Parva 2 Chapter 12: kāliyadamana - Subjugation of Kaliya

vaiśaṁpāyana said: (O janamejaya!) Reaching the river bank, kṛṣṇa tightened his waist. The restless boy happily climbed on the branch of the kadamba tree. kṛṣṇaḥ kadambaśikharāllambamāno ghanākṛtiḥ | hradamadhye'karocchabdaṁ nipatannambujekṣaṇaḥ ||2-12-2 The lotus eyed kṛṣṇa with body dark as a rain cloud jumped from the branch of the kadamba tree to the centre of the lake, creating a loud noise. kṛṣṇena tatra patatā kṣubhito yamunāhradaḥ | saṁprāsicyata vegena bhidyamāna ivāṁbudaḥ ||2-12-3 When kṛṣṇa jumped, the lake in yamunā was agitated and the waves spilled over to the banks, like a rain cloud split quickly with force. tena shabdena saṅkṣubdham sarpasya bhavanaṁ mahat | udatiṣṭhajjalātsarpo roṣaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ ||2-12-4 The great serpent's residence was disturbed by the sound. He emerged from water with his eyes burning red with anger. sa choragapatiḥ kruddho megharāśisamaprabhaḥ | tato raktāntanayanaḥ kāliyaḥ samadṛśyata ||2-12-5 When kāliya, the king of serpent, shining as a group of dark clouds came out angrily, his eyes appeared red as blood. paṣcāsyaḥ pāvakochvāsaśchalajjihvo'nalānanaḥ | pṛthubhiḥ paṣchabhirghoraiḥ śirobhiḥ parivāritaḥ ||2-12-6 He had five hoods. He breathed fire. His tongues moved in and out fast. His mouths were full of fire. His five hoods were terrifying. pūrayitvā hradaṁ sarvaṁ bhogenānalavarchasā | sphuranniva ca roṣeṇa jvalanniva ca tejasā ||2-12-7 He covered the entire lake with his powerful and fiery body. He appeared to be trembling with anger and burning with power. krodhena jvalatastasya jalaṁ śṛtamivābhavat | pratisrotāścha bhīteva jagāma yamunā nadī ||2-12-8 Burning due to his anger, the water appeared to be boiling. yamunā river appeared to reverse the flow due to fear. tasya krodhāgnipūrṇebhyo vaktrebhyo'bhūccha mārutaḥ | dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇaṁ hradagataṁ krīḍantaṁ śiśulīlayā ||2-12-9 Seeing kṛṣṇa playing like a child in the lake, he breathed fire and air from his terrible faces burning with anger. sadhūmāḥ pannagendrasya mukhānniścherurarchiṣaḥ | sṛjatā tena roṣāgniṁ samīpe tīrajā drumāḥ || 2-12-10 kṣaṇena bhasmasānnītā yugāntapratimena vai | Smoke and fire emerged from the mouths of the king of serpents. His fire of anger burned the trees near to the banks and quickly reduced them to ashes, as if signifying the end of yuga. tasya putrāścha dārāścha bhṛtyāścānye mahoragāḥ ||2-12-11 vamantaḥ pāvakaṁ ghoraṁ vaktrebhyo viśasaṁbhavam | sadhūmaṁ pannagendrāste nipeturamitaujasaḥ |2-12-12 Great serpents with immense power - his sons, wives, servants and others arrived, spitting terrible and poisonous fire and smoke from their mouths. praveshitashcha taiḥ sarpaiḥ sa kṛṣṇo bhogabandhanam | niryatnacharaṇākārastasthau giririvācalaḥ ||2-12-13 All serpents coiled their bodies around kṛṣṇa and bound him. His legs, arms and body were made motionless as if he was an unmovable hill. adaśandaśanaistīkṣṇairviṣotpīḍajalāvilaiḥ | te kṛṣṇaṁ sarpapatayo na mamāra ca vīryavān ||2-12-14 The serpent kings started biting kṛṣṇa with their sharp teeth through which poisonous water was flowing. However kṛṣṇa was not killed. etasminnantare bhītā gopālāḥ sarva eva te | krandamānā vrajaṁ jagmurbāṣpagadgadayā girā ||2-12-15 Meanwhile, all the frightened cow tending boys went to vraja crying. With tears, they said these faltering words. gopā ūcuḥ eṣa mohaṁ gataḥ kṛṣṇo magno vai kāliye hrade | bhakṣyate sarparājena tadāgacchata mā ciram ||2-12-16 gopa-s said: Drowning in kāliya lake, kṛṣṇa has become unconscious. The king of serpents is about to eat him. Hence all of you should go there quickly. nandagopāya vai kṣipraṁ sabalāya nivedyatām | eṣa te kṛṣyate kṛṣṇaḥ sarpeṇeti mahāhrade ||2-12-17 Immediately, inform nandagopa and balarāma that the serpent is dragging kṛṣṇa to the big lake. nandagopastu tacchrutvā vajrapātopamaṁ vacaḥ | ārtaḥ skhalitavikrāntastaṁ jagāma hradottamam ||2-12-18 Hearing these terrible words like a thunderbolt, nandagopa was overcome with fear and grief. He rushed to the lake, faltering. sabālayuvatīvṛddhaḥ sa ca saṅkarṣaṇo yuvā | ākrīḍaṁ pannagendrasya jalasthaṁ samupāgamat ||2-12-19 The youth saṅkarṣaṇa, along with children, young women and old people also reached the place where the king of serpents was playing in water. nandagopamukhā gopāste sarve sāśrulochanāḥ | hāhākāraṁ prakurvantastasthustīre hradasya vai ||2-12-20 nandagopa and all other gopa-s stood on the banks of the lake, crying aloud with tears flowing from their eyes. vrīḍitā vismitāścaiva śokārtāścha punaḥ punaḥ | kechittu putra hā heti hā dhigityapare punaḥ ||2-12-21 They felt helpless, astonished and cried sadly shouting "O! My son. Shame on us" again and again. apare hā hatāḥ smeti rurudurbhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ | striyashcaiva yasodāṁ tāṁ hā hatāsīti chukruśuḥ ||2-12-22 Others cried: "We are finished". Overcome by severe grief, some others cried profusely. Women looked at yaśodā, crying, "you are doomed". * yā pashyasi priyaṁ putraṁ sarparājavaśaṁ gatam | spanditaṁ sarpabhogena kṛṣyamāṇaṁ yathā mṛtam ||2-12-23 Look at your dear son held, bound by the serpent body, being dragged by the king of serpents, as though he is dead. aśmasāramayaṁ nūnaṁ hṛdayaṁ te vilakṣyate | putraṁ kathamimaṁ dṛṣṭvā yashode nāvadīryase ||2-12-24 yaśodā, your heart is definitely made of iron. Even after seeing your son in this condition, why are you not shattered? duḥkhitaṁ bata paśyāmo nandagopaṁ hradāntike | nyasya putramukhe dṛṣṭiṁ nishchetanamavasthitam ||2-12-25 We see nandagopa in grief on the banks of the lake, looking at kṛṣṇa's face without blinking his eyes. yaśodāmanugacchantyaḥ sarpāvāsamimaṁ hradam | praviśāmo na yāsyāmo vinā dāmodaraṁ vrajam ||2-12-26 Let us follow yaśodā to the lake where the serpent lives. We will not return to vraja without dāmodara (kṛṣṇa). divasaḥ ko vinā sūryaṁ vinā chandreṇa kā niśā | vinā vṛṣeṇa kā gāvo vinā kṛṣṇena ko vrajaḥ ||2-12-27 vinā kṛṣṇaṁ na yāsyāmo vivatsā iva dhenavaḥ | What is day without sun? What is night without moon? What are cows without bulls? What is vraja without kṛṣṇa? Like cows without calves, we will not return home without kṛṣṇa. tāsāṁ vilapitaṁ śrutvā teṣāṁ ca vrajavāsinām | vilāpaṁ nandagopasya yaśodāruditaṁ tathā ||2-12-28 Hearing the women, residents of vraja and nandagopa crying thus as also yaśodā weeping, ekabhāvaśarīrajṣa ekadeho dvidhā kṛtaḥ | saṅkarṣaṇastu saṅkruddho babhāṣe kṛṣṇamavyayam ||2-12-29 saṅkarṣaṇa, who was having the same mind and body, who had split one body into two (with kṛṣṇa) became angry. He spoke these words to the eternal kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahābāho gopānāṁ nandavardhana | gamyatāmeṣa vai kṣipraṁ sarparājo viṣāyudhaḥ ||2-12-30 kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa with mighty arms! You always enhance the pleasure of cow tenders of vraja. Conquer quickly the king of serpents, who is armed with poison. ime no bāndhavāstāta tvāṁ matvā mānuṣaṁ vibho | paridevanti karunaṁ sarve mānuṣabuddhayaḥ ||2-12-31 O my son! (dear brother), lord!, thinking that you are an ordinary human being, all our relatives and friends with human intellect, are lamenting. tacchrutvā rauhiṇeyasya vākyaṁ saṁjṣāsamīritam | vikramyāsphoṭayadbāhū bhittvā tannāgabandhanam ||2-12-32 Hearing these words of the son of rohiṇi, with hints, kṛṣṇa shook his hands and broke himself free from the serpent coils. tasya padbhyāmathākramya bhogarāśiṁ jalotthitam | shirastu kṛṣṇo jagrāha svahastenāvanāmya ca ||2-12-33 Stamping with his feet on the serpent's body raising up from water, kṛṣṇa caught the serpent's hood with his hands and brought it down. tasyāruroha sahasā madhyamaṁ tanmahacciraḥ | so'sya mūrdhni sthitaḥ kṛṣṇo nanarta rucirāṅgadaḥ||2-12-34 kṛṣṇa quickly jumped on the serpent's huge middle hood. kṛṣṇa wearing beautiful armlets, started dancing on the serpent's head. mṛdyamānaḥ sa kṛṣṇena śāntamūrdhā bhujaṁgamaḥ | āsyaiḥ sarudhirodgāraiḥ kātaro vākyamabravīt ||2-12-35 Subdued by kṛṣṇa, the serpent became afraid. He lowered his head and spoke these words with blood coming out from his mouths. avijṣānanmayā kṛṣṇa roṣo'yaṁ saṁpradarśitaḥ | damito'haṁ hataviṣo vashagaste varānana ||2-12-36 kṛṣṇa with a charming face! I showed my anger without knowing you. My poison is destroyed and I am subdued by you. tadājṣāpaya kiṁ kuryāṁ sadā sāpatyabāndhavaḥ | kasya vā vaśatāṁ yāmi jīvitaṁ me pradīyatāṁ ||2-12-37 Order me! What should I do with my sons, friends and relatives? Under whom should I be? Please spare my life! paṣchamūrdhānataṁ dṛṣṭvā sarpaṁ sarpāriketanaḥ | akRuddha eva bhagavānpratyuvācorageśvaram ||2-12-38 Seeing the serpent with all his five hoods lowered, the lord (kṛṣṇa), whose flag has the image of the enemy of serpents (garuḍa), without anger, replied to the lord of serpents. tavāsminyamunātoye naiva sthānaṁ dadāmyaham | gachcārṇavajalaṁ sarpa sabhāryaḥ sahabāndhavaḥ ||2-12-39 I will not give you place (of residence) in the waters of yamunā. Serpent, go the waters of ocean with your wives, relatives and friends. yashcheha bhūyo dṛśyeta sthāne vā yadi vā jale | tava bhṛtyastanūjo vā kṣipraṁ vadhyaḥ sa me bhavet ||2-12-40 If ever I find a serpent in this place or in water, he will be killed by me quickly, even if he is your servant or son. śivaṁ cāsya jalasyāstu tvaṁ ca gaccha mahārṇavam | sthāne tviha bhaveddoṣastavāntakaraṇo mahān ||2-12-41 Let this water be useful and good. You go to the great ocean. Living in this place is a great danger to your life. matpadāni ca te sarpa dṛṣṭvā mūrdhasu sāgare | garuḍaḥ pannagaripustvayi na prahariṣyati ||2-12-42 When you live in the ocean, seeing the marks of my feet on your hoods, garuḍa, the enemy of serpents will never harm you. gṛhya mūrdhnā tu charaṇau kṛṣṇasyoragapuṅgavaḥ | paśyatāmeva gopānāṁ jagāmādarśanaṁ hradāt ||2-12-43 Carrying the marks of kṛṣṇa's feet on his hoods, the great serpent left the lake as the gopa-s were watching. nirjite tu gate sarpe kṛṣṇamuttīrya dhiṣṭhitam | vismitāstuṣṭuvurgopāścakruścaiva pradakṣiṇam ||2-12-44 When the serpent left admitting defeat, kṛṣṇa came out of water and stood on the banks. The surprised gopa-s praised and circumambulated kṛṣṇa. ūcuḥ sarve ca saṁprītā nandagopaṁ vanecarāḥ | dhanyo'syanugṛhīto'si yasya te putra īdṛśaḥ ||2-12-45 All the forest going gopa-s were pleased. They told nandagopa: "You are satisfied and blessed to have such a son". adyaprabhṛti gopānāṁ gavāṁ goṣṭhasya cānagha | āpatsu śaraṇaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ prabhuścāyatalocanaḥ ||2-12-46 O sinless one! From today, kṛṣṇa with long eyes is the shelter for gopa-s, cows and vraja. jātā śivajalā sarvā yamunā munisevitā | tire cāsyāḥ sukhaṁ gāvo vichariṣyaṁti naḥ sadā ||2-12-47 The water of yamunā, served by sages has become useful and good. Now our cows can always live comfortably on its banks. vyaktameva vayaṁ gopā vane yatkṛṣṇamīdṛśam | mahadbhūtaṁ na jānīmaśchannamagnimiva vraje ||2-12-48 It is clear that, we gopa-s who live in the forest, did not recognize the greatness of kṛṣna who lives in vraja, like fire covered by ashes. evaṁ te vismitāḥ sarve stuvantaḥ kṛṣṇamavyayam | jagmurgopagaṇā ghośaṁ devāśchaitrarathaṁ yathā ||2-12-49 Thus all the gopa-s, struck with wonder, praised the indestructible kṛṣṇa and returned to vraja like deva-s returning from chaitraratha. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi śiśucaryāyāṁ kāliyadamane dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the twelfth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, subjugation of kāliya. nīlakaṇṭha commentary amuṣmindvādaśe'dhyāye kāliyasya phaṇopari | nṛtyaṁ cakre harishcheti yamunā nirviṣocyate || 1 || sopasṛsyetyadhyāhṛtya "yo'hannahirmanvapastatarddetyapādahasto apṛtanyadindram" iti chopadiṣṭaṁ kāliyadamanam upabṛṁhayati | tatra mantrāvayavayorarthastu yo'hiḥ sarpo manvapaḥ yamunājalāni tatarda viṣasaṁparkeṇa nāśitavān tamindro ahan hiṁsitavān | pīḍanamātramatra hantyarthaḥ | sa ca ahiḥ apāt pādahīnaḥ ahastaḥ shvasan indram apṛ+tanyat ayodhayaditi etenāsya sarparūpatvamuktamato'hirvṛtrākhyo yatrāpsaṁbandhastatrāyameva boddhavyaḥ || · 2-12-2 lambamānaḥ adhaḥ patan || · 2-12-6 paṣcāsya paṣchavadanaḥ || · 2-12-7 bhogena dehena || · 2-12-8 śṛtaṁ kvathitaṁ pratisrotāḥ viparītapravāhāḥ || · 2-12-14 te'daśanniti pūrveṇa saṁbandhaḥ || · 2-12-23 sarpabhogena sarpabhogabandhena spanditaṁ kiṣchichcālitaṁ dhairyātīti śeṣaḥ || · 2-12-31 paridevanti shochanti || · 2-12-41 stāne avasthitau || · 2-12-42 nanvanyatra garuḍo māṁ haniṣyati atra tu muniśāpānnāyātīti chettatrāha | matpadānīti || · 2-12-43 dhiṣṭhitaṁ tīre'vasthitam iti śrīmatpada nīlakaṇṭhakṛtau bhāratabhāvadīpe harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi tīkāyāṁ dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ