2022-04-04 Mon

The Indian government has issued this commemorative stamp with the theme of Kaliya Mardana in 1982.

The episode of the Kailya-Mardana is the sixteenth chapter in the Bhagavata Purana. The meaning of the word 'Mardana'; is destroyed or to kill. Here in this chapter, Shri Krishna kills the ego of a venomous and arrogant serpent, Kaliya.

Kaliya was a venomous snake because of a curse; asked to remain in the ocean as a snake. But, he disobeyed and came to reside near the river Yamuna. He made the water of the river Yamuna poisonous so that no bird or human can drink the water of river Yamuna.

Only one solitary Kadamba tree grew on the riverbank. Once Krishna's friends drank the water of Yamuna and lost their life. Krishna glanced at them and brought them back to life. Krishna could have made Kaliya's poison powerless, but Kaliya has to be taught a lesson so Krishna danced on Kaliya's hood.

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