KALIYA KRISHNA

Inspiration : Story from Bhagvat Puran

The Bhagvat Puran (a text of stories of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations) is replete with legends of Krishna's triumph over evil forces sent to vanquish him in different forms. While playing on the banks of river Yamuna, the young cowherd notices the presence of the frothing, venomous serpent, poisoning the waters of the his beloved river. The eight year old Krishna plunges headlong in to the river to put an end to this dangerous presence.

After a prolonged fight underwater, the triumphant boy emerges dancing on the hood of the vanquished snake, holding his tail in one hand. The snakes wives, or Naginis implore the dancing vanquisher to have mercy on their snake husband. Krishna graciously allows the snake to go away to the bottom of the sea never to resurface or be seen in any of the rivers.
Such is the grace and greatness of this land (India) where victory does not always end in brutal murder of the opponent.