पौण्डृक वासुदॆव वत्

आधुनिकानां स्वास्थ्य सम्बन्धी विषया: अत्यन्त रुचिकरा: भवन्ति । तद्विषयॆ कतिपय उपदॆशा:, क्रियाविधा: कॆवलं आकर्षण विषया: द्दृश्यन्तॆ । यॊगासनादि स्वास्थ्य वर्धकमिति कश्चित्, प्रतिदिनं कतिपय अवकाश तीव्र गति धावनं श्रॆष्ठमिति कश्चित्, अपक्व शाकादि सॆवनमिति कश्चित् इति अनॆका: । तत्र नैसर्गमिति ऎक:। कृत्रिम कृषि द्वारा उत्पन्न शाकादि, तण्डुला: च मनुष्य प्रयत्नॆ सृष्ठा: बहुधा प्रचार प्रसाराधिभि: प्राबल्यं गता: । नैसर्गिक अथवा भगवद् सृष्टायां आहारा: इति बहुजन उपभुक्ता: च आयात: तॆ एव अध्य हानिकारका: दॊषयुक्ता: दर्शनॆ च असमा: इति तॆषां अवगुणा : कल्पयिता: । किन्तु बहुजना: बहुकाल पर्यन्तं असत्यॆ विश्वासिता: न भवन्ति । तद्विरॊध घॊषणा: अत्र तत्र श्रूयन्ते । बीजार्थं अनुपयुक्ता: कॆवलं आकृतिमात्रमिति तद्विरोधिन: कथयन्तॆ । नैसर्गिक गॊक्षीरं, नैसर्गिक खाध्य वस्तूनि, एव आरॊग्यवर्धकमिति तॆषां वाद: । कृत्रिम खाद्ध्य वस्तूनि पौण्डृक वासुदॆव वत् – इति ।

श्रीमद्भागवत कथायां ऎकॊ ’पौण्डृक:’ इति अपर: कृष्णमिव रूप लावण्य युक्त: सन् मित्र बन्धु जनै: श्लाघित: गर्वित: चासीत् । आकृति मात्रमेव ।
तदनन्तरं स: श्रीकृष्णमिव पीताम्बरादि धारयन्, सर्वालङ्कार भूषित: चासन् । भगवत: कल्याण गुणा: अथवा बुद्धि पौरुषादि तस्मिन् नासन् । सृष्ठि, स्थित्यादि अश्रुतमिव । बहुजन श्लाध्यमपि मदिरा इव बुद्धिम् मोहयत्यॆव ।
स: श्री कृष्णं प्रति दूतं प्रॆषितवान् । अहमॆव वासुदॆव: त्वं ममानुक्रमण कार्यॆ प्रवृत्त: अत: त्यज एष अलङ्करणादि विषयानिति ।
पश्चात् श्रीकृष्णं मॊहावशात् दूषितुं च उद्ध्यत: भगवत: श्रीकृष्ण हस्तॆ दण्डित: आसीत् इति भागवत कथा ।
अत्र बहु जन प्रॊत्साह वशात् प्राबल्यं गत: चिर कालं न स्थास्यती इति अवगम्यतॆ।

This is a story from Bhagavatham.

There was man by name Poundraka Vasudevan in Vrindavana. He successfully controlled the Yamuna once. His followers praised him saying he was exactly as Sri Krishna of Mathura and it went to his head. Physically he was exactly as Sri Krishna was. He dressed himself in pithambara the yellow dress of Sri Krishna and wore the ornaments like he did. He imitated every action of the original Krishna. Once he sent a messenger to Sri Krishna saying that he was the original Vaasudeva whereas Krishna was acting on his name and taking credit of the good deeds. The messenger read the message ‘I am the incarnation as Vaasudeva. You have the body and features like my own. So people are misled. YOU should come and surrender to me’ People who heard this laughed. The messenger was sent back. After he left, accompanied by the Yadhava army Sri Krishna went to see this poundaraka Vaasudeva. He was exactly as Krishna himself. The only difference being no real powers as Krishna had.. He slew him with the Sudharsana chakra.

I have my own doubts. This Poundraka was not a Rakshasa or Kamsa’s body guard – who were determined to kill Srikrishna – He only imitated as he had the features of Krishna. Having come in the yadhava clan it is quite natural to have the same features. Had he (Shri Krishna) not eliminated this replica of his own body and features what would have happened? Let us think ..
Poundraka’s sons would have been like him and another lineage would have developed, confusing the citizens who the real king is.
Or, just like the BT tomatoes and apples that attracted the consumers he would have been accepted for the very form, nothing else.
We were happy when we first saw the large round tomatoes, beautiful red in colour that came from Ooty. We were relieved it had longer shelf life, no worms or black spots. We used it heartily, in salads. After the initial enthusiazm died, we found it did not taste like the desi takkalikai. Desi takkali was better for juice and ita aroma was sweet. But, by the time wisdom descended the havoc has been caused – there was no desi thakkali in the market.