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Black snake

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.16.1, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, seeing that the Yamunā River had been contaminated by the black snake Kāliya, desired to purify the river, and thus the Lord banished him from it.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 20.134, Translation:

“‘If you dig on the northern side, there is a big black snake that will devour you if you attempt to dig up the treasure.

Yoga, the mystic process, is compared to a black snake that devours people by the impersonal cultivation of kaivalya.
CC Madhya 20.135, Purport:

The Vedic literatures, including the Purāṇas, state that according to the position of the conditioned soul, there are different processes—karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, the yogic process and the bhakti-yoga process. Karma-kāṇḍa is compared to wasps and drones that will simply bite if one takes shelter of them. Jñāna-kāṇḍa, the speculative process, is simply like a ghost who creates mental disturbances. Yoga, the mystic process, is compared to a black snake that devours people by the impersonal cultivation of kaivalya. However, if one takes to bhakti-yoga, he becomes quickly successful. In other words, through bhakti-yoga, one's hands touch the hidden treasure without difficulty.

The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison.
CC Madhya 20.135, Purport:

The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison. The ultimate goal of the yoga system is to become one with the Absolute. This means finishing one's personal existence. But the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an eternal individual existence. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that the individual soul existed in the past, is existing in the present and will continue to exist as an individual in the future. Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.

One who is bereft of devotional service is swallowed by the black snake of the yoga system and bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity, and he suffers consequent material miseries.
CC Madhya 20.135, Purport:

Considering all these points, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the real treasure house for the living entity. When one comes to the platform of devotional service, he always remains opulent in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is bereft of devotional service is swallowed by the black snake of the yoga system and bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity, and he suffers consequent material miseries. Sometimes the living entity is misled into trying to merge into spiritual existence, thinking himself as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that when he comes to the spiritual platform, he will be disturbed and will again return to the material platform. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

Such people may become sannyāsīs, but unless they take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities. In this way, one's spiritual life is lost. This is to be understood as being devoured by the black snake.

CC Antya-lila

The gopīs become very much agitated by lusty desire; they are burning due to the poisonous bite inflicted by the black snakes of Kṛṣṇa's beautiful arms.
CC Antya 15.75, Translation and Purport:

“The two very beautiful arms of Kṛṣṇa are just like long bolts. They also resemble the bodies of black snakes that enter the space between the two hill-like breasts of women and bite their hearts. The women then die from the burning poison.

In other words, the gopīs become very much agitated by lusty desire; they are burning due to the poisonous bite inflicted by the black snakes of Kṛṣṇa's beautiful arms.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

In His letter Kṛṣṇa advised Kālayavana that he should immediately go and find some dark well for his residence, because there was a black snake named Kṛṣṇa who was very eager to devour all such sinful frogs.
Nectar of Devotion 23:

A person who is very envious, proud, easily angered, restless and complacent is called dhīroddhata by learned scholars. Such qualities were visible in the character of Lord Kṛṣṇa, because when He was writing a letter to Kālayavana, Kṛṣṇa addressed him as a sinful frog. In His letter Kṛṣṇa advised Kālayavana that he should immediately go and find some dark well for his residence, because there was a black snake named Kṛṣṇa who was very eager to devour all such sinful frogs. Kṛṣṇa reminded Kālayavana that He could turn all the universes to ashes simply by looking at them.

The above statement by Kṛṣṇa seems apparently to be of an envious nature, but according to different pastimes, places and times this quality is accepted as a great characteristic. Kṛṣṇa's dhīroddhata qualities have been accepted as great because Kṛṣṇa uses them only to protect His devotees. In other words, even undesirable traits may also be used in the exchange of devotional service.

Upon being chastised by Kṛṣṇa's constant kicking on his head, Kāliya, the black snake of the Yamunā, came to his senses and admitted, "My dear Lord, I have been so offensive unto You, but still You are so kind that You have marked my head with the impression of Your lotus feet."
Nectar of Devotion 36:

Upon being chastised by Kṛṣṇa's constant kicking on his head, Kāliya, the black snake of the Yamunā, came to his senses and admitted, "My dear Lord, I have been so offensive unto You, but still You are so kind that You have marked my head with the impression of Your lotus feet." This is also an instance of one's taking shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

As the time factor, You end all our activities, as a hungry black snake swiftly swallows up a small rat without leniency.
Krsna Book 51:

“Yet in spite of our being so absorbed in material thought, inevitable time, which is only a form of Yourself, is always careful about its duty, and as soon as the allotted time is over, Your Lordship immediately ends all the activities of our material dreams. As the time factor, You end all our activities, as a hungry black snake swiftly swallows up a small rat without leniency. Due to the action of cruel time, the royal body which was always decorated with golden ornaments during life and which moved on a chariot drawn by beautiful horses or on the back of an elephant nicely decorated with golden ornaments, and which was advertised as the king of human society—that same royal body decomposes under the influence of inevitable time and becomes fit for being eaten by worms and insects or being turned into ashes or the stool of an animal. This beautiful body may be recognized as a royal body while in the living condition, but after death the body of even a king is eaten by an animal and therefore turned into stool or is cremated in a crematorium and turned into ashes or is put into an earthly grave, where different kinds of worms and insects are produced of it.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This material time, it is called kāla. Kāla means death. Or kāla means the black snake. So black snake destroys. As soon as touches anything, it is destroyed.
Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

Sa kālena mahatā. The time is very powerful. It changes. That is the... Time means it changes, kills the original position. You have got experience. You purchase one anything. It is very fresh, new. But time will kill it. It will become shabby. It will be useless at a time, in due course of time. So time is fighting. This material time, it is called kāla. Kāla means death. Or kāla means the black snake. So black snake destroys. As soon as touches anything, it is destroyed. Similarly, kāla... This kāla is also another form of Kṛṣṇa. So kālena mahatā. Therefore it is called mahatā. It is very powerful. It is not ordinary thing. Mahatā. Its business is to destroy. Sa kālena iha naṣṭa. So by due course of time... Because how the kāla can destroy? As soon as kāla sees that you are distorting, then it will be lost. So don't try to understand Bhagavad-gītā from persons who are under the influence of kāla—past, present, future. Don't try to understand Bhagavad-gītā from so-called rascal philosophers, commentators, and... They will write Bhagavad-gītā in a distorted way.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Sometimes these senses are described as kāla sarpa. Kāla sarpa means the black cobra. As soon as the cobra touches—immediately dead. Similarly, if we allow this kāla sarpa to act in their own way, that means we are inviting death at every moment.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

We have invented so many nonsense things for simply satisfaction of the tongue. A vaiṣṇava kavi, Vaiṣṇava poet, ācārya, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he has wrote a song. That song we chant or sing during the time of taking prasādam. In that song he writes, śarīra abidyā-jāl joḍendriya tāhe kāl: "This body is an emblem of ignorance." Actually we get this material body due to our ignorance. By ignorance we commit so many wrong things, and you have obliged to accept a certain type of body. Therefore it is a network of ignorance. Śarīra abidyā-jāl joḍendriya tāhe kāl. In that network of ignorance there are different senses, joḍendriya tāhe kāl, gross material senses. They are just like our death. Sometimes these senses are described as kāla sarpa. Kāla sarpa means the black cobra. As soon as the cobra touches—immediately dead. Similarly, if we allow this kāla sarpa to act in their own way, that means we are inviting death at every moment. Therefore those who are too much bodily attached, for them this yoga system is controlling the senses, yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ. Yoga does not mean to increase the power of sense gratification. Yoga means controlling the senses.

So the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that this network of ignorance, where the senses are like black cobra, out of all those senses the tongue is the greatest black cobra.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that this network of ignorance, where the senses are like black cobra, out of all those senses the tongue is the greatest black cobra. Tā'ra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. The tongue, if you practice... Just for example, nobody learns smoking from the birth, but when he's habituated, then they are as chain smoker, one cigarette after another, one cigarette after..., you see. This is simply by bad association. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that tā'ra madhye jihvā ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Because we have indulged this tongue to increase his greediness, therefore we see so much advertisement of liquor and cigarettes and so many, or teas and coffee. Simply it is practice. So as you have practice, by practice you have increased so-called demands of your body, you can decrease it also.

"This black snake is less harmful than the man snake." Why? "Now, this black snake, by chanting some mantra or by some herb can bring him under your control. But this man snake you cannot. It is not possible."
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

"To a rascal, if you give good advice, he becomes angry." Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. How is it? Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. A snake-quality man is very dangerous. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said,

sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ
sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ
mantrauṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ
khalaḥ kena nivāryate

"There are two envious living entities. One is a snake, black snake, and one is a human being with the quality of black snake." He cannot see any good thing. Sarpaḥ krūraḥ. The snake is envious. Without any fault he bites. A snake is there on the street, and if you happen to pass by him he becomes so angry, immediately he bites. So this is the snake's nature. Similarly, there are persons like the snake. Without any fault they will accuse you. They are also snake. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "This black snake is less harmful than the man snake." Why? "Now, this black snake, by chanting some mantra or by some herb can bring him under your control. But this man snake you cannot. It is not possible."

So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake. In Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed."
Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

So do you think that sādhu, those who are sādhu, they are pleased when a person is killed? Not ordinary person. He is giving very nice example. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Vṛścika means scorpion and sarpa means snake. Naturally, whenever a scorpion is found or a snake is out, every man is prepared to kill it. Every man. "Oh, here is a snake. Kill it." When I was in Allahabad, in my bed there was a snake. I do not know how it came, but I informed to the servants, and they came with all stick immediately. So when the bed seat was taken away, it was under the, I mean to say, quilt. So that snake was there, and from the face of the snake I could understand that she was, it was so afraid. He could understand that "Now I'm going to be killed by so many people. They have come." So I told them that "Don't kill this poor fellow. Better take it and send it to the forest." But they took it away, but I later on understood they killed it. So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake with... In Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed." So at that time I thought that "How Guru Mahārāja ordered for killing the snake?" Then, after so many years, when I began to read Bhāgavatam and came to this passage, Prahlāda Mahārāja assertion, modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā, then I thought that "My Guru Mahārāja did right thing." Here also, modeta. Even a sādhu. Then why a sādhu is pleased when a sarpa, a scorpion, or snake is killed? The reason is that these two kinds of creatures, they bite innocent persons without any fault. Without any fault. Or for little fault. The venomous snake. Immediately. By nature they are so angry and so envious that they feel pleasure if somebody is bitten and immediately die. That is their nature. Therefore killing a snake and scorpion means to save it from so many sinful activities. Because it is nature. It will kill so many persons, so many animals, because its nature is innocent person, bite innocent person, kill him. So if there is seen by killing another, it will continue. Better to kill it to stop its sinful activities. That is the reason here it is said, modeta sādhur api.

General Lectures

Our senses in this material world have been described as venomous serpents. Indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. Kāla-sarpa, cobra, black cobra.
Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Our senses in this material world have been described as venomous serpents. Indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. Kāla-sarpa, cobra, black cobra. So these indriyas are like that. Indriya means senses. As soon as touches, immediately it makes him poisonous. And that is the cause of our material conditional life. The more we are indulging unrestrictedly in sense gratification, we are becoming more and more entangled.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Still, he is so envious, black snake. So one circular letter should be issued to all our center, that "Any Bon Mahārāja or anyone, his representative, should not be received." They are envious.
Room Conversation with Reporter of The Star -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa śakti vina nahe kṛṣṇa nāme pracāra: "Without Kṛṣṇa's special power of attorney, nobody can preach His name." Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So these rascals, Godbrothers, they are envious that... What he has written? Bon Mahārāja. Just see what kind of men they are. They are not even ordinary human being. They are envious of me, and what to speak of make a judgment by estimation? They're envious. Enviousness is immediately disqualification of Vaiṣṇava, immediate. He is not a human being. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ (SB 1.1.2). This Bhāgavatam is meant for the person who is completely not envious. That is the beginning. Why a Vaiṣṇava should be envious for anyone? Everyone is working according to his karma. He is trying to rectify him, that "Be out of these clutches of karma. You come to bhakti." Why he should be envious? Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. A Vaiṣṇava should be like ocean of mercy to reclaim the fallen souls. That is Vaiṣṇava's qualification. So Vaiṣṇava should be envious? Just see. So these persons, they are not even human being, what to speak of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava cannot be envious. Vaiṣṇava should be: "Oh, my Lord's name is being broadcast. He is getting, giving so much service to make Kṛṣṇa known." That man has appreciated, that "All these spiritual leaders, they are deriding. You are the only man... You are... It enthuses us, give us more encouragement, that you are keeping intact, love of Kṛṣṇa." This is an appreciation. Why he should be envious? He should be, rather, very much enthused that "This single man is keeping Kṛṣṇa all over the world." And everyone is deriding. Even Gandhi is killing Kṛṣṇa. Dr. Radhakrishnan is killing. Their only business is to kill Kṛṣṇa. He is also doing that, our, this Bon Mahārāja. He never speaks of Kṛṣṇa. His rascal, that Institute of Indian Philosophy, nobody goes to urine(?) there. We see practically. And our temple is always filled up, five hundred men. And he is trying for the last forty years. He is simply planning: "This will be playground. This will be this ground. This will be this ground." And it is becoming jungle. Still, he is so envious, black snake. So one circular letter should be issued to all our center, that "Any Bon Mahārāja or anyone, his representative, should not be received." They are envious. Yes. Quoting that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Sixty years, they could not do any of these books. And still they are envious. Within sixty years they could not attract any foreign student or any book published. And still, they are proud. They have got all the blessings of Bhaktisiddhānta. Just see, how black snakes they are.
Morning Walk -- March 9, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Sixty years, they could not do any of these books. And still they are envious. Within sixty years they could not attract any foreign student or any book published. And still, they are proud. They have got all the blessings of Bhaktisiddhānta.

Yaśodānandana: They cannot even attract Indian students.

Prabhupāda: Just see, how black snakes they are.

He's so black, there is no more black required. A black snake. In Bengal it is said if a brāhmaṇa is black he is dangerous.
Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is one gentleman, Sadajivatra in Bombay. You know him?

Akṣayānanda: Sadaji Mahatma?

Prabhupāda: Sadajivatra.

Akṣayānanda: Oh yes.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) proprietor.

Akṣayānanda: I know of him.

Prabhupāda: He is very intelligent. He has said to a friend, that Bhaktivedanta Swami (Hindi) Kāla means, that he has made all other so-called sannyāsīs, yogis, black-faced.

Akṣayānanda: (laughs) Jaya. He is intelligent.

Prabhupāda: Bhaktivedanta Swami sata mukala.(?)

Akṣayānanda: It's true. It's true.

Prabhupāda: Now here is a big sannyāsī, Akhandanandan, or Bon Maharaja. They are supposed to be big, big sannyāsī.

Akṣayānanda: I do not know what Akhandanandan does.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, (indistinct) And this Anandamaya. Actually I am not proud, but what they have done in comparison to me?

Akṣayānanda: Yes, they've done nothing.

Prabhupāda: He has said sata mukala.

Akṣayānanda: Mukala.

Prabhupāda: Kāla. Kāla means lajjita. Black face. Everyone should be ashamed. They may be envious on account of their failure, but if you come to the actual valuation, sata mukala. That's a fact.

Hari-śauri: Actually, that Bon Maharaja is very black anyway.

Prabhupāda: He's so black, there is no more black required. (laughter) A black snake. (Bengali) In Bengal it is said if a brāhmaṇa is black he is dangerous.

Akṣayānanda: If a brāhmaṇa is black?

Prabhupāda: That means he's not pure brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa cannot be black. Just like a European, if he becomes black, that means he has mixture. European and American, if he's black, that means mixture. So brāhmaṇa family, how it has... Still, family, it must be very fair. Śukla. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya family must be very beautiful. If he's pure. Kāla brāhmaṇa prakāśa śūdra (Bengali) beki poṣya-putro pasaraila.(?) It is a slang language. Kāla brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa should not be black and śūdra should not be white.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Black snake, yes. Feature is rākṣasa.
Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're trying to find so many things out from our past. They are trying to find any devotees who have left the movement, and they're trying to ask them so many questions to try and find out something that is wrong. Now, one devotee came to us... He's not a devotee anymore, Manasvī.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this Manasvī came one day to see Ādi-keśa and myself. You may recall in New York he had asked for a letter exonerating him. So you had told me to investigate. So I sent out a letter to three persons. Gurukṛpā Mahārāja and Śrutakīrti and Śukadeva. But none of them could find anything wrong with the accounts. Anyway, after a while I issued him one letter that at least to our... From our accounts we have not found anything wrong. Anyway, so I thought that would satisfy him. So recently he came, and now he says, "I am finding so much difficulty from my father-in-law. Because he lent me some money, now I have to pay back this money, and I'm having great difficulty, and I'm suffering on account of ISKCON has given me so much harassment against getting my citizenship here. So now the DA, the District Attorney has approached me, offering me money to speak things about this movement. Of course, I do not want to speak these things, but I am so much needing money." Blackmail. This man has become the blackest snake I have ever seen. So "I do not want to tell them anything." He told them everything he knows already. It's clear by the way he was talking that he's already spoken to them everything. So we told him that "We have nothing to hide. You may speak as much as you like. We have absolutely nothing to hide. So we cannot give you any money." Then again he called me on the telephone: "Now you have given me one letter which says that I was not doing anything wrong, but it is a fact that I have suffered so much. So my lawyer has advised me that I can sue the Society." So I pointed out to him that the letter I gave him was on ISKCON Inc. of New York letterhead, but the charges are against ISKCON Hawaii, which is a separate organization. So practically the letter has no value because I have no qualification for commenting on ISKCON Hawaii. I'm not an officer, nor do I have anything to do with them, so the letter is useless. I told him he can use it for... Well, anyway, I won't say... (laughter) Anyway. He's so black snake.

Prabhupāda: Black snake, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You helped him so many times.

Hari-śauri: He's a known thief, anyway.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man stole from his father, and it is clear now that he joined this movement only to get an American woman and to go to America. I think he never had much intention to worship Kṛṣṇa. He's eating meat, and his wife... Even when they came to America he ordered is wife, "Now you cook meat." He looks very different now. He looks like a rākṣasa.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Feature is rākṣasa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So they're getting this information, but what can they do? They're getting so much information from these devotees who have left.

Prabhupāda: What is that information?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're trying to find some imperfection, but they cannot.

Prabhupāda: We are not perfect. We're trying to be perfect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's just like the Christian church. The book may be very good, but if someone doesn't follow it doesn't mean their religion is bad.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So they cannot condemn our religion. The books are perfect.

Blacksmith or black snake?
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Rūpānuga: In America the scientists are like the blacksmiths. They're like just blacksmiths. And in India the scientists may have some culture...

Prabhupāda: Blacksmith or black snake?

Rūpānuga: Both. (laughs) But at least in India...

Prabhupāda: So organize in India. Make your headquarters in India.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

I do not wish to go into all details here, but I must inform you that this Bon Maharaja may be considered as a black snake.
Letter to Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

(TEXT MISSING)

letter of January 9, 1969, I suspect that you have interest in taking instruction from some siksa guru, but in this connection, because you are my disciple and I think, a sincere soul, it is my duty to refer you to someone who is competent to act as siksa guru. This Bon Maharaja, perhaps you do not know, has been rejected by Guru Maharaja. So I cannot recommend him as siksa guru. I think that he has no actual spiritual asset. For spiritual advancement of life, we must go to one who is actually practicing spiritual life; not to some head of a mundane institution, not to one who has offended his Spiritual Master in so many ways. I do not wish to go into all details here, but I must inform you that this Bon Maharaja may be considered as a black snake, and at the time of His Disappearance, my Guru Maharaja did not even wish to have him in His presence due to the character of this Bon Maharaja.

Page Title:Black snake
Compiler:Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas
Created:18 of Sep, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=5, OB=3, Lec=6, Con=5, Let=1
No. of Quotes:21