Kaliya Snake
The story of Kaliya snake and why he taken shelter in Vrindavan in Yamuna River
In ancient times, during the Svayambhuva-manvantara, a sage named Vedashira Muni, who was a descendent of Bhrigu Muni, performed austerities in the Vindhya Hills.
Then, one day a sage named Ashvashira Muni came to perform austerities at this sage’s ashrama. With red eyes staring at his guest, Vedashira Muni angrily spoke.
Shri Vedashira said: “O brahmana, don’t perform austerities in my ashrama. O sage whose wealth is austerity, is there no other place where you can happily perform austerities?” When he heard Vedashira’s words, Ashvashira Muni became angry. With red eyes he spoke to the best of sages.
Shri Ashvashira said: “O best of sages, this place belongs to Lord Maha-Vishnu. It does not belong to you or me. Have not many sages already performed great austerities here?
You are angry for no reason. You hiss as if you were a snake. Become a snake! You will be terrified of Garuda.”
Shri Vedashira said: “Fool, for a slight offense you plot a great revenge! On this earth you are like a crow. Fool, become a crow!”
Then Lord Vishnu appeared and consoled the two sages, who were now unhappy with their curses.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: “You are both equally devoted to Me. O sages, you are like the two arms of My body. O kings of the sages, I can make My own words false, but I do not wish to allow the words of my devotees to become false. That is My vow. O Vedashira, I will place My footprints on your head. Because of them you will never fear Garuda. O Ashvashira, hear My words. Don’t lament. Please don’t lament. You will have the form of a crow, but you will have transcendental knowledge. You will have yoga-siddhis and the highest knowledge in the three worlds.”
After speaking these words, Lord Vishnu departed. Then the sage Ashvashira became the crow Bhushunda on Mount Nila.
He was devoted to Lord Ramacandra. He was very powerful. He was a lamp shining on the meanings of all the scriptures. To Garuda he recited the Ramayana.
During the Cakshusha-manvantara Prajapati Daksha gave his eleven beautiful daughters in marriage to Kashyapa Muni.
Kadru was the best of them. In Krishna Lila Kadru is Rohini. She is dear to Maharaja Vasudeva. Lord Balarama was born as her son.
Kadru gave birth to many millions of great, powerful, invincible jewel-decorated, and very poisonous snakes, some having five-hundred heads, and others having a hundred heads. Among them Vedashira became the great snake Kaliya.
Ananta Shesha, the king of snakes, who is greater than the greatest, was the first of them. In Krishna Lila Ananta is Balarama, the elder brother of the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When Sankarshana Ananta went to Patalaloka, by Brahma’s order the other great snakes followed Him. Some went to Atalaloka and others to Sutalaloka, Mahatalaloka, Talatalaloka, and Rasatalaloka.
Many snakes headed by Kaliya happily lived in Ramanaka-dvipa, the home Brahma gave to them.
Garuda would go there and kill many snakes. One day, when Garuda was in a peaceful mood, the frightened snakes spoke to him.
“O Garuda, obeisances to you! You are Lord Vishnu’s personal carrier. If You eat all us snakes, how will we continue to live? Please accept from us each month an offering from a different house, an offering sweet as the honey of trees.”
Shri Garuda said: “Give me one snake from a designated house. Why should I eat any snake but this offering sweet as betelnuts.”
To Garuda, the great soul, they all said, “So be it.” In this way for their own protection they regularly gave a splendid offering. When the time came for an offering from Kaliya’s house, Kaliya himself forcibly ate the offering intended for Garuda.
When powerful Garuda came he was very angry. He forcefully kicked Kaliya.
Garuda kicked Kaliya unconscious. Then Kaliya again stood up, licking his tongue and hissing. Then Kaliya, the best of snakes, expanded his hundred hoods and with many fangs savagely bit Garuda.
With his beak the transcendental carrier Garuda grabbed Kaliya, threw him to the ground, and beat him with both wings again and again.
Escaping from the beak, Kaliya attacked Garuda’s wings. Coiling around Garuda’s feet, he spat poison again and again.
Then Garuda became angry. Taking Kaliya in his beak, he threw him to the ground and savagely dragged him here and there.
Terrified Kaliya ran from Garuda’s beak. Garuda, the king of birds, ardently chased him.
Wherever he went in the seven dvipas, the seven khandas, and the seven oceans, the snake Kaliya saw Garuda.
The snake Kaliya fled to Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, and Janaloka.
Then he fled to the lower planets, going lower and lower. Wherever he went, Garuda was there. No one saved him from his fear of Lord Krishna’s devotee.
Kaliya could not find happiness. He was always afraid. Finally he approached the feet of Lord Ananta, the master of the demigods.
Bowing down before Lord Shesha and circumambulating Him with folded hands, the humbled, trembling, frightened snake spoke.
Kaliya said: “O Lord, O master of the worlds, O maintainer of the worlds, O holder of the worlds’ burden, You enjoy many pastimes. You are all-powerful. You are the ancient Supreme Person, greater than the greatest. Please, please protect me!”
Seeing Kaliya so frightened and humble, Lord Ananta, the king of snakes and the savior from miseries, spoke in a sweet voice pleasing to Kaliya.
Shri Shesha said: “Intelligent Kaliya, hear My divine words. There is no shelter for you anywhere.”
“In ancient times there was a perfect sage named Shaurabhi Muni who performed austerities for ten thousand years in the waters in Vrindavana. Watching the king of fish enjoy pastimes, Shaurabhi Muni desired to become a householder. He then married the hundred daughters of Mandhata Muni. Lord Krishna gave Shaurabhi divine wealth and opulence. When Mandhata Muni saw that opulence, he became humbled and filled with wonder. As, in the midst of his austerities, Shaurabhi Muni was watching, Garuda killed the king of the fish. Seeing the fish stricken with grief, the great sage Shaurabhi Muni, who was kind to the suffering and eager to stop their troubles, became angry and cursed Garuda.”
Shri Shaubhari said: “O Garuda, O king of birds, if from today on you eat the fish here you will die at once. That is my curse.”
Shri Shesha said: “Afraid of the curse, from that day on Garuda has not come there. O Kaliya, for that reason you should go at once to Lord Krishna’s forest of Vrindavana. By My order make your home in the Yamuna. There you will be fearless. You will never fear Garuda.”
When he was told this, Kaliya went with his wives and children to the Yamuna, where he lived until Shri Krishna sent him out.