Chapter Fourteeen Kāliyopākhyāna-varṇana Description of Kāliya's Story

31 verses

Verse text

śrī-rājovāca
dvīpe ramaṇake brahman
sarpānanyān vinā katham
etan me brūhi sakalaṁ
kāliyasyābhavad bhayam

Synonyms

śrī-rājā uvāca — the king said ; dvīpe ramaṇake — on Ramaṇaka-dvīpa ; brahman — O brāhmaṇa ; sarpa — snakes ; ananyān — without other ; vinā — without ; katham — how ; etan — this ; me — to me ; brūhi — tell ; sakalam — all ; kāliyasya — of Kaliya ; abhavat — was ; bhayam — fear.

Translation

The king said: If only snakes lived on Ramaṇaka-dvīpa, why was Kāliya afraid. O brāhmaṇa, please tell me this.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
tatra nāgantako nityaṁ
nāga-saṅghaṁ jaghāna ha
gata-kṣobhaṁ caikadhā te
tārkṣyaṁ prāhur bhayāturaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; tatra — there ; nāgāntakaḥ — Garuḍa, the killer of snakes ; nityam — always ; nāga-saṅgham — the snakes ; jaghāna — killed ; ha — Oh ; gata-kṣobham — peaceful ; ca — and ; ekadha — one day ; te — they ; tarkṣyam — to Garuḍa ; prahuḥ — said ; bhaya-āturaḥ — frightened.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: Garuḍa would go there and kill many snakes. One day, when Garuḍa was in a peaceful mood, the frightened snakes spoke to him.

Verse text

nāgā ūcuḥ
he garutman namas tubhyaṁ
tvaṁ sākṣād viṣṇu-vāhanaḥ
asmān atsi yadā sarpān
kathaṁ no jīvanaṁ bhavet

Synonyms

nāgāḥ ūcuḥ — the snakes said ; he — O ; garutman — garuḍa ; namaḥ — obeisances ; tubhyam — to you ; tvam — you ; sākṣāt — directly ; viṣṇu — of Lord Viṣṇu ; vāhanaḥ — the carrier ; asmān — to us ; atsi — you eat ; yadā — when ; sarpān — snakes ; katham — why? ; naḥ — of us ; jīvanam — life ; bhavet — will be.

Translation

O Garuḍa, obeisances to you! You are Lord Viṣṇu's personal carrier. If You eat all us snakes, how will we continue to live?

Verse text

tasmād baliṁ gṛhāṇāśu
māse māse gṛhāt pṛthak
vanaspati-sudhānnānāṁ
upacārair vidhānataḥ

Synonyms

tasmāt — therefore ; balim — an offering ; gṛhāṇa — please accept ; āśu — promtly ; māse — month ; māse — after month ; gṛhāt — from the home ; pṛthak — specific ; vanaspati-sudhānnānām — of the nectar of trees ; upacāraiḥ — with offerings ; vidhānataḥ — according to.

Translation

Please accept from us each month an offering from a different house, an offering sweet as the honey of trees.

Verse text

śrī-garuḍa uvāca
ekaḥ sarpas tu me deyo
bhavadbhir vā gṛhāt pṛthak
kathaṁ pacāmi tam ṛte
baliṁ vīṭakavat param

Synonyms

śrī-garuḍaḥ uvāca — Śrī Garuḍa said ; ekaḥ — one ; sarpaḥ — snake ; tu — indeed ; me — to me ; deyaḥ — should be given ; bhavadbhiḥ — by you ; vā — or ; gṛhāt — from the house ; pṛthak — specific ; katham — why? ; pacāmi — I shall eat ; tam — that ; ṛte — without ; balim — offering ; vīṭakavat — like betelnuts ; param — great.

Translation

Śrī Garuḍa said: Give me one snake from a designated house. Why should I eat any snake but this offering sweet as betelnuts.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
tathāstu coktās te sarve
garuḍāya mahātmane
go-pīthāyātmano rājan
nityaṁ divyaṁ baliṁ daduḥ

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; tathā — so ; astu — may be ; ca — and ; uktāḥ — said ; te — they ; sarve — all ; garuḍāya — to Garuḍa ; mahātmane — the great soul ; go-pīthāya — for protection ; ātmanaḥ — own ; rājan — O king ; nityam — regularly ; divyam — splendid ; balim — offering ; daduḥ — gave.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: To Garuḍa, the great soul, they all said, "So be it." In this way for their own protection they regularly gave a splendid offering.

Verse text

kāliyasya gṛhasyāpi
samayo 'bhūd yadā nṛpa
tadā tārkṣyaṁ baliṁ sarvaṁ
bubhuje kāliyo balāt

Synonyms

kāliyasya — of Kaliya ; gṛhasya — of the home ; api — also ; samayaḥ — the time ; abhūt — came ; yadā — when ; nṛpa — O king ; tadā — then ; tārkṣyam — to garuḍa ; balim — offering ; sarvam — all ; bubhuje — ate ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; balāt — because of strength.

Translation

When the time came for an offering from Kāliya's house, Kāliya himself forcibly ate the offering intended for Garuḍa.

Verse text

tadāgataḥ prakupito
vegataḥ kāliyopari
cakāra pāda-vīkṣepaṁ
garuḍaś caṇḍa-vikramaḥ

Synonyms

tadā — then ; āgataḥ — came ; prakupitaḥ — angry ; vegataḥ — violently ; kāliyopari — on kaliya ; cakāra — did ; pāda-vīkṣepam — kicking ; garuḍaḥ — Garuḍa ; caṇḍa-vikramaḥ — powerful.

Translation

When powerful Garuḍa came he was very angry. He forcefully kicked Kāliya.

Verse text

garuḍāṅghri-prahāreṇa
kāliyo mūrchito 'bhavat
punar utthāya jihvābhiḥ
prāvalīḍhaṁ mukhaṁ śvasan

Synonyms

garuḍāṅghri-prahāreṇa — by the kicks of Garuḍa ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; mūrchitaḥ — fainted ; abhavat — became ; punaḥ — again ; utthāya — rising ; jihvābhiḥ — with tongues ; prāvalīḍham — licking ; mukham — mouth ; śvasan — hissing.

Translation

Garuḍa kicked Kāliya unconscious. Then Kāliya again stood up, licking his tongue and hissing.

Verse text

prasārya svaṁ phaṇa-śataṁ
kāliyaḥ phaṇināṁ varaḥ
vyadaśad garuḍaṁ vegād
dadbhir viṣamayair balī

Synonyms

prasārya — expanding ; svam — his ; phaṇa-śatam — hundred hoods ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; phaṇinām — of snakes ; varaḥ — the best ; vyadaśat — bit ; garuḍam — Garuḍa ; vegāt — strongly ; dadbhiḥ — with many fangs ; viṣamayaiḥ — poisonous ; balī — strong.

Translation

Then Kāliya, the best of snakes, expanded his hundred hoods and with many fangs savagely bit Garuḍa.

Verse text

gṛhītvā taṁ ca tuṇḍena
garuḍo divya-vāhanaḥ
bhū-pṛṣṭhe pothayām āsa
pakṣābhyāṁ tāḍayan muhuḥ

Synonyms

gṛhītvā — taking ; tam — him ; ca — and ; tuṇḍena — by teh beak ; garuḍaḥ — Garuḍa ; divya-vāhanaḥ — the transcendental carrier ; bhū-pṛṣṭhe — to the earth ; pothayām āsa — threw ; pakṣābhyām — with both wongs ; tāḍayan — beating ; muhuḥ — again and again.

Translation

With his beak the transcendental carrier Garuḍa grabbed Kāliya, threw him to the ground, and beat him with both wings again and again.

Verse text

tuṇḍād vinirgataḥ sarpas
tat-pakṣān vicakarṣa ha
tat-pādau veṣṭayaṁs tudyan
phutkāraṁ vyadadhan muhuḥ

Synonyms

tuṇḍāt — from the beak ; vinirgataḥ — escaped ; sarpaḥ — the snake ; tat-pakṣān — from the wiongs ; vicakarṣa — dragged ; ha — indeed ; tat-pādau — —to his feet ; veṣṭayan — surrounding ; tudyan — striking ; phutkāram — spitting ; vyadadhan — doing ; muhuḥ — again and again.

Translation

Escaping from the beak, Kāliya attacked Garuḍa's wings. Coiling around Garuḍa's feet, he spat poison again and again.

Verse text

kupito garuḍas taṁ vai
nītvā tuṇḍena kāliyam
nipātya bhūmyaṁ sahasā
tat-tanuṁ vicakarṣa ha

Synonyms

kupitaḥ — anghry ; garuḍaḥ — garuḍa ; tam — him ; vai — indeed ; nītvā — bringing ; tuṇḍena — with the beak ; kāliyam — Kaliya ; nipātya — throwing ; bhūmyām — to the ground ; sahasā — violently ; tat-tanum — his body ; vicakarṣa — dragged ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Then Garuḍa became angry. Taking Kāliya in his beak, he threw him to the ground and savagely dragged him here and there.

Verse text

tadā dudrāva tat-tuṇḍāt
kāliyo bhaya-vihvalaḥ
tam anvadhāvat sahasā
pakṣi-rāṭ caṇḍa-vikramaḥ

Synonyms

tadā — then ; dudrāva — ran ; tat-tuṇḍāt — from the beak ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; bhaya-vihvalaḥ — terrified ; tam — him ; anvadhāvat — chased ; sahasā — quickly ; pakṣi — of birds ; rāṭ — the king ; caṇḍa-vikramaḥ — very powerful.

Translation

Terrified Kāliya ran from Garuḍa's beak. Garuḍa, the king of birds, ardently chased him.

Verse text

sapta-dvīpān sapta-khaṇḍān
sapta-sindhūṁs tataḥ phaṇī
yatra yatra gatas tarkṣyaṁ
tatra tatra dadarśa ha

Synonyms

sapta-khaṇḍān — the seven khandas ; sapta-sindhūṁḥ — the seven oceans ; tataḥ — then ; phaṇī — the snake ; yatra yatra — wherever ; gataḥ — went ; tarkṣyam — Garuḍa ; tatra tatra — there ; dadarśa — saw ; ha — indeed.

Translation

Wherever he went in the seven dvīpas, the seven khaṇḍas, and the seven oceans, the snake Kāliya saw Garuḍa.

Verse text

bhūrlokaṁ ca bhuvarlokaṁ
svarlokaṁ pragataḥ phaṇī
maharlokaṁ tato dhāvan
janalokaṁ jagāma ha

Synonyms

bhūrlokam — Bhurloka ; ca — aND ; bhuvarlokam — Bhuvarloka ; svarlokam — Svarloka ; prāgataḥ — went ; phaṇī — the snake ; maharlokam — Maharloak ; tataḥ — then ; dhāvan — runinng ; janalokam — Janaloka ; jagāma — went ; ha — indeed.

Translation

The snake Kāliya fled to Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, and Janaloka.

Verse text

yatraiva garuḍe prāpte
'dho 'dho lokaṁ punar gataḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇasya bhayāt ke 'pi
rakṣāṁ tasya na sandadhuḥ

Synonyms

yatra — where ; eva — indeed ; garuḍe — Garuḍa ; prāpte — attained ; adhaḥ — lower ; adhaḥ — and lower ; lokam — worlds ; punaḥ — again ; gataḥ — gone ; śrī-kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa ; bhayāt — from the fear ; ke api — someone ; rakṣām — protection ; tasya — of him ; na — not ; sandadhuḥ — gave.

Translation

Then he fled to the lower planets, going lower and lower. Wherever he went, Garuḍa was there. No one saved him from his fear of Lord Kṛṣṇa's devotee.

Verse text

kutrāpi na sukhe jāte
kāliyo 'pi bhayāturaḥ
jagāma deva-devasya
śeṣasya caraṇāntike

Synonyms

kutrāpi — somewhere ; na — not ; sukhe — in happiness ; jāte — born ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; api — even ; bhayāturaḥ — terrified ; jagāma — went ; deva-devasya — of the master of the demigods ; śeṣasya — Śeṣa ; caraṇāntike — to the feet.

Translation

Kāliya could not find happiness. He was always afraid. Finally he approached the feet of Lord Ananta, the master of the demigods.

Verse text

natvā praṇamya taṁ śeṣaṁ
parikramya kṛtāñjaliḥ
dīno bhayāturaḥ prāha
dīrgha-pṛṣṭhaḥ prakampitaḥ

Synonyms

natvā praṇamya — bowing down ; tam — to Him ; śeṣam — Śeṣa ; parikramya — circumambulating ; kṛtāṣaliḥ — folded hands ; dīnaḥ — humble ; bhayāturaḥ — frightened ; prāha — said ; dīrgha-pṛṣṭhaḥ — the snake ; prakampitaḥ — trembling.

Translation

Bowing down before Lord Śeṣa and circumambulating Him with folded hands, the humbled, trembling, frightened snake spoke.

Verse text

kāliya uvāca
he bhūmi-bhartar bhuvaneśa bhūman
bhū-bhāra-hṛt tvaṁ hy asi bhūri-līlaḥ
māṁ pāhi pāhi prabhaviṣṇu-pūrṇaḥ
parāt paras tvaṁ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

Synonyms

kāliyaḥ uvāca — Śrī Kaliya said ; he — O ; bhūmi-bhartaḥ — maintainer of the world ; bhuvaneśa — O master of the world ; bhūman — O Lord ; bhū-bhāra-hṛt — O holder of thr worlds ; tvam — You ; hi — indeed ; asi — are ; bhūri-līlaḥ — enjoying many pastimes ; mām — me ; pāhi — protect ; pāhi — protect ; prabhaviṣṇu-pūrṇaḥ — powerful ; parāt — than the greatest ; paraḥ — greater ; tvam — You ; puruṣaḥ — person ; purāṇaḥ — ancient.

Translation

Kāliya said: O Lord, O master of the worlds, O maintainer of the worlds, O holder of the worlds' burden, You enjoy many pastimes. You are all-powerful. You are the ancient Supreme Person, greater than the greatest. Please, please protect me!

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
dīnaṁ bhayāturaṁ dṛṣṭvā
kāliyaṁ śrī-phaṇīśvaraḥ
vācā madhurayā prīṇan
prāha devo janārdanaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; dīnam — humble ; bhayāturam — frigthened ; dṛṣṭvā — seeing ; kāliyam — Kaliya ; śrī-phaṇīśvaraḥ — the king of snakes ; vācā — with words ; madhurayā — sweet ; prīṇan — pleasing ; prāha — said ; devaḥ — Lord ; janārdanaḥ — the savior from miseries.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: Seeing Kāliya so frightened and humble, Lord Ananta, the king of snakes and the savior from miseries, spoke in a sweet voice pleasing to Kāliya.

Verse text

śrī-śeṣa uvāca *
he kāliya mahā-buddhe
śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ
kutrāpi na hi te rakṣā
bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-śeṣa uvāca — Śrī Śeṣa said ; he — O ; kāliya — Kaliya ; mahā-buddhe — very intelligent ; śṛṇu — hear ; me — my ; paramam — supreme ; vacaḥ — words ; kutrāpi — somewhere ; na — not ; hi — indeed ; te — of you ; rakṣa — protection ; bhaviṣyati — will be ; na — no ; saṁśayaḥ — doubt.

Translation

Śrī Śeṣa said: Intelligent Kāliya, hear My divine words. There is no shelter for you anywhere. Of this there is no doubt.

Verse text

āsīt purā muniḥ siddhaḥ
śaubharir nāma nāmataḥ
vṛndāraṇye tapas tapto
varṣāṇām ayutaṁ jale

Synonyms

āsīt — was ; purā — before ; muniḥ — a sage ; siddhaḥ — perfect ; śaubhariḥ — Śaubhari ; nāma — named ; nāmataḥ — named ; vṛndāraṇye — in Vṛndāvana ; tapas taptaḥ — performed austerities ; varṣāṇām — years ; ayutam — ten thousand ; jale — in the water.

Translation

In ancient times there was a perfect sage named Śaurabhi Muni who performed austerities for ten thousand years in the waters in Vṛndāvana.

Verse text

mīna-rāja-vihāraṁ yo
vīkṣya geha-spṛho 'bhavat
sa uvāha mahā-buddhir
māndhātus tanujā-śatam

Synonyms

mīna — of the fish ; rāja — of the king ; vihāram — the pastimes ; yaḥ — who ; vīkṣya — seeing ; geha — household life ; spṛhaḥ — desiring ; abhavat — became ; sa — he ; uvāha — married ; mahā-buddhiḥ — very intelligent ; māndhātuḥ — of mandhata Muni ; tanujā — daughters ; śatam — hundred.

Translation

Watching the king of fish enjoy pastimes, Śaurabhi Muni desired to become a householder. He then married the hundred daughters of Mandhātā Muni.

Verse text

tasmai dadau hariḥ sākṣāt
parāṁ bhāgavatīṁ śriyaṁ
vīkṣya tāṁ nṛpa māndhātā
vismito 'bhūd gata-smayaḥ

Synonyms

tasmai — to him ; dadau — gave ; hariḥ — Kṛṣṇa ; sākṣāt — directly ; parām — great ; bhāgavatīm — like the LOrd's ; śriyam — opulence ; vīkṣya — seeing ; tām — it ; nṛpa — O king ; māndhātā — Mandhata ; vismitaḥ — astonished ; abhūt — became ; gata-smayaḥ — humbled.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa gave Śaurabhi divine wealth and opulence. O king, when Mandhātā Muni saw that opulence, he became humbled and filled with wonder.

Verse text

yamunāntar-jale dīrghaṁ
śaubhares tapatas tapaḥ
paśyatas tasya garuḍo
mīna-rājaṁ jaghāna ha

Synonyms

yamunā — of the Yamunā ; antaḥ — within ; jale — in the water ; dīrgham — for a long time ; śaubhareḥ — of Śaubhari ; tapataḥ — performing ; tapaḥ — austerities ; paśyataḥ — seeing ; tasya — of him ; garuḍaḥ — Garuḍa ; mīna-rājam — the king of fish ; jaghāna — killed ; ha — indeed.

Translation

As, in the midst of his austerities, Śaurabhi Muni was watching, Garuḍa killed the king of the fish.

Verse text

mīnān su-duḥkhitān dṛṣṭvā
duḥkha-hā dīna-vatsalaḥ
tasmai śāpaṁ dadau kruddhaḥ
śaubharir muni-sattamaḥ

Synonyms

mīnān — the fish ; su-duḥkhitān — very unhappy ; dṛṣṭvā — seeing ; duḥkha-hā — the destroyer of unhappiness ; dīna-vatsalaḥ — kind to the unhappy ; tasmai — to him ; śāpam — a curse ; dadau — gave ; kruddhaḥ — angry ; śaubhariḥ — Śaurabhi ; muni-sattamaḥ — the best of sages.

Translation

Seeing the fish stricken with grief, the great sage Śaurabhi Muni, who was kind to the suffering and eager to stop their troubles, became angry and cursed Garuḍa.

Verse text

śrī-śaubharir uvāca
mīnān adyatanād atra
yady atsi tvaṁ balād dvi-rāṭ
tadaiva prāṇa-nāśas te
bhūyān me śapatas tvaram

Synonyms

śrī-śaubharir uvāca — Śrī ŚaubhaRI SAID ; mīnān — the fish ; adyatanāt — from this day on ; atra — here ; yadi — if ; atsi — eat ; tvam — you balāt—violently ; dvi-rāṭ — O king of birds ; tadā — then ; eva — indeed ; prāṇa — of life ; nāśaḥ — destruction ; te — of you ; bhūyāt — will be ; me — of me ; śapataḥ — by the curse ; tvaram — at once.

Translation

Śrī Śaubhari said: O Garuḍa, O king of birds, if from today on you eat the fish here you will die at once. That is my curse.

Verse text

śrī-śeṣa uvāca
tad-dināt tatra nāyāti
garuḍaḥ śāpa-vihvalaḥ
tasmāt kāliya gacchāśu
vṛndāraṇye harer vane

Synonyms

śrī-śeṣaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śeśa said ; tad-dināt — from that day ; tatra — there ; na — not ; āyāti — comes ; garuḍaḥ — Garuḍa ; śāpa — because of the curse ; vihvalaḥ — agitated ; tasmāt — therefore ; kāliya — O Kaliya ; gaccha — go ; āśu — at once ; vṛndāraṇye — to Vṛndāvana ; hareḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; vane — the forest.

Translation

Śrī Śeṣa said: Afraid of the curse, from that day on Garuḍa has not come there. O Kāliya, for that reason you should go at once to Lord Kṛṣṇa's forest of Vṛndāvana.

Verse text

kālindyāṁ ca nijaṁ vāsaṁ
kuru mad-vākya-noditaḥ
nirbhayas te bhayaṁ tārkṣyān
na bhaviṣyati karhicit

Synonyms

kālindyām — in the Yamunā ; ca — and ; nijam — own ; vāsam — home ; kuru — do ; mad-vākya-noditaḥ — on My instruction ; nirbhayaḥ — fearless ; te — of you ; bhayam — fear ; tārkṣyān — garuḍa ; na — not ; bhaviṣyati — will be ; karhicit — ever.

Translation

By My order make your home in the Yamunā. There you will be fearless. You will never fear Garuḍa.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
ity uktaḥ kāliyo bhītaḥ
sa-kalatraḥ sa-putrakaḥ
kālindyāṁ vāsa-kṛd rājan
śrī-kṛṣṇena vivāsitaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; iti — thus ; uktaḥ — addressed ; kāliyaḥ — Kaliya ; bhītaḥ — frightened ; sa-kalatraḥ — with his wives ; sa-putrakaḥ — with his children ; kālindyām — in the Yamuna ; vāsa-kṛt — masking his home ; rājan — O king ; śrī-kṛṣṇena — by Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; vivāsitaḥ — sent away.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: When he was told this, Kāliya went with his wives and children to the Yamunā, where he lived until Śrī Kṛṣṇa sent him out. .pa