FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.17.6

తమాపతన్తం తరసా విషాయుధ: ప్రత్యభ్యయాదుత్థితనైకమస్తక: । దద్భ‍ి: సుపర్ణం వ్యదశద్ దదాయుధ: కరాలజిహ్వోచ్ఛ్వసితోగ్రలోచన: ॥ ౬ ॥
tam āpatantaṁ tarasā viṣāyudhaḥ
[tam aapatantam tarasaa vishaayudhah]
pratyabhyayād utthita-naika-mastakaḥ
[pratyabhyayaad utthita-naika-mastakah]
dadbhiḥ suparṇaṁ vyadaśad dad-āyudhaḥ
[dadbhih suparnam vyadashad dad-aayudhah]
karāla-jihrocchvasitogra-locanaḥ
[karaala-jihrochchvasitogra-lochanah]
tam — him, Garuḍa āpatantam — attacking tarasā — swiftly viṣa — of poison āyudhaḥ — who possessed the weapon prati — towards abhyayāt — ran utthita — raised na eka — many mastakaḥ — his heads dadbhiḥ — with his fangs suparṇam — Garuḍa vyadaśat — he bit dat - āyudhaḥ — whose fangs were weapons karāla — fearsome jihvā — his tongues ucchvasita — expanded ugra — and terrible locanaḥ — his eyes .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam āpatantaṁ tarasā viṣāyudhaḥ
tam
him, Garuḍa
āpatantam
attacking
tarasā
swiftly
viṣa
of poison
āyudhaḥ
who possessed the weapon
pratyabhyayād utthita-naika-mastakaḥ
prati
towards
abhyayāt
ran
utthita
raised
na eka
many
mastakaḥ
his heads
dadbhiḥ suparṇaṁ vyadaśad dad-āyudhaḥ
dadbhiḥ
with his fangs
suparṇam
Garuḍa
vyadaśat
he bit
dat - āyudhaḥ
whose fangs were weapons
karāla-jihrocchvasitogra-locanaḥ
karāla
fearsome
jihvā
his tongues
ucchvasita
expanded
ugra
and terrible
locanaḥ
his eyes .
  • viṣa-āyudhaḥ — whose weapon was poison
    Compound: viṣa (poison) + āyudha (weapon). The serpent is identified by what he fights with. Gauḍīyas note: the jīva's defenses against grace are often the very kleśas — anger, pride, lust — by which he was wounded in the first place.
  • dat-āyudhaḥ — whose fangs were weapons
    Compound: dat (tooth) + āyudha (weapon). The body itself weaponized — every part turned to attack. A picture of the obstinate jīva: even the organs given for service become instruments of defiance.
  • karāla-jihvā — fearsome tongues
    Compound: karāla (terrifying) + jihvā (tongue). The same organ that should chant kṛṣṇa-nāma is, in Kāliya, splayed for attack. Gauḍīya implication: the tongue is the most powerful organ of the body either way — for praise or for poison.
  • ugra-locanaḥ — with terrible eyes
    Compound: ugra (terrible) + locana (eye). The eye that should weep on seeing Kṛṣṇa instead glares with venom. The contrast is set up for verse 13–14, when the same waters yield the Lord whose eyes draw out the cowherds' senses.
As Garuḍa swiftly fell upon him, Kāliya, who had the weapon of poison, raised his numerous heads to counterattack. Showing his ferocious tongues and expanding his horrible eyes, Kāliya then bit Garuḍa with the weapons of his fangs.

The ācāryas explain that Kāliya used his weapon of poison at a distance by spitting venom upon his enemy and at short range by biting him with his terrible fangs.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
As Garuḍa swiftly fell upon him, Kāliya, who had the weapon of poison, raised his numerous heads to counterattack. Showing his ferocious tongues and expanding his horrible eyes, Kāliya then bit Garuḍa with the weapons of his fangs.
Commentary

From far off Kaliya could blow his poison at his enemy, and close up he could bite with his teeth. He had a ferocious tongue, loud hissing and terrible eyes.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kāliya who release poison by spitting from far away (viṣāyudhaḥ—poison weapon). He approached close and bit Garuḍa using his fangs (dad-āyudhaḥ). He had a terrible tongue whose touch would inflict poison (karāla) and expanding, terrifying eyes, which would turn things to ashes by their glance.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kāliya’s only weapon was his poison. This indicates its deadly nature. His teeth acted as weapons because they were covered with poison. He had a terrible tongue whose touch would inflict poison (karāla) and expanding, terrifying eyes, which would turn things to ashes by their glance. He was a formidable opponent. But nothing happened when his poisonous fangs bit Garuḍa. Kāliya with his pride and poison was useless in front of Garuḍa.

Related values
Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Tejas (Inner Radiance / Vigour)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
Concepts
Rasa

Kāliya raises a hundred hoods and bares his fangs — the way pride, when finally cornered, multiplies its arguments and shows its teeth. The fang is grammar, the poison is sophistry, and yet none of this slows the Lord's servant by a single moment. Defended self-righteousness only delays the chastisement it cannot avert.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 17