120 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

alive. In some other Puranas it is stated that Garuda, the eternal carrier of
Visnu, knew that Krsna would take this action in the future, so he put
some nectar on this tree to preserve it. When Lord Krsna jumped into the
water, the river overflooded its banks, as if something very large had fallen
into it. This exhibition of Krsna’s strength is not at all uncommon because
He is the reservoir of all strength.

When Krsna was swimming about, just like a great strong elephant, He
made atumultuous sound which the great black serpent Kaliya could hear.
The tumult was intolerable for him, and he could understand that this was
an attempt to attack his home. Therefore he immediately came before
Krsna. Kaliya saw that Krsna was indeed worth seeing because His body
was so beautiful and delicate; its color resembled that of a cloud, and His
legs resembled a lotus flower. He was decorated with Srivatsa, jewels and
yellow garments. He was smiling with a beautiful face and was playing in
the River Yamuna with great strength. But in spite of Krsna’s beautiful
features, Kaliya felt great anger within his heart, and thus he grabbed
Krsna with his mighty coils. Seeing the incredible way in which Krsna was
enveloped in the coils of the serpent, the affectionate cowherd boys and
inhabitants of Vrndavana immediately became stunned out of fear. They
had dedicated everything to Krsna, their lives, property, affection, activities
—everything was for Krsna—and when they saw Him in that condition,
they became overwhelmed with fear and fell down on the ground. All the
cows, bulls and small calves became overwhelmed with grief, and they
began to look at Him with great anxiety. Out of fear they could only cry
in agony and stand erect on the bank, unable to help their beloved Krsna.

While tliis scene was taking place on the bank of the Yamuna, there were
ill omens manifest. The earth trembled, meteors fell from the sky, and the
bodies of men shivered. All these are indications of great immediate danger.
Observing the inauspicious signs, the cowherd men, including Maharaja
Nanda, became very anxious out of fear. At the same time they were
informed that Krsna had gone to the pasturing ground without His elder
brother, Balarama. As soon as Nanda and Yasoda and the cowherd men
heard this news, they became even more anxious. Out of their great
affection for Krsria, unaware of the extent of Krsna’s potencies, they
became overwhelmed with grief and anxiety because they had nothing
dearer than Krsna and because they dedicated their everything—life,
property, affection, mind and activities—to Krsna. Because of their great
attachment for Krsna, they thought, “Today Krsna is surely going to be
vanquished!”

All the inhabitants of Vrndavana came out of the village to see Krsna.
