19 - Killing of Kaliya and consuming of the forest fire 

Narayana said - Once Krishna, without Baladeva, went to the bank of Yamuna together with other cowherd boys where the serpent Kaliya used to live.

Consuming the ripe fruits from the bank of Yamuna, lord Krishna drank the clean water of the river. Krishna together with the cowherds grazed the cows there and after collecting them at one place he started playing. With their minds fully devoted to the sports, all the cowherds kept on playing delightfully. О sage, the cows grazing the forest grass on the bank of the river Yamuna also drank the water of the Yamuna which had been mixed with the snake poison. 

The cows drank the poisonous water as a move of destiny, as a result of which all of them lost their lives. All the cowherd boys felt disturbed finding their cows dead and all of them started looking at the face of Hari. 

In the meantime, Krishna climbed a tree in human form on the bank of the Yamuna and jumped into the abode of the sages.

О Narada, at that point of time, the water of Yamuna was raised to a hundred feet. Looking at this, the boys felt delighted and at the same time also felt gloomy. 

Finding a human there, the Kaliya serpent was extremely annoyed. He at once swallowed Krishna, who was like a burning rod of iron. 

But with the divine tejas of the lord Krishna, the throat and the belly of the serpent started burning. In panic he uttered that his life was going to depart from his body. Thus speaking, he vomited out Krishna and all the teeth of the serpent were broken and blood started oozing out of the mouth. Lord Krishna stood on the hood of the serpent who vomited blood. 

The weight of lord Krishna was unbearable for the serpent and his life was about to depart from his body. Vomiting blood, he fainted and fell down. 

Finding him fainted all the serpents started crying infatuated with the love for Kaliya serpent. Some of them fled in panic while others entered the holes. The chaste Surasa finding her husband to be facing death, came forward with all the female servants and started crying before the lord. She bowed before him with folded hands and holding his feet she said. 

Surasa said - О lord of the universe, you are graceful and therefore bestow your grace on me, returning my husband to me. For the women, the husband is dearer to them than their lives; therefore, there is nothing before them, except their husbands. 

O lord you are beyond measure, the ocean of love and are the lord of the universe; therefore, you return my husband to me. You are the friend of the entire universe; you are the ocean of love for Radhika and happen to be Brahma for Brahma. Therefore, you return my husband to me. 

Shiva, Brahma, Sesha and Karttikeya always become dumb-found in an attempt to adore you. Even Sarasvati is unable to recite your glory. All the Vedas and the gods are unable to recite your glory. Only your devotees are competent enough to offer prayers to you. 

I am a foolish woman and that too a female serpent and you happen to be the lord of the universe and are invisible Parameshvara. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Sesha always praise you. Such a formless person appearing in human form is quite surprising. 

Parvati, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, the creator of the Vedas is hesitant to offer prayers to you, then how can I be able to do so? A foolish woman like me is trying to adore the same lord having no knowledge of the Vedic scriptures. This is beyond understanding; you sleep at the bed of gems, adorned with all the gem-studded ornament. Radha adorned with all the gem-studded ornaments always reside in your heart.

All your limbs are plastered with sandal-paste. You wear a smile on your face and you always remain engrossed in the ocean of love.

The garlands of jasmine flowers decorate your head; your mind feels pleasant with the fragrance of the Parijata flowers. The sweet voice of cuckoo and hissing sound of the black-wasps infatuate love in your body which remains filled with emotions. You always delightfully consume the betel offered to you by your beloved. You are the one who is beyond the praise of the Vedas and many intellectuals become dumb-found by reciting your glory. How can I, an ordinary female serpent, offer prayer to you. In fact, I am only trying to at your lotus-like feet which are served by Brahma, Shiva, Sesha, Lakshmi, Durga, Gangs, Sarasvati, the siddhas, sages and Manu.

You happen to be devoid of cause, the cause of all, the lord of all, beyond everyone, self-illumining, the best and the lord of the best. I bow in reverence at your feet. 

О Krishna, you happen to be the lord of the demons and the gods; you are the lord of Brahma, lord of Sesha, lord of Prajapati and sages besides Manu, moveable and immovable, siddhis, siddhas and lord of the ganas. You kindly bestow your protection on us.

You are the lord of dharma, the religious minded people, good and bad and the Vedas. Even the Vedas are unable to project you properly. О lord of all, you happen to be the soul of all, the friend of all, the lord of all the creatures, therefore you protect my husband. 

Thus, offering prayers to the lord she bowed in reverence to him. She then fell at the lotus-like feet of the lord. 

Whosoever recites the stotra composed by the spouse of Naga thrice a day, is relieved of all the sins and achieves the abode of the lord ultimately. 

He achieves the devotion of the lord on earth and ultimately achieves the inaccessible slave hood of the lord, besides the four types of salvation like Salokya, etc. 

Narada said - On listening to the words of the wife of the serpent, lord Krishna felt delighted and what did he speak to her, you kindly reveal this secret to me. 

Suta said - On hearing the words of Narada, Narayana the creator of the universe, spoke in sweet words. 

Narayana said - On bearing the words of the spouse of Naga, lord Krishna said to her, who was standing there with folded hands feeling panicky at the same time and had fallen on his feet. 

Sri Krishna said - О goddess of the serpents, you get up. Don't be afraid and ask for a boon. О mother, with my boon you will remain ever young and eternal.

Leaving the kunda of Yamuna you go to your abode. О daughter, you move from this place with pleasure together with your husband and the family. 

О Naga damsel, from today onwards, you will be my daughter and this male serpent who is dearer to you than your life, would become my son-in-law. There is no doubt about it. 

О pleasant one, because of the imprints of my foot on the head of the Naga, Garuda shall be no more inimical to him. But shall adore my feet offering prayers; therefore, don’t be afraid of Garuda and move on to the island of Ramanaka. О daughter, getting out of this kunda you ask for a desired boon. On hearing the words of lord Krishna, her face and eyes felt delighted and with tears in her eyes and the mind filled with devotion, she said. 

Surasa said - О lord, in case you intend to bestow a boon on me than you extend the infallible and deep devotion of your lotus-like feet to me. 

My mind should always roam around your lotus-like feet like black-wasps and I should always remain devoted to you and should never forget you. 

I should become fortunate with my husband who should become an intellectual. О lord, this is my wish and prayer which may kindly be fulfilled by you. 

Thus speaking, the spouse of the Naga stood before the lord. Then she looked at the face of the lord Krishna which was shining like the full moon. 

The chaste lady continued to stare at the beauty of the face of Krishna without winking even for a moment. She felt emotional and the tears started flowing from her eyes. Finding the lord in the form of a beautiful boy, she developed a maternal affection in her mind and overwhelmed with devotion she again spoke. 

"I shall not go to Ramanaka; the place will be of no use for me. Let my husband be the lord of the serpents but you kindly allow me to be your slave-girl. 

О Krishna, I am not interested in the four types of salvation like Salokya and others because they do not weigh one-sixteenth part of the devotion at your feet. 

Having been born in the sacred land of Bharata, the one who instead of being desirous of getting devotion of your feet desires for something else, he remains deprived."

On hearing the words of the wife of Naga, the face of lord Krishna blossomed with a smile. He felt delighted and said, "Be it so". Thus, speaking he agreed to her words. 

О sage, in the meantime a divine chariot reached there which was decorated with the best of the gems and was illumining with lustre. It had several attendants and was decorated with banners of fine clothes and garlands of flowers, having a hundred wheels; it moved with the speed of the wind or that of the minds. It looked quite pleasant. 

Several of the dark-complexioned attendants descended from the chariot and bowing at the feet of lord Krishna took away the wife of the Naga with them and they went to Goloka.

The gods created a shadow Naga woman in her place and substituted her as the wife of the serpent Kaliya. Having been infatuated with the illusion of the lord, the serpent could understand nothing. 

Thereafter, lord Krishna the ocean of mercy, compassionately placed his hand on the hood of the serpent. 

With the placing of the hand by Krishna on the head of the serpent, he regained consciousness, he looked with folded hands and tears filled his eyes who looked towards the lord and also looked at the chaste Surasa. 

He at once bowed before the lord and started crying infatuated with the devotion for Krishna.  With his mind filled with devotion, the eyes filled with tears, the body getting emotional, he looked at Surasa. Finding him keeping quiet Krishna said. The grace of the lord is showered equally on the competent and incompetent people. 

Sri Krishna said - О Kaliya, you ask for a boon.  О son, you are dearer to me than my life and therefore shed fear for life and be comfortable. 

Because the one who is born out of my amsha and is immensely devoted to me, I am especially kind to him. After suppressing him I bestow my grace on him. 

The inferior person who would kill the snakes of that line, he earns the sin equal to Brahmahatya. 

Whosoever will strike the imprint of my foot on your hood, he would earn double the sin of Brahmahatya. 

The goddess of riches shall disappear from his house pronouncing a curse on him; besides his race, age and glory will be on the decline.

According to my words he will have to face the sufferings in the kalasutra hell for a hundred years, the insect of your size would bite him always. 

After remaining in the hell, he would be born on earth and would die of a snake bite. All his generations would always be afraid of the snakes. 

Looking at your progeny with my foot imprinted on the hood, whosoever would bow with devotion, he would be relieved of all the sins. Therefore, you immediately move to Ramanaka and don't be afraid of Garuda, the king of the birds. He would adore you with devotion finding the imprint of my foot on your hood; therefore, you yourself and your progeny would never be afraid of Garuda. With the bestowing of the boon by me today, you consider yourself to be the best of all the snakes. О son, you tell me what more boon is needed by you?  You consider myself to be the reliever of your miseries and speak out to me without fear. On hearing the words of Krishna, the serpent Kaliya trembling with fear spoke with folded hands. 

Kaliya said - О lord, besotwer of boons, I am not desirous of any other boon for me but in spite of that if you want to bestow any boon on me, you bestow the devotion of your lotus-like feet; this is my desire. Because one is born in the race of a Brahmana or as a bird, an animal or all of the them. Only that person is successful who always remains at your lotus-like feet. In case one is averse to the devotion of your feet, then even the stay in the heaven is of no consequence.  The place one achieves by adoring at your feet is the real place and the best of all, whether it is for a moment or for crores of kalpas. When life is spent in adoration at your feet it becomes successful; otherwise, it is of no consequence or is useless. Those who serve at your lotus-like feet, their age is never spent, and they are relieved of the birth, death, ailment, grief, pain and fear. 

Without serving at your feet, your devotees never aspire for the place of Indra, eternalship and the inaccessible place of Brahma. What to speak of anything else, your devotees look at the four types of salvation like Salokya and others like the torn garments. 

О Brahman, after receiving your mantra from Ananta, I always remained devoted to you. This is the reason why I have earned your grace today. At that point of time Garuda thinking of me to be an immature devotee had denounced me and drove me out but, О bestower of the boon, you have bestowed your deep devotion on me and proved that I am as good a devotee of yours as a Garuda has been. Therefore, it would not be proper for you to disown me. Because of the imprint of your foot on my head and looking at its grace, Garuda would treat me as virtuous in spite of the fact that I have no virtues with me at all. Therefore, you need not disown me.  

Now Garuda will not trouble me taking me to be your devotee. О lord, they will not kill me any further. I am not afraid of anyone else except Ananta my teacher. 

Indra, the gods, the sages, Manu, the humans are not in a position to visualise you even in a dream, but the same lord is standing before me personified. 

О virtuous one, you have no body, but you appear in a definite form at the request of the devotee. You are full of qualities, having the definite form and at the same time you are without qualities and formless, you move at will, the abode of all, the seed of all, eternal, the lord of all, the witness of all, the soul of all and you take to all the forms. 

Even Brahma, Shiva, Sesha, Dharma, Indra and the intellectuals well-versed in the Vedic and post-Vedic literature stand dumb found while offering prayers, then now an insignificant serpent like me could adore you. О ocean of mercy, you forgive a down-graded person like me. О Krishna, because of my wicked nature and ignorance, I chewed you earlier. But as a weapon cannot be aimed at the sky, the end of which is not visible, nor can it be crossed, touched or covered, similar is the case with your lustre.

Thus, speaking the king of the serpents fell at the lotus-like feet of the lord. The lord was pleased with him and spoke, "Be it so". Thus, he bestowed all the boons on him. 

The one who recites the stotra composed by the serpents getting up early in the morning, there is no end to his progeny and is never afraid of the serpents. He can sleep on a bed of snakes.  The consuming of poison or nectar will be of no consequence for him. One is relieved of all ailments including the bite of snakes, having been attacked by snakes and consuming the poisonous food leading to death, with the reciting of this stotra. 

Writing this stotra on the bark leaves, whosoever ties it around the neck or the right arm with devotion, is freed from the danger of the serpent and the one in whose house this stotra is kept, the serpents cannot remain there.  Besides the place is relieved of the dangers of poison, fire and vajra. Such a person always remains devoted to the lord on earth and ultimately in due course of time, purifying his race, he achieves the slavehood of the lord. 

Narayana said - О lord of the universe, lord Krishna after bestowing the boon on the serpent, spoke to him some sweet words which were beneficial to him for the future. 

Sri Krishna said - О lord of the Nagas, by moving in the waters of the Yamuna, you together with your wife and the entire family proceed towards the Ramanaka island which is more beautiful than the place of Indra. At this command of the lord the serpent started crying filled with affection and said, "O lord when shall I be able to have a look at your lotus-like feet?". 

Getting disturbed due to the impending separation from the lord he bowed in reverence to him a hundred times and moved together with his wife and family through the waters of the Yamuna. 

Thereafter, the water of the kunda in the Yamuna was turned like nectar which delighted all the birds and animals. 

Reaching Ramanaka, he found a palace as huge as the palace of Indra which was constructed by Vishvakarma at the command of the lord. 

In the company of his wife and other family members, he fearlessly and gleefully continued to stay there. 

Thus, I have narrated to you the astonishing story of the lord which provides pleasure, salvation and is quite purposeful. What else do you want to listen to from me?

Suta said - On hearing the words of the sage, the mind of Narada was filled with emotion.  Thereafter, he again asked the sage who could remove the doubts of all, for the removal of his doubt. 

Narada said - О teacher of the universe, why had the serpent Kaliya moved to the kunda in Yamuna leaving his earlier abode. You kindly tell me. 

Narayana said - I am narrating to you an ancient historical story, which was narrated at Malaya Mountain on the left bank of Suprabha river by Dharma which leads to lord Krishna. You listen to it. In the assembly of the sages, the sage Pulaha enquired from Dharma and Dharma, the compassionate one, told him the astonishing story. I heard the same from him which I am going to repeat to you. 

At the command of the serpent Sesha all the Nagas getting terrified used to adore Garuda on the full moon day of Kartika, every year. Once Kaliya after having his bath with devotion at the great sacred place of Pushkara, getting arrogant, did not adore Garuda and was about to consume the material meant for the adoration of Garuda. 

The Nagas prevented him from doing so and spoke to the arrogant one, "We people are unable to prevent you". At that very moment Garuda, the king of the birds, arrived there.  

Finding him there all the Nagas fought with Garuda in order to protect the life of Kaliya, which continued till daybreak. At last, all of them felt dispirited and upset with the prowess of Garuda fled from the place. All of them reached to take refuge under Ananta who provides protection to all. 

After the disappearing of all the Nagas from the place, Kaliya, the compassionate one stood there fearlessly and started staring at Garuda. 

О sage, then he started fighting with Garuda reciting the name of Krishna in his mind. The fierce battle continued for a muhurta. 

Thereafter the serpent Kaliya was defeated by the prowess of Garuda and in panic, he rushed to the kunda in Yamuna, where Garuda could not reach because of the curse of the sage Saubhari.  Naga then continued to stay there feeling panicky and subsequently all his servants also reached there. 

Narada said - How did the sage Saubhari pronounce a curse on Garuda and why had Garuda, the vehicle of lord Vishnu, no access to that place. 

Narayana said - The sage Saubhari performed tapas for a divine thousand years and became Mahasiddha and was always devoted to the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna close to the place of the meditating sage. Garuda the lord of the birds also used to come and play there fearlessly. With great devotion in his mind Garuda used to take rounds of the sage delightfully daily. 

The sage belonged to the pure race and looking at him Garuda the king of the birds caught hold of a fish in his presence. Pressing the fish with the feet by Garuda, the sage looked at him with contempt. Garuda felt trembling at the sight of the sage and the fish was dropped into the water. 

Garuda intended to catch it again but the fish getting terrified again went close the sage.  Looking at this the sage spoke. 

Saubhari said - "O king of the birds, you get away from here and move to another place. How could you be competent to catch the aquatic animal in my presence. 

Do you think too much about yourself being the vehicle of Vishnu? Lord Krishna is competent enough to create crores of birds like you.

I can reduce you to ashes only with a side glance. You are no doubt the vehicle of Vishnu, but we are not your slaves. 

О king of the birds, in case you come to my kunda here again, you will surely be reduced to ashes.". 

Hearing the words of the sage, Garuda was upset. Resembling the name of Krishna in his heart, he bowed before the sage in reverence and left the place. 

O best of the Brahmanas, even today with the mere mention of the name of that kunda, the body of Garuda shivers in panic. 

I have narrated to you the event of history which I had heard from the mouth of Dharma; now you listen to the secret about the story of the lord which is pleasant to hear and bestows welfare. 

The boys standing at the bank of river Yamuna thought that "much time has elapsed but lord Krishna has not come out of the waters."  Therefore, they felt disturbed and started crying.  Some of the boys overcome with grief started beating their breast; some of them fainted with the separation from the lord and fell down on the ground. Some of them got ready to jump into the same kunda in separation from Krishna but some of the boys forcibly prevented them from doing so. Some of them started lamenting and some of them got ready to end their lives who were prevented from doing so, by the intelligent persons.

Some of them cried in terror reciting the name of Krishna. Some of them rushed to Nanda who conveyed the news to him. 

Some of them were influenced with grief, love and fear and said, "What should we do now"?  Hari has disappeared. 

О Nanda, listen, О Krishna, you are dearer to us than our lives, О brother, you appear before us without delay, otherwise life is departing out of our body. 

In the meantime, some of the boys reached Nanda who were crying and getting unstable. 

They narrated the entire event to Yashoda and Balabhadra who was seated beside her and also to other cowherds and cowherdesses having red eyes. On hearing this, all were upset with grief and arrived at the bank of Yamuna. They all started crying. 

All the people collecting there started crying and fainted. The mother Yashoda was about to jump into the kunda who was prevented from doing so by the people present there. Some of the cowherdesses overcome with grief started beating their limbs, while others started lamenting and some of them fainted. 

Some of the cowherdesses prevented Radha from entering in that kunda but at the bank of the river, Radha got fainted and fell like a log. 

On the other hand, Nanda while lamenting fainted again and again. He regained consciousness and fainted again. 

Thus, lamenting Nanda and Yas'hoda besides the grief-stricken cowherds and cowherdesses and the unconscious Radhika, started crying.  Thereafter brilliant Balarama tried to console all the grief-stricken cowherdesses. 

Baladeva said - О cowherds, cowherdesses and the boys, all of you should listen to my words. О best of the intellectuals, О Nanda, the best of the intellectuals, you kindly remember the words of the sage Garga. The one who happens to be the support of the serpent Sesha, is the killer of the one who happens to be the destroyer of the universe and Vidhata for Brahma, who can defeat him on earth. He happens to be smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. He is more solid than the best of the solid things and is beyond everyone, he remains invisible as well as visible and is adored by the yogis. 

As the directions cannot be collected, the sky cannot be touched, similarly the great lord cannot be controlled by anyone. This has been clearly ordained by the srutis. The soul is not visible and is beyond the aim of weapons. He cannot be killed, nor can he be seen. The fire is unable to burn him, and he cannot be killed. This is what has been ordained by those engaged in spiritual thinking. 

The body of Krishna which is visible is meant for his devotees. The all-pervading lord having lustre has no beginning, end or middle.

At the time when the entire globe is submerged in water, at that point of time, lord Janardana reclines in the waters and Brahma seated on a lotus emerge out of his navel. How can such a great lord face any difficulty inside a small kunda?

О father, not only this, in case a mosquito could swallow the entire globe in spite of that a serpent would not be able to swallow Krishna. 

Whatever has been stated by me, is the best of spiritualistic talk, which is beyond the reach of the yogis, it is quite deep and idealistic and removes the doubts.". 

On hearing the words of Baladeva and recalling the words of the sage of Gargacharya.  Nanda and all the ladies of the Vraja were freed from grief. 

All of them agreed with him but Radha and Yashoda could not be satisfied because the mind does not rest in piece in separation from the near and dear ones. 

О sage, in the meantime the humans of Vraja delightfully found Krishna emerging out of the water. 

His face resembling the full moon of the winter season, wore a smile on his face, his clothes were dry and so was his body. The sandal-paste of the forehead and the collyrium of the eyes were undisturbed. 

He was adorned with all the ornaments, had a divine lustre, a peacock feather was adorning his head and the fruit was touching his lips. Finding the boy quite hail and hearty, Yas'hoda smiled and embraced him, and her face and eyes were beaming with delight. She then started kissing the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna. 

Thereafter Nanda, Balarama and Rohini too took him in their lap and all of them started staring at Hari without winking even for a moment. 

Thereafter all the boys embraced Krishna with devotion and the cowherdesses started staring at the facial beauty of Krishna. 

At that point of time suddenly the forest was surrounded by a terrific fire, the flame of which were raised like a mountain. The danger terrified everyone who thought their end to be nearing. 

Then all the people of Vraja, the cowherdesses and cowherds folded their hands with devotion and started offering prayers to Krishna. 

The boys said - О Brahman, О Madhusudana, the way you have always protected us from dangers together with our kiths and kins, similarly you protect us from the forest fire. 

You happen to be our supreme god and the family god. О lord of the universe, you are the creator of the universe, its protector and the destroyer. The fire, Varuna, the Moon, the Sun, Yama, Kubera, wind-god, Ishana and other gods besides Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Dharma, sages, Manu, humans, demons, Yakshas, Rakshasas and Kinnaras besides all the movable and immovable creatures are only your ams’has. They all appear and disappear according to your command. О Govinda, you protect us and save us from this fire. All of us have come to take refuge with you.  You protect us since we have taken refuge under you. 

Thus, speaking the people started meditating upon the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna. At the very nectar-like sight of Krishna the forest fire disappeared. 

After the forest fire was extinguished, all of them started rejoicing and dancing. All the dangers disappeared after the reciting of the name of the lord. Whosoever recites this auspicious stotra in the early morning, never meets with any danger from the fire in his life.

He is never surrounded by the enemies or the forest fire or any dangers which all disappear with the reciting of the stotra. 

With the reciting of this stotra, the enemy army is destroyed, and one becomes victorious.  He achieves the devotion of lord Krishna during this birth and ultimately achieves the slavehood of lord Krishna. 

Narayana said - О Narada saving them from the forest fire, Sri Krishna went back to his abode which was like the palace of Kubera. 

The delightful Nanda distributed enough of charity to the Brahmanas and also served food to his relatives.

He performed various welfare ceremonies and other religious functions including the reciting of the Vedas by the Brahmanas for the welfare of Krishna. 

Thus, all the people of Vrundavana started meditating upon the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna with a devoted mind. 

I have thus narrated to you the pleasant story of the lord which burns the sins like the fire burning the wood.