Shloka 17

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

ततः प्रवेशितः सर्पैः स कृष्णो भोगबन्धनम् ददंशुश् चापि ते कृष्णं विषज्वालाविलैर् मुखैः

Transliteration

tataḥ praveśitaḥ sarpaiḥ sa kṛṣṇo bhogabandhanam dadaṃśuś cāpi te kṛṣṇaṃ viṣajvālāvilair mukhaiḥ

Translation

Then, hemmed in by the serpents, Śrī Kṛṣṇa was caught in the binding coils of their hoods; and those snakes bit Kṛṣṇa as well, their mouths blazing with the fire of venom.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमवाचक (adverb: then/thereupon)

• प्रवेशितः: made to enter / led in
• प्रवेशितः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (causative passive participle: made to enter/caused to be led in)

• सर्पैः: by the serpents
• सर्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भोगबन्धनम्: the binding by coils (serpent-coil bondage)
• भोगबन्धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भोगैः बन्धनम्/भोगस्य बन्धनम्)

• ददंशुः: they bit
• ददंशुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दंश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपेक्षाबोधक (particle: also/even)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विष-ज्वाला-अविलैः: turbid with flames of poison
• विष-ज्वाला-अविलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + अविल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विषस्य ज्वालया अविलाः)

• मुखैः: with (their) mouths
• मुखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Krishna was seized and attacked by the serpents in Kāliya’s lake

Teaching: Historical

Quality: dramatic, suspense-building

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna confronts Kāliya’s venomous power to protect Vraja and demonstrate divine invulnerability while drawing the serpent toward submission.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of safety and purity in the Yamunā region; protection of devotees from toxic adharma

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Serpents (Nāgas)
• Kaliya (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna being bitten by venomous serpents in the Vishnu Purana?

It heightens the contrast between mortal danger and divine sovereignty: even when surrounded, bound, and bitten, Krishna remains the transcendent protector who will restore order.

How does Sage Parashara explain the intensity of the serpent attack here?

Parashara narrates the scene in vivid physical terms—coils as bondage and mouths aflame with poison—so the listener understands the apparent extremity of the threat before Krishna’s supremacy is revealed.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna’s calm endurance amid venom and constriction underscores Vishnu’s avatāra as the Supreme Reality acting within the world: līlā that protects devotees and re-establishes dharma.