Shloka 50

Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā

Devanagari script

तस्यैव तेऽमूस्तनवस्त्रिलोक्यां शान्ता अशान्ता उत मूढयोनय: । शान्ता: प्रियास्ते ह्यधुनावितुं सतां स्थातुश्च ते धर्मपरीप्सयेहत: ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

tasyaiva te ’mūs tanavas tri-lokyāṁ śāntā aśāntā uta mūḍha-yonayaḥ śāntāḥ priyās te hy adhunāvituṁ satāṁ sthātuś ca te dharma-parīpsayehataḥ

Translation

Darum sind alle Körper in den drei Welten—friedvoll in sattva, aufgewühlt in rajas und verblendet in tamas—Deine Schöpfung. Doch die in sattva gegründeten Wesen sind Dir besonders lieb; um die Sādhus zu schützen und ihre Dharma zu bewahren, bist Du jetzt auf Erden gegenwärtig.

Synonyms

• tasya: of him/that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis ‘only/indeed’

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• amūḥ: those (f.)
• amūḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tanavaḥ: bodies/forms
• tanavaḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tri-lokyām: in the three worlds
• tri-lokyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + lokī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; द्विगु-समासः (three worlds)

• śāntāḥ: peaceful
• śāntāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agreeing with tanavaḥ

• aśāntāḥ: unpeaceful
• aśāntāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; privative a-

• uta: and also
• uta: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunction (निपात), ‘and also/indeed’

• mūḍha-yonayaḥ: deluded species
• mūḍha-yonayaḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍha + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; कर्मधारयः (mūḍhā yoniḥ: ‘deluded wombs/species’)

• śāntāḥ: the peaceful (ones)
• śāntāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; (new clause)

• priyāḥ: dear
• priyāḥ: Subject complement (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; predicative with śāntāḥ

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), ‘indeed’

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• avituṃ: to protect
• avituṃ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: avi (अव् धातु, ‘to protect’)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्/तुमर्थ), ‘to protect’

• satām: of the good
• satām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• sthātuḥ: of the establisher/maintainer
• sthātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• dharma-parīpsayā: by desire for dharma
• dharma-parīpsayā: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + parīpsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (dharmasya parīpsā: ‘desire for dharma’)

• īhataḥ: of (him) who strives
• īhataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īh (ईह् धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), Parasmaipada; Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; agreeing with sthātuḥ (gen.)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kāliya
• Nāga-patnīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about why Krishna descends to earth?

This verse states that Kṛṣṇa comes to protect the saintly (satām avitum) and to remain in the world to establish and uphold dharma (dharma-parīpsayā).

Why do the Nāga-patnīs call peaceful devotees most dear to Krishna?

They acknowledge that all beings are within Kṛṣṇa’s dominion, yet those who are śānta—self-controlled and devoted—align with His will and therefore receive His special affection and protection.

How can I apply the teaching of being 'śānta' (peaceful) in modern life?

Cultivate inner restraint and devotion—reduce agitation through regulated habits, truthful conduct, and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa—so one’s life supports dharma and attracts divine grace.