Shloka 8
Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā
तस्य ह्रदे विहरतो भुजदण्डघूर्ण- वार्घोषमङ्ग वरवारणविक्रमस्य । आश्रुत्य तत् स्वसदनाभिभवं निरीक्ष्य चक्षु:श्रवा: समसरत्तदमृष्यमाण: ॥ ८ ॥
tasya hrade viharato bhuja-daṇḍa-ghūrṇa- vār-ghoṣam aṅga vara-vāraṇa-vikramasya āśrutya tat sva-sadanābhibhavaṁ nirīkṣya cakṣuḥ-śravāḥ samasarat tad amṛṣyamāṇaḥ
In diesem See spielte Kṛṣṇa wie ein königlicher Elefant: Er wirbelte Seine mächtigen Arme und ließ das Wasser auf vielfältige Weise dröhnen. Als Kāliya diese Geräusche hörte, erkannte er, dass jemand in sein Gewässer eindrang. Er konnte es nicht ertragen und stürmte sofort heran.
According to the ācāryas, Lord Kṛṣṇa was producing wonderful musical sounds within the water simply by splashing His hands and arms.
FAQs
This verse describes Kṛṣṇa sporting in the lake and creating a powerful roar by the whirl of His arms, which signaled that the serpent’s domain was being challenged.
Hearing the commotion and seeing his own residence being overrun, Kāliya could not tolerate the intrusion and therefore attacked.
When toxic influences dominate one’s “inner lake” (mind and habits), the devotee remembers Kṛṣṇa’s power to subdue them and seeks refuge in disciplined devotion rather than fear.