Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

नागपत्‍न्य ऊचु: न्याय्यो हि दण्ड: कृतकिल्बिषेऽस्मिं- स्तवावतार: खलनिग्रहाय । रिपो: सुतानामपि तुल्यद‍ृष्टि- र्धत्से दमं फलमेवानुशंसन् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

nāga-patnya ūcuḥ nyāyyo hi daṇḍaḥ kṛta-kilbiṣe ’smiṁs tavāvatāraḥ khala-nigrahāya ripoḥ sutānām api tulya-dṛṣṭir dhatse damaṁ phalam evānuśaṁsan

Translation

迦利耶之妻说道：此罪人所受惩罚确实公正，因为您降世正为制伏嫉妒残暴之徒。您对敌人与亲子同等平视；当您惩戒众生时，深知那惩戒乃为其究竟利益之果报。

Synonyms

• nāga-patnyaḥ: the wives of the serpent (Kāliya)
• nāga-patnyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): 'nāgānāṁ patnyaḥ'; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्) 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• nyāyyaḥ: just, proper
• nyāyyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of daṇḍaḥ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāyya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• daṇḍaḥ: punishment
• daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied 'is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• kṛta-kilbiṣe: in/for one who has committed sin
• kṛta-kilbiṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ) + kilbiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: 'kṛtaṁ kilbiṣaṁ yena' (one who has committed sin); Locative (सप्तमी) singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter (context: asmiṁs)

• asmin: in this (case/person)
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine/Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी) singular (एकवचन)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (युष्मद्), Genitive (षष्ठी) singular (एकवचन)

• avatāraḥ: descent/incarnation
• avatāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied 'is/occurs')
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• khala-nigrahāya: for the restraint/punishment of the wicked
• khala-nigrahāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान) / Prayojana (purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक) + nigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'khalānāṁ nigrahaḥ'; Dative (चतुर्थी) singular (एकवचन)

• ripoḥ: of an enemy
• ripoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) singular (एकवचन)

• sutānām: of the sons/children
• sutānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (अपि = also/even)

• tulya-dṛṣṭiḥ: equal vision/impartiality
• tulya-dṛṣṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of dhatse)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulya (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: 'tulyā dṛṣṭiḥ' (equal vision); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• dhatse: you impose/you apply
• dhatse: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present) 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष) singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• damam: discipline, punishment, restraint
• damam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन)

• phalam: as the result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म) (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन) (apposition to damam)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; restrictive particle (अवधारण)

• anuśaṁsan: recommending/teaching
• anuśaṁsan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (attendant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√śaṁs (शंस् धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन), agreeing with implied 'tvam'

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Kāliya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s punishment being mercy?

This verse explains that Krishna’s chastisement is not mere retribution: by disciplining the sinful, He both restrains evil and grants the appropriate karmic result, thereby instructing and ultimately benefiting the soul.

Why did the wives of Kāliya speak this to Krishna?

In the Kaliya-damana episode, they plead for their husband after Krishna subdues him, acknowledging that punishment is deserved yet appealing to Krishna’s equal vision and compassionate nature toward even an enemy’s family.

How can the idea of “discipline gives the right result” be applied in modern life?

Accept consequences and corrective discipline as opportunities for learning and purification—responding with humility and reform rather than resentment, seeing correction as a pathway to growth.