Kaliya Daman – The Story Of Krishna And Kaliya Snake For Kids

Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, resided in Vrindavan many years ago. He was well-known among the villagers for his bright smile, mischievous antics, and his fondness for homemade butter! We’ve all heard little Krishna tales from our grandparents, parents, or even siblings at some point in our lives. These stories are engaging and have captivated children for many centuries. Little Krishna’s adventures are entertaining to read while teaching children to deal with any situation with patience and wit.

The Kaliya serpent was one of the most well-known demons that Lord Krishna had punished. We’ve probably seen images of Krishna and Kaliya in temples or stories, but what actually happened between them? Please read the story of Krishna & Kaliya snake in English to familiarise your child with this full story of Krishna and Kaliya snake’.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Origin And History Of The Story Of Krishna And Kaliya Snake

This story is a part of the saga Mahabharata, in which Lord Krishna was introduced. The Mahaharata is a story that that has several chapters and events, and each of those are narrated as short stories with valuable lessons to learn.

Story Type Of Krishna And Kaliya Snake

The story of the Krishna and Kaliya snake has its roots in mythology. This fantastic story has been read to kids by their grandparents or parents for a generation now.

Story Characters

The main characters of the story of the Krishna and Kaliya snake are Little Krishna, the serpent Kalia, Kalia’s wives, and the Brijwasi (Vrindavan village dwellers).

• Little Krishna: Little Krishna was lord Vishnu’s eighth avatar, and he lived in Vrindavan during the Dvapara Yug. The residents of the village adored him and his adorable antics. He kept the village safe from demons and asuras, making it a better place to live.
• The Serpent Kaliya: Kaliya was a giant venomous snake that lived near the banks of the Yamuna river in Vrindavan. His venom was so poisonous that no living thing could live near him.

The Story Of The Krishna And Kaliya Snake For Children

One sunny day, Krishna and his friends were playing with a ball near the banks of the Yamuna river.

Suddenly, they heard some villagers shouting for help at some distance. Krishna and his friends ran towards them.

“Help! Help! My son accidentally slipped in the river”, a woman said, terrified.

“What’s the matter?” asked Krishna as he ran towards them.

“Oh Krishna! We’re fortunate that you are here”, said the woman. “My son was playing here when he accidentally slipped into the river. This is the place where Kaliya Nag resides. He is going to kill my son. Please save him, Krishna.”

“Kaliya Nag? Who is that?” asked one of Krishna’s friends.

“You don’t know Kaliya Nag!” exclaimed a villager. “He is a huge venomous snake who used to reside in the banks of Ramanaka Dwipa. However, he was forced to leave the place because of his fear of Garuda- the mount of Lord Vishnu”.

“He knows that Garuda is cursed by a sage and that he cannot enter Vrindavan. Hence, he has chosen this place as his dwelling to protect himself from Garuda”, continued the villager.

During all this, Krishna was busy observing the water. The water had turned black as an effect of Kaliya’s venom. The water of the entire Yamuna river was blue, except that of the part where Kaliya resided.

Without a second thought, Krishna jumped into the river to save the boy and teach Kaliya a lesson.

As soon as he entered the water, he saw Kaliya holding the boy in his tail.

“Leave the little boy, Kalia. There’s no point in harming a harmless child. I am here to teach you a lesson”, Krishna warned Kaliya.

“Ha Ha Ha. You are here to teach me a lesson!” said Kaliya mocking Krishna. “Very well, let’s see what you have to offer, ” he freed the boy.

Kaliya began to attack Krishna, but Krishna was too quick for him. Krishna would always be gone when he tried to attack him. This carried on for a while until Kaliya became frustrated.

He grabbed Krishna with his massive body, but Krishna effortlessly freed himself. He stood on the serpent’s head while holding the tail. He then began to play the flute and started performing his cosmic dance.

Krishna gathered the weight of the entire universe on his feet, crushing Kaliya underneath. At this point, Kaliya realised that Krishna was not just an ordinary boy but an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Kaliya was about to die under the weight when his wives came and started begging Krishna to forgive him.

“Hey Lord Krishna. We are sorry that we could not recognise you earlier, and what our husband did was wrong. We promise not to do anything like this again”, pleaded his wives.

“I will forgive him but only on one condition”, said Krishna. “Many cattle and people of this village come here to drink water. It is not right for you to poison the water like this and put the lives of so many creatures at stake.”

“I want you all to go back”, continued Krishna. “Speaking of Garuda, I promise that he would not harm any of you.”

Kaliya Nag and his wives obeyed Krishna and left Vrindavan forever, making the waters of Yamuna pure as earlier.

Story Summary

Below is a summary of the story of the Krishna and Kaliya snake.

Krishna and his friends were playing on the banks of the Yamuna river one day when they heard some cries. They rushed to the location only to discover that one of the children had slipped and fallen into the river. The locals were terrified because they knew the deadly serpent Kaliya lived there and that any creature that came into contact with his deadly venom would die.

Krishna jumped into the river without hesitation. Kaliya charged toward Krishna, but he was too quick for him. Krishna eventually grabbed Kaliya’s tail and jumped on one of his heads. He began to play the flute and assumed the weight of the entire universe beneath his tiny feet. Kaliya was about to be crushed by the weight when his wives appeared and begged pardon. Krishna agreed to forgive them on the condition that they leave Vrindavan forever and never return. They listened to him and eventually left Vrindavan.

What Lesson Did Your Child Learn From This Story?

The story of the Krishna and Kaliya snake teaches the lesson that anyone who tries to cause problems for others is punished in some or another way.

In the story, Kaliya caused difficulty for the villagers by polluting the Yamuna water they needed for their everyday activities. As a result, Krishna taught him a life lesson.

We often meet persons in life who take joy in causing trouble for others, and their sole goal is to annoy others and make their lives difficult. However, we should always try to avoid such people as they will one day get punished for their deeds.

How Can Children Apply The Lesson Of The Story In Their Real Life?

This short story of Krishna and the Kaliya snake advises children to avoid suspicious persons. It also teaches kids to be fearless like Krishna and to deal with any crisis with patience and calmness.

Children enjoy reading a story with pictures because it not only familiarises them with the plot but also allows them to visualise the depicted situation in their unique way. This is an important aspect of their brain growth and also a great mental exercise. So, the next time you wish to read one of Little Krishna’s bravery stories to your children, read this story of Krishna and Kaliya snake to them and inspire them.

Also Read:

Lord Krishna Birth Story for Kids
The Story Of Ramayana for Children
The Eklavya and Dronacharya Story for Kids