History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.100

v5.c74.t2.100

In the Viṣṇupurāṇa we have the story of Pauṇḍraka Vāsudeva who challenged Kṛṣṇa and asked the latter to surrender his *Cakra* and other symbols He was helped by the king of Kāśi. The combined armies of Pauṇḍraka and Kāśīrāja attacked Kṛṣṇa who killed Pauṇḍraka and cut off Kāśīrāja's head (with his discus) which fell in the city of Kāśī. His son performed austerities, propitiated Śaṅkara and secured from him a Kṛtyā (ogress) which entered Vārāṇasī. Kṛṣṇa's discus in pursuit of her burnt the whole of Vārāṇasī together with its king, his servants and citizens In this account from the Viṣṇupurāṇa (V 34) the names Kāśī, Vārāṇasī and Avimukta are employed as synonyms (verses 14, 21, 25, 30, 39). The same legend occurs in the same words in Brahmapurāṇa, chap 207 and is briefly referred to in Sabhāparva, chap. 14 18-20 and chap. 34. 11.