kasyÄnubhÄvo 'sya na deva vidmahe
tavÄá¹…ghri-reṇu-sparaÅ›ÄdhikÄraḥ
yad-vÄñchayÄ Å›rÄ«r lalanÄcarat tapo
vihÄya kÄmÄn su-ciraá¹ dhá¹›ta-vratÄ

 kasya - of what; anubhÄvaḥ - a result; asya - of the serpent (KÄliya); na - not; deva - O Lord; vidmahe - we know; tava-aá¹…ghri - of Your lotus feet; reṇu - of the dust; sparaÅ›a - for touching; adhikÄraḥ - qualification; yat - which; vÄñchayÄ - by desiring; Å›rīḥ - the goddess of fortune; lalanÄ - the topmost woman; acarat - performed; tapaḥ - austerity; vihÄya - giving up; kÄmÄn - all desires; su-ciram - for a long time; dhá¹›ta - a law upheld; vratÄ - as a vow.


Text

“ ‘O Lord, we do not know how the serpent KÄliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how this serpent KÄliya got such an opportunity.’

Purport

This verse from ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (10.16.36) was spoken by the wives of the KÄliya serpent.