Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 35
Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā
तप: सुतप्तं किमनेन पूर्वं निरस्तमानेन च मानदेन । धर्मोऽथ वा सर्वजनानुकम्पया यतो भवांस्तुष्यति सर्वजीव: ॥ ३५ ॥
tapaḥ sutaptaṁ kim anena pūrvaṁ nirasta-mānena ca māna-dena dharmo ’tha vā sarva-janānukampayā yato bhavāṁs tuṣyati sarva-jīvaḥ
Did our husband carefully perform austerities in a previous life, with his mind free of pride and full of respect for others? Is that why You are pleased with him? Or did he in some previous existence carefully execute religious duties with compassion for all living beings, and is that why You, the life of all living beings, are now satisfied with him?
In this regard Śrīla Prabhupāda comments in his Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter Sixteen: “The Nāgapatnīs confirm that one cannot come in contact with Kṛṣṇa without having executed pious activities in devotional service in his previous lives. As Lord Caitanya advised in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, one has to execute devotional service by humbly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street and not expecting honor for himself but offering all kinds of honor to others. The Nāgapatnīs were astonished that, although Kāliya had the body of a serpent as the result of grievous sinful activities, at the same time he was in contact with the Lord to the extent that the Lord’s lotus feet were touching his hoods. Certainly this was not the ordinary result of pious activities. These two contradictory facts astonished them.”
FAQs
This verse teaches that compassion toward all beings is a direct way to please the Lord, who is the indwelling Soul of every creature—making mere austerity or external ritual secondary.
As Kṛṣṇa was punishing Kāliya, his wives begged for mercy and glorified Kṛṣṇa, stating that the essence of dharma is to please Him—especially through mercy to all—so that Kāliya might be spared and purified.
Practice devotion expressed as kindness—avoid harming others, show respect, and cultivate empathy—seeing all beings as connected to God; such compassion becomes a living form of dharma.