Shloka 26

Devanagari script

दुष्ट कालिय तिष्ठात्र कृष्णो ऽहम् इति चापरा बाहुम् आस्फोट्य कृष्णस्य लीलासर्वस्वम् आददे

Transliteration

duṣṭa kāliya tiṣṭhātra kṛṣṇo 'ham iti cāparā bāhum āsphoṭya kṛṣṇasya līlāsarvasvam ādade

Translation

وقالت أخرى: «أيها كالييا الخبيث، قِفْ هنا!» وكأنها تعلن «أنا كريشنا»، صفقت بذراعها تحدّيًا واستولت على جوهر سيادة كريشنا في ليلاه.

Word by Word

• दुष्ट: wicked
• दुष्ट: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; ‘कालिय’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कालिय: O Kāliya
• कालिय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• तिष्ठ: stand; stop
• तिष्ठ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (conjunction)

• अपरा: another (gopī)
• अपरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वक्तृ-निर्देशः

• बाहुम्: (her) arm
• बाहुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आस्फोट्य: having snapped/clapped
• आस्फोट्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्फुट्/स्फोट् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (क्त्वा-अर्थे); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having snapped/clapped)

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• लीलासर्वस्वम्: the whole essence of (his) play; all of his playful manner
• लीलासर्वस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला + सर्वस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (लीलायाः सर्वस्वम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आददे: she took up/assumed
• आददे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: narrative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He subdues threats like Kāliya and, in later recollection, His devotees reenact that protective valor as part of līlā-smaraṇa.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protects Vraja and purifies the Yamunā from poisonous oppression, restoring safety and auspiciousness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Kaliya

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāliya in the Vishnu Purana?

Kāliya represents toxic, disruptive adharma; his confrontation frames Krishna’s effortless sovereignty in restoring cosmic and moral order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s power in this episode?

Through narrative lila: even a challenge framed as “I am Krishna” highlights that true divine mastery cannot be imitated—Krishna alone is the source of the ‘essence’ of such play.

What is the theological importance of Krishna here?

Krishna is portrayed not merely as a heroic figure but as the Supreme Lord whose lila expresses absolute control over forces of chaos and poison—affirming Vaishnava supremacy.