Shloka 18
Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā
ते तत्र तत्राब्जयवाङ्कुशाशनि- ध्वजोपपन्नानि पदानि विश्पते: । मार्गे गवामन्यपदान्तरान्तरे निरीक्षमाणा ययुरङ्ग सत्वरा: ॥ १८ ॥
te tatra tatrābja-yavāṅkuśāśani- dhvajopapannāni padāni viś-pateḥ mārge gavām anya-padāntarāntare nirīkṣamāṇā yayur aṅga satvarāḥ
ข้าแต่พระราชา! ระหว่างรอยกีบวัวบนทางนั้น ปรากฏรอยพระบาทของพระกฤษณะ เจ้าแห่งชุมชนคนเลี้ยงวัว มีเครื่องหมายดอกบัว เมล็ดข้าวบาร์เลย์ ตะขอช้าง สายฟ้า และธง; เมื่อเห็นดังนั้น ชาววรินทาวันจึงรีบเร่งวิ่งไปอย่างยิ่ง
Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī comments as follows: “Since Lord Kṛṣṇa had passed along the path some time previously, why weren’t His footprints, which were surrounded by those of cows, cowherd boys and so on, smudged over and brushed away? Why hadn’t His footprints been obliterated by those of the beasts and birds of Vṛndāvana forest? The answer is indicated by the word viś-pati, master of the cowherd community. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa is actually the wealth of all living beings, all the inhabitants of the forest of Vraja would carefully preserve His footprints as great treasures, the very ornaments of the earth. Thus no creature within Vṛndāvana would ever walk upon Lord Kṛṣṇa’s footprints.”
FAQs
This verse describes the devotees identifying Krishna by the auspicious symbols on His feet—divine marks that reveal His supreme, worshipable nature and guide the devotees’ hearts toward Him.
In the Kaliya episode, Krishna has gone toward the Yamuna area, and the Vrajavasis anxiously follow His trail; among many animal tracks, they look for the distinct, sacred signs on His feet to be sure they are following Him.
Like the Vrajavasis who carefully look for Krishna’s signs, a devotee can train attention to recognize the Lord’s presence through scripture, saintly guidance, and the “marks” of genuine bhakti—humility, eagerness, and steady remembrance.