HARIHARESHWARI 15 : Namami Braj Nayakam

CHAPTER 59

It was a pleasant morning. Krishna was walking alongside his cows and cowherd friends in Bhandirvan. For the past few days they have been sporting here, enjoying around the supreme nyagrodha tree, which was like a mountain.

Today while tending to the cows, Krishna went to the banks of Yamuna, adorned with creepers and trees. A pleasant breeze was blowing, touching the water. Because of the waves, the river seemed curved. The river was covered with lotuses and lilies. The sounds of swans, ducks and cranes pervaded the place. There were colourful aquatic plants and because of these, the water had assumed a greenish tinge.

As Krishna wandered along that excellent river, he saw a lake within it. It was one yojan long, deep and without any agitation as quiet as the ocean. Everyone seemed to be avoiding this water. The shores were empty of any aquatic birds, even the predatory beasts were avoiding this water.

Birds who flew in the sky were incapable of flying above it, for the lake emitted such poisonous vapours. Approaching the lake was difficult, for its shores were covered with holes in which serpents lived. All around the lake was a fog generated by the fire of the serpents' poison, and this powerful fire would at once burn up every blade of grass that happened to fall into the water.

Simply by coming in contact with that poisonous breeze, all vegetation and creatures on the shore died.

On seeing this, Krishna thought, 'Garud se bhayebhit ho, Kaliya ne awashya yaha apna nivaas banaya hai. Iske vish se toh sampurn Yamuna vishalu ho jaayegi. Na gau bachengi, na bacchde, aur na manushya.'

And so he immediately went up to a Kadamba tree and was quick to climb on the top. He began to tie back the locks of his curly hair.

"Krishna, yeh tum kya kar rahe ho ?" Subala asked.

Tightening his waist band, Krishna smilingly said, "Kudne jaa raha hu."

Slapping his arms, Krishna jumped into the poisonous water, causing all his friends to gasp. The force of his entrance into the lake caused it to overflow on all sides, the serpents became extremely agitated and began breathing heavily further polluting the water with volumes of their poison.

Krishna meanwhile, in a carefree manner, began sporting in the lake like a maddened lordly elephant, swinging his mighty arms and making the water resound in various ways. Kaliya could not tolerate this and immediately came forward.

The serpent's complexion was like that of a mass of clouds. The ends of his eyes were as red as blood. He possessed five faces with giant hoods and flames issued with his flickering tongue. He trembled in rage and blazed in energy. Because of his anger, all the water seemed to be boiling. Terrified, the river Yamuna seemed to flow backwards.

Kaliya glared at Krishna, who wore yellow silken garments and appeared very delicate, playing fearlessly in the water. His attractive body shining like a glowing white cloud, his chest bearing the mark of srivatsa, a beautiful smile adorned his face and his feet resembled the whorl of a lotus flower. The lord was playing fearlessly in the water. The envious Kaliya furiously bit him on the chest and then completely enwrapped him in his coils.

Seeing Krishna motionless in the grip of the terribly frightening Kaliya, all the cowherd boys were overcome by grief, lamentation and fear. Many fell to the ground just like how a tree falls after being cut at the root.

Some of them, weepingly rushed to braja. In voices choking with tears, they informed the villagers how Krishna has been submerged in the Kaliya lake and is unconscious. Listening to them, and noticing ill omens about dangers like showering of meteors in the sky, Nand becam as if Indra's vajra had descended on him. He was distressed and distraught. Scared, he rushed towards the supreme lake, Balram, Yashoda and Rohini along with the people of Braj followed him.

The young and the aged, maidens, and other people also went to the spot where the Kaliya. All of them had tears in their eyes. They lamented on the banks of that lake. They were ashamed that they were unable to save a child.

Struck by grief they repeatedly said, "O Krishna ! O Krishna kaha ho tum ?!"

"Lalla ! O Lalla !" Yashoda cried, her heart shattered. She felt as though she had been destroyed.

What is day without the sun ? What is night without the moon ? What is a cow without a bull ? That was Braj without Krishna. They couldn't fathom living another moment without him.

One of the maidens said, "Yadi Krishna nahi aya, toh hum sab bhi yaha apne praan tyaag denge !"

On hearing the lamentations of the women and the residents of Vraja, Balram was enraged and said, "O Krishna ! O Govind ! Shigreh Kaliya ka naash karo ! O Anuj ! O Prabhu ! Inn sabko lagta hai ki tum saadharan manushya ho, iss liye yeh sabhi dukhi ho chuke hai ! Utho Krishna !"

On hearing the words of Balram, Krishna's consciousness was aroused. With a sudden gasp, Krishna stirred and opened his eyes, his gaze filled with a divine light that could make anyone tremble. He moved and stretched his hands and destroyed the coils of Kaliya. He used his feet to crush the serpent that had arisen from the water. Krishna caught the hood with his own hand and lowered it. He then violently ascended the hood that was in the middle.

The cowherds gasped in awe as they watched him, their hearts filled with a mixture of fear and reverence. As Krishna stood there, his presence radiated a divine power that sent shivers down the spines of all who beheld him. Goosebumps rose on their skin as they beheld him, his presence commanding and powerful.

The sun was stationed behind him, illuminating his form, making his garments and jewelleries glow. With his lotus feet, Krishna pushed Kaliya's heads down in defeat. And then he began to dance.

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A/N

The story of Kaliya naag always gives me goosebumps for some reason, especially the part where Krishna starts dancing (⁠☆⁠▽⁠☆⁠)