Paundraka Vasudeva

Paundraka Vasudeva was the king of Pundra Kingdom. He was an ally of Jarasandha, the king of Magadha. He had enmity with Vasudeva Krishna. He imitated the attire of Krishna.^[1] Later he was killed by Krishna in battle. That king of Vanga, Pundra and the Kiratas, endowed with great strength, and who is known on earth by the names of Paundraka Vasudeva hath also espoused the side of Jarasandha, the greatest King of eastern India at that time. Krishna waited till Paundraka had cheated 100 kings by pretending as the Lord post which Krishna attacked Kasi and beheaded Paundraka with his sudarshana chakra in the battlefield. Paundraka wanted to declare himself to be God. While Lord Balarama was absent in Vrindavana, this King Paundraka, the King of the Karusa province, being foolish and puffed up, sent a messenger to Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and King Paundraka directly challenged Krishna through the messenger, who stated that Paundraka, and not Krishna, was Vasudeva. Because he could not estimate his own position, Paundraka falsely thought himself to be Lord Vasudeva. Thus the messenger declared to Krishna that out of his causeless mercy, King Paundraka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, had descended on the earth just to deliver all distressed persons. Later he was punished by Krishna for his deeds. He was having battle with the great Karna also. ^[2]

See also

• List of rulers of Bengal
• History of Bengal
• History of India

References