Rajput Painting, Being an Account of the Hindu Paintings of Rajasthan and the Panjab Himalayas from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century v2.c19.391

v2.c19.391

‘Then indeed, through the weight, Kāliya began to die; and dashing his hoods about in every direction, he put forth his tongues, and streams of blood poured out of them. When all his venom and pride of strength were spent, he found in his heart that “Ādi-puruṣa has assumed incarnate form; else in whom is there so much power to escape my venom?” When he realized this he forsook the hope of life, and remained benumbed. Then the wife of the serpent came and with folded hands and bent head she besought Śrī Krishṇa: “Mahārāj! Thou hast well done to remove the pride of this tormentor and overweening being; his happy fortune has now awakened, in that he has obtained the vision of Thee. These very feet which Brahmā and other Devas meditate upon with prayer and discipline, are now resplendent on Kāliya’s head.” And so saying, she spoke again: “Mahārāj, have pity on me, and be pleased to release this one; for death itself is best for a woman without a husband. And if thou mayest be pleased to consider, there is no fault in him, for it is the nature of his kind, to be fed on milk and to wax in venom.”