Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1713

c7.1713

KĀLADVIJA. A serpent, which attained salvation. The story of this nāga, which was at first a Śūdra is told in chapter 16 of the Padma Purāṇa as follows:— Once upon a time there lived in Karavīrapura a very selfish Śūdra called Kāladvija, who was sentenced by Kāla to live in hell for four Manvantaras. After living in hell the whole of the period, he was born as a nāga and suffered much in the crevices of a stone. While living thus, on an Āśvina pūrṇimā (Full moon day in the month of Āśvina), it threw out some fried paddy and Kauḍi (shells) which fell before Viṣṇu. At once the Lord redeemed it from all its sins, and on its death, in due course, the attendants of Viṣṇu took him in a divine chariot to the Lord.