Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

श्रीराजोवाच कथमन्तर्जलेऽगाधे न्यगृह्णाद् भगवानहिम् । स वै बहुयुगावासं यथासीद् विप्र कथ्यताम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-rājovāca katham antar-jale ’gādhe nyagṛhṇād bhagavān ahim sa vai bahu-yugāvāsaṁ yathāsīd vipra kathyatām

Translation

King Parīkṣit inquired: O learned sage, please tell how the Bhagavān chastised the serpent Kāliya within the unfathomable waters of the Yamunā, and how Kāliya came to dwell there for so many ages.

Synonyms

• श्री-राजा: the revered king
• श्री-राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थ-उपाधि सहितः (honorific epithet)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अन्तः-जले: in the water (inside)
• अन्तः-जले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः

• अगाधे: deep, unfathomable
• अगाधे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अन्तर्जले)

• न्यगृह्णात्: seized, grasped
• न्यगृह्णात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः नि- (ny-)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अहिम्: the serpent
• अहिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/अनुनासिक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• बहु-युग-आवासम्: (his) dwelling for many ages
• बहु-युग-आवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक) + आवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषसमासः (many-yuga dwelling)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (as, how)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Preraka (प्रेरक/Request)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); आत्मनेपद-रूपम्

Characters & Entities

• King Parīkṣit
• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Kāliya
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

How did Krishna subdue the Kaliya serpent in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse introduces Parīkṣit’s inquiry: Kṛṣṇa restrained the serpent even in the deep waters, and the detailed method and divine display are explained in the surrounding narration of Canto 10, Chapter 16.

Why does King Parikshit ask Shukadeva Goswami about Kaliya living there for many ages?

Parīkṣit wants the deeper background—how Kāliya came to reside in the Yamunā for so long and what divine purpose unfolded when the Lord confronted him.

What is the practical lesson of this shloka for modern life?

It teaches the mood of sincere spiritual inquiry: a devotee asks not for argument, but to understand the Lord’s pastimes and the causes behind events, strengthening faith and devotion.