Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.16.31
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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garbha - jagataḥ
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(of Him) whose belly contains the universe
Compound: garbha (womb, belly) + jagat (universe). The technical Gauḍīya designation for Bhagavān as viśva-rūpa-dhāra — He whose abdomen is the storehouse of worlds. The boy on Kāliya is the same Person seen by Yaśodā in 10.7–8.
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ātapatram
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umbrella
Kāliya's hoods spread above him like a royal umbrella — and that umbrella is now shattered. Royal imagery: the serpent-king's symbol of sovereignty has been broken by a herd-boy's heel.
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patnyaḥ
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the wives
Wives (feminine plural). The chapter now hands the microphone to the Nāga-patnīs — the doctrinal pivot. Female śaraṇāgati replaces male combat for the next fifteen verses.
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Kāliya’s wives had been disgusted with their husband because of his demoniac activities. They had been thinking, “If this atheist is killed by the punishment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then let him be killed. We will become widows and engage in the worship of the Supreme Lord.” But then the ladies noticed Kāliya’s facial expression and other bodily features, and they understood that Kāliya had indeed taken shelter of the Lord within his mind. Seeing that he was manifesting symptoms of humility, remorse, regret and doubt, they thought, “Just see how fortunate we are! Our husband has now become a Vaiṣṇava. Therefore we must now endeavor to protect him.” They felt affection for their repentant husband and severe distress because of his miserable position, and thus all together they went into the presence of the Supreme Lord.
The wives approached Krsna, seeing how Kaliya was burdened with Krsna who, having the universe in his belly, had become most heavy. The wives until now had been indifferent towards their cruel husband, but now they were in sorrow (artah). They thought, "Let him die, and then as widows we can fully surrender to the Lord." But when they saw the symptoms of sancari bhava such as humility, regret, doubt, and indifference to his suffering condition manifest in his body, they thought, "He has become a vaisnava. This is good fortune for us. We should try to save him." With this in mind they came together with affection in their hearts, and with sorrow for his condition, approached Krsna.
Kāliya’s wives, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, were happy when he stopped beating Kāliya’s head with his feet after he surrendered. They had not come forward previously because of restrictions from their wicked husband. Now they surrendered to the Lord, who continued dancing on his head in order to induce his surrender further and to show that mercy to his wives. Two verses describe this. The universe is within him. This shows Kṛṣṇa’s power. It was said that he has no inside or outside (SB 10.9.13). The word garbha thus indicates everything is within him: he is spread everywhere. But he does not touch the universe: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā | mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ ||4|| I pervade this whole universe by my form invisible to material senses, since I am the cause. All entities are situated in me, since I am their cause, but I am not in them, since I am completely detached. BG 9.4 Since he contains the universe, what weight he could produce on Kāliya! That he did not crush Kāliya completely depended on the appearance of his iccha-śakti. Thus it was possible that it could happen. Since his hoods which were like umbrellas were broken, Kāliya’s external beauty was destroyed. They came to the side of the Lord. In great distress their clothing and hair were disarrayed. This indicates their pitiful condition.
Though the Lord was pleased with his surrender, in order to show the greatness of his wives, in order to give special mercy to the wives of Kāliya, Kṛṣṇa did not give up his position on Kāliya. The wives showed complete surrender, more than their surrender to their husband, because they knew the true position of the Lord. That is expressed in two verse. Since his hoods which were like umbrellas were broken, Kāliya’s external beauty was destroyed. They came to the side of the Lord. In great distress, their clothing and hair were disarrayed. This indicates their pitiful condition.
- Whose family member's devotion has been quietly intercepting mercy for them — and for me?
- Where in my circle is someone praying for me whom I have underestimated?
Kāliya's wives see their husband collapsed under the weight of the boy in whose belly the universe is contained. Their hair has come loose, ornaments fallen, clothes disarrayed — they approach in the disarray of women who have abandoned the project of self-presentation. They come because their husband cannot save himself.
My note
Source: vedabase.io