Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच विलोक्य दूषितां कृष्णां कृष्ण: कृष्णाहिना विभु: । तस्या विशुद्धिमन्विच्छन् सर्पं तमुदवासयत् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca vilokya dūṣitāṁ kṛṣṇāṁ kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇāhinā vibhuḥ tasyā viśuddhim anvicchan sarpaṁ tam udavāsayat

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Seeing that the Yamunā had been polluted by the black serpent Kāliya, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, desired to purify the river and thus banished that serpent from its waters.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय: honorific + name

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• vilokya: having seen
• vilokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√lok (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• dūṣitām: polluted
• dūṣitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūṣita (दूष् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kṛṣṇām: the Kṛṣṇā (river)
• kṛṣṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper noun (river Yamunā also called Kṛṣṇā)

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Krishna
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kṛṣṇa-ahinā: by the black serpent
• kṛṣṇa-ahinā: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ahi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘kṛṣṇaḥ ahiḥ’ = the black serpent (Kāliya)

• vibhuḥ: the mighty Lord
• vibhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tasyāḥ: of her/of it
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• viśuddhim: purification
• viśuddhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• anvicchan: seeking
• anvicchan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘seeking’

• sarpam: the serpent
• sarpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• udavāsayat: banished / made depart
• udavāsayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√vas (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; causative sense ‘made (him) dwell away/banished’ (वासयति)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Kṛṣṇa
• Kāliya
• Yamunā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna purifying the Yamuna?

This verse states that Krishna, seeing the Yamuna polluted by the black serpent Kaliya, acted to restore her purity by driving the serpent away.

Why did Krishna confront Kaliya in Canto 10 Chapter 16?

Because Kaliya’s presence was contaminating the Yamuna; Krishna sought the river’s purification and the removal of the source of that defilement.

Practical application of Krishna’s act of purification in modern life?

It teaches that devotion includes protecting what is sacred and removing harmful influences—beginning with cleansing one’s own habits, environment, and intentions.