"Thus your punishment is actually mercy to us. This punishment relieves us of numerous old sins. Because of this sin (yat), our husband attained the body of a snake and in that body displayed anger and other bad qualities."

Certainly (hi) this punishment that we see is your mercy to us, since your punishment destroys the sins of the sinful. Because of his sins, this person, receiving bodies because of karma (dehinaḥ), has become a snake. Since he will attain liberation by complete absorption in you (with anger), he will give up his snake body. This is your mercy. Thus, even if he shows anger, that is also your mercy. Or, though the sins of the sinful are destroyed, you do not punish them, since you permitted (sammataḥ) him to receive a snake body for the purpose of giving him mercy. Though anger is his nature, it was become a cause of your mercy, arranged by you. He has participated in your pastimes by wrapping you in his coils and by not bowing his heads, so you could dance on them in joy.

Expressed in the masculine, the wives indicate that they are with Kāliya. You are merciful to us because (hi) punishment of the wicked certainly (khalu) destroys their sin. Dehinaḥ means “of one who has accepted a body.” Even (eva) his anger is mercy, not punishment. This is acknowledged completely, by us and the wise (sammataḥ). Or you show mercy to us because punishment of the wicked uproots their bad desires completely. That is directly experienced by us. Taking away the offensive snake body of Kāliya who identified with his body (dehinaḥ) is seen. By surrender and appearance of intelligence, even anger, the cause of punishment, is mercy. Or taking way the sins is not punishment performed by you. Because (yad) he received a snake body, his anger, which is the nature of a snake, is a cause of mercy, approved by you. You remained in his coils and you danced in joy on his hoods raised in anger.