The History of Kāliya

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has given an alternate explanation of this verse. Upahāryaiḥ may also be translated as “by those who are to be eaten,” and sarpa-janaiḥ as “those human beings who were dominated by or who belonged to the serpent race.” According to this reading, a group of human beings had fallen under the control of the serpents and were prone to be eaten by them. To avoid this, the human beings would make a monthly offering to the serpents, who in turn would offer a portion of that offering to Garuḍa so that he would not eat them. The particular translation given above is based on the commentary of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī and the translation by Śrīla Prabhupāda in his Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In any case, all the ācāryas agree that the serpents purchased protection from Garuḍa.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī explains that the word mahā-vega indicates that the great speed of Garuḍa cannot be checked by anyone.

The ācāryas explain that Kāliya used his weapon of poison at a distance by spitting venom upon his enemy and at short range by biting him with his terrible fangs.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is now explaining why Garuḍa could not approach the lake in the Yamunā River. It is the nature of birds to eat fish, and thus, by the arrangement of the Lord, the great bird Garuḍa does not commit any offense by nourishing himself with fish. On the other hand, Saubhari Muni’s forbidding a much greater personality to eat his normal food did constitute an offense. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Saubhari committed two offenses: first, he dared to give an order to a supremely exalted soul like Garuḍa, and second, he obstructed Garuḍa from satisfying his desire.

In this regard Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that when our so-called compassion does not tally with the order of the Supreme Lord, it merely causes a disturbance. Because Saubhari had forbidden Garuḍa’s coming to that lake, Kāliya moved in and made his headquarters there, and this spelled doom for all the lake’s residents.

The ācāryas explain in this regard that because of Saubhari Muni’s material attachment and affection for a fish, he failed to see the situation from the spiritual viewpoint. The Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes his falldown for this offense. Because of false pride, Saubhari Muni lost his power of austerity, and with it his spiritual beauty and happiness. When Garuḍa came to the Yamunā, Saubhari Muni thought, “Although he may be a personal associate of the Supreme Lord, I will still curse him and even kill him if he disobeys my order.” Such an offensive attitude against an exalted Vaiṣṇava will certainly destroy one’s auspicious position in life.

As the Ninth Canto describes, Saubhari Muni married many beautiful women, and suffered greatly in their association. But because he had once become glorious by taking shelter of the Yamunā River in Śrī Vṛndāvana, he was ultimately delivered.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that although the people were weak from hunger and thirst, they did not drink the milk from the cows present there because they feared it had been contaminated by the serpent’s poison. The residents of Vṛndāvana were so overjoyed to get back their beloved Kṛṣṇa that they did not want to go back to their houses. They wanted to stay with Kṛṣṇa on the bank of the Yamunā so that they could continuously see Him. Thus they decided to take rest near the riverbank.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura have commented that perhaps a loyal friend of Kāliya had assumed the form of a forest fire to avenge his friend, or perhaps the forest fire was manifest by a demon who was a follower of Kaṁsa’s.

The śruti, or Vedic mantras, state, svarūpa-bhūtayā nitya-śaktyā māyākhyayā: “The Lord’s eternal potency named māyā is innate in His original form.” Thus within the eternal spiritual body of the Supreme Lord there is infinite potency, which effortlessly manipulates all existence according to the omniscient desire of the Absolute Truth. The residents of Vṛndāvana took shelter of Kṛṣṇa, thinking, “This blessed boy will certainly be empowered by God to save us.” They remembered the words of the sage Garga Muni, spoken at the birth ceremony of Lord Kṛṣṇa: anena sarva-durgāṇi yūyam añjas tariṣyatha. “By His power you will easily be able to cross over all obstacles.” (Bhāg. 10.8.16) Therefore the residents of Vṛndāvana, who had full faith in Kṛṣṇa, took shelter of the Lord in hopes of being saved from the impending disaster threatened by the forest fire.

The residents of Vṛndāvana told Kṛṣṇa, “If this deadly fire overcomes us, we will be separated from Your lotus feet, and this is unbearable for us. Therefore, just so that we can go on serving Your lotus feet, please protect us.”