Devanagari
श्रीशुक उवाच
इत्थं स नागपत्नीभिर्भगवान् समभिष्टुत: ।
मूर्च्छितं भग्नशिरसं विससर्जाङ्घ्रिकुट्टनै: ॥ ५४ ॥
Verse text
śrī-śuka uvāca
itthaṁ sa nāga-patnībhir
bhagavān samabhiṣṭutaḥ
mūrcchitaṁ bhagna-śirasaṁ
visasarjāṅghri-kuṭṭanaiḥ
Synonyms
śrī
—
śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
;
ittham
—
in this way
;
saḥ
—
He, Lord Kṛṣṇa
;
nāga
—
patnībhiḥ — by the wives of Kāliya
;
bhagavān
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
;
samabhiṣṭutaḥ
—
fully praised
;
mūrcchitam
—
who was unconscious
;
bhagna
—
śirasam — his heads crushed
;
visasarja
—
He let go
;
aṅghri
—
kuṭṭanaiḥ — by the striking of His feet .
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus praised by the Nāgapatnīs, the Supreme Personality of Godhead released the serpent Kāliya, who had fallen unconscious, his heads battered by the striking of the Lord’s lotus feet.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus praised by the Nāga-patnīs, the Supreme Personality of Godhead released the serpent Kāliya, who had fallen unconscious, his heads battered by the striking of the Lord's lotus feet.
KB 10.16.54
After the Nāgapatnīs submitted their prayers, Lord Kṛṣṇa released Kāliya from his punishment. Kāliya was already unconscious from being struck by the Lord.
Purport
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Lord Kṛṣṇa, upon reaching His decision, immediately jumped down from Kāliya’s hoods and stood before the serpent and his wives. We should remember that when Lord Kṛṣṇa executed these pastimes, He was just a young village boy in Vṛndāvana.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Krsna then gave up afflicting Kaliya, who was weak because of the blows of Krsna’s feet on his head. Krsna suddenly jumped off his head and stood before him.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The word saḥ indicates “he, pleased with their praises” or “he, the crest jewel of independent play in Vṛndāvana.” Or he who suffers from others suffering, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, left Kāliya who had fainted, with his head broken by blows of Kṛṣṇa’s feet.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
The word saḥ indicates “he, pleased with their praises” or “he, the crest jewel of independent play in Vṛndāvana.” Or he who suffers from others suffering, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, left Kāliya who had fainted, with his head broken by the blows of Kṛṣṇa’s feet. Though there were reasons to release him, the description of the snake in this verse show that he had given up his evil nature completely. Or the description is given to show a reason for special mercy later.
There is another meaning. Being absorbed in blissful dancing, the Lord broke Kāliya’s heads. Or people show their bad nature through their heads. Having a broken head means he had his bad nature removed. Mūrcchitam means that this condition was solidified. Or he fainted (mūrcchitam) because of bliss.
Because of his merciful nature and their suffering Kṛṣṇa was pleased with the wives’ prayers. Appearing in this world to give special prema, he responds with similar bhāva to them, since generally he shows special mercy to women. This is made clear from the prayers offered by women in the First Canto. It is said in this verse that he was thoroughly praised by them in all ways (samabhistutaḥ).