Shloka 6
कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्
अस्मिन् वसति दुष्टात्मा कालियो ऽसौ विषायुधः यो मया निर्जितस् त्यक्त्वा दुष्टो नष्टः पयोनिधिम्
asmin vasati duṣṭātmā kāliyo 'sau viṣāyudhaḥ yo mayā nirjitas tyaktvā duṣṭo naṣṭaḥ payonidhim
এই স্থানেই বিষ-অস্ত্রধারী দুষ্টাত্মা কালিয় বাস করে। একদা আমি তাকে পরাজিত করলে সে দুষ্ট তার পূর্ববাস ত্যাগ করে সমুদ্রের দিকে পালিয়ে গিয়েছিল।
A serpent (Nāga) inhabitant/guardian of the Yamunā region, speaking within Sage Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Krishna’s deeds in Vraja and the causes for his protective acts.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: Krishna acts to subdue the poisonous serpent Kāliya and thereby protect the Vraja community from mortal danger.
Leela: Loka-rakshana
Dharma Restored: Protection of innocents and restoration of safe, life-sustaining waters for pastoral society.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Vatsalya
FAQs
It marks poison as his defining power—an image of destructive adharma—so the narrative can highlight the Lord’s mastery over death-dealing forces and His role as restorer of order.
As the consequence of being subdued: once defeated, the serpent abandons his prior domain and retreats to the ocean, showing that even hostile beings are displaced by divine authority.
The verse underscores Vishnu’s sovereignty: the Supreme can restrain poison and re-establish dharma, not merely by power but by rightful cosmic governance.