Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.66.12-14
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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pārṣṇi-grāhaḥ
—
as the rear guard
Compound: pārṣṇi (heel) + grāha (seizer). The technical term in dhanurveda for the warrior who protects the chief from behind. The Kāśī king's role is structural — the city of Śiva backing the imitator of Viṣṇu, a configuration Sudarśana will later correct.
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śaṅkha-ari-asi-gadā
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conch, disc, sword, club
Compound enumerating the four hand-implements of Viṣṇu's caturbhuja form. Each has a doctrinal weight: śaṅkha (Pāñcajanya, the sound of mantra), ari/cakra (Sudarśana, the time-wheel), asi (Nandaka, viveka), gadā (Kaumodakī, prāṇa). Pauṇḍraka wears all four as costume — and Sudarśana, the second of them, will end him.
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śrīvatsa
—
the Śrīvatsa sign
Literally 'the dear one of Śrī (Lakṣmī).' The curl of hair on Viṣṇu's chest where Lakṣmī rests. Gauḍīyas hold the Śrīvatsa to be non-different from Lakṣmī Herself — to imitate it is to costume oneself as the bearer of Lakṣmī, an offense Śrī Himself will not let stand.
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garuḍa-dhvajam
—
with a flag bearing Garuḍa
Compound: Garuḍa (Viṣṇu's eagle-carrier) + dhvaja (flag, banner). Pauṇḍraka mounted even Garuḍa on his banner — the precise heraldic emblem of Viṣṇu. Gauḍīyas note: every external mark of Bhagavān has been counterfeited; the only thing not counterfeited is the love that earns Garuḍa's actual carriage.
Śrīla Prabhupāda comments in Kṛṣṇa: “When the two kings came before Lord Kṛṣṇa to oppose Him, Kṛṣṇa saw Pauṇḍraka face to face for the first time.”
With a covering on that mouth which is now speaking, surround by birds like herons (batah) and vultures, you will become the shelter of dogs (The dogs will happily eat you.) He saw Paundraka who had a false Garuda on his flag, and who was wearing cheap imitation ornaments (amulya mauli abharanam).
Nṛpaḥ indicates that he had great wealth. Sometimes nṛpa (o king) is seen. Pauṇḍraka had a false Śrīvatsa made by borrowing someone else’s body hair. His clothing and ornaments were fake. This will be explained later. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says vakṣasy alaṅkṛtaṁ cāsya śrīvatsaṁ dadṛṣe hariḥ: the Lord saw him with ornaments and Śrīvatsa on his chest. The word ādi indicates the lotus and other symbols. As a blessing from Śiva, he could display four arms. This is explained in Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa. They were also false, since they could be removed from below his armpits with a sword. His crown and ornaments were imitations that looked like the Lord’s fine ornaments.
Nṛpaḥ indicates that he had great wealth. He had three akṣauhiṇis. The Lord had natural dress etc. being all attractive (hariḥ). Or he would take Pauṇḍaka’s life (hariḥ). Pauṇḍraka’s clothing and Śrīvatasa were fake. This will be explained later. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says vakṣasy alaṅkṛtaṁ cāsya śrīvatsaṁ dadṛṣe hariḥ: the Lord saw him with ornaments and Śrīvatsa on his chest. The word ādi indicates the lotus and other symbols. He added two arms with effort, with some similarity to the Lord’s. His crown and ornaments were imitations that looked like the Lord’s fine ornaments.
- Where am I copying the form of devotion without cultivating the substance?
- What practices would actually nurture the inner life, not just its outward look?
Picture a costume-shop Viṣṇu — paper conch, painted disc, glass Kaustubha, false Śrīvatsa — marching beside the real Lord whose every cihna is His own limb. The contrast is the chapter's central image: the actor and the Person.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta records several episodes of pretenders in Mahāprabhu's own time — men who declared themselves avatāras and gathered followings. Mahāprabhu's response was twofold: laughter at the pretension, mercy to the disciples who had been misled. He never debated the claim philosophically; He named it as natam (acting) and moved on.
The Pauṇḍraka episode supplies the scriptural backbone for that response. The real Vāsudeva does not argue with the false; He acts, and in acting, removes.
My note
Source: vedabase.io