*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 66.*
Poundraka, king of Karusha, thought, "I am Vasudeva." With this
conviction, he sent a messenger to Krishna, calling him a pretender. He
was staying with his friend, the king of Kasi. Krishna attacked Kasi,
and both the princes came out with a large army. Krishna found Poundraka
had the conch, the disc, the club, the bow made of horn and the
Srivatsa, all his own symbols. He was adorned with the Kaustubha and a
garland of wild flowers. He had yellow clothes and rich crest jewels. He
had Makara-shaped ear-rings. He was seated on a false Garuda. Seeing
Poundraka represent him in this way, as it were on the stage, Krishna
began to laugh. He killed both the princes in the fight. Poundraka had
constantly meditated on Hari and he assumed his form and became all Hari
himself.
Sudakshina, son of the Kasi prince, vowed vengeance and worshipped Siva.
Siva, being pleased with his worship, asked him to name a boon. He asked
how he could kill the slayer of his father. Siva told him to invoke
Dakshina Agni, with a Mantra of black magic (_Abhichara_). Sudakshina
did so with the aid of Brahmanas. The fire went towards Dvaraka to
consume Krishna. Krishna sent his Sudarsana disc which overpowered the
fire. The fire fell back on Kasi and consumed Sudakshina and the
Brahmanas. Sudarsana still followed the fire. The divine weapon burnt
the whole of Kasi and went back to Krishna.