In Hindu mythology, Krishna subdued the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna River.
Kaliya was a poisonous nāga whose venom polluted the river and harmed living beings. According to the Bhagavata Purana and related traditions, Krishna entered the water after Kaliya’s poison threatened the community. He defeated the serpent and danced on its many heads.
Kaliya’s wives, the Nāga patnis, praised Krishna and asked for mercy. Krishna spared Kaliya but ordered him to leave the Yamuna and return to the island of Ramanaka. The serpent’s departure restored the river and ended the danger to the local people.
Kaliya is not the same figure as Vasuki, who appears in the ocean-churning episode, or Ananta, the serpent associated with Vishnu. The story is especially prominent in Krishna’s childhood legends.