Devanagari
तं जिह्वया द्विशिखया परिलेलिहानं
द्वे सृक्वणी ह्यतिकरालविषाग्निदृष्टिम् ।
क्रीडन्नमुं परिससार यथा खगेन्द्रो
बभ्राम सोऽप्यवसरं प्रसमीक्षमाण: ॥ २५ ॥
Verse text
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.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
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.
KB 10.16.25
Licking his lips with bifurcated tongues, the serpent looked at Kṛṣṇa with double hoods, and his eyesight was full of poison. Kṛṣṇa immediately pounced upon him, just as Garuḍa swoops upon a snake. Thus attacked, Kāliya looked for an opportunity to bite Him, but Kṛṣṇa moved around him.
Purport
Lord Kṛṣṇa moved around the serpent so skillfully that Kāliya could find no opportunity to bite Him. Thus the snake was defeated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental agility.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Kaliya repeatedly licked his lips (dve srkkani pari lelihanam). Krsna moved around Kaliya so that Kaliya would keep turning around. Kaliya kept following Krsna, looking for an opportunity to bite him. But because of Krsna’s skilful movements, Kaliya could find no chance. Krsna began to move in the opposite direction to avoid Kaliya.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
He played with Kāliya who was constantly licking his two lips (pari) simultaneously with his forked tongue. Though it is the nature of snakes to do so, out of extreme anger he now did this. This indicates his ferocious nature. His glance was full of terrible fire. This description is repeated from the previous verse to indicate his nature. Hi is used for emphasis. Kṛṣṇa circled him. The example of Garuḍa is used to show his strength while playing or to show his quickness. Kāliya at every step (pra) watched intently (sam) for an opportunity to bite him. This showed Kṛṣṇa’s fun in playing with the snake.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
He played with Kāliya who was constantly licking his two lips (pari) simultaneously with his forked tongue. Though it is the nature of snakes to do so, out of extreme anger he now did this. This indicates his ferocious nature. His glance was full of terrible fire. This description is repeated from the previous verse to indicate his nature.
Jihvayā is in the singular, but indicates all the tongues of his many mouths. His two nostrils stands for the many nostrils of his many heads. Each head had one tongue and two nostrils.
Hi is used for emphasis. Kṛṣṇa circled him. The example of Garuḍa is used to show his strength while playing or to show his quickness. Kāliya at every step (pra) watched intently (sam) for an opportunity to bite him. This showed Kṛṣṇa’s fun in playing with the snake.