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

COMMENTARY

This chapter describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastime of subduing the serpent Kāliya, showing pleasure with the prayers of the Nāga-patnīs, and banishing Kāliya from the river Yamunā.

 

In this verse kṛṣṇām refers to the Yamunā. Seeing how Kāliya was polluting the Yamunā with poison, Kṛṣṇa decided to banish that black snake.

 

|| 10.16.2 ||

śrī-rājovāca

katham antar-jale ’gādhe nyagṛhṇād bhagavān ahim

sa vai bahu-yugāvāsaṁ yathāsīd vipra kathyatām

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.

COMMENTARY

O learned sage! Please tell how Kāliya was able to live there for so many yugas (bahu-yugāvāsam).

 

|| 10.16.3 ||

brahman bhagavatas tasya bhūmnaḥ svacchanda-vartinaḥ

gopālodāra-caritaṁ kas tṛpyetāmṛtaṁ juṣan

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?

COMMENTARY

Gopāla udāra caritam means the magnanimous (udāra) pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd boy. However the word “go” can also refer to the senses of the devotees. The word gopāla then means one who nourishes the senses of the devotees. The word udāra also means giving happiness. Thus the phrase gopāla udāra caritam can mean the pastimes of Gopāla Kṛṣṇa bring joy and nourish the senses of the devotees. King Parīkṣit said, “Who could ever be satiated when tasting Kṛṣṇa pastimes, which satisfy the senses of the hearer and bring joy to the heart?”

 

|| 10.16.4 ||

śrī-śuka uvāca

kālindyāṁ kāliyasyāsīd hradaḥ kaścid viṣāgninā

śrapyamāṇa-payā yasmin patanty upari-gāḥ khagāḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

According to Śrī Hari-vaṁśa, the Kāliya lake was about one yojana wide [eight miles], and situated in the southern part of the Yamunā, apart from the main current of the river. Otherwise the poisonous waters of the lake, which were boiling hot (śrapyamāṇa), would have troubled the residents of Mathurā and other places farther away.

 

|| 10.16.5 ||

vipruṣmatā viṣadormi-mārutenābhimarśitāḥ

mriyante tīra-gā yasya prāṇinaḥ sthira-jaṅgamāḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

Moving and non-moving creatures such as trees died just by contacting (abhimarśitā) the poisonous breeze, which carried droplets of water (vipruṣmatā) from that deadly lake.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

The Purāṇas state that only the kadamba tree on the shore of the Yamunā remained unaffected by the poison of Kāliya because Garuḍa once sat in the tree drinking some nectar. The kadamba tree lived with the hope of being blessed by the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet in the future.

 

|| 10.16.7 ||

sarpa-hradaḥ puruṣa-sāra-nipāta-vega-

saṅkṣobhitoraga-viṣocchvasitāmbu-rāśiḥ

paryak pluto viṣa-kaṣāya-bibhīṣaṇormir

dhāvan dhanuḥ-śatam ananta-balasya kiṁ tat

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.

COMMENTARY

The force of Kṛṣṇa jumping from the tree into the Yamunā created huge waves, which were four-hundred hands high and flooding all directions (paryak). Those fearful waves were colored reddish-yellow (kaṣāya) from the poison of the agitated snakes. The word kaṣāya also means a thick potion according Kṣira Swami, a commentator on the Amara-kośa dictionary.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa played in the water by swimming, and producing wonderful musical sounds simply by splashing the water with His hands and arms. As Kṛṣṇa churned the water with His mighty arms, a thunder-ous roar arose. Upon hearing these sounds, Kāliya concluded that there must be some trespasser (abhibhavam) in his lake. The snake could not bear this (tad amṛṣyamāṇaḥ), so he immediately came forward (samasarat).

 

|| 10.16.9 ||

taṁ prekṣaṇīya-sukumāra-ghanāvadātaṁ

śrīvatsa-pīta-vasanaṁ smita-sundarāsyam

krīḍantam apratibhayaṁ kamalodarāṅghriṁ

sandaśya marmasu ruṣā bhujayā cachāda

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse shows that Kṛṣṇa looked very beautiful; His body glowing like a spotless white cloud. But He appeared just the opposite to the enraged Kāliya.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Some cowherd men and farmers tending the grains in the fields nearby quickly ran there. They had offered everything for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure, including their wives and friends.

 

|| 10.16.11 ||

gāvo vṛṣā vatsataryaḥ krandamānāḥ su-duḥkhitāḥ

kṛṣṇe nyastekṣaṇā bhītā rudantya iva tasthire

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.

COMMENTARY

Because the water in their eyes had dried up from fear, the cows, bulls and female calves could not really weep. Thus they are described “as if ready to cry.”

 

|| 10.16.12 ||

atha vraje mahotpātās tri-vidhā hy ati-dāruṇāḥ

utpetur bhuvi divy ātmany āsanna-bhaya-śaṁsinaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

Three inauspicious signs appeared in Vraja: earthquakes on the earth, meteors falling in the sky, and shivering in the bodies of men along with twitching of the left eye. Though there can be nothing inauspicious for the Lord, in order to indicate the lamentation of the inhabitants of Vraja, the demigods in charge of earthquakes and other disturbances did this. Or being attracted to the sweet and intimate mādhurya mood of Vraja, the demigods, out of affection for Kṛṣṇa, wanted to cover His aiśvarya (majestic opulence), so they produced various omens indicating misfortune for Kṛṣṇa.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Seeing the inauspicious omens, Nanda Mahārāja and other inhabitants rushed out of the village of Gokula. This is described in three verses.

 

Observing the omens, the Vrajavāsīs thought Kṛṣṇa had died (nidhanaṁ matvā). But how can God die? The word nidhana also means a great treasure. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa had obtained the great treasure of a joyful sport in the Yamunā. The Vrajavāsīs were behaving just as an affectionate cow does toward her calf. Overwhelmed with fear and unhappiness, they rushed out of Gokula in great anxiety.

 

|| 10.16.16 ||

tāṁs tathā kātarān vīkṣya bhagavān mādhavo balaḥ

prahasya kiñcin novāca prabhāva-jño ’nujasya saḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

According to Hari-vaṁśa the word mādhava means master (dhava) of intelligence (ma). Balarāma is described here as the master of intelligence because He knew the power (prabhava jña) of Kṛṣṇa’s līlā-śakti. Though Balarāma had the greatest affection for His younger brother, He understood that Kṛṣṇa desired to cover His opulence (aiśvarya) with His līlā-śakti. Therefore, Balarāma prevented Nanda and others from drowning themselves in the Yamunā out of grief.

 

Balarāma was laughing (prahasya) because He thought, “Kṛṣṇa never cares to play with Me in My form of Śeṣa Nāga, but now He is playing with this common, mundane snake named Kāliya.”

 

Remembering Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes as an ordinary mortal, Balarāma smiled and said nothing though the situation was beyond tolerance. However, when Balarāma smiled the Vrajavāsīs forgot their fear and lamentation and felt that nothing unfortunate would happen. Filling with the joy of Balarāma’s smile, they no longer desired to give up their lives.

 

|| 10.16.17 ||

te ’nveṣamāṇā dayitaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ sūcitayā padaiḥ

bhagaval-lakṣaṇair jagmuḥ padavyā yamunā-taṭam

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.

COMMENTARY

The Vrajavāsīs followed the path marked by Kṛṣṇa’s footprints, which bore the unique symbols of the Lord’s conch, disc and goad.

 

|| 10.16.18 ||

te tatra tatrābja-yavāṅkuśāśani-dhvajopapannāni padāni viś-pateḥ

mārge gavām anya-padāntarāntare nirīkṣamāṇā yayur aṅga satvarāḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse describes how the Vrajavāsīs recognized Kṛṣṇa’s footprints. Viś-pateḥ means of the master of the vaiśyas, cowherd community, and refers to Kṛṣṇa. Ignoring the cow’s hoof prints, they exclusively followed the footprints of Kṛṣṇa.

 

This verse hints of the discerning yogi, who follows the path of the Vedas in pursuance of the highest truth while rejecting all illusory appearances of truth.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse depicts the grief of the gopas and gopīs. Seeing Kṛṣṇa trapped within the clutches of the serpent, the Vrajavāsīs inquired from the boys, “Tell us what happened. Did Kāliya forcibly drag young Kṛṣṇa from the shore into the water, or did Kṛṣṇa jump from the bank? Was this His idea or someone else’s?” Noticing that the boys were actually unconscious and thus incapable of answering, Nanda and the other Vrajavāsīs entered a state of shock and panic.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse describes the anguish of the young damsels of Vraja who were attached to Kṛṣṇa in mādhurya-bhāva. The word bhagavati here means most beautiful, and anante means filled with unlimited qualities. Seeing their most beautiful Kṛṣṇa, who is endowed with infinite attractive qualities, bound in the coils of the serpent, and remembering the love (tat sauhṛda) that Kṛṣṇa had for them, His gentle smiles, His furtive glances, and His loving prattles (giraḥ) during their amorous affairs (smara-antyaḥ), the gopīs saw the three worlds turn empty and meaningless. Due to the fire of separation from Kṛṣṇa, the entire universe burned to ashes.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse describes the distress of those in vātsalya-bhāva, parental love. Tāḥ refers to the famous ladies of Vraja with children. In some editions of Bhāgavatam the word prataptam (torn apart) is used instead of praviṣṭāṁ. This would mean that Yaśodā was being torn apart upon seeing her son enwrapped in the serpent’s coils. Then Yaśodā entered the same state that her son appeared to be in and almost fainted.

 

When Yaśodā tried to jump in the Yamunā, the elder gopīs forcibly held her back with their arms. Then they affectionately wiped the sweat and tears from Yaśodā’s face. To revive mother Yaśodā, the gopīs loudly recited stories about the darling of Vraja (vraja-priya). The elderly gopīs drowned everyone in the waves from the rivers of their lamentation (śucaḥ sravantyaḥ). The Amara-kośa dictionary says sravanti means river. Thus everyone became paralyzed like corpses (mṛtaka pratīkāḥ).

 

|| 10.16.22 ||

kṛṣṇa-prāṇān nirviśato nandādīn vīkṣya taṁ hradam

pratyaṣedhat sa bhagavān rāmaḥ kṛṣṇānubhāva-vit

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.

COMMENTARY

Balarāma physically held Nanda and others to keep them from jumping in the river, while saying, “Gargācārya said that you will be saved from all obstacles by this son. Keeping this in mind, don’t you think Kṛṣṇa will get released from this danger? Just be patient. If you all jump in the river and drown, who will maintain and raise Kṛṣṇa when He comes back? Not only that, you will be neglecting Garga’s order to take care of the boy as well.” This was Balarāma’s reasoning.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Seeing that the Vrajavāsīs had no other goal or shelter (ananya-gatim), and fully understanding (ājñāya) their sorrow, Kṛṣṇa spoke to Kāliya after remaining gripped in his coils for one muhūrta (forty-eight minutes).

 

Kṛṣṇa said, “Listen Kāliya, you have shown Me enough of your strength. Now, I will show you a little of My prowess, though I am just a cowherd boy.” Then Kṛṣṇa broke free from the snake (uraṅga) and stood up (udatiṣṭhat).

 

|| 10.16.24 ||

tat-prathyamāna-vapuṣā vyathitātma-bhogas

tyaktvonnamayya kupitaḥ sva-phaṇān bhujaṅgaḥ

tasthau śvasañ chvasana-randhra-viṣāmbarīṣa-

stabdhekṣaṇolmuka-mukho harim īkṣamāṇaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

This verse describes Kṛṣṇa’s freeing Himself from the snake and Kāliya’s weakening. Kāliya let go of Kṛṣṇa because he felt pained (vyathita) by the expanding body of the Lord (prathyamāna vapuṣā), which was previously much smaller. After releasing Kṛṣṇa, Kāliya raised his huge hoods, breathed heavily and stared at Kṛṣṇa. The snake’s nostrils were full of poison, and the glaring eyes in his face resembled firebrands.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Kāliya repeatedly licked His lips (dve sṛkvaṇī pari lelihānaṁ). Kṛṣṇa moved around Kāliya with such agility that Kāliya, though continually searching this way and that for an opportunity, failed in his attempts to bite the Lord. To avoid Kāliya, Kṛṣṇa continually moved in the opposite direction as the serpent.

 

|| 10.16.26 ||

evaṁ paribhrama-hataujasam unnatāṁsam

ānamya tat-pṛthu-śiraḥsv adhirūḍha ādyaḥ

tan-mūrdha-ratna-nikara-sparśāti-tāmra-

pādāmbujo ’khila-kalādi-gurur nanarta

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.

COMMENTARY

Śrī Hari-vaṁśa confirms that with one hand Kṛṣṇa was able to push down Kāliya’s raised head, which had gradually became tired from his relentless circling. Mounting the snake’s broad heads, Kṛṣṇa began to dance. Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet became red like copper from touching the numerous jewels upon the heads of Kāliya.

 

As a dancer sometimes demonstrates his expertise by dancing on different objects such as dishes, Kṛṣṇa showed that He is original guru of all fine arts (kalā ādi guruḥ) by skillfully dancing on the unsteady, moving surface of the serpent’s hoods. In addition, Kṛṣṇa’s remarkable display of dancing skill was meant to please the young damsels of Vraja, who at this stage of their relationship were seriously falling in love (pūrva-rāga) with Him.

 

|| 10.16.27 ||

taṁ nartum udyatam avekṣya tadā tadīya-

gandharva-siddha-muni-cāraṇa-deva-vadhvaḥ

prītyā mṛdaṅga-paṇavānaka-vādya-gīta-

puṣpopahāra-nutibhiḥ sahasopaseduḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa danced even without musical accompaniment by personally calling out syllables such as “thai thai” to imitate the sound of a musical instrument. The impression given is that Kṛṣṇa, upon seeing the gopīs, was considering, “We will meet together to dance like this sometime in the future.” The word nartum is a substitute for the word nartitum, which means “to dance.”

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Sataika here means 101 chief heads, because the thirtieth verse mentions one thousand heads. When one head would not bow down, Kṛṣṇa would suddenly smash that stubborn head with His feet. Blood flowed profusely from Kāliya’s mouths and nostrils.

 

|| 10.16.29 ||

tasyākṣibhir garalam udvamataḥ śiraḥsu
yad yat samunnamati niḥśvasato ruṣoccaiḥ

nṛtyan padānunamāyān damayāṁ babhūva

puṣpaiḥ prapūjita iveha pumān purāṇaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

When Kāliya would dare to raise one of his hoods, Kṛṣṇa would dance on it and force it down with the blows from His feet. At that time the Gandharvas and other celestials worshiped Kṛṣṇa with showers of flowers. Being pleased, Kṛṣṇa subdued the serpent for their benefit.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Though the seed of devotion (bhakti-bījam) had previously been planted in Kāliya’s heart by the mercy of his wives, who were actually exalted devotees of Kṛṣṇa, it could not sprout because of Kāliya’s cruel behavior due to his previous aparādhas, just as seeds sown on barren ground cannot sprout.

 

By the purifying touch of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, however, Kāliya’s offense was neutralized, and the seed of devotion began to sprout. Kāliya remembered (smṛtvā) or realized that he was now fighting an opponent who was thousands of times stronger than his arch-rival Garuḍa, and therefore this person must be the Supreme Lord.

 

Kāliya thought (smṛtvā), “This is the person my wives had previously described as being approachable by bhakti. Taking the position of my guru, He placed His feet on my head. Then by displaying His extraordinary power, he made me realize what a fool I am to think that I am god. Now I will take shelter (araṇaṁ) of Him (tam).”

 

|| 10.16.31 ||

kṛṣṇasya garbha-jagato ’ti-bharāvasannaṁ

pārṣṇi-prahāra-parirugna-phaṇātapatram

dṛṣṭvāhim ādyam upasedur amuṣya patnya

ārtāḥ ślathad-vasana-bhūṣaṇa-keśa-bandhāḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

Seeing their husband so oppressed with the heavy weight of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who carries the universe in His belly, Kāliya’s wives approached Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Previously the wives had been disgusted with their husband because of his demoniac activities and were thinking, “Let this atheist be killed by the Lord. Then as widows we will fully engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service.”

 

But when Kāliya’s wives saw the symptoms of sañcāri-bhāva such as humility, remorse, regret, doubt and indifference to his suffering condition manifest in their husband’s facial expressions and other bodily features, they thought, “Just see how fortunate we are! Our husband has now become a Vaiṣṇava. Therefore, we must try to save him.” Feeling affection for their repentant husband, and being severely distressed (ārtāḥ) because of Kāliya’s miserable condition, the wives joined together and approached Kṛṣṇa.

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Kāliya’s wives offered respects to Śrī Kṛṣṇa by paying obeisances on the ground. It is understood that in Kāliya’s lake there was an island, where Kāliya held Kṛṣṇa in His coils. The inhabitants of Vraja could see this. The wives placed their children before them to invoke Kṛṣṇa’s compassion.

 

|| 10.16.33 ||

nāga-patnya ūcuḥ

nyāyyo hi daṇḍaḥ kṛta-kilbiṣe ’smiṁs tavāvatāraḥ khala-nigrahāya

ripoḥ sutānām api tulya-dṛṣṭir dhatse damaṁ phalam evānuśaṁsan

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.

COMMENTARY

The wives of Kāliya [Nāga-patnīs] began praising Kṛṣṇa by first approving of His punishment in order to appease His anger.

 

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “One must certainly bear the responsibility of his wicked deeds in the form of violence to the innocent and devoted. You protect the good and punish the wicked without any partiality. You look equally (tulya-dṛṣṭiḥ) upon Your enemies and Your own sons. Although Hiraṇyakaśipu was Your enemy, You protected His son Prahlāda. Yet You killed Narakāsura even though he was Your own son. You do not harbor any animosity while punishing the wicked because You know it will bring the ultimate benefit. After relieving them of their demoniac nature by hellish suffering, You reward them with the eternal happiness of liberation.”

 

|| 10.16.34 ||

anugraho ’yaṁ bhavataḥ kṛto hi no daṇḍo ’satāṁ te khalu kalmaṣāpahaḥ

yad dandaśūkatvam amuṣya dehinaḥ krodho ’pi te ’nugraha eva sammataḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs continued, “Thus Your punishment is actually mercy for us, because the punishment You give to the wicked relieves them of all their sins. Due to grievous sins our husband attained the body of a snake and displayed anger and other bad qualities.”

 

|| 10.16.35 ||

tapaḥ sutaptaṁ kim anena pūrvaṁ nirasta-mānena ca māna-dena

dharmo ’tha vā sarva-janānukampayā yato bhavāṁs tuṣyati sarva-jīvaḥ

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?

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “Previously we said that punishment was mercy, but this case is different. Though an object is very difficult to attain, one can easily attain it if he has previously done pious activities.” In this way they reason.

 

The Nāga-patnīs continued, “With his mind free from false pride and full of respect for others, Kāliya must have done austerities in a previous life. Such austerity is characteristic of a real Vaiṣṇava, for one does not see this type of austerity practiced by the nondevotees. As the Lord says, ‘I am not pleased with wealth or with austerities,’ ordinary austerities do not invoke the mercy of God. In some previous life Kāliya executed religious duties with compassion for all living entities, and thus he is Vaiṣṇava. Mercy towards all living entities is not seen in the heart of a fruitive worker.

 

“Because of Kāliya’s tapas (penance) and dharma (religious duties), he has received the affection of the Lord in the form of holding the Lord’s lotus feet on his head. If a person respects all living entities and treats them with compassion, then the Supreme Lord, who is the shelter of all entities, becomes satisfied.” That is the meaning of this verse.

 

What follows is the inferred meaning of the verse: The Nāga-patnīs said, “If You maintain the existence of all living entities and satisfy them with Your compassion, then why are You kicking our husband on the head?”

 

|| 10.16.36 ||

kasyānubhāvo ’sya na deva vidmahe tavāṅghri-reṇu-sparaśādhikāraḥ

yad-vāñchayā śrīr lalanācarat tapo vihāya kāmān su-ciraṁ dhṛta-vratā

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 taking austere vows.

COMMENTARY

Actually the mercy given to Kāliya was not a result of his tapas or dharma (austerities or piety). It was just Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable causeless mercy. This is expressed in three verses.

 

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “We cannot understand what type of pious activity the most sinful Kāliya performed to get this result (anubhāva). What result? It is very difficult to attain even a particle of dust at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet by any type of pious activity such as austerity. It is even rarer to get the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s feet, what to speak of having them dance on one’s head. Even the goddess of fortune, who is Your intimate consort in Your form as Nārāyaṇa and a much greater devotee than Brahmā, could not fulfill her desire to touch Your feet in Your form as a cowherd boy even after performing severe austerities.”

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Hearing the Nāga-patnīs, Kṛṣṇa may have replied, “But what great result will a person get by attaining the dust of My feet?”

 

The Nāga-patnīs answer Kṛṣṇa’s question by saying, “No, You cannot say this. The result is greater than anything else. Those who surrender to You do not hanker for residence on Svargaloka. What then to speak of those who have attained the dust from Your feet?”

 

|| 10.16.38 ||

tad eṣa nāthāpa durāpam anyais tamo-janiḥ krodha-vaśo ’py ahīśaḥ

saṁsāra-cakre bhramataḥ śarīriṇo yad-icchataḥ syād vibhavaḥ samakṣaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “The dust from Your feet gives the highest result. Simply by receiving that dust conditioned souls can attain all material enjoyments. Somehow Kāliya, the king of the snakes, who is full of ignorance and showed anger towards You, attained Your lotus feet, which even Laksmī and others find difficult to achieve.”

 

|| 10.16.39 ||

namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate puruṣāya mahātmane

bhūtāvāsāya bhūtāya parāya paramātmane

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.

COMMENTARY

After glorifying the mercy of the Lord in six verses [33-38], the Nāga-patnīs bow down to Śrī Kṛṣṇa eleven times in the next ten verses [39-48] by devotedly saying namaḥ eleven times.

 

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “We offer obeisances unto You, the supreme object of worship for the devotees. You are the Supreme Person with six transcendental qualities (bhagavān), yet You manifest a sweet humanlike form (puruṣa). Although You are all-pervasive (mahā-ātmane), in Your humanlike form You are the object of worship of the yogīs (mahātma). You dwell in all living entities (bhūtāvāsāya) as the Supersoul (paramātma). And although You are the original shelter of all material elements (bhūta-āvāsāya), You exist even prior to their creation (bhūtāya)”

 

|| 10.16.40 ||

jñāna-vijñāna-nīdhaye brahmaṇe ’nanta-śaktaye

aguṇāyāvikārāya namas te prākṛtāya ca

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.

COMMENTARY

In the mood of jñānis, the Nāga-patnīs prayed, “‘We offer respects to the Absolute Truth, who is the reservoir of all knowledge and cit-śakti, spiritual potency (jñāna-vijñāna), just as the ocean (nidhaye) is the reservoir of all gems.”

 

In the mood of devotion, the Nāga-patnīs continued, “We offer respects to You as the ocean of infinite inconceivable powers (ananta śakti). We offer respects to You whose transcendental qualities never transform into material qualities (aguṇāya avikārāya). We offer respects to You who have a variety of non-material, spiritual qualities (aprākṛtāya).”

 

The idea put forth by foolish persons that the Supreme Lord has material qualities is rejected by the devotees who adore Śrī Kṛṣṇa in His irresistibly attractive humanlike form.

 

|| 10.16.41 ||

kālāya kāla-nābhāya kālāvayava-sākṣiṇe

viśvāya tad-upadraṣṭre tat-kartre viśva-hetave

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.

COMMENTARY

Though the Lord appears in time and space, He is not affected by the qualities of material time and space.

 

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “We pay respects to You who are time itself (kālāya), the shelter of time (kāla nābhāya), the witness of time in all its phases (kāla avayava sākṣi). You witness time but are unaffected by it. We pay respects to You. Although You are the universe (viśva), You remain untouched by it as the separate observer. You are its creator and the cause of all causes. What more can be said? We offer respects to You.”

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs continued, “You are not just the cause, You are the very soul of the material elements. It is most astonishing that by Your arrangement the minute souls, though full of dynamic spiritual potential, appear lifeless like dull matter. You cover the perception (anubhūtaye) of the living entities (svātma) by the three modes of material nature (tri-guṇena).”

 

(Text 43) The Nāga-patnīs prayed, ‘’What is the conclusion in all of this? We cannot find the end to You (ananta), because You are difficult to understand (sūkṣma).”

 

Kṛṣṇa replies, “But intelligent men say that the living entity is different from Me and that I cover the living entities. Therefore how can you say I am non-different from them?”

 

The Nāga-patnīs answer, “You are kūṭastha. The dictionary says kūṭastha means He who pervades all three phases of time. Thus You remain in one form for all time, whereas the living entities (jīvas) take various forms for short periods of time. These forms are not their svarūpa, eternal spiritual form. Therefore You cannot be the same as the jīva.

 

“You know everything (vipaścit) but the jīvas know very little. We pay respects to He who, for His own purposes, sanctions all types of philosophies such as the jīva is nondifferent from God; the jīva is material; God is consciousness; God is one alone, and the jīvas are many. All of these opposing views take shelter of scripture. We pay respects to You, by whose desire arises the power of many meanings for many words (vācya vācaka śakti).”

 

|| 10.16.44 ||

namaḥ pramāṇa-mūlāya kavaye śāstra-yonaye

pravṛttāya nivṛttāya nigamāya namo namaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “We pay respects to the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the basis of all authoritative evidence and the topmost scriptural proof (mūla pramāna), and to Vedavyāsa its compiler (kavaye). You are personally present in the revealed scriptures. We pay respects to You who are the source (yoni) of the revealed the scriptures (śāstra). The same phrase (śāstrayonitvat) is seen in the Vedānta-sūtra. We offer obeisances unto the scriptures, which although propounding dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, can be grouped in two categories; pravṛtti (sense gratification) and nivṛtti (renunciation). We offer respects unto You who are the origin (nigama) of both.”

 

|| 10.16.45 ||

namaḥ kṛṣṇāya rāmāya vasudeva-sutāya ca

pradyumnāyāniruddhāya sātvatāṁ pataye namaḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

In this verse the Nāga-patnīs glorify all the forms mentioned in the scriptures, especially Kṛṣṇa’s eternal four-fold plenary expansions, the catur-vyūha (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha). The words kṛṣṇaya and rāmāya indicate Vāsudeva and Saṅkarṣaṇa. The word ca indicates the son of Nanda.

 

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “We offer respects to all these forms, including the son of Vasudeva (vasudeva suta) and Nanda’s son as well (ca). We offer respects to Kṛṣṇa, the protector of Vāsudeva and others in the Sātvata dynasty (sātvatāṁ pati).”

 

|| 10.16.46 ||

namo guṇa-pradīpāya guṇātma-cchādanāya ca

guṇa-vṛtty-upalakṣyāya guṇa-draṣṭre sva-saṁvide

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.

COMMENTARY

Here the Nāga-patnīs are addressing Kṛṣṇa as ‘‘He who manifests (pradīpāya) various material and spiritual qualities (guna-pradīpāya).” Kṛṣṇa covers Himself with the screen of material nature; therefore He is called guṇātma-cchādanāya. But Kṛṣṇa can be recognized by His extraordinary quality of extreme bhakta-vātsalya (guṇa-vṛtty-upalakṣyāya) by which He makes the living entities Kṛṣṇa conscious. No one except svayaṁ bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa has this quality. Seeing the good qualities (guṇa-draṣṭre) in His own (sva) devotees and not the faults, Kṛṣṇa allows Himself to be known (saṁvide) only by them, and also that ultimately only Kṛṣṇa can know Himself (saṁvide) perfectly.

 

|| 10.16.47 ||

avyākṛta-vihārāya sarva-vyākṛta-siddhaye

hṛṣīkeśa namas te ’stu munaye mauna-śīline

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “You are called avyākṛta vihāra because Your pastimes are unfathomable (avyākṛta), even by scripture, or because You have pastimes which appear material, or because Your pastimes are devoid of any special formalities or pomp (amorous affairs without marriage etc.). You endow Your devotee with a variety of abilities to serve You with perfection (sarva vyākṛta siddhi). You enchant all the senses (hṛṣīkeśa) of Your devotees. For those devoid of bhakti You are ātmārāma, self-satisfied (muni). For those who pray for the fulfillment of desires You are silent (mauna śīla); neither bestowing happiness nor relieving distress.”

 

|| 10.16.48 ||

parāvara-gati-jñāya sarvādhyakṣāya te namaḥ

aviśvāya ca viśvāya tad-draṣṭre ’sya ca hetave

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “You know the goal to be attained by the devotee (para) and the non-devotee (avara). You are the superinten-dent of all results, and thus knowing what is proper, You bestow results to each according to what He deserves. Though You dispense the fruits of one’s karma, You are not bound by karma because You are distinct from matter (aviśva). When it is necessary You create this material universe by Your māyā-śakti, and remain as its overseer (viśva draṣṭā). Therefore You are the primal cause of the universe, animating it and directing its transformations.”

 

|| 10.16.49 ||

tvaṁ hy asya janma-sthiti-saṁyamān vibho

guṇair anīho ’kṛta-kāla-śakti-dhṛk

tat-tat-svabhāvān pratibodhayan sataḥ

samīkṣayāmogha-vihāra īhase

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.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa asks, “What is the purpose in creating this universe, giving it life and transformation?

 

The Nāga-patnīs answer, “Simply by glancing upon the material nature after the end of the previous kalpa, You wake up the jīvas resting in the pradhāna to their previous nature, and then proceed with creation, maintenance and destruction through the three modes of nature (guṇaiḥ) rajas, sattva and tamas. Though You activate the modes of nature, You are not involved with any material endeavor (anīhaḥ). All this is brought about through Your eternal potency of time. Just by Your glance You execute all these activities in a playful mood.”

 

|| 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

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.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa inquires, “What is the intention of Your praises?”

 

The Nāga-patnīs reply, “You are the creator of all the material bodies throughout the universe. At the time of creation You awaken the bad qualities within the nondevotees, so how is it possible for Kāliya to give up his cruel nature on his own? Though all the bodies in the universe are created by You, we see that the living entities who take to devotion are dear to You. You are present on earth to maintain Your devotees, and help them uphold their religious principles.”

 

|| 10.16.51 ||

aparādhaḥ sakṛd bhartrā soḍhavyaḥ sva-prajā-kṛtaḥ

kṣantum arhasi śāntātman mūḍhasya tvām ajānataḥ

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.

COMMENTARY

The Nāga-patnīs prayed, “You should tolerate the offense Kāliya has committed against Your devotees. After having been taught a lesson by You, however, if Kāliya again harasses Your devotees You are not obliged to forgive him. Our husband Kāliya is qualified for forgiveness because he is ignorant and foolish.”

 

Because of their extreme anxiety, the Nāga-patnīs ask Kṛṣṇa twice to forgive Kāliya. Kṛṣṇa is addressed as śānta, peaceful, because that is the cause of forgiveness.

 

|| 10.16.52 ||

anugṛhṇīṣva bhagavān prāṇāṁs tyajati pannagaḥ

strīṇāṁ naḥ sādhu-śocyānāṁ patiḥ prāṇaḥ pradīyatām

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.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa says, “I have diagnosed Kāliya’s disease, treated and cured him. But to wipe out the last traces of the disease, I must stomp on His head seven or eight times more. You should permit this.”

 

The Nāga-patnīs plead, “We fear that if You give our husband this strong medicine of punishment, which is actually some more mercy to purify him of all his offenses (aparādha), he may die; for he is just about to leave his body.”

 

Kṛṣṇa replies, “What does it matter if he gives up this snake body? What can he do with this body? It is better that he gets a spiritual body as My devotee.”

 

Nāga-patnīs: “If we beautiful women become widows we will be engaged by force to enjoy with another sinful snake. Since Kāliya is now a Vaiṣṇava, he has become the object of our affection and our life and soul.”

 

|| 10.16.53 ||

vidhehi te kiṅkarīṇām anuṣṭheyaṁ tavājñayā

yac-chraddhayānutiṣṭhan vai mucyate sarvato bhayāt

TRANSLATION