SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 10

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Black Lord [Krishna], the Almighty One, seeing the black waters contaminated by the black snake wanted the purification of the river and put an end to that serpent.'

(2) The king said: 'How did the Supreme Lord subdue the serpent in the deep waters and how could it reside there for so many ages o learned one, please explain. (3) O brahmin, who can be sated partaking of the nectar of the magnanimous pastimes of Him, the Supreme Unlimited Lord, who as a cowherd boy acted on His own authority.'

(4) S'rî S'uka said: 'To the Kâlindi of Kâliya [the name of the serpent] there was a certain lake that boiled from the fire of his poison; birds flying over it would fall into its waters. (5) In contact with the poisonous vapor, which from the waves was carried by the wind, died all plant and animal life on the shore. (6) Seeing how the river was contaminated by his terribly effective, powerful poison, climbed Krishna, who had descended to subdue the wicked, up a Kadamba tree, slapped His arms, tightened His belt and jumped into the poisoned water. (7) By the force of the fall of the Essential Person overflowed the water of the serpent's lake, in turmoil because of the poison the snake was vomiting, on al sides so that its fearsome waves came to flow over a hundred bow lengths; what an immeasurable strenght indeed! (8) My best, hearing the sound that He produced as He was playing with His mighty arms like a mighty elephant that swirls around the waters, rushed he [the snake] forward unable to tolerate the trespassing of his abode.

(9) As He fearlessly was playing, so attractive in His yellow garments and as delicate as a glowing white cloud, with the S'rîvatsa, His smiling beautiful face and with His feet which resembled the inside of a lotus, was He by him angrily bitten in the chest and enveloped in his coils. (10) Seeing Him, immobilized in the grip of the snake its coils, were His dear friends, the tenders of the animals [and all who happened to be present further], greatly disturbed and fell they, bewildered in their intelligence, in pain and full of remorse and fear to the ground, for they had offered themselves, their relations, their wealth, wives and objects of desire all to Krishna. (11) The cows, the bulls, the she-calves, cried out loudly in great distress, having their eyes fixed on Krishna, afraid lamenting in shock.

(12) Most fearsome, ominous disturbances then arose in Vraja in three kinds: signs could be seen in the sky, upon the earth and in the living beings that all announced imminent danger. (13-15) Seeing these signs were the cowherds who were headed by Nanda, agitated by fear knowing that Krishna had gone herding the cows without Balarâma. They, not knowing His prowess, could, from those bad omens overwhelmed by pain, grief and fear, think of nothing but Him, He who was their very breath of life. All of them, the children, the elderly and the ladies, my best, feeling as wretched as a cow missing her calf, anxiously set out to look for Krishna. (16) Balarâma the Sweet Supreme Lord seeing them that distressed gently smiled and didn't speak a word, knowing well the power of His younger brother. (17) They in search for their dearmost Krishna followed the trail marked by the symbols of the Lord His footprints leading to the bank of the Yamunâ. (18) Here and there, dispersed between other footmarks on the cow path, seeing the lotus, barleycorn, elephant goad, thunderbolt and flag adorned footprints of the master of their community, hurried they along, my best. (19) Seeing Krishna motionless within the lake enveloped in the coils of the snake body, the cowherd boys laying unconscious with the flooded waters and the animals all around them crying out loud, were they in their distress delivered to the greatest despair. (20) The gopîs with their minds so attached to Him, the Supreme, Unlimited Personality, remembering His loving smiles, glances and words, were now that their most dear was seized by the serpent, tormented by the greatest agony and experienced, deprived of their darling, all the three worlds as being empty [see also S'ikshâshthaka verse seven]. (21) They, together with the equally pained mother of Krishna fixing their vision upon her son, held firm retaining their flood of emotions while each of them brought up stories about the Darling of Vraja as they were standing there nailed to the ground staring at Krishna's face. (22) Nanda and his men seeing Krishna, their life and soul, were by the All-powerful Lord Balarâma who knew well the might of Krishna, withheld to enter the lake. (23) When He, the only one they had, for some time being caught in that position, saw how His cowherd folk was standing there together with the women and children in utter despair on His behalf, put He an end to the illusion of His mortality and rose He up from the coils of the serpent. (24) Expanding Himself was He given up by the serpent that had to suffer because of His transcendental body; he raised his hoods high in anger, breathed heavily through his nostrils that were like two vessels of boiling poison and looked the Lord in the face, standing still with his firebrand eyes fixed. (25) He with his double-pointed tongue to and fro between his two lips and his look indeed so terrible full of poisonous fire eagerly spying for an opportunity to strike, was by Him playfully encircled as He moved around him like the king of the birds [Garuda].

(26) This way moving around him wore He him out and made He him bend down his high raised shoulders; climbing on top of the broad heads, began He as the Original One, the First Spiritual Master of All the Arts, to dance, with His lotus feet in touch [with the snake] reddened by the many jewels on the heads. (27) Taking notice of Him engaged in His dancing arrived that very moment His servants: the heavenly singers and perfected souls, the sages and the venerable ones with their wives who all were greatly pleased to join Him with two-sided clay drums, tabours and large drums, songs, flowers and other forms of praise. (28) Whichever of the one hundred-and-one heads he had that wouldn't bow down, my best, were right away kicked asunder; the Lord who with His feet coming down punishes the evil ones, made the serpent, still moving but with his life running out, spit horrible [poisonous] blood from his mouth and nostrils so that he experienced the greatest anguish. (29) Poison oozed from his eyes and whichever vomiting head that would rise breathing heavily in anger, was, dancing, with His foot forced down in submission by Him, and for every instance that happened was He with flowers worshiped for being the Original Person. (30) Profusely vomiting blood with his numerous hoods broken and his body defeated by His peculiar dancing, o ruler of man, remembered he the oldest person, Lord Nârâyana, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving entities and turned he within his mind to Him for shelter. (31) Seeing that the serpent got tired of the heavy weight of the heels of Lord Krishna in whose abdomen the entire universe is found and that his umbrellalike hoods were shattered by His trampling, approached his wives, distressed and with their clothing, ornaments and locks of hair in disarray, the Original Lord. (32) They, totally upset within, approaching for shelter, laid their bodies and children on the ground before Him, the Lord and Refuge of All Creatures, and bowed down saintly folding their hands together to solicit the liberation of their sinful husband.

(33) The wives of the serpent said: 'Fair is factually the punishment for this person who acted in offense; You descended in this world to subdue, with an equal vision to sons and foes, the wicked and administer punishment with the purpose of a positive result. (34) This chastising of the untrue You inflicted upon us is actually a form of mercy because dispelling their contamination, as You did with his appearance as a serpent, You even being angry are of grace in accepting the ones embodied. (35) Of what austerity properly performed has he in his former lives been, free from pride and thinking of others, religious or else of compassion with all people, from which You, the Good Self of all living beings, are satisfied? (36) We don't know what of him led to this result o Lord of ours; to be qualified to touch the dust of Your lotus feet is something for which the goddess of fortune, the best of all women, has performed austerities, has given up all desires for a long time keeping to her vow. (37) Heaven nor rulership over all, not to be the topmost creator nor the master of the world, not the perfections of yoga or freedom from rebirth do they desire who have attained the dust of the feet [see also S'ikshâshthaka verse 4]. (38) He, born from ignorance under the sway of anger, has achieved that what is so difficult for others to achieve; by it [the dust] manifests for the ones, who encapsulated wander within the cycles of material existence, all opulence itself. (39) For You, the Supreme Lord of the Original Person, the Greater Soul, the Shelter of All that Exists and the Supreme Primordial Cause, to the Supreme One of the Beyond, our obeisances. (40) For the Ocean of Spiritual Knowledge and Wisdom, for the Absolute Truth of an unlimited potency, for Him free from as well the modes as from all change of form, for You the Prime Mover, our reverence. (41) For the Time, to the Secure of Time, for the Witness to the divisions of Time, to Him in the Form of the Universe, for the One Watching It Over, for its Creator; for the Final Cause of the Universe [our reverential homage]. (42-43) Of the created of the senses, the life-air, the mind, the intelligence and the consciousness You are the ground of perception, that Ultimate Soul that by the modes of nature causes the misconception of falsely identifying one's true self with its cover. Our obeisances for the Unlimited Lord supremely subtle, fixed in the center, the Omniscient One sanctioning the diverse philosophies, the One Potency of expressing ideas and words. (44) Our respects again and again for the basis of all authoritative proof, for the author of the revealed scriptures, for the source of the passages inciting and restricting. (45) We bow before Lord Krishna and Lord Râma [Sankarshana], the sons of Vasudeva, and to Pradyumna and Aniruddha [see 4.24: 35-36]; our obeisances to the Master of the Sâtvatas. (46) Our salutations to Him who, manifesting the various qualities, disguises Himself by the modes and [yet] by the functioning of the modes can be ascertained; He who by His devotees is known as the separate witness to the modes. (47) O Controller of the Senses, let there be unto You, so inscrutable in Your pastimes displayed for the realization of all creation, our obeisances; unto You, acting so silently to the silent. (48) Unto Him the Knower of the Destinations Higher and Lower, the Regulator of All things, unto You, standing apart from the universe and yet being the universe itself, for the Overseer of That and Root Cause of this all, our worship. (49) You indeed are the Almighty Lord of Creation, Maintenance and Destruction of this universe who, beginningless with the potency of Time by the modes art the employer uninvolved; awakening by Your glance the distinctive dormant characteristics of each of them [modes] You play Your game impeccable. (50) The peaceful, the restless and those born in slowness are of it [of the Time] Your material manifestations in the three worlds; [but] for the peace-loving ones and the saintly out here whom You hold dear, are You there, in Your desire to maintain the dharma to protect them. (51) For once should by the master the offense committed by his own subject be tolerated; You o Peace Personified, should forgive it this foolish one [our husband] who failed to understand You. (52) O Supreme Lord have mercy, the serpent is breathing his last; we women are pitied by the saintly, the husband [thus] should be restored to life. (53) Please tell us, Your maidservants, what should be done; by Your command faithfully executed will one for sure be freed from all fear.'

(54) S'rî S'uka said: 'He, the Supreme Lord, thus extensively praised by the wives of the snake, released him whose heads were defeated by His trampling feet. (55) Slowly with difficulty regaining his senses and life-air spoke Kâliya, breathing loudly, wretched and submissive to Krishna. (56) Kâliya said: 'We so vicious and ignorant by birth are with a constant anger of a nature that is difficult to give up for normal folk who thereof take to the untrue, o master! (57) This universe created by You, o Sustainer of the modes and the variety of creation, is there, of the womb and seed, in forms and mentalities, personal natures, different talents and physical strengths. (58) And we out here o Supreme Lord, are from the nature of the serpent species absorbed in anger; how can we on our own accord give up now Your deluding matter which is so impossible to forsake being bewildered? (59) Let there be the certain of that what You, of Your good self as the cause therein, the Knower of All, the Controller of the Universe, will arrange for us, be it of favor or of punishment.'

(60) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus hearing the words then spoke the Supreme Lord, in the role of a human being: 'You, serpent, must not stay here any longer; go directly to the ocean with your folk, your children and women; let the wealth of the river be enjoyed by the human beings and the cows. (61) Any mortal being who remembers this command of Mine for you and recites it at the beginning and the end of the day will not get afraid of you. (62) He who at the place of this pastime of Mine bathes and with the water gratifies the gods and all, will, observing a fast with his worship, be freed from all sins. (63) Afraid of Garuda you abandoned the island Ramanaka and took shelter of this pool; but now that you are marked by My feet will he not devour you.'

(64) The honorable sage said: 'Freed by Krishna, the Supreme Personality whose actions are so wonderful o King, worshiped the serpent together with his wives Him with pleasure and reverence. (65-67) With the finest clothing, strings of flowers and jewels most valuable as also with ornaments, heavenly scents and ointments and with a wreath of lotuses worshiping and satisfying the Lord of the Universe, was he by Him who has Garuda in His flag permitted to leave, contented as He was being circumambulated and respected by him and his wives, children and friends. As he went to the island in the ocean became that very instant the nectarean water of the Yamunâ by the grace of the Supreme Lord, who for His pastimes had assumed a human form, free from poison.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'The Black Lord [Krishna], the Almighty One, seeing the black waters contaminated by the black snake wanted the purification of the river and put an end to that serpent.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Lord S'rî Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, seeing that the Yamunâ River had been contaminated by the black snake Kâliya, desired to purify the river, and thus the Lord banished him from it. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The king said: 'How did the Supreme Lord subdue the serpent in the deep waters and how could it reside there for so many ages o learned one, please explain.

King Parîkshit inquired: O learned sage, please explain how the Supreme Personality of Godhead chastised the serpent Kâliya within the unfathomable waters of the Yamunâ, and how it was that Kâliya had been living there for so many ages. (Vedabase)

Text 3

O brahmin, who can be sated partaking of the nectar of the magnanimous pastimes of Him, the Supreme Unlimited Lord, who as a cowherd boy acted on His own authority.

O brâhmana, the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead freely acts according to His own desires. Who could be satiated when hearing the nectar of the magnanimous pastimes He performed as a cowherd boy in Vrindâvana? (Vedabase)

Text 4

S'rî S'uka said: 'To the Kâlindi of Kâliya [the name of the serpent] there was a certain lake that boiled from the fire of his poison; birds flying over it would fall into its waters.

S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Within the river Kâlindî [Yamunâ] was a lake inhabited by the serpent Kâliya, whose fiery poison constantly heated and boiled its waters. Indeed, the vapors thus created were so poisonous that birds flying over the contaminated lake would fall down into it. (Vedabase)

Text 5

In contact with the poisonous vapor, which from the waves was carried by the wind, died all plant and animal life on the shore.

The wind blowing over that deadly lake carried droplets of water to the shore. Simply by coming in contact with that poisonous breeze, all vegetation and creatures on the shore died. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Seeing how the river was contaminated by his terribly effective, powerful poison, climbed Krishna, who had descended to subdue the wicked, up a Kadamba tree, slapped His arms, tightened His belt and jumped into the poisoned water.

Lord Krishna saw how the Kâliya serpent had polluted the Yamunâ River with his terribly powerful poison. Since Krishna had descended from the spiritual world specifically to subdue envious demons, the Lord immediately climbed to the top of a very high kadamba tree and prepared Himself for battle. He tightened His belt, slapped His arms and then jumped into the poisonous water. (Vedabase)

Text 7

By the force of the fall of the Essential Person overflowed the water of the serpent's lake, in turmoil because of the poison the snake was vomiting, on al sides so that its fearsome waves came to flow over a hundred bow lengths; what an immeasurable strenght indeed!

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead landed in the serpent's lake, the snakes there became extremely agitated and began breathing heavily, further polluting it with volumes of poison. The force of the Lord's entrance into the lake caused it to overflow on all sides, and poisonous, fearsome waves flooded the surrounding lands up to a distance of one hundred bow-lengths. This is not at all amazing, however, for the Supreme Lord possesses infinite strength. (Vedabase)

Text 8

My best, hearing the sound that He produced as He was playing with His mighty arms like a mighty elephant that swirls around the waters, rushed he [the snake] forward unable to tolerate the trespassing of his abode.

Krishna began sporting in Kâliya's lake like a lordly elephant - swirling His mighty arms and making the water resound in various ways. When Kâliya heard these sounds, he understood that someone was trespassing in his lake. The serpent could not tolerate this and immediately came forward. (Vedabase)

Text 9

As He fearlessly was playing, so attractive in His yellow garments and as delicate as a glowing white cloud, with the S'rîvatsa, His smiling beautiful face and with His feet which resembled the inside of a lotus, was He by him angrily bitten in the chest and enveloped in his coils.

Kâliya saw that S'rî Krishna, who wore yellow silken garments, was very delicate, His attractive body shining like a glowing white cloud, His chest bearing the mark of S'rîvatsa, His face smiling beautifully and His feet resembling the whorl of a lotus flower. The Lord was playing fearlessly in the water. Despite His wonderful appearance, the envious Kâliya furiously bit Him on the chest and then completely enwrapped Him in his coils. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Seeing Him, immobilized in the grip of the snake its coils, were His dear friends, the tenders of the animals [and all who happened to be present further], greatly disturbed and fell they, bewildered in their intelligence, in pain and full of remorse and fear to the ground, for they had offered themselves, their relations, their wealth, wives and objects of desire all to Krishna.

When the members of the cowherd community, who had accepted Krishna as their dearmost friend, saw Him enveloped in the snake's coils, motionless, they were greatly disturbed. They had offered Krishna everything - their very selves, their families, their wealth, wives and all pleasures. At the sight of the Lord in the clutches of the Kâliya snake, their intelligence became deranged by grief, lamentation and fear, and thus they fell to the ground. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The cows, the bulls, the she-calves, cried out loudly in great distress, having their eyes fixed on Krishna, afraid lamenting in shock.

The cows, bulls and female calves, in great distress, called out piteously to Krishna. Fixing their eyes on Him, they stood still in fear, as if ready to cry but too shocked to shed tears. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Most fearsome, ominous disturbances then arose in Vraja in three kinds: signs could be seen in the sky, upon the earth and in the living beings that all announced imminent danger.

In the Vrindâvana area there then arose all three types of fearful omens - those on the earth, those in the sky and those in the bodies of living creatures - which announced imminent danger. (Vedabase)

Text 13-15

Seeing these signs were the cowherds who were headed by Nanda, agitated by fear knowing that Krishna had gone herding the cows without Balarâma. They, not knowing His prowess, could, from those bad omens overwhelmed by pain, grief and fear, think of nothing but Him, He who was their very breath of life. All of them, the children, the elderly and the ladies, my best, feeling as wretched as a cow missing her calf, anxiously set out to look for Krishna.

Seeing the inauspicious omens, Nanda Mahârâja and the other cowherd men were fearful, for they knew that Krishna had gone to herd the cows that day without His elder brother, Balarâma. Because they had dedicated their minds to Krishna, accepting Him as their very life, they were unaware of His great power and opulence. Thus they concluded that the inauspicious omens indicated He had met with death, and they were overwhelmed with grief, lamentation and fear. All the inhabitants of Vrindâvana, including the children, women and elderly persons, thought of Krishna just as a cow thinks of her helpless young calf, and thus these poor, suffering people rushed out of the village, intent upon finding Him. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Balarâma the Sweet Supreme Lord seeing them that distressed gently smiled and didn't speak a word, knowing well the power of His younger brother.

The Supreme Lord Balarâma, the master of all transcendental knowledge, smiled and said nothing when He saw the residents of Vrindâvana in such distress, since He understood the extraordinary power of His younger brother. (Vedabase)

Text 17

They in search for their dearmost Krishna followed the trail marked by the symbols of the Lord His footprints leading to the bank of the Yamunâ.

The residents hurried toward the banks of the Yamunâ in search of their dearmost Krishna, following the path marked by His footprints, which bore the unique signs of the Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Here and there, dispersed between other footmarks on the cow path, seeing the lotus, barleycorn, elephant goad, thunderbolt and flag adorned footprints of the master of their community, hurried they along, my best.

The footprints of Lord Krishna, the master of the entire cowherd community, were marked with the lotus flower, barleycorn, elephant goad, thunderbolt and flag. My dear King Parîkshit, seeing His footprints on the path among the cows' hoofprints, the residents of Vrindâvana rushed along in great haste. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Seeing Krishna motionless within the lake enveloped in the coils of the snake body, the cowherd boys laying unconscious with the flooded waters and the animals all around them crying out loud, were they in their distress delivered to the greatest despair.

As they hurried along the path to the bank of the Yamunâ River, they saw from a distance that Krishna was in the lake, motionless within the coils of the black serpent. They further saw that the cowherd boys had fallen unconscious and that the animals were standing on all sides, crying out for Krishna. Seeing all this, the residents of Vrindâvana were overwhelmed with anguish and confusion. (Vedabase)

Text 20

The gopîs with their minds so attached to Him, the Supreme, Unlimited Personality, remembering His loving smiles, glances and words, were now that their most dear was seized by the serpent, tormented by the greatest agony and experienced, deprived of their darling, all the three worlds as being empty [see also S'ikshâshthaka verse seven].

When the young gopîs, whose minds were constantly attached to Krishna, the unlimited Supreme Lord, saw that He was now within the grips of the serpent, they remembered His loving friendship, His smiling glances and His talks with them. Burning with great sorrow, they saw the entire universe as void. (Vedabase)

Text 21

They, together with the equally pained mother of Krishna fixing their vision upon her son, held firm retaining their flood of emotions while each of them brought up stories about the Darling of Vraja as they were standing there nailed to the ground staring at Krishna's face.

Although the elder gopîs were feeling just as much distress as she and were pouring forth a flood of sorrowful tears, they had to forcibly hold back Krishna's mother, whose consciousness was totally absorbed in her son. Standing like corpses, with their eyes fixed upon His face, these gopîs each took turns recounting the pastimes of the darling of Vraja. (Vedabase)

Text 22

Nanda and his men seeing Krishna, their life and soul, were by the All-powerful Lord Balarâma who knew well the might of Krishna, withheld to enter the lake.

Lord Balarâma then saw that Nanda Mahârâja and the other cowherd men, who had dedicated their very lives to Krishna, were beginning to enter the serpent's lake. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Balarâma fully knew Lord Krishna's actual power, and therefore He restrained them. (Vedabase)

Text 23

When He, the only one they had, for some time being caught in that position, saw how His cowherd folk was standing there together with the women and children in utter despair on His behalf, put He an end to the illusion of His mortality and rose He up from the coils of the serpent.

The Lord remained for some time within the coils of the serpent, imitating the behavior of an ordinary mortal. But when He understood that the women, children and other residents of His village of Gokula were in acute distress because of their love for Him, their only shelter and goal in life, He immediately rose up from the bonds of the Kâliya serpent. (Vedabase)

Text 24

Expanding Himself was He given up by the serpent that had to suffer because of His transcendental body; he raised his hoods high in anger, breathed heavily through his nostrils that were like two vessels of boiling poison and looked the Lord in the face, standing still with his firebrand eyes fixed.

His coils tormented by the expanding body of the Lord, Kâliya released Him. In great anger the serpent then raised his hoods high and stood still, breathing heavily. His nostrils appeared like vessels for cooking poison, and the staring eyes in his face like firebrands. Thus the serpent looked at the Lord. (Ved a base)

Text 25

He with his double-pointed tongue to and fro between his two lips and his look indeed so terrible full of poisonous fire eagerly spying for an opportunity to strike, was by Him playfully encircled as He moved around him like the king of the birds [Garuda].

Lord Krishna moved around the serpent so skillfully that Kâliya could find no opportunity to bite Him. Thus the snake was defeated by S'rî Krishna's transcendental agility. (Vedabase)

Text 26

This way moving around him wore He him out and made He him bend down his high raised shoulders; climbing on top of the broad heads, began He as the Original One, the First Spiritual Master of All the Arts, to dance, with His lotus feet in touch [with the snake] reddened by the many jewels on the heads.

Having severely depleted the serpent's strength with His relentless circling, S'rî Krishna, the origin of everything, pushed down Kâliya's raised shoulders and mounted his broad serpentine heads. Thus Lord S'rî Krishna, the original master of all fine arts, began to dance, His lotus feet deeply reddened by the touch of the numerous jewels upon the serpent's heads. (Vedabase)

Text 27

Taking notice of Him engaged in His dancing arrived that very moment His servants: the heavenly singers and perfected souls, the sages and the venerable ones with their wives who all were greatly pleased to join Him with two-sided clay drums, tambors and large drums, songs, flowers and other forms of praise.

Seeing the Lord dancing, His servants in the heavenly planets - the Gandharvas, Siddhas, sages, Câranas and wives of the demigods - immediately arrived there. With great pleasure they began accompanying the Lord's dancing by playing drums such as mridangas, panavas and ânakas. They also made offerings of songs, flowers and prayers. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Whichever of the one hundred-and-one heads he had that wouldn't bow down, my best, were right away kicked asunder; the Lord who with His feet coming down punishes the evil ones, made the serpent, still moving but with his life running out, spit horrible [poisonous] blood from his mouth and nostrils so that he experienced the greatest anguish.

My dear King, Kâliya had 101 prominent heads, and when one of them would not bow down, Lord S'rî Krishna, who inflicts punishment on cruel wrong-doers, would smash that stubborn head by striking it with His feet. Then, as Kâliya entered his death throes, he began wheeling his heads around and vomiting ghastly blood from his mouths and nostrils. The serpent thus experienced extreme pain and misery. (Vedabase)

Text 29

Poison oozed from his eyes and whichever vomiting head that would rise breathing heavily in anger, was, dancing, with His foot forced down in submission by Him, and for every instance that happened was He with flowers worshiped for being the Original Person.

Exuding poisonous waste from his eyes, Kâliya, would occasionally dare to raise up one of his heads, which would breathe heavily with anger. Then the Lord would dance on it and subdue it, forcing it to bow down with His foot. The demigods took each of these exhibitions as an opportunity to worship Him, the primeval Personality of Godhead, with showers of flowers. (Vedabase)

Text 30

Profusely vomiting blood with his numerous hoods broken and his body defeated by His peculiar dancing, o ruler of man, remembered he the oldest person, Lord Nârâyana, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving entities and turned he within his mind to Him for shelter.

My dear King Parîkshit, Lord Krishna's wonderful, powerful dancing trampled and broke all of Kâliya's one thousand hoods. Then the serpent, profusely vomiting blood from his mouths, finally recognized S'rî Krishna to be the eternal Personality of Godhead, the supreme master of all moving and nonmoving beings, S'rî Nârâyana. Thus within his mind Kâliya took shelter of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 31

Seeing that the serpent got tired of the heavy weight of the heels of Lord Krishna in whose abdomen the entire universe is found and that his umbrellalike hoods were shattered by His trampling, approached his wives, distressed and with their clothing, ornaments and locks of hair in disarray, the Original Lord.

When Kâliya's wives saw how the serpent had become so fatigued from the excessive weight of Lord Krishna, who carries the entire universe in His abdomen, and how Kâliya's umbrellalike hoods had been shattered by the striking of Krishna's heels, they felt great distress. With their clothing, ornaments and hair scattered in disarray, they then approached the eternal Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 32

They, totally upset within, approaching for shelter, laid their bodies and children on the ground before Him, the Lord and Refuge of All Creatures, and bowed down saintly folding their hands together to solicit the liberation of their sinful husband.

Their minds very much disturbed, those saintly ladies placed their children before them and then bowed down to the Lord of all creatures, laying their bodies flat upon the ground. They desired the liberation of their sinful husband and the shelter of the Supreme Lord, the giver of ultimate shelter, and thus they folded their hands in supplication and approached Him. (Vedabase)

Text 33

The wives of the serpent said: 'Fair is factually the punishment for this person who acted in offense; You descended in this world to subdue, with an equal vision to sons and foes, the wicked and administer punishment with the purpose of a positive result.

The wives of the Kâliya serpent said: The punishment this offender has been subjected to is certainly just. After all, You have incarnated within this world to curb down envious and cruel persons. You are so impartial that You look equally upon Your enemies and Your own sons, for when You impose a punishment on a living being You know it to be for his ultimate benefit. (Vedab ase)

Text 34

This chastising of the untrue You inflicted upon us is actually a form of mercy because dispelling their contamination, as You did with his appearance as a serpent, You even being angry are of grace in accepting the ones embodied.

What You have done here is actually mercy for us, since the punishment You give to the wicked certainly drives away all their contamination. Indeed, because this conditioned soul, our husband, is so sinful that he has assumed the body of a serpent, Your anger toward him is obviously to be understood as Your mercy. (Vedabase)

Text 35

Of what austerity properly performed has he in his former lives been, free from pride and thinking of others, religious or else of compassion with all people, from which You, the Good Self of all living beings, are satisfied?

Did our husband carefully perform austerities in a previous life, with his mind free of pride and full of respect for others? Is that why You are pleased with him? Or did he in some previous existence carefully execute religious duties with compassion for all living beings, and is that why You, the life of all living beings, are now satisfied with Him? (Vedabase)

Text 36

We don't know what of him led to this result o Lord of ours; to be qualified to touch the dust of Your lotus feet is something for which the goddess of fortune, the best of all women, has performed austerities, has given up all desires for a long time keeping to her vow.

O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kâliya has attained this great opportunity of being touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. (Vedabase)

Text 37

Heaven nor rulership over all, not to be the topmost creator nor the master of the world, not the perfections of yoga or freedom from rebirth do they desire who have attained the dust of the feet [see also S'ikshâshthaka verse 4].

Those who have attained the dust of Your lotus feet never hanker for the kingship of heaven, limitless sovereignty, the position of Brahmâ or rulership over the earth. They are not interested even in the perfections of yoga or in liberation itself. (Vedabase)

Text 38

He, born from ignorance under the sway of anger, has achieved that what is so difficult for others to achieve; by it [the dust] manifests for the ones, who encapsulated wander within the cycles of material existence, all opulence itself.

O Lord, although this Kâliya, the king of the serpents, has taken birth in the mode of ignorance and is controlled by anger, he has achieved that which is difficult for others to achieve. Embodied souls, who are full of desires and are thus wandering in the cycle of birth and death, can have all benedictions manifested before their eyes simply by receiving the dust of Your lotus feet. (Vedabase)

Text 39

For You, the Supreme Lord of the Original Person, the Greater Soul, the Shelter of All that Exists and the Supreme Primordial Cause, to the Supreme One of the Beyond, our obeisances.

We offer our obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although present in the hearts of all living beings as the Supersoul, You are all-pervasive. Although the original shelter of all created material elements, You exist prior to their creation. And although the cause of everything, You are transcendental to all material cause and effect, being the Supreme Soul. (Vedabase)

Text 40

For the Ocean of Spiritual Knowledge and Wisdom, for the Absolute Truth of an unlimited potency, for Him free from as well the modes as from all change of form, for You the Prime Mover, our reverence.

Obeisances unto You, the Absolute Truth, who are the reservoir of all transcendental consciousness and potency and the possessor of unlimited energies. Although completely free of material qualities and transformations, You are the prime mover of material nature. (Vedabase)

Text 41

For the Time, to the Secure of Time, for the Witness to the divisions of Time, to Him in the Form of the Universe, for the One Watching It Over, for its Creator; for the Final Cause of the Universe [our reverential homage].

Obeisances unto You, who are time itself, the shelter of time and the witness of time in all its phases. You are the universe, and also its separate observer. You are its creator, and also the totality of all its causes. (Vedabase)

Text 42-43

Of the created of the senses, the life-air, the mind, the intelligence and the consciousness You are the ground of perception, that Ultimate Soul that by the modes of nature causes the misconception of falsely identifying one's true self with its cover. Our obeisances for the Unlimited Lord supremely subtle, fixed in the center, the Omniscient One sanctioning the diverse philosophies, the One Potency of expressing ideas and words.

Obeisances unto You, who are the ultimate soul of the physical elements, of the subtle basis of perception, of the senses, of the vital air of life, and of the mind, intelligence and consciousness. By Your arrangement the infinitesimal spirit souls falsely identify with the three modes of material nature, and their perception of their own true self thus becomes clouded. We offer our obeisances unto You, the unlimited Supreme Lord, the supremely subtle one, the omniscient Personality of Godhead, who are always fixed in unchanging transcendence, who sanction the opposing views of different philosophies, and who are the power upholding expressed ideas and the words that express them. (Vedabase)

Text 44

Our respects again and again for the basis of all authoritative proof, for the author of the revealed scriptures, for the source of the passages inciting and restricting.

We offer our obeisances again and again to You, who are the basis of all authoritative evidence, who are the author and ultimate source of the revealed scriptures, and who have manifested Yourself in those Vedic literatures encouraging sense gratification as well as in those encouraging renunciation of the material world. (Veda b ase)

Text 45

We bow before Lord Krishna and Lord Râma [Sankarshana], the sons of Vasudeva, and to Pradyumna and Aniruddha [see 4.24: 35-36]; our obeisances to the Master of the Sâtvatas.

We offer our obeisances to Lord Krishna and Lord Râma, the sons of Vasudeva, and to Lord Pradyumna and Lord Aniruddha. We offer our respectful obeisances unto the master of all the saintly devotees of Vishnu. (Vedabase)

Text 46

Our salutations to Him who, manifesting the various qualities, disguises Himself by the modes and [yet] by the functioning of the modes can be ascertained; He who by His devotees is known as the separate witness to the modes.

Obeisances to You, O Lord, who manifest varieties of material and spiritual qualities. You disguise Yourself with the material qualities, and yet the functioning of those same material qualities ultimately reveals Your existence. You stand apart from the material qualities as a witness and can be fully known only by Your devotees. (Vedabase)

Text 47

O Controller of the Senses, let there be unto You, so inscrutable in Your pastimes displayed for the realization of all creation, our obeisances; unto You, acting so silently to the silent.

O Lord Hrishîkes'a, master of the senses, please let us offer our obeisances unto You, whose pastimes are inconceivably glorious. Your existence can be inferred from the necessity for a creator and revealer of all cosmic manifestations. But although Your devotees can understand You in this way, to the nondevotees You remain silent, absorbed in self-satisfaction. (Vedabase)

Text 48

Unto Him the Knower of the Destinations Higher and Lower, the Regulator of All things, unto You, standing apart from the universe and yet being the universe itself, for the Overseer of That and Root Cause of this all, our worship.

Obeisances unto You, who know the destination of all things, superior and inferior, and who are the presiding regulator of all that be. You are distinct from the universal creation, and yet You are the basis upon which the illusion of material creation evolves, and also the witness of this illusion. Indeed, You are the root cause of the entire world. (Vedabase)

Text 49

You indeed are the Almighty Lord of Creation, Maintenance and Destruction of this universe who, beginningless with the potency of Time by the modes art the employer uninvolved; awakening by Your glance the distinctive dormant characteristics of each of them [modes] You play Your game impeccable.

O almighty Lord, although You have no reason to become involved in material activity, still You act through Your eternal potency of time to arrange for the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe. You do this by awakening the distinct functions of each of the modes of nature, which before the creation lie dormant. Simply by Your glance You perfectly execute all these activities of cosmic control in a sporting mood. (Vedabase)

Text 50

The peaceful, the restless and those born in slowness are of it [of the Time] Your material manifestations in the three worlds; [but] for the peace-loving ones and the saintly out here whom You hold dear, are You there, in Your desire to maintain the dharma to protect them.

Therefore all material bodies throughout the three worlds - those that are peaceful, in the mode of goodness; those that are agitated, in the mode of passion; and those that are foolish, in the mode of ignorance - all are Your creations. Still, those living entities whose bodies are in the mode of goodness are especially dear to You, and it is to maintain them and protect their religious principles that You are now present on the earth. (Vedabase)

Text 51

For once should by the master the offense committed by his own subject be tolerated; You o Peace Personified, should forgive it this foolish one [our husband] who failed to understand You.

At least once, a master should tolerate an offense committed by his child or subject. O supreme peaceful Soul, You should therefore forgive our foolish husband, who did not understand who You are. (Vedabase)

Text 52

O Supreme Lord have mercy, the serpent is breathing his last; we women are pitied by the saintly, the husband [thus] should be restored to life.

O Supreme Lord, please be merciful. It is proper for the saintly to feel compassion for women like us. This serpent is about to give up his life. Please give us back our husband, who is our life and soul. (Vedabase)

Text 53

Please tell us, Your maidservants, what should be done; by Your command faithfully executed will one for sure be freed from all fear.'

Now please tell us, Your maidservants, what we should do. Certainly anyone who faithfully executes Your order is automatically freed from all fear. (Vedabase)

Text 54

S'rî S'uka said: 'He, the Supreme Lord, thus extensively praised by the wives of the snake, released him whose heads were defeated by His trampling feet.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Thus praised by the Nâga-patnîs, the Supreme Personality of Godhead released the serpent Kâliya, who had fallen unconscious, his heads battered by the striking of the Lord's lotus feet. (Vedabase)

Text 55

Slowly with difficulty regaining his senses and life-air spoke Kâliya, breathing loudly, wretched and submissive to Krishna.

Kâliya slowly regained his vital force and sensory functions. Then, breathing loudly and painfully, the poor serpent addressed Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in humble submission. (Vedabase)

Text 56

Kâliya said: 'We so vicious and ignorant by birth are with a constant anger of a nature that is difficult to give up for normal folk who thereof take to the untrue, o master!

The serpent Kâliya said: Our very birth as a snake has made us envious, ignorant and constantly angry. O my Lord, it is so difficult for people to give up their conditioned nature, by which they identify with that which is unreal. (Vedabase)

Text 57

This universe created by You, o Sustainer of the modes and the variety of creation, is there, of the womb and seed, in forms and mentalities, personal natures, different talents and physical strengths.

O supreme creator, it is You who generate this universe, composed of the variegated arrangement of the material modes, and in the process You manifest various kinds of personalities and species, varieties of sensory and physical strength, and varieties of mothers and fathers with variegated mentalities and forms. (Vedabase)

Text 58

And we out here o Supreme Lord, are from the nature of the serpent species absorbed in anger; how can we on our own accord give up now Your deluding matter which is so impossible to forsake being bewildered?

O Supreme Personality of Godhead, among all the species within Your material creation, we serpents are by nature always enraged. Being thus deluded by Your illusory energy, which is very difficult to give up, how can we possibly give it up on our own? (Vedabase)

Text 59

Let there be the certain of that what You, of Your good self as the cause therein, the Knower of All, the Controller of the Universe, will arrange for us, be it of favor or of punishment.

O Lord, since You are the omniscient Lord of the universe, You are the actual cause of freedom from illusion. Please arrange for us whatever You consider proper, whether it be mercy or punishment. (Vedabase)

Text 60

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus hearing the words then spoke the Supreme Lord, in the role of a human being: 'You, serpent, must not stay here any longer; go directly to the ocean with your folk, your children and women; let the wealth of the river be enjoyed by the human beings and the cows.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: After hearing Kâliya's words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was acting the role of a human being, replied: O serpent, you may not remain here any longer. Go back to the ocean immediately, accompanied by your retinue of children, wives, other relatives and friends. Let this river be enjoyed by the cows and humans. (Vedabase)

Text 61

Any mortal being who remembers this command of Mine for you and recites it at the beginning and the end of the day will not get afraid of you.

If a mortal being attentively remembers My command to you - to leave Vrindâvana and go to the ocean - and narrates this account at sunrise and sunset, he will never be afraid of you. (Vedabase)

Text 62

He who at the place of this pastime of Mine bathes and with the water gratifies the gods and all, will, observing a fast with his worship, be freed from all sins.

If one bathes in this place of My pastimes and offers the water of this lake to the demigods and other worshipable personalities, or if one observes a fast and duly worships and remembers Me, he is sure to become free from all sinful reactions. (Vedabase)

Text 63

Afraid of Garuda you abandoned the island Ramanaka and took shelter of this pool; but now that you are marked by My feet will he not devour you.

Out of fear of Garuda, you left Ramanaka Island and came to take shelter of this lake. But because you are now marked with My footprints, Garuda will no longer try to eat you. (Vedabase)

Text 64

The honorable sage said: 'Freed by Krishna, the Supreme Personality whose actions are so wonderful o King, worshiped the serpent together with his wives Him with pleasure and reverence.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: My dear King, having been released by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose activities are wonderful, Kâliya joined his wives in worshiping Him with great joy and reverence. (Vedabase)

Text 65-67

With the finest clothing, strings of flowers and jewels most valuable as also with ornaments, heavenly scents and ointments and with a wreath of lotuses worshiping and satisfying the Lord of the Universe, was he by Him who has Garuda in His flag permitted to leave, contented as He was being circumambulated and respected by him and his wives, children and friends. As he went to the island in the ocean became that very instant the nectarean water of the Yamunâ by the grace of the Supreme Lord, who for His pastimes had assumed a human form, free from poison.'

Kâliya worshiped the Lord of the universe by offering Him fine garments, along with necklaces, jewels and other valuable ornaments, wonderful scents and ointments, and a large garland of lotus flowers. Having thus pleased the Lord, whose flag is marked with the emblem of Garuda, Kâliya felt satisfied. Receiving the Lord's permission to leave, Kâliya circumambulated Him and offered Him obeisances. Then, taking his wives, friends and children, he went to his island in the sea. The very moment Kâliya left, the Yamunâ was immediately restored to her original condition, free from poison and full of nectarean water. This happened by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was manifesting a humanlike form to enjoy His pastimes. (Vedabase)