The Story of Kaliya Nag

Kaliya Nag

You all must have heard this story in your childhood and chances are that you might be reciting the same story to your children. There was a villainous Nag called Kaliya who lived in the river Yamuna poisoning its water & killing Birds, Beasts, cows and cowherds who took a dip or drank the river water. The poison was so strong that the cool river water radiated heat. Only one Kadamba tree survived on the river bank. Krishna who jumped into the river to retrieve a ball, with which he and cowherds were playing, was challenged, to a duel, by Kaliya. After a ferocious fight Krishna managed to subdue the Nag and they rose on the banks of Yamuna with Krishna playing flute and dancing on Kaliya’s hood beating him with his feet. Kaliya unable to bear Krishna’s blows was dying when his wives requested Krishna with folded hands to spare his life. Kaliya humiliated by the defeat at the hands of young Krishna banished the river and residents of Mathura started using the sweet water of Yamuna without fear of being poisoned.

The above story makes for an interesting reading especially for kids. Hero defeats a villain. Images like Krishna fighting Kaliya who had coiled around Krishna in a bid to crush him to death brought smile on peoples face. Krishna seemed like entertaining villagers and children by dancing and playing flute on the dreaded five hooded serpent Kaliya. The story was named “Kaliya Mardan” and had all the ingredients to turn it into a popular folk lore.  Some people also wrongly believe that Nag Panchami is celebrated to honour the above event. Who was Kaliya?  Did the fight between him and Krishna actually take place???

Kaliya Nag was son of Sage Kashyapa and use to stay with his brothers on an Island known as Ramnaka Dweep (Fiji Islands). Due to his enmity, resulting from a misunderstanding, with his step brother Garuda, who is Vahan or mount of Lord Vishnu, he fled from Ramnaka Dweep along with his family and took shelter in Yamuna on advice of his elder brother Nag Anant. Garuda did not dare to come near river Yamuna as he was cursed by Saubhari Muni that if he ever enters river Yamuna he will die. (Kaliya’s enmity with Garuda and Saubhari Muni’s curse to Garuda are two different stories.)

When Krishna accosted Kaliya and asked him to leave river Yamuna he refused to leave. He also realized that Krishna was no ordinary being and was Vishnu’s Avtar. He acknowledged the fact that his poison was polluting the river and killing cows and other species but was helpless against it and requested Krishna to allow him to stay in river Yamuna as it was the only safe place known to him. He also said that the moment he leaves river Yamuna he will be attacked and killed by Garuda. Krishna realized that Kaliya was victim of circumstances rather than a victimizer.

 Did Krishna dance on hoods of Kaliya probably not but he left his foot print on Kaliya’s hood. It was mark of protection created to tell Garuda not to harm Kaliya and that he is under protection of his master The Lord Vishnu. That Protection mark allowed Kaliya, along with family, to travel back to his home in Ramnaka Dweep. The mark also ensured that Garuda did not harm him and it helped Kaliya to live peacefully with his family. Kaliya Nag was the first being whom Krishna showed his Vishwaroop making him worthy of worship.  All Nags or Cobras have a foot print like mark on their hood a mark of Protection from the Lord himself.

The story of Kaliya Nag, who is grandson of Lord Brahma, appears in Mahabharat. Kaliya in his previous birth was a Rishi called Vedshira who was cursed by Rishi Ashwashira to be born as a serpent in his next life because of his envious and hatred nature. The story reminds us to banish anger and hatred as this qualities are found in venomous snakes..

It was amusing to read an article recently where one of our politicians was comparing his contemporary with Kaliya Nag. Most of the people are ignorant or unaware of the sub plots in our epics Ramayan & Mahabharat and compare their contemporaries with characters in these epics. So we have one politician who calls other a Kaliya Nag, women rights activists blaming Rama for humiliating Sita forgetting the fact that she is the Goddess, who cannot be humiliated by the God and not knowing the events in the sub plot leading to her Vanvas. According to Hindu Mythology every villain & hero will have his own tale to tell and Gods don’t kill or punish villains they do UDDHAAR or liberate them from their fears so that they can move on….