Nagapatnis

Expressions researched:
"naga patni" |"naga patnis" |"nagapatni" |"nagapatnis"

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.16.54, Translation:

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.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.223, Purport:

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, has quoted from the Padma Purāṇa, where it is stated that Lakṣmī-devī, the goddess of fortune, after seeing the attractive features of Lord Kṛṣṇa, was attracted to Him, and to get the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa she engaged herself in meditation. When asked by Kṛṣṇa why she engaged in meditation with austerity, Lakṣmī-devī answered, "I want to be one of Your associates like the gopīs in Vṛndāvana." Hearing this, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied that it was quite impossible. Lakṣmī-devī then said that she wanted to remain just like a golden line on the chest of the Lord. The Lord granted the request, and since then Lakṣmī has always been situated on the chest of Lord Kṛṣṇa as a golden line. The austerity and meditation of Lakṣmī-devī are also mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.16.36), where the Nāga-patnīs, the wives of the serpent Kāliya, in the course of their prayers to Kṛṣṇa, said that the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, also wanted His association as a gopī and desired the dust of His lotus feet.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 4:

In the Ninth Canto of the Bhāgavatam, Fourth Chapter, verse 67, the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha replies to Durvāsā Muni thus: "My pure devotees are always satisfied being engaged in devotional service, and therefore they do not aspire even after the five liberated stages, which are (1) to be one with Me, (2) to achieve residence on My planet, (3) to have My opulences, (4) to possess bodily features similar to Mine and (5) to gain personal association with Me. So when they are not interested even in these liberated positions, you can know how little they care for material opulences or material liberation."

There is a similar prayer by the nāga-patnīs (wives of the Kāliya serpent), in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixteenth Chapter, verse 37. The nāga-patnīs say there, "Dear Lord, the dust of Your lotus feet is very wonderful. Any person who is fortunate enough to achieve this dust does not care for heavenly planets, lordship over all the planetary systems, the mystic perfections of yoga, or even liberation from material existence. In other words, anyone who adores the dust of Your lotus feet does not care a fig for all other perfectional stages."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 16:

The wives of the serpent, known as the Nāgapatnīs, saw that their husband had been subdued by the Lord's kicking and that he was almost at the point of death due to bearing the heavy burden of the Lord, within whose abdomen the whole universe remains. Kāliya's wives prepared to worship the Lord, and in their haste their clothes, hair and ornaments became disarrayed. They also surrendered unto the Supreme Lord and began to pray. They appeared before Him, put forward their offspring and anxiously offered respectful obeisances, falling down on the bank of the Yamunā. The Nāgapatnīs knew that Kṛṣṇa is the shelter of all surrendered souls, and they desired to release their husband from the impending danger by pleasing the Lord with their prayers.

Krsna Book 16:

The Nāgapatnīs began to offer their prayers as follows: "O dear Lord, You are equal to everyone. For You there is no distinction between Your sons, friends or enemies. Therefore the punishment which You have so kindly offered to Kāliya is exactly befitting. O Lord, You have descended especially for the purpose of annihilating all kinds of disturbing elements within the world, and because You are the Absolute Truth, there is no difference between Your mercy and Your punishment. We think, therefore, that this apparent punishment of Kāliya is actually some benediction. We consider that Your punishment is Your great mercy upon us because when You punish someone it is to be understood that the reactions of his sinful activities are eradicated. It is already clear that this creature appearing in the body of a serpent must have been overburdened with all kinds of sin; otherwise, how could he have the body of a serpent? Your dancing on his hoods has reduced all the sinful results of actions caused by his having this body of a serpent. It is therefore very auspicious that You have become angry and have punished him in this way. We are very much astonished to see how You have become so much pleased with this serpent, who evidently performed various religious activities in his past lives that pleased everyone. He must have undergone all kinds of penances and austerities, humbly honored others and executed universal welfare activities for all living creatures."

Krsna Book 16:

The Nāgapatnīs confirm that one cannot come in contact with Kṛṣṇa without having executed pious activities in devotional service in his previous lives. As Lord Caitanya advised in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, one has to execute devotional service by humbly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street and not expecting honor for himself but offering all kinds of honor to others. The Nāgapatnīs were astonished that, although Kāliya had the body of a serpent as the result of grievous sinful activities, at the same time he was in contact with the Lord to the extent that the Lord's lotus feet were touching his hoods. Certainly this was not the ordinary result of pious activities. These two contradictory facts astonished them. Thus they continued to pray: "O dear Lord, we are simply astonished to see that he is so fortunate as to have the dust of Your lotus feet on his head. This is a fortune sought after by great saintly persons. Even the goddess of fortune underwent severe austerities just to have the blessing of the dust of Your lotus feet, so how is it that Kāliya is so easily getting this dust on his head? We have heard from authoritative sources that those who are blessed with the dust of Your lotus feet do not care even for the highest post within the universe, namely the post of Lord Brahmā, or the kingship of the heavenly planets, or the sovereignty of this planet. Nor do such persons desire to rule the planets above this earth, such as Siddhaloka; nor do they aspire for the mystic powers achieved by the yoga process. Nor do the pure devotees aspire for liberation by becoming one with You. My Lord, although he is born in a species of life which is fostered by the most abominable mode of material nature, accompanied with the quality of anger, this king of the serpents has achieved something very, very rare. Living entities who are wandering within this universe in different species of life can very easily achieve the greatest benediction only by Your mercy."

Krsna Book 16:

The Nāgapatnīs continued: “We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You, our dear Lord, because You are the Supreme Person, who are living as the Supersoul within every living entity; although You are transcendental to the cosmic manifestation, everything is resting in You. You are the personified indefatigable eternal time. The entire time force is existing in You, and You are therefore the seer and the embodiment of total time in the shape of past, present and future, month, day, hour, moment—everything. In other words, O Lord, You can see perfectly all the activities happening in every moment, in every hour, in every day, in every month, in every year, past, present and future. You are Yourself the universal form, and yet You are different from this universe. You are simultaneously one with and different from the universe. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

Krsna Book 16:

After the Nāgapatnīs submitted their prayers, Lord Kṛṣṇa released Kāliya from his punishment. Kāliya was already unconscious from being struck by the Lord. Upon regaining consciousness and being released from the punishment, Kāliya got back his life force and the working power of his senses. With folded hands, he humbly began to pray to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa: “My dear Lord, I have been born in such a species that by nature I am angry and envious, being in the darkest region of the mode of ignorance. Your Lordship knows well that it is very difficult to give up one's natural instincts, although by such instincts the living creature transmigrates from one body to another.” It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that it is very difficult to get out of the clutches of material nature, but if anyone surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the modes of material nature can no longer act on him. "My dear Lord," Kāliya continued, "You are the original creator of the modes of material nature, by which the universe is created. You are the cause of the different kinds of mentality possessed by living creatures, by which they have obtained different varieties of bodies. My dear Lord, I am born as a serpent; therefore, by natural instinct I am very angry. How is it then possible to give up my acquired nature without Your mercy? It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of Your māyā. By Your māyā we remain enslaved. My dear Lord, kindly excuse me for my inevitable material tendencies. I surrender unto You. Now You can punish me or save me, as You desire."

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

"There is a similar prayer by the nāga-patnī (wives of the Kāliya serpent), in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixteenth Chapter, verse 33. The nāga-patnī say there, 'My dear Lord, the dust of Your lotus feet is very wonderful. Any person who is fortunate enough to achieve this dust does not care for heavenly planets, lordship over all the planetary systems, the mystic perfections of yoga or even liberation from the material existence. In other words, anyone who adores the dust of Your lotus feet does not care a fig for all other perfectional stages.' "

Prabhupāda: This was spoken by the nāga-patnī when Kāliya was being punished by Lord Kṛṣṇa, kicking over his head. So this prayer was offered, that "For Your dust of Your lotus feet, so many great sages are hankering after, and they do not care for even liberation, simply to get Your, that dust of the lotus feet. We do not know how much this fortunate snake is, that he's automatically getting the dust. You are kicking on his head. We do not know what did he do in his previous life that he's so fortunate."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 2, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: (break) "...been pleased by his undergoing all kinds of penances and austerities, and he must have executed universal welfare activities for all living creatures. The Nāga-patnīs confirmed that one cannot come in contact with Kṛṣṇa without having executed pious activities in devotional service in his previous lives." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...double feature is not understood by the Māyāvādīs. If Kṛṣṇa has created the whole, so why he should be separate? He is not separate, still separate. (break) ...regularly this book Kṛṣṇa, he will be liberated, simply by reading this book.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Bharadvāja: Are there any other Deities besides Kāliya-Kṛṣṇa you want us to make for Fiji?

Prabhupāda: Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Guru-Gaurāṅga.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī and yourself, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Bharadvāja: Life-size Deities?

Prabhupāda: You have not seen Vṛndāvana?

Bharadvāja: Just the same size as Vṛndāvana's?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bharadvāja: (break) That Deity, what size should that be?

Prabhupāda: The height is ten feet, ceiling, ten or twelve feet. (break) Ten to twenty inches.

Bharadvāja: Altogether, with Kāliya?

Prabhupāda: No, Kāliya.

Bharadvāja: Just Kṛṣṇa. There should be four nāga-patnīs?

Prabhupāda: Four.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Like mermaids.

Bharadvāja: What is the special significance of constructing Kāliya-Kṛṣṇa temple in Fiji?

Prabhupāda: They say that "Kāliya lived here."

Bharadvāja: Is that true?

Prabhupāda: Well, might.... (break) But it is Kṛṣṇa's līlā, so...

Bharadvāja: Kāliya then became a devotee after Kṛṣṇa subdued him.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bharadvāja: They are both worshipable.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) (continues in car)

Rāmeśvara: I was once told that these irregularities in the climate are due to sinful activities. Los Angeles has a very nice climate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People I speak to, they say, "Yes, even in the last twenty years we can notice a great change in the weather patterns." People say that.

Prabhupāda: Disturbance means sinful atmosphere.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. They have got duplicate key. They can take.

Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's wondering about his Deities. I told him that the Deities are supposed to be ready by Gaura Pūrṇimā. You gave that time limit. He wanted to know what the size was and how many. So I knew there was Kāliya-Kṛṣṇa and four nāga-patnīs and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Lalitā and Viśākhā and, I think I told him Gaura-Nitāi, Guru-Gaurāṅga, Gaura-Nitāi, and your deity and your Guru Mahārāja's deity. That makes thirteen.

Prabhupāda: So they are preparing?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think. Yes, they were told.

Hari-śauri: Rāmeśvara is supposed to be making all the arrangements.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Bharadvāja is preparing everything. He seems to be a good man.

Prabhupāda: Very good man.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is the Deity of Lord Nityānanda dressed and undressed, so you can see. They've done very nicely with the two photographs. You can get the full idea. I think the proportions are first class. Just accurate.

Prabhupāda: Gaurāṅga.

Upendra: What are they made of?

Devotee: Plasticene.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fiji.

Upendra: Plasticene?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here comes the nāgapatnīs.

Prabhupāda: Fishlike.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Not dressed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They will be. That's just showing you the mūrtis. Here is Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya. Here is a full picture, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it will attract so many people.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lalitā, Viśākhā. Those are just, I think, temporary dresses to give an idea. Day dresses. Here is the Deity of Kṛṣṇa without clothing so you can see. Look at this material.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: This is Gaura-Nitāi here, and Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya is here at the front. This man here is that Bhaskaranya Swami, the local man. He came and chanted during the abhiṣeka. He stayed up until two in the morning with us, and he began chanting japa after that.

Rāmeśvara: This was the procession on the opening day. We marched the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities all over the neighborhood, through the center of the town, and hundreds of people followed. There was a shenai band.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is Vāsudeva. Rāmeśvara.

Rāmeśvara: This the was agni-hotra ceremony on the day the temple opened.

Hari-śauri: Just after this, there was a huge rainstorm. Very successful.

Rāmeśvara: And this is the altar, with Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya and the Nāga-patnīs.

Hari-śauri: Should Kṛṣṇa be dressed very, very opulently like this, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They had a question in Fiji. They wanted to know whether He should be dressed simply or opulently.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya temple (Bengali).

Rāmeśvara: This is Kṛṣṇa's birthday cake for Janmāṣṭamī in Los Angeles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Describe it.

Rāmeśvara: This cake weighs 2,000 pounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The cake, Śrīla Prabhupāda, weighs 2,000..., one ton. How high is it, Rāmeśvara?

Rāmeśvara: It is very tall.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many feet? About fifteen feet high.

Hari-śauri: These are the people here.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 23 February, 1970:

Regarding the speeches of Brahma and Nagapatni to Krsna, that is not their quoting, that is my quoting—therefore it is called the Bhaktivedanta purport. But it is not incompatible, as you have suggested, because the Bhagavad-gita existed long before.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Saurabha -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1976:

For worshiping the Deities in Bombay, including Sita-Rama, there is absolutely no change in worship. Adopt the same method as in our Vrindaban centre, simply with 3 pujaris just like in Vrindaban. They are all Visnu-tattva, Ramacandra, Radha-Krsna, Gaura-Nitai. No additional kirtanas, simply do exactly as in Vrindaban. I want to know what it would cost to have Kaliya-Krsna Deity (with four mermaids offering prayers, Nagapatnis), and also Radha-Krishna with Lalita and Visakha, and also Guru and Gauranga; what would be the approximate cost for production and transportation of these Deities to Fiji Island?