Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 16

Kṛṣṇa Chastises the Serpent Kāliya

VERSE 10.16.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

vilokya dūṣitāṁ kṛṣṇāṁ
kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇāhinā vibhuḥ
tasyā viśuddhim anvicchan
sarpaṁ tam udavāsayat

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vilokya — seeing; dūṣitām — contaminated; kṛṣṇām — the river Yamunā; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; kṛṣṇa-ahinā — by the black serpent; vibhuḥ — the almighty Lord; tasyāḥ — of the river; viśuddhim — the purification; anvicchan — desiring; sarpam — serpent; tam — that; udavāsayat — sent away.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, seeing that the Yamunā River had been contaminated by the black snake Kāliya, desired to purify the river, and thus the Lord banished him from it.

VERSE 10.16.2

śrī-rājovāca

katham antar-jale ’gādhe
nyagṛhṇād bhagavān ahim
sa vai bahu-yugāvāsaṁ
yathāsīd vipra kathyatām

SYNONYMS

śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit said; katham — how; antaḥ-jale — within the water; agādhe — unfathomable; nyagṛhṇāt — subdued; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ahim — the serpent; saḥ — he, Kāliya; vai — indeed; bahu-yuga — for many ages; āvāsam — having residence; yathā — how; āsīt — so became; vipra — O learned brāhmaṇa; kathyatām — please explain.

TRANSLATION

King Parīkṣit inquired: O learned sage, please explain how the Supreme Personality of Godhead chastised the serpent Kāliya within the unfathomable waters of the Yamunā, and how it was that Kāliya had been living there for so many ages.

VERSE 10.16.3

brahman bhagavatas tasya
bhūmnaḥ svacchanda-vartinaḥ
gopālodāra-caritaṁ
kas tṛpyetāmṛtaṁ juṣan

SYNONYMS

brahman — O brāhmaṇa; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Lord; tasya — of Him; bhūmnaḥ — the unlimited; sva-chanda-vartinaḥ — who acts according to His own desires; gopāla — as a cowherd boy; udāra — magnanimous; caritam — the pastimes; kaḥ — who; tṛpyeta — can be satiated; amṛtam — such nectar; juṣan — partaking of.

TRANSLATION

O brāhmaṇa, 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 Vṛndāvana?

VERSE 10.16.4

śrī-śuka uvāca

kālindyāṁ kāliyasyāsīd
hradaḥ kaścid viṣāgninā
śrapyamāṇa-payā yasmin
patanty upari-gāḥ khagāḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kālindyām — within the river Yamunā; kāliyasya — of the serpent Kāliya; āsīt — there was; hradaḥ — lake; kaścit — a certain; viṣa — of his poison; agninā — by the fire; śrapyamāṇa — being heated and boiled; payāḥ — its water; yasmin — into which; patanti — would fall down; upari-gāḥ — traveling above; khagāḥ — the birds.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Within the river Kālindī [Yamunā] was a lake inhabited by the serpent Kāliya, 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.

VERSE 10.16.5

vipruṣmatā viṣadormi-
mārutenābhimarśitāḥ
mriyante tīra-gā yasya
prāṇinaḥ sthira-jaṅgamāḥ

SYNONYMS

vipruṭ-matā — containing droplets of the water; viṣa-da — poisonous; ūrmi — (having touched) the waves; mārutena — by the wind; abhimarśitāḥ — contacted; mriyante — would die; tīra-gāḥ — present upon the shore; yasya — of which; prāṇinaḥ — all living entities; sthira-jaṅgamāḥ — both nonmoving and moving.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.6

taṁ caṇḍa-vega-viṣa-vīryam avekṣya tena
duṣṭāṁ nadīṁ ca khala-saṁyamanāvatāraḥ
kṛṣṇaḥ kadambam adhiruhya tato ’ti-tuṅgam
āsphoṭya gāḍha-raśano nyapatad viṣode

SYNONYMS

tam — him, Kāliya; caṇḍa-vega — of fearsome power; viṣa — the poison; vīryam — whose strength; avekṣya — seeing; tena — by him; duṣṭām — contaminated; nadīm — the river; ca — and; khala — the envious demons; saṁyamana — for subduing; avatāraḥ — whose descent from the spiritual world; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; kadambam — a kadamba tree; adhiruhya — climbing up on; tataḥ — from it; ati-tuṅgam — very high; āsphoṭya — slapping His arms; gāḍha-raśanaḥ — tying His belt firmly; nyapatat — He jumped; viṣa-ude — into the poisoned water.

TRANSLATION

Lord Kṛṣṇa saw how the Kāliya serpent had polluted the Yamunā River with his terribly powerful poison. Since Kṛṣṇa 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.

VERSE 10.16.7

sarpa-hradaḥ puruṣa-sāra-nipāta-vega-
saṅkṣobhitoraga-viṣocchvasitāmbu-rāśiḥ
paryak pluto viṣa-kaṣāya-bibhīṣaṇormir
dhāvan dhanuḥ-śatam ananta-balasya kiṁ tat

SYNONYMS

sarpa-hradaḥ — the serpent’s lake; puruṣa-sāra — of the most exalted Supreme Personality of Godhead; nipāta-vega — by the force of the fall; saṅkṣobhita — completely agitated; uraga — of the snakes; viṣa-ucchvasita — breathed upon with the poison; ambu-rāśiḥ — all of whose water; paryak — on all sides; plutaḥ — flooding; viṣa-kaṣāya — because of the contamination of the poison; bibhīṣaṇa — fearsome; ūrmiḥ — whose waves; dhāvan — flowing; dhanuḥ-śatam — the extent of one hundred bow-lengths; ananta-balasya — for Him whose strength is immeasurable; kim — what; tat — that.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.8

tasya hrade viharato bhuja-daṇḍa-ghūrṇa-
vār-ghoṣam aṅga vara-vāraṇa-vikramasya
āśrutya tat sva-sadanābhibhavaṁ nirīkṣya
cakṣuḥ-śravāḥ samasarat tad amṛṣyamāṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of Him; hrade — in his lake; viharataḥ — who was playing; bhuja-daṇḍa — by His mighty arms; ghūrṇa — swirled about; vāḥ — of the water; ghoṣam — the resounding; aṅga — my dear King; vara-vāraṇa — like a great elephant; vikramasya — whose prowess; āśrutya — hearing; tat — that; sva-sadana — of his own residence; abhibhavam — the trespassing; nirīkṣya — taking note of; cakṣuḥ-śravāḥ — Kāliya; samasarat — came forward; tat — that; amṛṣyamāṇaḥ — being unable to tolerate.

TRANSLATION

Kṛṣṇa began sporting in Kāliya’s lake like a lordly elephant — swirling His mighty arms and making the water resound in various ways. When Kāliya heard these sounds, he understood that someone was trespassing in his lake. The serpent could not tolerate this and immediately came forward.

VERSE 10.16.9

taṁ prekṣaṇīya-sukumāra-ghanāvadātaṁ
śrīvatsa-pīta-vasanaṁ smita-sundarāsyam
krīḍantam apratibhayaṁ kamalodarāṅghriṁ
sandaśya marmasu ruṣā bhujayā cachāda

SYNONYMS

tam — Him; prekṣaṇīya — attractive to look at; su-kumāra — most delicate; ghana — like a cloud; avadātam — glowing white; śrīvatsa — wearing the Śrīvatsa mark; pīta — and yellow; vasanam — garments; smita — smiling; sundara — beautiful; āsyam — whose face; krīḍantam — playing; aprati-bhayam — without fear of others; kamala — of a lotus; udara — like the inside; aṅghrim — whose feet; sandaśya — biting; marmasu — upon the chest; ruṣā — with anger; bhujayā — with his snake coils; cachāda — enveloped.

TRANSLATION

Kāliya saw that Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who wore yellow silken garments, was very delicate, His attractive body shining like a glowing white cloud, His chest bearing the mark of Śrīvatsa, 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 Kāliya furiously bit Him on the chest and then completely enwrapped Him in his coils.

VERSE 10.16.10

taṁ nāga-bhoga-parivītam adṛṣṭa-ceṣṭam
ālokya tat-priya-sakhāḥ paśupā bhṛśārtāḥ
kṛṣṇe ’rpitātma-suhṛd-artha-kalatra-kāmā
duḥkhānuśoka-bhaya-mūḍha-dhiyo nipetuḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — Him; nāga — of the serpent; bhoga — within the coils; parivītam — enveloped; adṛṣṭa-ceṣṭam — not exhibiting any movement; ālokya — seeing; tat-priya-sakhāḥ — His dear friends; paśu-pāḥ — the cowherds; bhṛśa-ārtāḥ — greatly disturbed; kṛṣṇe — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; arpita — offered; ātma — their very selves; su-hṛt — their relations; artha — wealth; kalatra — wives; kāmāḥ — and all objects of desire; duḥkha — by pain; anuśoka — remorse; bhaya — and fear; mūḍha — bewildered; dhiyaḥ — their intelligence; nipetuḥ — they fell down.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.11

gāvo vṛṣā vatsataryaḥ
krandamānāḥ su-duḥkhitāḥ
kṛṣṇe nyastekṣaṇā bhītā
rudantya iva tasthire

SYNONYMS

gāvaḥ — the cows; vṛṣāḥ — the bulls; vatsataryaḥ — the female calves; krandamānāḥ — crying loudly; su-duḥkhitāḥ — very much distressed; kṛṣṇe — upon Lord Kṛṣṇa; nyasta — fixed; īkṣaṇāḥ — their sight; bhītāḥ — fearful; rudantyaḥ — crying; iva — as if; tasthire — they stood still.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.12

atha vraje mahotpātās
tri-vidhā hy ati-dāruṇāḥ
utpetur bhuvi divy ātmany
āsanna-bhaya-śaṁsinaḥ

SYNONYMS

atha — then; vraje — in Vṛndāvana; mahā-utpātāḥ — very ominous disturbances; tri-vidhāḥ — of the three varieties; hi — indeed; ati-dāruṇāḥ — most fearsome; utpetuḥ — arose; bhuvi — upon the earth; divi — in the sky; ātmani — in the bodies of living creatures; āsanna — imminent; bhaya — danger; saṁśinaḥ — announcing.

TRANSLATION

In the Vṛndāvana 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.

VERSE 10.16.13-15

tān ālakṣya bhayodvignā
gopā nanda-purogamāḥ
vinā rāmeṇa gāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
jñātvā cārayituṁ gatam

tair durnimittair nidhanaṁ
matvā prāptam atad-vidaḥ
tat-prāṇās tan-manaskās te
duḥkha-śoka-bhayāturāḥ

ā-bāla-vṛddha-vanitāḥ
sarve ’ṅga paśu-vṛttayaḥ
nirjagmur gokulād dīnāḥ
kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ

SYNONYMS

tān — these signs; ālakṣya — seeing; bhaya-udvignāḥ — agitated by fear; gopāḥ — the cowherds; nanda-puraḥ-gamāḥ — headed by Nanda Mahārāja; vinā — without; rāmeṇa — Balarāma; gāḥ — the cows; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; jñātvā — understanding; cārayitum — to herd; gatam — gone; taiḥ — from those; durnimittaiḥ — bad omens; nidhanam — destruction; matvā — considering; prāptam — attained; atat-vidaḥ — not knowing His opulences; tat-prāṇāḥ — having Him as their very source of life; tat-manaskāḥ — their minds being absorbed in Him; te — they; duḥkha — by pain; śoka — unhappiness; bhaya — and fear; āturāḥ — overwhelmed; ā-bāla — including the children; vṛddha — old persons; vanitāḥ — and ladies; sarve — all; aṅga — my dear King Parīkṣit; paśu-vṛttayaḥ — behaving as an affectionate cow does toward her calf; nirjagmuḥ — they went out; gokulāt — from Gokula; dīnāḥ — feeling wretched; kṛṣṇa-darśana — for the sight of Lord Kṛṣṇa; lālasāḥ — anxious.

TRANSLATION

Seeing the inauspicious omens, Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men were fearful, for they knew that Kṛṣṇa had gone to herd the cows that day without His elder brother, Balarāma. Because they had dedicated their minds to Kṛṣṇa, 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 Vṛndāvana, including the children, women and elderly persons, thought of Kṛṣṇa 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.

VERSE 10.16.16

tāṁs tathā kātarān vīkṣya
bhagavān mādhavo balaḥ
prahasya kiñcin novāca
prabhāva-jño ’nujasya saḥ

SYNONYMS

tān — them; tathā — in such a condition; kātarān — distressed; vīkṣya — seeing; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mādhavaḥ — the master of all mystic knowledge; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma; prahasya — gently smiling; kiñcit — anything at all; na — did not; uvāca — say; prabhāva-jñaḥ — knowing the power; anujasya — of His younger brother; saḥ — He.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.17

te ’nveṣamāṇā dayitaṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ sūcitayā padaiḥ
bhagaval-lakṣaṇair jagmuḥ
padavyā yamunā-taṭam

SYNONYMS

te — they; anveṣamāṇāḥ — searching out; dayitam — their dearmost; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; sūcitayā — (along the path) which was marked; padaiḥ — by His footprints; bhagavat-lakṣaṇaiḥ — the symbolic markings of the Personality of Godhead; jagmuḥ — they went; padavyā — along the path; yamunā-taṭam — to the bank of the Yamunā.

TRANSLATION

The residents hurried toward the banks of the Yamunā in search of their dearmost Kṛṣṇa, following the path marked by His footprints, which bore the unique signs of the Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 10.16.18

te tatra tatrābja-yavāṅkuśāśani-
dhvajopapannāni padāni viś-pateḥ
mārge gavām anya-padāntarāntare
nirīkṣamāṇā yayur aṅga satvarāḥ

SYNONYMS

te — they; tatra tatra — here and there; abja — with the lotus flower; yava — barleycorn; aṅkuśa — elephant goad; aśani — thunderbolt; dhvaja — and flag; upapannāni — adorned; padāni — the footprints; viṭ-pateḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the cowherd community; mārge — upon the path; gavām — of the cows; anya-pada — the other footprints; antara-antare — dispersed among; nirīkṣamāṇāḥ — seeing; yuyuḥ — they went; aṅga — my dear King; sa-tvarāḥ — rapidly.

TRANSLATION

The footprints of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the entire cowherd community, were marked with the lotus flower, barleycorn, elephant goad, thunderbolt and flag. My dear King Parīkṣit, seeing His footprints on the path among the cows’ hoofprints, the residents of Vṛndāvana rushed along in great haste.

VERSE 10.16.19

antar hrade bhujaga-bhoga-parītam ārāt
kṛṣṇaṁ nirīham upalabhya jalāśayānte
gopāṁś ca mūḍha-dhiṣaṇān paritaḥ paśūṁś ca
saṅkrandataḥ parama-kaśmalam āpur ārtāḥ

SYNONYMS

antaḥ — within; hrade — the lake; bhujaga — of the serpent; bhoga — within the body; parītam — enveloped; ārāt — from a distance; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; nirīham — not moving; upalabhya — seeing; jala-āśaya — the body of water; ante — within; gopān — the cowherd boys; ca — and; mūḍha-dhiṣaṇān — unconscious; paritaḥ — surrounding; paśūn — the animals; ca — and; saṅkrandataḥ — crying out; parama-kaśmalam — the greatest bewilderment; āpuḥ — they experienced; ārtāḥ — being distressed.

TRANSLATION

As they hurried along the path to the bank of the Yamunā River, they saw from a distance that Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa. Seeing all this, the residents of Vṛndāvana were overwhelmed with anguish and confusion.

VERSE 10.16.20

gopyo ’nurakta-manaso bhagavaty anante
tat-sauhṛda-smita-viloka-giraḥ smarantyaḥ
graste ’hinā priyatame bhṛśa-duḥkha-taptāḥ
śūnyaṁ priya-vyatihṛtaṁ dadṛśus tri-lokam

SYNONYMS

gopyaḥ — the cowherd girls; anurakta-manasaḥ — their minds very much attached to Him; bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anante — the unlimited one; tat — His; sauhṛda — loving; smita — smiling; viloka — glances; giraḥ — and words; smarantyaḥ — remembering; graste — being seized; ahinā — by the serpent; priya-tame — their most dear; bhṛśa — extremely; duḥkha — by pain; taptāḥ — tormented; śūnyam — empty; priya-vyatihṛtam — deprived of their darling; dadṛśuḥ — they saw; tri-lokam — all the three worlds (the entire universe).

TRANSLATION

When the young gopīs, whose minds were constantly attached to Kṛṣṇa, 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.

VERSE 10.16.21

tāḥ kṛṣṇa-mātaram apatyam anupraviṣṭāṁ
tulya-vyathāḥ samanugṛhya śucaḥ sravantyaḥ
tās tā vraja-priya-kathāḥ kathayantya āsan
kṛṣṇānane ’rpita-dṛśo mṛtaka-pratīkāḥ

SYNONYMS

tāḥ — those ladies; kṛṣṇa-mātaram — the mother of Kṛṣṇa (Yaśodā); apatyam — upon her son; anupraviṣṭām — fixing her vision; tulya — equally; vyathāḥ — pained; samanugṛhya — holding back firmly; śucaḥ — floods of sorrow; sravantyaḥ — spilling forth; tāḥ tāḥ — each of them; vraja-priya — of the darling of Vraja; kathāḥ — topics; kathayantyaḥ — speaking; āsan — they stood; kṛṣṇa-ānane — unto the face of Lord Kṛṣṇa; arpita — offered; dṛśaḥ — their eyes; mṛtaka — corpses; pratīkāḥ — resembling.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.22

kṛṣṇa-prāṇān nirviśato
nandādīn vīkṣya taṁ hradam
pratyaṣedhat sa bhagavān
rāmaḥ kṛṣṇānubhāva-vit

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa-prāṇān — the men whose very life and soul was Kṛṣṇa; nirviśataḥ — entering; nanda-ādīn — headed by Nanda Mahārāja; vīkṣya — seeing; tam — that; hradam — lake; pratyaṣedhat — forbade; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the all-powerful Lord; rāmaḥ — Balarāma; kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; anubhāva — the power; vit — knowing well.

TRANSLATION

Lord Balarāma then saw that Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men, who had dedicated their very lives to Kṛṣṇa, were beginning to enter the serpent’s lake. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Balarāma fully knew Lord Kṛṣṇa’s actual power, and therefore He restrained them.

VERSE 10.16.23

ittham sva-gokulam ananya-gatiṁ nirīkṣya
sa-strī-kumāram ati-duḥkhitam ātma-hetoḥ
ājñāya martya-padavīm anuvartamānaḥ
sthitvā muhūrtam udatiṣṭhad uraṅga-bandhāt

SYNONYMS

ittham — in this fashion; sva-gokulam — His own community of Gokula; ananya-gatim — having no other goal or shelter (than Him); nirīkṣya — observing; sa-strī — including the women; kumāram — and children; ati-duḥkhitam — extremely distressed; ātma-hetoḥ — on His account; ājñāya — understanding; martya-padavīm — the way of mortals; anuvartamānaḥ — imitating; sthitvā — remaining; muhūrtam — for some time; udatiṣṭhat — He rose up; uraṅga — of the serpent; bandhāt — from the bonds.

TRANSLATION

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 Kāliya serpent.

VERSE 10.16.24

tat-prathyamāna-vapuṣā vyathitātma-bhogas
tyaktvonnamayya kupitaḥ sva-phaṇān bhujaṅgaḥ
tasthau śvasañ chvasana-randhra-viṣāmbarīṣa-
stabdhekṣaṇolmuka-mukho harim īkṣamāṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — of Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa; prathyamāna — expanding; vapuṣā — by the transcendental body; vyathita — pained; ātma — his own; bhogaḥ — serpent body; tyaktvā — giving Him up; unnamayya — raising high; kupitaḥ — angered; sva-phaṇān — his hoods; bhujaṅga — the serpent; tasthau — stood still; śvasan — breathing heavily; śvasana-randhra — his nostrils; viṣa-ambarīṣa — like two vessels for cooking poison; stabdha — fixed; īkṣaṇa — his eyes; ulmuka — like firebrands; mukhaḥ — his face; harim — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; īkṣamāṇaḥ — observing.

TRANSLATION

His coils tormented by the expanding body of the Lord, Kāliya 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.

VERSE 10.16.25

taṁ jihvayā dvi-śikhayā parilelihānaṁ
dve sṛkvaṇī hy ati-karāla-viṣāgni-dṛṣṭim
krīḍann amuṁ parisasāra yathā khagendro
babhrāma so ’py avasaraṁ prasamīkṣamāṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — him, Kāliya; jihvayā — with his tongue; dvi-śikhayā — having two points; parilelihānam — repeatedly licking; dve — his two; sṛkvaṇī — lips; hi — indeed; ati-karāla — most terrible; viṣa-agni — full of poisonous fire; dṛṣṭim — whose glance; krīḍan — playing; amum — him; parisasāra — moved around; yathā — just as; khaga-indraḥ — the king of birds, Garuḍa; babhrāma — wandered around; saḥ — Kāliya; api — also; avasaram — the opportunity (to strike); prasamīkṣamāṇaḥ — carefully looking for.

TRANSLATION

Again and again Kāliya licked his lips with his bifurcated tongues as He stared at Kṛṣṇa with a glance full of terrible, poisonous fire. But Kṛṣṇa playfully circled around him, just as Garuḍa would play with a snake. In response, Kāliya also moved about, looking for an opportunity to bite the Lord.

VERSE 10.16.26

evaṁ paribhrama-hataujasam unnatāṁsam
ānamya tat-pṛthu-śiraḥsv adhirūḍha ādyaḥ
tan-mūrdha-ratna-nikara-sparśāti-tāmra-
pādāmbujo ’khila-kalādi-gurur nanarta

SYNONYMS

evam — in this way; paribhrama — because of the Lord’s moving around him; hata — spoiled; ojasam — whose strength; unnata — raised high; aṁsam — whose shoulders; ānamya — making him bend down; tat — his; pṛthu-śiraḥsu — onto the broad heads; adhirūḍhaḥ — having climbed up; ādyaḥ — the ultimate origin of everything; tat — his; mūrdha — on the heads; ratna-nikara — the numerous jewels; sparśa — because of touching; ati-tāmra — very much reddened; pāda-ambujaḥ — whose lotus feet; akhila-kalā — of all arts; ādi-guruḥ — the original spiritual master; nanarta — began to dance.

TRANSLATION

Having severely depleted the serpent’s strength with His relentless circling, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the origin of everything, pushed down Kāliya’s raised shoulders and mounted his broad serpentine heads. Thus Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, 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.

VERSE 10.16.27

taṁ nartum udyatam avekṣya tadā tadīya-
gandharva-siddha-muni-cāraṇa-deva-vadhvaḥ
prītyā mṛdaṅga-paṇavānaka-vādya-gīta-
puṣpopahāra-nutibhiḥ sahasopaseduḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — Him; nartum — in dancing; udyatam — engaged; avekṣya — taking note of; tadā — then; tadīya — His servants; gandharva-siddha — the Gandharvas and Siddhas; muni-cāraṇa — the sages and the Cāraṇas; deva-vadhvaḥ — the wives of the demigods; prītyā — with great pleasure; mṛdaṅga-paṇava-ānaka — of various kinds of drums; vādya — with musical accompaniment; gīta — song; puṣpa — flowers; upahāra — other presentations; nutibhiḥ — and prayers; sahasā — immediately; upaseduḥ — arrived.

TRANSLATION

Seeing the Lord dancing, His servants in the heavenly planets — the Gandharvas, Siddhas, sages, Cāraṇas and wives of the demigods — immediately arrived there. With great pleasure they began accompanying the Lord’s dancing by playing drums such as mṛdaṅgas, paṇavas and ānakas. They also made offerings of songs, flowers and prayers.

VERSE 10.16.28

yad yac chiro na namate ’ṅga śataika-śīrṣṇas
tat tan mamarda khara-daṇḍa-dharo ’ṅghri-pātaiḥ
kṣīṇāyuṣo bhramata ulbaṇam āsyato ’sṛṅ
nasto vaman parama-kaśmalam āpa nāgaḥ

SYNONYMS

yat yat — whichever; śiraḥ — heads; na namate — would not bow down; aṅga — my dear King Parīkṣit; śata-eka-śīrṣṇaḥ — of him who had 101 heads; tat tat — those; mamarda — trampled down; khara — on those who are evil; daṇḍa — punishment; dharaḥ — the Lord who exerts; aṅghri-pātaiḥ — with the blows of His feet; kṣīṇa-āyuṣaḥ — of Kāliya, whose life was becoming depleted; bhramataḥ — who was still moving about; ulbaṇam — terrible; āsyataḥ — from his mouths; asṛk — blood; nastaḥ — from his nostrils; vaman — vomiting; parama — extreme; kaśmalam — trouble; āpa — experienced; nāgaḥ — the serpent.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, Kāliya had 101 prominent heads, and when one of them would not bow down, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who inflicts punishment on cruel wrong-doers, would smash that stubborn head by striking it with His feet. Then, as Kāliya 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.

VERSE 10.16.29

tasyākṣibhir garalam udvamataḥ śiraḥsu
yad yat samunnamati niḥśvasato ruṣoccaiḥ
nṛtyan padānunamayan damayāṁ babhūva
puṣpaiḥ prapūjita iveha pumān purāṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of him; akṣibhiḥ — from the eyes; garalam — poisonous waste; udvamataḥ — who was vomiting; śiraḥsu — among the heads; yat yat — whichever; samunnamati — would rise up; niḥśvasataḥ — who was breathing; ruṣā — out of anger; uccaiḥ — heavily; nṛtyan — while dancing; padā — with His foot; anunamayan — making bow down; damayām babhūva — He subdued; puṣpaiḥ — with flowers; prapūjitaḥ — being worshiped; iva — indeed; iha — on this occasion; pumān — the Personality of Godhead; purāṇaḥ — original.

TRANSLATION

Exuding poisonous waste from his eyes, Kāliya, 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.

VERSE 10.16.30

tac-citra-tāṇḍava-virugna-phaṇā-sahasro
raktaṁ mukhair uru vaman nṛpa bhagna-gātraḥ
smṛtvā carācara-guruṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇaṁ
nārāyaṇaṁ tam araṇaṁ manasā jagāma

SYNONYMS

tat — of Him; citra — amazing; tāṇḍava — by the powerful dancing; virugna — broken; phaṇā-sahasraḥ — his one thousand hoods; raktam — blood; mukhaiḥ — from his mouths; uru — profusely; vaman — vomiting; nṛpa — O King Parīkṣit; bhagna-gātraḥ — his limbs crushed; smṛtvā — remembering; cara-acara — of all moving and nonmoving beings; gurum — the spiritual master; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; purāṇam — ancient; nārāyaṇam — Lord Nārāyaṇa; tam — to Him; araṇam — for shelter; manasā — within his mind; jagāma — he approached.

TRANSLATION

My dear King Parīkṣit, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful, powerful dancing trampled and broke all of Kāliya’s one thousand hoods. Then the serpent, profusely vomiting blood from his mouths, finally recognized Śrī Kṛṣṇa to be the eternal Personality of Godhead, the supreme master of all moving and nonmoving beings, Śrī Nārāyaṇa. Thus within his mind Kāliya took shelter of the Lord.

VERSE 10.16.31

kṛṣṇasya garbha-jagato ’ti-bharāvasannaṁ
pārṣṇi-prahāra-parirugna-phaṇātapatram
dṛṣṭvāhim ādyam upasedur amuṣya patnya
ārtāḥ ślathad-vasana-bhūṣaṇa-keśa-bandhāḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; garbha — in whose abdomen; jagataḥ — is found the entire universe; ati-bhara — by the extreme weight; avasannam — fatigued; pārṣṇi — of His heels; prahāra — by the striking; parirugna — shattered; phaṇā — his hoods; ātapatram — which were like umbrellas; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; ahim — the serpent; ādyam — the primeval Lord; upaseduḥ — approached; amuṣya — of Kāliya; patnyaḥ — the wives; ārtāḥ — feeling distressed; ślathat — disarrayed; vasana — their clothing; bhūṣaṇa — ornaments; keśa-bandhāḥ — and the locks of their hair.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.32

tās taṁ su-vigna-manaso ’tha puraskṛtārbhāḥ
kāyaṁ nidhāya bhuvi bhūta-patiṁ praṇemuḥ
sādhvyaḥ kṛtāñjali-puṭāḥ śamalasya bhartur
mokṣepsavaḥ śaraṇa-daṁ śaraṇaṁ prapannāḥ

SYNONYMS

tāḥ — they, the wives of Kāliya; tam — to Him; su-vigna — very much agitated; manasaḥ — their minds; atha — then; puraḥ-kṛta — placing in front; arbhāḥ — their children; kāyam — their bodies; nidhāya — putting; bhuvi — upon the ground; bhūta-patim — to the Lord of all creatures; praṇemuḥ — they bowed down; sādhvyaḥ — the saintly ladies; kṛta-añjali-puṭāḥ — folding their hands in supplication; śamalasya — who was sinful; bhartuḥ — of their husband; mokṣa — the liberation; īpsavaḥ — desiring; śaraṇa-dam — He who grants shelter; śaraṇam — for shelter; prapannāḥ — they approached.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.33

nāga-patnya ūcuḥ

nyāyyo hi daṇḍaḥ kṛta-kilbiṣe ’smiṁs
tavāvatāraḥ khala-nigrahāya
ripoḥ sutānām api tulya-dṛṣṭir
dhatse damaṁ phalam evānuśaṁsan

SYNONYMS

nāga-patnyaḥ ūcuḥ — the wives of the serpent said; nyāyyaḥ — fair and just; hi — indeed; daṇḍaḥ — punishment; kṛta-kilbiṣe — to him who has committed offense; asmin — this person; tava — Your; avatāraḥ — descent into this world; khala — of the envious; nigrahāya — for the subjugation; ripoḥ — to an enemy; sutānām — to Your own sons; api — also; tulya-dṛṣṭiḥ — having equal vision; dhatse — You give; damam — punishment; phalam — the ultimate result; eva — indeed; anuśaṁsam — considering.

TRANSLATION

The wives of the Kāliya 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.

VERSE 10.16.34

anugraho ’yaṁ bhavataḥ kṛto hi no
daṇḍo ’satāṁ te khalu kalmaṣāpahaḥ
yad dandaśūkatvam amuṣya dehinaḥ
krodho ’pi te ’nugraha eva sammataḥ

SYNONYMS

anugrahaḥ — mercy; ayam — this; bhavataḥ — by You; kṛtaḥ — done; hi — indeed; naḥ — to us; daṇḍaḥ — punishment; asatām — of the evil; te — by You; khalu — indeed; kalmaṣa-apahaḥ — the dispelling of their contamination; yat — because; dandaśūkatvam — the condition of appearing as a serpent; amuṣya — of this Kāliya; dehinaḥ — the conditioned soul; krodhaḥ — anger; api — even; te — Your; anugrahaḥ — as mercy; eva — actually; sammataḥ — is accepted.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.35

tapaḥ sutaptaṁ kim anena pūrvaṁ
nirasta-mānena ca māna-dena
dharmo ’tha vā sarva-janānukampayā
yato bhavāṁs tuṣyati sarva-jīvaḥ

SYNONYMS

tapaḥ — austerity; su-taptam — properly performed; kim — what; anena — by this Kāliya; pūrvam — in previous lives; nirasta-mānena — being free from false pride; ca — and; māna-dena — giving respect to others; dharmaḥ — religious duty; atha — or else; sarva-jana — to all persons; anukampayā — with compassion; yataḥ — by which; bhavān — Your good self; tuṣyati — is satisfied; sarva-jīvaḥ — the source of life for all beings.

TRANSLATION

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?

VERSE 10.16.36

kasyānubhāvo ’sya na deva vidmahe
tavāṅghri-reṇu-sparaśādhikāraḥ
yad-vāñchayā śrīr lalanācarat tapo
vihāya kāmān su-ciraṁ dhṛta-vratā

SYNONYMS

kasya — of what; anubhāvaḥ — a result; asya — of the serpent (Kāliya); na — not; deva — my Lord; vidmahe — we know; tava — Your; aṅghri — of the lotus feet; reṇu — of the dust; sparaśa — for touching; adhikāraḥ — qualification; yat — for which; vāñchayā — with the desire; śrīḥ — the goddess of fortune; lalanā — (the topmost) woman; ācarat — performed; tapaḥ — austerity; vihāya — giving up; kāmān — all desires; su-ciram — for a long time; dhṛta — upheld; vratā — her vow.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya 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 observing austere vows.

VERSE 10.16.37

na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca sārva-bhaumaṁ
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na rasādhipatyam
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
vāñchanti yat-pāda-rajaḥ-prapannāḥ

SYNONYMS

na — not; nāka-pṛṣṭham — heaven; na ca — nor; sārva-bhaumam — supreme sovereignty; na — not; pārameṣṭhyam — the topmost position of Brahmā; na — not; rasa-adhipatyam — rulership over the earth; na — not; yoga-siddhīḥ — the perfections of yogic practice; apunaḥ-bhavam — freedom from rebirth; — or; vāñchanti — desire; yat — whose; pāda — of the lotus feet; rajaḥ — the dust; prapannāḥ — those who have attained.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.38

tad eṣa nāthāpa durāpam anyais
tamo-janiḥ krodha-vaśo ’py ahīśaḥ
saṁsāra-cakre bhramataḥ śarīriṇo
yad-icchataḥ syād vibhavaḥ samakṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — that; eṣaḥ — this Kāliya; nātha — O Lord; āpa — has achieved; durāpam — difficult to achieve; anyaiḥ — by others; tamaḥ-janiḥ — who was born in the mode of ignorance; krodha-vaśaḥ — who was under the sway of anger; api — even; ahi-īśaḥ — the king of serpents; saṁsāra-cakre — within the cycle of material existence; bhramataḥ — wandering; śarīriṇaḥ — for the embodied living entity; yat — by which (dust of Your lotus feet); icchataḥ — who has material desires; syāt — manifests; vibhavaḥ — all opulences; samakṣaḥ — before his eyes.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, although this Kāliya, 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.

VERSE 10.16.39

namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate
puruṣāya mahātmane
bhūtāvāsāya bhūtāya
parāya paramātmane

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — obeisances; tubhyam — to You; bhagavate — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puruṣāya — who are present within as the Supersoul; mahā-ātmane — who are all-pervasive; bhūta-āvāsāya — who are the shelter of the material elements (beginning with the ethereal sky); bhūtāya — who exist even prior to the creation; parāya — to the supreme cause; parama-ātmane — who are beyond all material cause.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.40

jñāna-vijñāna-nīdhaye
brahmaṇe ’nanta-śaktaye
aguṇāyāvikārāya
namas te prākṛtāya ca

SYNONYMS

jñāna — of consciousness; vijñāna — and spiritual potency; nidhaye — to the ocean; brahmaṇe — to the Absolute Truth; ananta-śaktaye — whose potencies are unlimited; aguṇāya — to Him who is never affected by the qualities of matter; avikārāya — who does not undergo any material transformation; namaḥ — obeisances; te — unto You; prākṛtāya — to the prime mover of material nature; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.41

kālāya kāla-nābhāya
kālāvayava-sākṣiṇe
viśvāya tad-upadraṣṭre
tat-kartre viśva-hetave

SYNONYMS

kālāya — unto time; kāla-nābhāya — unto Him who is the shelter of time; kāla-avayava — of the various phases of time; sākṣiṇe — to the witness; viśvāya — to the form of the universe; tad-upadraṣṭre — to the observer of it; tat-kartre — to the creator of it; viśva — of the universe; hetave — to the total cause.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.42-43

bhūta-mātrendriya-prāṇa-
mano-buddhy-āśayātmane
tri-guṇenābhimānena
gūḍha-svātmānubhūtaye

namo ’nantāya sūkṣmāya
kūṭa-sthāya vipaścite
nānā-vādānurodhāya
vācya-vācaka-śaktaye

SYNONYMS

bhūta — of the physical elements; mātra — the subtle basis of perception; indriya — the senses; prāṇa — the vital air of life; manaḥ — the mind; buddhi — the intelligence; āśaya — and of material consciousness; ātmane — to the ultimate soul; tri-guṇena — by the three modes of material nature; abhimānena — by false identification; gūḍha — who causes to become covered over; sva — one’s own; ātma — of the self; anubhūtaye — perception; namaḥ — obeisances; anantāya — to the unlimited Lord; sūkṣmāya — to the supremely subtle; kūṭa-sthāya — who is fixed in the center; vipaścite — to the omniscient one; nānā — various; vāda — philosophies; anurodhāya — who sanctions; vācya — of expressed ideas; vācaka — and expressing words; śaktaye — who possesses the potencies.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.44

namaḥ pramāṇa-mūlāya
kavaye śāstra-yonaye
pravṛttāya nivṛttāya
nigamāya namo namaḥ

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — obeisances; pramāṇa — of authoritative evidence; mūlāya — to the basis; kavaye — to the author; śāstra — of the revealed scripture; yonaye — to the source; pravṛttāya — which encourages sense gratification; nivṛttāya — which encourages renunciation; nigamāya — to Him who is the origin of both kinds of scripture; namaḥ namaḥ — repeated obeisances.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.45

namaḥ kṛṣṇāya rāmāya
vasudeva-sutāya ca
pradyumnāyāniruddhāya
sātvatāṁ pataye namaḥ

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — obeisances; kṛṣṇāya — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; rāmāya — to Lord Rāma; vasudeva-sutāya — the son of Vasudeva; ca — and; pradyumnāya — to Lord Pradyumna; aniruddhāya — to Lord Aniruddha; sātvatām — of the devotees; pataye — to the Lord; namaḥ — obeisances.

TRANSLATION

We offer our obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāma, 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 Viṣṇu.

VERSE 10.16.46

namo guṇa-pradīpāya
guṇātma-cchādanāya ca
guṇa-vṛtty-upalakṣyāya
guṇa-draṣṭre sva-saṁvide

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — obeisances; guṇa-pradīpāya — to Him who manifests various qualities; guṇa — by the material modes; ātma — Himself; chādanāya — who disguises; ca — and; guṇa — of the modes; vṛtti — by the functioning; upalakṣyāya — who can be ascertained; guṇa-draṣṭre — to the separate witness of the material modes; sva — to His own devotees; saṁvide — who is known.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.47

avyākṛta-vihārāya
sarva-vyākṛta-siddhaye
hṛṣīkeśa namas te ’stu
munaye mauna-śīline

SYNONYMS

avyākṛta-vihārāya — to Him whose glories are unfathomable; sarva-vyākṛta — the creation and manifestation of all things; siddhaye — to Him who can be understood as existent on the basis of; hṛṣīka-īśa — O motivator of the senses; namaḥ — obeisances; te — unto You; astu — let there be; munaye — to the silent; mauna-śīline — to Him who acts in silence.

TRANSLATION

O Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, 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.

VERSE 10.16.48

parāvara-gati-jñāya
sarvādhyakṣāya te namaḥ
aviśvāya ca viśvāya
tad-draṣṭre ’sya ca hetave

SYNONYMS

para-avara — of all things, both superior and inferior; gati — the destinations; jñāya — to Him who knows; sarva — of all things; adhyakṣāya — to the regulator; te — You; namaḥ — our obeisances; aviśvāya — to Him who is distinct from the universe; ca — and; viśvāya — in whom the illusion of material creation manifests; tat-draṣṭre — to the witness of such illusion; asya — of this world; ca — and; hetave — to the root cause.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.49

tvaṁ hy asya janma-sthiti-saṁyamān vibho
guṇair anīho ’kṛta-kāla-śakti-dhṛk
tat-tat-svabhāvān pratibodhayan sataḥ
samīkṣayāmogha-vihāra īhase

SYNONYMS

tvam — You; hi — indeed; asya — of this universe; janma-sthiti-saṁyamān — the creation, maintenance and destruction; vibho — O almighty Lord; guṇaiḥ — by the modes of nature; anīhaḥ — although uninvolved in any material endeavor; akṛta — beginningless; kāla-śakti — of the potency of time; dhṛk — the holder; tat-tat — of each of the modes; sva-bhāvān — the distinctive characteristics; pratibodhayan — awakening; sataḥ — which are already present in their dormant state; samīkṣayā — by Your glance; amogha-vihāraḥ — whose playful activities are impeccable; īhase — You act.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.50

tasyaiva te ’mūs tanavas tri-lokyāṁ
śāntā aśāntā uta mūḍha-yonayaḥ
śāntāḥ priyās te hy adhunāvituṁ satāṁ
sthātuś ca te dharma-parīpsayehataḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of Him; eva — indeed; te — of You; amūḥ — these; tanavaḥ — material bodies; tri-lokyām — throughout the three worlds; śāntāḥ — peaceful (in the mode of goodness); aśāntāḥ — not peaceful (in the mode of passion); uta — and also; mūḍha-yonayaḥ — born in ignorant species; śāntāḥ — the peaceful persons in the mode of goodness; priyāḥ — dear; te — to You; hi — certainly; adhunā — now; avitum — to protect; satām — of the saintly devotees; sthātuḥ — who are present; ca — and; te — of You; dharma — their principles of religion; parīpsayā — with the desire of maintaining; īhataḥ — who is acting.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.51

aparādhaḥ sakṛd bhartrā
soḍhavyaḥ sva-prajā-kṛtaḥ
kṣantum arhasi śāntātman
mūḍhasya tvām ajānataḥ

SYNONYMS

aparādhaḥ — the offense; sakṛt — just once; bhartrā — by the master; soḍhavyaḥ — should be tolerated; sva-prajā — by his own subject; kṛtaḥ — committed; kṣantum — to tolerate; arhasi — it is befitting for You; śānta-ātman — O You who are always peaceful; mūḍhasya — of the foolish one; tvām — You; ajānataḥ — who does not understand.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.52

anugṛhṇīṣva bhagavan
prāṇāṁs tyajati pannagaḥ
strīṇāṁ naḥ sādhu-śocyānāṁ
patiḥ prāṇaḥ pradīyatām

SYNONYMS

anugṛhṇīṣva — please show mercy; bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; prāṇān — his life airs; tyajati — is giving up; pannagaḥ — the serpent; strīṇām — for women; naḥ — us; sādhu-śocyānām — who are to be pitied by saintly personalities; patiḥ — the husband; prāṇaḥ — life itself; pradīyatām — should be given back.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.53

vidhehi te kiṅkarīṇām
anuṣṭheyaṁ tavājñayā
yac-chraddhayānutiṣṭhan vai
mucyate sarvato bhayāt

SYNONYMS

vidhehi — please order; te — Your; kiṅkarīṇām — by the maidservants; anuṣṭheyam — what should be done; tava — Your; ājñayā — by the command; yat — which; śraddhayā — with faith; anutiṣṭhan — executing; vai — certainly; mucyate — one will become freed; sarvataḥ — from all; bhayāt — fear.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.54

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ sa nāga-patnībhir
bhagavān samabhiṣṭutaḥ
mūrcchitaṁ bhagna-śirasaṁ
visasarjāṅghri-kuṭṭanaiḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ittham — in this way; saḥ — He, Lord Kṛṣṇa; nāga-patnībhiḥ — by the wives of Kāliya; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samabhiṣṭutaḥ — fully praised; mūrcchitam — who was unconscious; bhagna-śirasam — his heads crushed; visasarja — He let go; aṅghri-kuṭṭanaiḥ — by the striking of His feet.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus praised by the Nāgapatnīs, the Supreme Personality of Godhead released the serpent Kāliya, who had fallen unconscious, his heads battered by the striking of the Lord’s lotus feet.

VERSE 10.16.55

pratilabdhendriya-prāṇaḥ
kāliyaḥ śanakair harim
kṛcchrāt samucchvasan dīnaḥ
kṛṣṇaṁ prāha kṛtāñjaliḥ

SYNONYMS

pratilabdha — regaining; indriya — the function of his senses; prāṇaḥ — and his vital force; kāliyaḥ — Kāliya; śanakaiḥ — gradually; harim — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛcchrāt — with difficulty; samucchvasan — breathing loudly; dīnaḥ — wretched; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; prāha — spoke; kṛta-añjaliḥ — in humble submission.

TRANSLATION

Kāliya slowly regained his vital force and sensory functions. Then, breathing loudly and painfully, the poor serpent addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in humble submission.

VERSE 10.16.56

kāliya uvāca

vayaṁ khalāḥ sahotpattyā
tamasā dīrgha-manyavaḥ
svabhāvo dustyajo nātha
lokānāṁ yad asad-grahaḥ

SYNONYMS

kāliyaḥ uvāca — Kāliya said; vayam — we; khalāḥ — envious; saha utpattyā — by our very birth; tāmasāḥ — of ignorant nature; dīrgha-manyavaḥ — constantly angry; svabhāvaḥ — one’s material nature; dustyajaḥ — is very difficult to give up; nātha — O Lord; lokānām — for ordinary persons; yat — because of which; asat — of the unreal and impure; grahaḥ — the acceptance.

TRANSLATION

The serpent Kāliya 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.

VERSE 10.16.57

tvayā sṛṣṭam idaṁ viśvaṁ
dhātar guṇa-visarjanam
nānā-svabhāva-vīryaujo-
yoni-bījāśayākṛti

SYNONYMS

tvayā — by You; sṛṣṭam — created; idam — this; viśvam — universe; dhātaḥ — O supreme provider; guṇa — of the material modes; visarjanam — the variegated creation; nānā — various; sva-bhāva — personal natures; vīrya — varieties of sensory strength; ojaḥ — and physical strength; yoni — wombs; bīja — seeds; āśaya — mentalities; ākṛti — and forms.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.58

vayaṁ ca tatra bhagavan
sarpā jāty-uru-manyavaḥ
kathaṁ tyajāmas tvan-māyāṁ
dustyajāṁ mohitāḥ svayam

SYNONYMS

vayam — we; ca — and; tatra — within that material creation; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarpāḥ — serpents; jāti — by species; uru-manyavaḥ — too much absorbed in anger; katham — how; tyajāmaḥ — we can give up; tvat-māyām — Your illusory potency; dustyajām — which is impossible to give up; mohitāḥ — bewildered; svayam — on our own.

TRANSLATION

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?

VERSE 10.16.59

bhavān hi kāraṇaṁ tatra
sarva-jño jagad-īśvaraḥ
anugrahaṁ nigrahaṁ vā
manyase tad vidhehi naḥ

SYNONYMS

bhavān — Your good self; hi — certainly; kāraṇam — the cause; tatra — in that matter (the removal of illusion); sarva-jñaḥ — the knower of everything; jagat-īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller of the universe; anugraham — favor; nigraham — punishment; — or; manyase — (whatever) You consider; tat — that; vidhehi — arrange; naḥ — for us.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.60

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity ākarṇya vacaḥ prāha
bhagavān kārya-mānuṣaḥ
nātra stheyaṁ tvayā sarpa
samudraṁ yāhi mā ciram
sva-jñāty-apatya-dārāḍhyo
go-nṛbhir bhujyate nadī

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; ākarṇya — hearing; vacaḥ — these words; prāha — then spoke; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kārya-mānuṣaḥ — who was acting like a human being; na — not; atra — here; stheyam — should remain; tvayā — you; sarpa — My dear serpent; samudram — to the ocean; yāhi — go; ciram — without delay; sva — your own; jñāti — by the companions; apatya — children; dāra — and wife; āḍhyaḥ — adequately accompanied; go — by the cows; nṛbhiḥ — and the humans; bhujyate — let it be enjoyed; nadī — the river Yamunā.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After hearing Kāliya’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.

VERSE 10.16.61

ya etat saṁsmaren martyas
tubhyaṁ mad-anuśāsanam
kīrtayann ubhayoḥ sandhyor
na yuṣmad bhayam āpnuyāt

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; etat — this; saṁsmaret — remembers; martyaḥ — a mortal; tubhyam — to you; mat — My; anuśāsanam — command; kīrtayan — chanting; ubhayoḥ — at both; sandhyoḥ — junctures of the day; na — not; yuṣmat — from you; bhayam — fear; āpnuyāt — obtains.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.62

yo ’smin snātvā mad-ākrīḍe
devādīṁs tarpayej jalaiḥ
upoṣya māṁ smarann arcet
sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; asmin — in this (Kāliya’s lake in the Yamunā River); snātvā — bathing; mat-ākrīḍe — the place of My pastime; deva-ādīn — the demigods and other worshipable personalities; tarpayet — gratifies; jalaiḥ — with the water (of that lake); upoṣya — observing a fast; mām — Me; smaran — remembering; arcet — performs worship; sarva-pāpaiḥ — from all sinful reactions; pramucyate — he becomes freed.

TRANSLATION

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.

VERSE 10.16.63

dvīpaṁ ramaṇakaṁ hitvā
hradam etam upāśritaḥ
yad-bhayāt sa suparṇas tvāṁ
nādyān mat-pāda-lāñchitam

SYNONYMS

dvīpam — the great island; ramaṇakam — named Ramaṇaka; hitvā — abandoning; hradam — the small lake; etam — this; upāśritaḥ — taken shelter of; yat — of whom; bhayāt — because of the fear; saḥ — that; suparṇaḥ — Garuḍa; tvām — you; na adyāt — will not eat; mat-pāda — with My feet; lāñchitam — marked.

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 10.16.64

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca

mukto bhagavatā rājan
kṛṣṇenādbhuta-karmaṇā
taṁ pūjayām āsa mudā
nāga-patnyaś ca sādaram

SYNONYMS

śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the sage (Śukadeva) said; muktaḥ — freed; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; kṛṣṇena — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; adbhuta-karmaṇā — whose activities are very wonderful; tam — Him; pūjayām āsa — worshiped; mudā — with pleasure; nāga — of the serpent; patnyaḥ — the wives; ca — and; sa-ādaram — with reverence.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, having been released by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose activities are wonderful, Kāliya joined his wives in worshiping Him with great joy and reverence.

VERSE 10.16.65-67

divyāmbara-sraṅ-maṇibhiḥ
parārdhyair api bhūṣaṇaiḥ
divya-gandhānulepaiś ca
mahatyotpala-mālayā

pūjayitvā jagan-nāthaṁ
prasādya garuḍa-dhvajam
tataḥ prīto ’bhyanujñātaḥ
parikramyābhivandya tam

sa-kalatra-suhṛt-putro
dvīpam abdher jagāma ha
tadaiva sāmṛta-jalā
yamunā nirviṣābhavat
anugrahād bhagavataḥ
krīḍā-mānuṣa-rūpiṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

divya — divine; ambara — with clothing; srak — garlands; maṇibhiḥ — and jewels; para-ardhyaiḥ — most valuable; api — also; bhūṣaṇaiḥ — ornaments; divya — divine; gandha — with scents; anulepaiḥ — and ointments; ca — as well; mahatyā — fine; utpala — of lotuses; mālayā — with a garland; pūjayitvā — worshiping; jagat-nātham — the Lord of the universe; prasādya — satisfying; garuḍa-dhvajam — Him whose flag is marked with the emblem of Garuḍa; tataḥ — then; prītaḥ — feeling happy; abhyanujñātaḥ — given permission to leave; parikramya — circumambulating; abhivandya — offering obeisances; tam — to Him; sa — along with; kalatra — his wives; suhṛt — friends; putraḥ — and children; dvīpam — to the island; abdheḥ — in the sea; jagāma — he went; ha — indeed; tadā eva — at that very moment; sa-amṛta — nectarean; jalā — her water; yamunā — the river Yamunā; nirviṣā — free from poison; abhavat — she became; anugrahāt — by the mercy; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krīḍā — for pleasure pastimes; mānuṣa — humanlike; rūpiṇaḥ — manifesting a form.

TRANSLATION

Kāliya 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 Garuḍa, Kāliya felt satisfied. Receiving the Lord’s permission to leave, Kāliya circumambulated Him and offered Him obeisances. Then, taking his wives, friends and children, he went to his island in the sea. The very moment Kāliya left, the Yamunā 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.