Kaliya is a thousand-headed snake in Hindu mythology who is destroyed by the adolescent deity Krishna in one of the god's early actions, predicting his future glory.
Because of the toxic poison he regularly releases, Kaliya
has settled into a deep pool in the Yamuna River, leaving the pool and its
surrounds uninhabitable.
Krishna resolves to get rid of Kaliya one day as he and his
colleagues are tending to the cows.
Krishna climbs to the top of a large tree and jumps deep
into the pool, despite his companions' pleadings.
A massive fight follows.
Krishna eventually subdues Kaliya by dancing on his hoods and
trampling each of the serpent's heads till Kaliya's jaws run dry.
Kaliya's wives beseech Krishna to save his life, which
Krishna agrees to do but banishes him to a more suitable location.
His benevolence reflects the Hindu belief that all
creatures, including Kaliya, have a legitimate place in the universe.
Although issues develop when such entities are in the
incorrect area, they may be resolved by relocating them to a more suitable one.
See John Stratton Hawley's "Krishna's Cosmic Victories," in Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 47, No. 2, 1979, for a more detailed explanation of this concept.
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