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Story of Impression on Hood of Cobra Snake and Sri Krishna


As per Hinduism, in the beginning cobra snakes did not have the impression that we see today on their hoods. As per the Hindu story, they got it after Bhagavan Krishna stamped on Kaliya Naag.

Huge multi-hooded Kaliya snake had made Yamuna his home. He poisoned the waters and this killed scores of fishes, amphibians, birds, animals, trees and plants. People found it hard to find good water.

Little Krishna decided to get rid of Kaliya from Yamuna. He deliberately threw a ball into Yamuna and on the pretext of retrieving the ball he jumped into Yamuna.

A ferocious battle took place between Kaliya and Krishna.


Kaliya was subdued and Bhagavan Krishna began to dance on the raised hood of the serpent.

Whenever the snake tried to raise a hood, Krishna stamped it down with his feet.

See the pitiable condition of Kaliya, his wives asked Krishan for forgiveness.

Krishna agreed to let Kaliya go alive provided he will not torment or go near other living beings.

Then Kaliya told Krishna that if he ventures out of Yamuna, Garuda, the mythical eagle, would hunt him down.

Bhagavan told Kaliya that his hood now has his foot impression. Garuda will never attack a naga that this foot impression.

From that day cobras have foot impression of Sri Krishna on their hood.