Kaliya Daman

The Poisoned River

The Yamuna had a dark pool where Kaliya, a great serpent, lived. His venom made the water bitter. Birds fell from the trees. Fish died. Flowers and grass wilted at the riverbank. The people and cows of Vrindavan were afraid. They whispered about the black water and the strange fumes.

Nanda Maharaja and the gopis watched in worry. Yashoda held the little calves close. Even the children stayed away from the river's edge. But Krishna still played near the shore. His face was bright like a new lotus, and his heart felt everything around him.

Krishna Sees the Suffering

Krishna saw the sad trees, the silent birds, and the people with worried eyes. He stopped his game. He walked under a tall Kadamba tree. He looked at the dark pool and felt a gentle anger and great love at the same time. He wanted the river and its friends to be happy again.

Without fear, Krishna climbed the Kadamba tree. He stood under its branches and then leaped into the black water. The wind seemed to hold its breath as Krishna went down into the place where Kaliya lived.

The Battle in the Water

Kaliya rose from the pool in huge coils. His many heads hissed and spit poison. The water steamed and the air smelled sharp. The serpent wanted to protect his home. He wrapped himself around Krishna with fast, strong coils.

Krishna did not shout or fight like an angry man. He moved with a calm smile. He slipped from one hood to another. He moved his feet and kept his balance. The river splashed and roared.

As Krishna danced, he was quick and playful. He touched Kaliya's hoods and stepped from one to the next. The snake struck, but each strike missed Krishna's gentle step. The children of Vrindavan watched from a safe hill and held their breath. The gopis whispered prayers and sang softly.

Dancing on the Hoods

Krishna began to dance on Kaliya's many heads. His feet made a rhythm on the wet scales. The dance was not angry. It was steady and strong. With every step, Kaliya felt smaller and quieter inside. His pride and anger melted like ice under the sun.

Kaliya hissed, then stopped. He looked up at Krishna and felt something he had not known for long: fear mixed with wonder. Krishna's eyes were kind, but they were also full of power. The serpent remembered how his poison had harmed living things. His wives, who had watched from a hiding place, wept and came forward.

Talk of Mercy

Kaliya's wives cried out to Krishna in soft voices. 'Please spare him,' they said. 'We love him. He is our husband. He can change.'

Krishna listened. He paused his dance and looked at the serpent. His face was gentle. He spoke so that even the river could hear: 'Leave this place. Go to the great ocean. Live there with your family. Do not harm the people or the river again.'

Kaliya bowed his many heads. He spoke in a low voice: 'I am sorry. I will go where you say.' The serpent's heart had changed. He accepted Krishna's will.

The River Is Cleaned

Krishna helped Kaliya and his family move away from the Yamuna. When Kaliya left, the water stopped steaming. The birds found the shore again. Fish returned and splashed happily. Trees raised their leaves and the flowers opened their faces to the sun.

The people of Vrindavan came down to the river. They touched the cool water and felt it pure and sweet. Children ran and played at the edge. Nanda and Yashoda smiled and bowed to Krishna with tears of joy. The gopis sang songs of thanks.

A Gentle End

Krishna sat by the river and washed his feet. He looked at the shining Yamuna and at his friends who laughed and hugged each other. He picked up his flute and played a soft tune. Even the breeze seemed to listen.

Sometimes the river tells the story again to the people who stop and listen. They say how a small blue boy walked into a dark pool and brought brightness back. They say how a proud serpent was shown mercy and how the music of Krishna made everything peaceful.

The story of Kaliya Daman stayed with Vrindavan. People saw that the river flowed clear again and heard the song of the flute. The memory made every heart gentle when they thought of the place where Krishna danced on the serpent's hoods.