Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.16.26
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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nanarta
—
He danced
From √nṛt — to dance. Bhāgavata claims the dance for Kṛṣṇa: the original of every art — Śiva's tāṇḍava is itself derived (cf. SB 1.3.28). Gauḍīya: Bhagavān is the akhila-kalā-ādi-guru, source of every art.
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ādyaḥ
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the original (Person)
Ādi — beginning, original. The same word the Brahma-saṁhitā uses (ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi). Kṛṣṇa-on-Kāliya is the ādi-puruṣa, not a regional incarnation.
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akhila - kalā - ādi - guruḥ
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the original teacher of all the arts
Compound: akhila (all) + kalā (arts) + ādi (original) + guruḥ (teacher). Bhagavān as the source of all 64 arts. Gauḍīya: every art in this world, properly traced, returns to Vraja-Kṛṣṇa as its first teacher.
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pāda - ambujaḥ
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whose feet are lotuses
Compound: pāda + ambuja (lotus). The reddening of those lotus-feet from the jewels of Kāliya's hoods becomes a Gauḍīya meditation: the very pressure that pains the demoniac softens Bhagavān's foot to a deeper red.
Śrī Hari-vaṁśa states, śiraḥ sa kṛṣṇo jagrāha sva-hastenāvanamya: “Kṛṣṇa grabbed Kāliya’s head with His hand and forced it to bow down.” Most people in this world are quite reluctant to bow down to the Supreme Person, the Absolute Truth. In the contaminated state called material consciousness, we conditioned souls become proud of our insignificant position and are thus reluctant to bow our heads before the Lord. Yet just as Lord Kṛṣṇa forcibly pushed Kāliya’s heads down and thus defeated him, the Supreme Lord’s energy in the form of irresistible time kills all conditioned souls and thus forces them to bow down their arrogant heads. We should therefore give up the artificial position of material life and become faithful servants of the Supreme Lord, enthusiastically bowing down at His lotus feet. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet became red like copper because of their contact with the numerous hard jewels upon the heads of Kāliya. Lord Kṛṣṇa, with those glowing reddish feet, then began to demonstrate His artistic skill by dancing on the unsteady, moving surface of the serpent’s hoods. This extraordinary demonstration of dancing skill was meant for the pleasure of the young women of Vṛndāvana, who at this phase of their relationship with Kṛṣṇa were seriously falling in love with Him.
Kaliya, who had very high shoulders, gradually became tired from turning around to catch Krsna, and thus Krsna was able to bend down his head with one hand. Raising himself upon Kaliya’s head, he began to dance. Hari vamsa confirms this. He danced with his lotus feet which were reddened (ati tamra) because of the hard touch of all the jewels on Kaliya’s head. The dancer somtimes dances on various objects such as dishes to show his expertise. Krsna danced on the moving heads of Kaliya for this reason, and also to show that he was the original guru of all arts. It should be understood however that he especially want to show the young women of Vraja who were attracted to him his skill in dancing.
Though Kāliya was fatigued from Kṛṣṇa circling him, his shoulders were still raised. Therefore with his hand Kṛṣṇa lowered his shoulders. Hari-vaṁśa says śiraḥ sa kṛsṇo jagrāha svahastenāvanamya ca: Kṛṣṇa grasped his head and lowered it. Kāliya’s head was broad, making it suitable as a dancing arena. Kṛṣṇa lightly touched his jeweled head with his feet, but because his feet were very soft, they became red. This indicates the beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s feet. Because Kṛṣṇa is first (ādyaḥ), he is the first guru (adi-guruḥ). By this, Kāliya’s great fortune is indicated.
Though Kāliya was fatigued from Kṛṣṇa circling him, his shoulders were still raised. Therefore Kṛṣṇa lowered them. Kāliya’s head was broad, making it suitable as a dancing arena. Dancing on his head revealed Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, his absorption in dancing and his skill. He was the best teacher of all arts, or the first promoter of arts. Or because he was supreme (ādi) he mounted his hoods. This hints at great auspiciousness for Kāliya (having a guru). Later more will be explained. The word kalā will also be explained.
- Which long-running internal opposition needs more wearying before it can be danced upon?
- What 'jewels' in my opposition have been concealed under its hoods?
Kṛṣṇa wears the serpent down with sheer circling. When the strength is gone from those raised shoulders, He climbs the broad hoods like a stage, His lotus feet reddened from the press of the jewels on Kāliya's heads — and He dances. The Original Master of every fine art chooses this venue for His tāṇḍava.
Śaiva tradition gives the dance to Śiva as Naṭarāja. Vaiṣṇava — and especially Gauḍīya — tradition recognizes that Bhagavān Himself dances, and dances at Kāliya: akhila-kalā-ādi-guruḥ, the original teacher of all fine arts.
Provided pure mādhurya in the rāsa-līlā four chapters later (10.33), this verse gives mādhurya's other face — vīra-tāṇḍava on a serpent's hood. Both dances are His. Gauḍīyas refuse to abstract either into a non-dancing Absolute.
My note
Source: vedabase.io