Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 16:1-9

Book 10: Sixteenth Chapter (First Half)

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 16: Verses 1-9
The Deliverance of KaIiya

Sri Suka began again : Finding the Krsna (Yamuna) poisoned by a black snake and seeking its purification, Sri Krsna, the almighty Lord, expelled the said serpent. The king (Pariksit) said : (Pray) tell me, 0 (holy) Brahmana, how the Lord was able to subdue the snake-that had taken up its abode there for a number of Yugas-under the fathomless water (of the Yamuna) and how as a matter of fact he continued to be there (for such a long period). 0 (holy) sage, who would feel sated while drinking the nectar in the form of the charming narrative of the aforesaid infinite Lord acting according to His own will and playing the role of a cowherd boy ? Sri Suka resumed : In (the bed of) the Kalindi there was a certain pool, inhabited by the serpent Kaliya, whose water was being constantly boiled by the fire of its poison, and into which birds flying over it fell down. Touched by the wind which blew over the ripples of that poisoned water and was surcharged with its spray, living beings, mobile as well as immobile, standing on its brink, met their death. Observing that the strength of the snake lay in its poison possessed of tremendous force, and finding the river contaminated by the serpent, Sri Krsna, the very purpose of whose descent (on earth) was the subjugation of the wicked, climbed up a very lofty Kadamba tree (which had evidently escaped destruction by the will of Providence) and having tightened the piece of cloth tied round His waist and slapping His arms (in a challenging mood) jumped from that height into the pool of poisoned water.
With the volume of its water swelled by the poison of the snakes that were agitated by the vehemence of the plunge taken by the Supreme Person, the serpent's pool-whose terrible ripples had been coloured by the action of the poison-overflowed in all directions and expanded to the extent of a hundred bows (or four hundred cubits). That was (however) no miracle on the part of the Lord, who is possessed of infinite strength. Hearing the splash of water stirred up by the stout arms of the Lord, who was sporting in the pool like a large elephant, 0 dear Pariksit-and perceiving the voilation of its abode at the latter's hands, and unable to brook it, the serpent (whose auditory sense is located in its very eyes) approached the Lord. Biting hard in a rage in His vital parts the Lord-who was (most) charming to look at, delicate of body and bright as a cloud, who was distinguished with a golden streak (on His breast) and was clad in yellow (silk), (nay,) whose countenance was lit up with a smile and who was sporting fearlessly with His feet tender as the pericarp of a lotus the snake enclosed Him in its coils.

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