SB 10.16.9 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

तं प्रेक्षणीयसुकुमारघनावदातं श्रीवत्सपीतवसनं स्मितसुन्दरास्यम् । क्रीडन्तमप्रतिभयं कमलोदराङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रि सन्दश्य मर्मसु रुषा भुजया चछाद ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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. KB 10.16.9 Kāliya saw that Kṛṣṇa was indeed worth seeing because His body was so beautiful and delicate; its color resembled that of a cloud, and His feet resembled lotus flowers. He was decorated with Śrīvatsa, jewels and yellow garments. He was smiling with a beautiful face and playing in the river Yamunā with great strength. But in spite of Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful features, Kāliya felt great anger within his heart, and thus he grabbed Kṛṣṇa with his mighty coils.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

This verse shows that Krsna, who was actually beautiful, appeared the opposite to the enraged Kaliya. He was shining like a cloud (ghavadatam). Due to playing in the water, his yellow cloth covered his curl of srivatsa hair on his chest. Sri vatsa can also mean marked with the line of Laksimi (sri) on his chest (vatsa). Bhuja here means the body (coils) of the snake, not his arms. Kaliya squeezed Krsna in his coils.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Because he was wicked, Kāliya acted in this way. To show the great offense of Kāliya, Śukadeva, taking the mood of the people of Vraja, laments and describes the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was playing in the water because he was without fear of others. This indicates that Kāliya had no intelligence. The word cakṣuḥśravā (snake) literally means he who hears through his eyes. (He had no ears to hear good instruction.) He wrapped Kṛṣṇa in his body which looked like an arm (bhujayā). Thus the snake is called bhoga or bhujaṅga. Here bhujayā means the snake’s coil.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Actually biting Kṛṣṇa in his sensitive points was like kissing his limbs. Gripping Kṛṣṇa in his coils was like embracing Kṛṣṇa’s limbs. He did him in anger or passion (ruṣā), or actually prema, since he was most beautiful. Thus later Kṛṣṇa would show him great mercy. Because he was wicked, Kāliya acted in this way. To show the great offense of Kāliya, Śukadeva, taking the mood of the people of Vraja, laments and describes the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was playing in the water because he was without fear of others. This indicates that Kāliya had no intelligence. The word cakṣuḥśravā (snake) literally means he who hears through his eyes. (He had no ears to hear good instruction.) He wrapped Kṛṣṇa in his body which looked like an arm (bhujayā). Thus the snake is called bhoga or bhujaṅga. Here bhujayā means the snake’s coil.