126 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

although You have expanded into the three principal Deities of this
universe—namely Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu and Lord Siva—for creation,
maintenance and destruction, Your appearance as Lord Visnu is actually
for the benediction of living creatures. Therefore, for those who are
actually peaceful and who are aspiring after the supreme peace, worship of
Your peaceful appearance as Lord Visnu is recommended. O Lord, we are
submitting our prayers unto You. You can appreciate that this poor
serpent is going to give up his life. You know that for us women our lives
and everything are our husband’s; therefore, we are praying unto You that
You kindly excuse Kaliya, our husband, because if this serpent dies, then
we shall be in great difficulty. Looking upon us only, please excuse this
sreat offender. Our dear Lord, every living creature is Your offspring, and
You maintain everyone. This serpent is also Your offspring, and You can
excuse him although he has offended You, undoubtedly without knowing
Your potency. We are praying that he may be excused for this time. Our
dear Lord, we are offering our loving service unto You because we are all
eternal servitors of Your Lordship. You can order us and ask us to do
whatever You please. Every living being can be relieved from all kinds of
despair if he agrees to abide by Your orders.”

After the Nagapatnis submitted their prayers, Lord Krsna released
Kaliya from his punishment. Kaliya was already unconscious from being
struck by the Lord. Upon regaining consciousness and being released from
the punishment, Kaliya got back his life force and the working power of
his senses. With folded hands, he humbly began to pray to the Supreme
Lord Krsna: “My dear Lord, I have been born in such a species that by
nature I am angry and envious, being in the darkest region of the mode of
ignorance. Your Lordship knows well that it is very difficult to give up
one’s natural instincts, although by such instincts the living creature
transmigrates from one body to another.” It is also confirmed in the
Bhagavad-gita that it is very difficult to get out of the clutches of material
nature, but if anyone surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of God-
head, Krsna, the modes of material nature can no longer act on him. “My
dear Lord,” Kaliya continued, “You are therefore the original creator of
all kinds of modes of material nature by which the universe is created.
You are the cause of the different kinds of mentality possessed by living
creatures by which they have obtained different varieties of bodies. My
dear Lord, Iam born asa serpent; therefore, by natural instinct, I am very
angry. How is it then possible to give up my acquired nature without Your
mercy? It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of Your maya. By
Your maya we remain enslaved. My dear Lord, kindly excuse me for my
