Kaliya Naag - The Serpent of the Yamuna

Dadi: "Guddu, have you ever seen a river that was black with poison?"

Guddu: "Poison? Rivers aren't poisonous!"

Dadi: "The Yamuna River near Vrindavan once was. A great serpent named Kaliya had made his home there, and his venom was so deadly that the water turned black. Birds flying over it died. Cattle that drank from it collapsed within hours."

Guddu: "That's terrifying! Why was he there?"

Dadi: "Kaliya had fled from the ocean after fighting with Garuda, the eagle king. He found a deep spot in the Yamuna where Garuda couldn't follow and made it his lair."

Guddu: "So he was hiding?"

Dadi: "Yes, but his poison spread. Trees on the bank withered. Fish died. The villagers of Vrindavan had to draw water from far upstream, always afraid."

Guddu: "Where was Krishna in all this?"

Dadi: "One day, the cowherd boys' ball landed in the poisoned stretch of the river. Before anyone could stop him, little Krishna dove in to get it!"

Guddu: "Into the poison water?!"

Dadi: "The boys screamed! They ran to the village. Everyone rushed to the riverbank - Krishna's parents, all the cowherds, all the gopis. They saw the black water churning, bubbles rising from below."

Guddu: "Krishna was fighting underwater?"

Dadi: "Kaliya had sensed him immediately. A hundred heads - Kaliya had a hundred serpent heads! - all attacked at once. He wrapped his coils around Krishna, squeezing with force that could crush mountains."

Guddu: "A hundred heads?!"

Dadi: "But the poison didn't affect Krishna. The crushing coils couldn't tighten. And suddenly, Krishna began to grow - larger and larger - until Kaliya's grip meant nothing."

Guddu: "Krishna broke free!"

Dadi: "He shot up to the surface, with Kaliya pursuing in rage. They broke through the water together. The villagers screamed at the sight - their beloved Krishna standing on the water, the massive hundred-headed serpent rising around him."

Guddu: "What did Krishna do?"

Dadi: "*(smiling)* He danced."

Guddu: "He... danced?"

Dadi: "He leaped onto Kaliya's heads - all hundred of them - and danced. His feet struck each head in rhythm. Not a battle dance, but a divine dance. Each step forced the serpent to bow, to submit."

Guddu: "Dancing on a hundred-headed snake!"

Dadi: "Kaliya thrashed and fought, but Krishna's dance was relentless. The serpent grew weaker and weaker. His wives - the Naginis - emerged from the water, terrified for their husband's life."

Guddu: "What did they do?"

Dadi: "They prayed to Krishna: "Please spare him! He acted according to his nature. A serpent poisons - that's what serpents do. Have mercy, Lord!""

Guddu: "Did Krishna show mercy?"

Dadi: "When Kaliya finally stopped fighting and surrendered, Krishna stopped dancing. "Leave this river," he commanded. "Go back to the ocean. Garuda will not harm you now - when he sees my footprints on your heads, he will know you have been touched by the Divine.""

Guddu: "The footprints became like a protection mark?"

Dadi: "Exactly! Kaliya bowed to Krishna and left for the ocean forever. The Yamuna's waters cleared. The poison vanished. Birds returned to the banks. Children could play safely again."

Guddu: "Krishna turned a battle into a dance and a victory into mercy!"

Dadi: "That's the teaching, beta. Sometimes you must confront evil directly - Krishna did fight Kaliya. But winning doesn't mean destroying. Kaliya wasn't killed - he was transformed, redirected, given a chance to live differently."

Guddu: "And the dance?"

Dadi: "Shows that divine power isn't just brute force. It's grace, rhythm, beauty - even in battle. Krishna made subduing a hundred-headed serpent look like art."

Guddu: "I love this story. Dancing on snakes is such a cool image!"

Dadi: "It's painted and sculpted everywhere, beta. Next time you see that image, remember: it's about turning poison into purity, fear into freedom, and even enemies into devotees. Kaliya became a worshipper of Krishna after that day."

Guddu: "Even the monster found God!"

Dadi: "Through surrender. That's often how it works."