Krishna was the loveliest child in the world. He was dark and handsome. He wore pretty clothes and beautiful ornaments. His hair was tied in a knot on the top of his head. Always there was a peacock feather in it. Little krishna was the darling of all the people of Vrindavan.

He liked the cows and calves and the green fields in which they gazed. All the cowherds were his friends. Together they used to take the cattle out to the jungle in the morning and bring them back home in the evening. In the jungle, there was plenty of grass and water for the cattle. The jungle was also an ideal place where Krishna and his friends could play and make merry.

Once young Krishna was playing with the other cowboys, when suddenly the ball got entangled in the high branch of a tree. Krishna volunteered to climb the tree and fetch the ball. But below the tree there was a deep part of the river Yamuna, in which the terrible snake Kaliya was living. Kaliya in Hindu traditions, was a poisonous multihead snake living in the Yamuna river. The multiple heads suggest that he has varied powers. It was to this river that the cows and cowherds went to drink. Soon, the river water became poisonous. Whoever drank the water from the Yamuna fell dead. All the fish in the river died because of the poison and began to float in the water.

 Everybody was afraid of that part of the river. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then that terrible snake came up, who upon seeing Krishna, coiled around Krishna’s legs to squeeze him to death. But Krishna was ready, He expanded himself, forcing Kāliya to release him. and jumping on the snake’s head he caught it by the neck. Krishna immediately regained his original form and began to jump on all of Kaliya’s heads so as to release the poison in the snake so that he could no longer pollute the Yamuna.

With both hands Krishna held the two sides of the snake’s big head and kicked him as hard as he could.

Hundreds of frightened people gathered on the banks of the Yamuna but Krishna seemed to be dancing happily on the deadly snake’s head. Slowly, Kaliya began to lose strength. He was unable to bear the pain of Krishna’s attack. Kaliya started vomiting blood and slowly began to die. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy and that it would not be easy to overcome him. His only hope now was to seek Krishna’s mercy. So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: “Please, do not kill me.”Krishna heard the prayer. He released Kaliya from his grip. Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. He ordered Kaliya to go far away, and not come back to the Yamuna. Kaliya bowed his head. He quietly left the Yamuna. The people cheered Krishna as he swam ashore.