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Shloka 12

Garuḍa, Saubhari’s Curse, Kāliya’s Refuge, and Kṛṣṇa Saves Vraja from Forest Fire

तत् कालिय: परं वेद नान्य: कश्चन लेलिह: । अवात्सीद् गरुडाद् भीत: कृष्णेन च विवासित: ॥ १२ ॥

tat kāliyaḥ paraṁ veda nānyaḥ kaścana lelihaḥ avātsīd garuḍād bhītaḥ kṛṣṇena ca vivāsitaḥ

سانپوں میں صرف کالِیَہ ہی اس معاملے کو خوب جان سکا؛ گرُڑ کے خوف سے وہ یمنا کے اُس ہرد میں رہنے لگا، اور پھر شری کرشن نے اسے وہاں سے نکال دیا۔

tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of veda: ‘that (fact)’
kāliyaḥKāliya
kāliyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkāliya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
paramthoroughly, very well
param:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); intensifier with tat: ‘very well/supremely’
vedaknows
veda:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvid (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; ‘knows’
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
anyaḥanother (one)
anyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
kaścanaanyone
kaścana:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim + cana (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); indefinite pronoun
lelihaḥthe licking one (serpent)
lelihaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootleliha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘licker’ epithet of serpent
avātsītdwelt
avātsīt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootava-vas (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; ‘dwelt/stayed’
garuḍātfrom Garuḍa
garuḍāt:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootgaruḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)
bhītaḥafraid
bhītaḥ:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhī (धातु) → bhīta (कृदन्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with kāliyaḥ
kṛṣṇenaby Kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)
vivāsitaḥbanished, driven away
vivāsitaḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/परिणाम)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-vās (धातु) → vivāsita (कृदन्त)
FormCausative past passive participle (णिच् + क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘made to dwell away/banished’
K
Kāliya
G
Garuḍa
K
Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse explains that Kāliya alone knew the true reason: he was terrified of Garuḍa and, having been driven away by Kṛṣṇa, he took shelter by residing there.

Garuḍa is the natural enemy of serpents; Kāliya’s fear of Garuḍa highlights how even powerful beings become helpless without divine shelter, setting the stage for Kṛṣṇa’s intervention.

It teaches that fear and displacement can drive harmful choices; the remedy is to seek purification and right shelter—turning toward the Lord’s guidance rather than spreading poison into one’s environment.