Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

Mythsof the Hindus SP BuddhistsThe Quelling of KdliyaOne day the cowherds started out very early, and wanderedthrough the woods and along the river-bank till theycame to the place called Kaliya. They drank some of thewater, and so did the cows ;but all at once they rolledover and over and were dying of poison. Then Krishnacast a life-giving look upon them, and they revived.Now there was living in that part of the Jamna a poisonoushydra or naga named Kaliya, and for four leagues allabout him the water boiled and bubbled with poison. Nobird or beast could go near, and only one solitary treegrew on the river-bank. The proper home of Kaliya wasRamanaka Dwlpa, but he had been driven away fromthere by fear of Garuda, the foe of all serpents. Garudahad been cursed by a yogi dwelling at Brindaban, so thathe could not come to Brindaban without meeting hisdeath. Therefore Kaliya lived at Brindaban, the onlyplace where Garuda could not come.Presently Krishna began to play at ball with the herdboys,and while they were playing he climbed up thekadamb tree that hung over the river-bank, and whenthe ball was thrown to him it fell into the river, and ShrlKrishna jumped after it.Kaliya rose up with his hundredand ten hoods vomiting poison, and Krishna s friendsstretched out their hands and wept and cried, and thecows ran about lowing and snorting. Meanwhile some oneran back to Brindaban and brought RohinI and Yasodaand Nand and all the gopas and gopls, and they camerunning and stumbling to the edge of Kallya s whirlpool ;but they could not see Krishna. Only Balaram comforted"every one, saying Krishna will come back : very soon. Hecannot be slain."226