam
abrahmaṇye prayojitaḥ
ity ādiṣṭas tathā cakre
kṛṣṇāyābhicaran vratī

SYNONYMS

dakṣiṇa-agnim — to the Dakṣiṇa fire; paricara — you should render service; brāhmaṇaiḥ — brāhmaṇas; samam — together with; ṛtvijam — the original priest; abhicāra-vidhānena — with the ritual known as abhicāra (meant for killing or otherwise harming an enemy); saḥ — that; ca — and; agniḥ — fire; pramathaiḥ — by the Pramathas (powerful mystics who are in Lord Śiva’s retinue and who assume many different forms); vṛtaḥ — surrounded; sādhayiṣyati — it will accomplish; saṅkalpam — your intention; abrahmaṇye — against one who is inimical to brāhmaṇas; prayojitaḥ — utilized; iti — so; ādiṣṭaḥ — instructed; tathā — in that way; cakre — he did; kṛṣṇāya — against Lord Kṛṣṇa; abhicaran — intending to do harm; vratī — observing the required vows.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva told him, “Accompanied by brāhmaṇas, serve the Dakṣiṇāgni fire — the original priest — following the injunctions of the abhicāra ritual. Then the Dakṣiṇāgni fire, together with many Pramathas, will fulfill your desire if you direct it against someone inimical to the brāhmaṇas.” So instructed, Sudakṣiṇa strictly observed the ritualistic vows and invoked the abhicāra against Lord Kṛṣṇa.

VERSE 10.66.32-33

tato ’gnir utthitaḥ kuṇḍān
mūrtimān ati-bhīṣaṇaḥ
tapta-tāmra-śikhā-śmaśrur
aṅgārodgāri-locanaḥ

daṁṣṭrogra-bhru-kuṭī-daṇḍa-
kaṭhorāsyaḥ sva-jihvayā
ālihan sṛkvaṇī nagno
vidhunvaṁs tri-śikhaṁ jvalat

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; agniḥ — the fire; utthitaḥ — rose up; kuṇḍāt — from the sacrificial altar pit; mūrti-mān — assuming a personal form; ati — extremely; bhīṣaṇaḥ — fearsome; tapta — molten; tāmra — (like) copper; śikhā — the tuft of hair on whose head; śmaśruḥ — and whose beard; aṅgāra — hot cinders; udgāri — emitting; locanaḥ — whose eyes; daṁṣṭra — with his teeth; ugra — terrible; bhru — of the eyebrows; kuṭī — of the furrowing; daṇḍa — and with the arch; kaṭhora — harsh; āsyaḥ — whose face; sva — his; jihvayā — with the tongue; ālihan — licking; sṛkvaṇī — both corners of his mouth; nagnaḥ — naked; vidhunvan — shaking; tri-śikham — his trident; jvalat — ablaze.

TRANSLATION

Thereupon the fire rose up out of the altar pit, assuming the form of an extremely fearsome, naked person. The fiery creature’s beard and tuft of hair were like molten copper, and his eyes emitted blazing hot cinders. His face looked most frightful with its fangs and terrible arched and furrowed brows. As he licked the corners of his mouth with his tongue, the demon shook his flaming trident.

VERSE 10.66.34

padbhyāṁ tāla-pramāṇābhyāṁ
kampayann avanī-talam
so ’bhyadhāvad vṛto bhūtair
dvārakāṁ pradahan diśaḥ

SYNONYMS

padbhyām — with his legs; tāla — of palm trees; pramāṇābhyām — whose measure; kampayan — shaking; avanī — of the earth; talam — the surface; saḥ — he; abhyadhāvat — ran; vṛtaḥ — accompanied; bhūtaiḥ — by ghostly spirits; dvārakām — toward Dvārakā; pradahan — burning up; diśaḥ — the directions.

TRANSLATION

On legs as tall as palm trees, the monster raced toward Dvārakā in the company of ghostly spirits, shaking the ground and burning the world in all directions.

VERSE 10.66.35

tam ābhicāra-dahanam
āyāntaṁ dvārakaukasaḥ
vilokya tatrasuḥ sarve
vana-dāhe mṛgā yathā

SYNONYMS

tam — him; ābhicāra — created by the abhicāra ritual; dahanam — the fire; āyāntam — approaching; dvārakā-okasaḥ — the residents of Dvārakā; vilokya — seeing; tatrasuḥ — became frightened; sarve — all; vana-dāhe — when there is a forest fire; mṛgāḥ — animals; yathā — as.

TRANSLATION

Seeing the approacḥ of the fiery demon created by the abhicāra ritual, the residents of Dvārakā were all struck with fear, like animals terrified by a forest fire.

VERSE 10.66.36

akṣaiḥ sabhāyāṁ krīḍantaṁ
bhagavantaṁ bhayāturāḥ
trāhi trāhi tri-lokeśa
vahneḥ pradahataḥ puram

SYNONYMS

akṣaiḥ — with dice; sabhāyām — in the royal court; krīḍantam — playing; bhagavantam — to the Personality of Godhead; bhaya — with fear; āturāḥ — agitated; trāhi trāhi — (they said) “Save us! Save us!”; tri — three; loka — of the worlds; īśa — O Lord; vahneḥ — from the fire; pradahataḥ — which is burning up; puram — the city.

TRANSLATION

Distraught with fear, the people cried out to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was then playing at dice in the royal court: “Save us! Save us, O Lord of the three worlds, from this fire burning up the city!”

VERSE 10.66.37

śrutvā taj jana-vaiklavyaṁ
dṛṣṭvā svānāṁ ca sādhvasam
śaraṇyaḥ samprahasyāha
mā bhaiṣṭety avitāsmy aham

SYNONYMS

śrutvā — hearing; tat — this; jana — of the populace; vaiklavyam — agitation; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; svānām — of His own men; ca — and; sādhvasam — the disturbed condition; śaraṇyaḥ — the best source of shelter; samprahasya — loudly laughing; āha — said; bhaiṣṭa — do not fear; iti — thus; avitā asmi — will give protection; aham — I.

TRANSLATION

When Lord Kṛṣṇa heard the people’s agitation and saw that even His own men were disturbed, that most worthy giver of shelter simply laughed and told them, “Do not fear; I shall protect you.”

VERSE 10.66.38

sarvasyāntar-bahiḥ-sākṣī
kṛtyāṁ māheśvarīṁ vibhuḥ
vijñāya tad-vighātārthaṁ
pārśva-sthaṁ cakram ādiśat

SYNONYMS

sarvasya — everyone; antaḥ — within; bahiḥ — and without; sākṣī — the witness; kṛtyām — the manufactured creature; māhā-īśvarīm — of Lord Śiva; vibhuḥ — the almighty Supreme Lord; vijñāya — fully understanding; tat — him; vighāta — of defeating; artham — for the purpose; pārśva — at His side; stham — standing; cakram — His disc; ādiśat — He ordered.

TRANSLATION

The almighty Lord, the internal and external witness of all, understood that the monster had been produced by Lord Śiva from the sacrificial fire. To defeat the demon, Kṛṣṇa dispatched His disc weapon, who was waiting at His side.

VERSE 10.66.39

tat sūrya-koṭi-pratimaṁ sudarśanaṁ
jājvalyamānaṁ pralayānala-prabham
sva-tejasā khaṁ kakubho ’tha rodasī
cakraṁ mukundāstraṁ athāgnim ārdayat

SYNONYMS

tat — that; sūrya — of suns; koṭi — millions; pratimam — resembling; sudarśanam — Sudarśana; jājvalyamānam — blazing with fire; pralaya — of universal annihilation; anala — (like) the fire; prabham — whose effulgence; sva — his own; tejasā — with heat; kham — the sky; kakubhaḥ — the directions; atha — and; rodasī — heaven and earth; cakram — the disc; mukunda — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; astram — the weapon; atha — also; agnim — the fire (created by Sudakṣiṇa); ārdayat — tormented.

TRANSLATION

That Sudarśana, the disc weapon of Lord Mukunda, blazed forth like millions of suns. His effulgence blazed like the fire of universal annihilation, and with his heat he pained the sky, all the directions, heaven and earth, and also the fiery demon.

VERSE 10.66.40

kṛtyānalaḥ pratihataḥ sa rathānga-pāṇer
astraujasā sa nṛpa bhagna-mukho nivṛttaḥ
vārāṇasīṁ parisametya sudakṣiṇaṁ taṁ
sartvig-janaṁ samadahat sva-kṛto ’bhicāraḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛtyā — produced by mystic power; analaḥ — the fire; pratihataḥ — frustrated; saḥ — he; ratha-aṅga-pāṇeḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Who holds the Sudarśana disc in His hand; astra — of the weapon; ojasā — by the power; saḥ — he; nṛpa — O King; bhagna-mukhaḥ — turning away; nivṛttaḥ — having desisted; vārānasīm — the city of Vārāṇasī; parisametya — approaching on all sides; sudakṣiṇam — Sudakṣiṇa; tam — him; sa — together with; ṛtvik-janam — his priests; samadahat — burned to death; sva — by himself (Sudakṣiṇa); kṛtaḥ — created; abhicāraḥ — meant for doing violence.

TRANSLATION

Frustrated by the power of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s weapon, O King, the fiery creature produced by black magic turned his face away and retreated. Created for violence, the demon then returned to Vārāṇasī, where he surrounded the city and then burned Sudakṣiṇa and his priests to death, even though Sudakṣiṇa was his creator.

VERSE 10.66.41

cakraṁ ca viṣṇos tad-anupraviṣṭaṁ
vārānasīṁ sāṭṭa-sabhālayāpaṇām
sa-gopurāṭṭālaka-koṣṭha-saṅkulāṁ
sa-kośa-hasty-aśva-rathānna-śālinīm

SYNONYMS

cakram — the disc; ca — and; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; tat — it (the fire demon); anupraviṣṭam — entering in pursuit; vārāṇasīm — Vārāṇasī; sa — with; aṭṭa — raised porches; sabhā — its assembly halls; ālaya — residences; āpaṇām — and marketplaces; sa — with; gopura — gateways; aṭṭālaka — watchtowers; koṣṭha — and warehouses; saṅkulām — crowded; sa — with; kośa — banks; hasti — for elephants; aśva — horses; ratha — chariots; anna — and grains; śālinīm — with the buildings.

TRANSLATION

Lord Viṣṇu’s disc also entered Vārāṇasī, in pursuit of the fiery demon, and proceeded to burn the city to the ground, including all its assembly halls and residential palaces with raised porches, its numerous marketplaces, gateways, watchtowers, warehouses and treasuries, and all the buildings housing elephants, horses, chariots and grains.

VERSE 10.66.42

dagdhvā vārāṇasīṁ sarvāṁ
viṣṇoś cakraṁ sudarśanam
bhūyaḥ pārśvam upātiṣṭhat
kṛṣṇasyākliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

dagdhvā — having burned; vārāṇasīm — Vārāṇasī; sarvām — all; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; cakram — the disc; sudarśanam — Sudarśana; bhūyaḥ — once again; pārśvam — the side; upātiṣṭhat — went to; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; akliṣṭa — without trouble or fatigue; karmaṇaḥ — whose actions.

TRANSLATION

After burning down the entire city of Vārāṇasī, Lord Viṣṇu’s Sudarśana cakra returned to the side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are effortless.

VERSE 10.66.43

ya enaṁ śrāvayen martya
uttamaḥ-śloka-vikramam
samāhito vā śṛṇuyāt
sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — one who; enam — this; śrāvayet — causes others to hear; martyaḥ — a mortal human; uttamaḥ-śloka — of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is praised in the best transcendental verses; vikramam — the heroic pastime; samāhitaḥ — with concentration; — or; śṛṇuyāt — hears; sarva — from all; pāpaiḥ — sins; pramucyate — becomes released.

TRANSLATION

Any mortal who recounts this heroic pastime of Lord Uttamaḥ-śloka’s, or who simply hears it attentively, will become freed from all sins.