| Paundraka Vāsudēva | |
|---|---|
| Bhagavata Purana character | |
| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | The king of Kasi,[1] The king of Pundra, False Vāsudēva Krishna |
| Weapon | False discus, false mace, false conch of Vishnu |
| Family | Vāsudēva (father) Sutana (mother) |
Paundraka Vāsudēva was a king appearing in Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. According to it, he was the king of Pundra Kingdom. Some sources state he was an ally of both Jarasandha, the king of Magadha and Shakuni, the king of the Gandhara Kingdom. He was a major enemy of Krishna. He imitated Krishna, believing himself to be Vāsudeva, or God. Later he was killed by Krishna in battle. According to some scriptures, Paundraka was Krishna's doppelganger. He is considered to be an incarnation of the demoniac King Vena as per some sources. There is also a reference that he was allies with king Kashiraja (king of Kashi)