Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

विप्रुष्मता विषदोर्मिमारुतेनाभिमर्शिता: । म्रियन्ते तीरगा यस्य प्राणिन: स्थिरजङ्गमा: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

vipruṣmatā viṣadormi- mārutenābhimarśitāḥ mriyante tīra-gā yasya prāṇinaḥ sthira-jaṅgamāḥ

Translation

ആ മാരക ഹ്രദത്തിന്മേൽ വീശിയ വിഷതരംഗങ്ങളുടെ കാറ്റ് വെള്ളത്തുള്ളികളെ കരയിലേക്കു കൊണ്ടുവന്നു. ആ വിഷവായുവിന്റെ സ്പർശമാത്രത്തിൽ കരയിലെ സ്ഥിരജംഗമമായ എല്ലാ ജീവികളും നശിച്ചു.

Synonyms

• विप्रुष्मता: with spray/droplets
• विप्रुष्मता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्रुष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying मārutena)

• विषद-ऊर्मि-मारुतेन: by the wind of poisonous waves
• विषद-ऊर्मि-मारुतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषद (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक) + मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘विषदा ऊर्मयः यस्य’ इति—poisonous-wave wind

• अभिमर्शिताः: touched, contacted
• अभिमर्शिताः: Karma (कर्म/Object; affected beings)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘अभि+मृश्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावः

• म्रियन्ते: die
• म्रियन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तीर-गाः: those on the bank (shore-dwellers)
• तीर-गाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘तीरे गच्छन्ति/वसन्ति’ इति—shore-dwellers

• यस्य: of which/whose
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to तीरगाः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्थिर-जङ्गमाः: stationary and moving
• स्थिर-जङ्गमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (stationary and moving); विशेषणम् (qualifying प्राणिनः)

Purport

The word sthira, “unmoving creatures,” refers to various types of vegetation including trees, and jaṅgama refers to moving creatures such as animals, reptiles, birds and insects. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has quoted a further description of this lake from the Śrī Hari-vaṁśa ( Viṣṇu-parva 11.42, 11.44 and 11.46):

Characters & Entities

• Kāliya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kāliya poisoning the Yamunā?

This verse describes how Kāliya’s venom polluted the river so severely that even the poisonous mist and wind from the waves killed creatures on the bank—both plants and animals.

Why is this danger described before Kṛṣṇa subdues Kāliya?

Śukadeva sets the scene of overwhelming harm to show the urgency of Kṛṣṇa’s intervention and the magnitude of His mercy in restoring life and purity.

Practical application: what can devotees learn from this verse today?

It highlights how toxic influences can spread beyond their source; devotees are encouraged to seek Kṛṣṇa’s shelter and keep their environment—habits, company, and mind—free from “poisonous” contamination.