Bhagavatam - Tenth Skandha , Chapter 6
Putana's salvation
( Engaged by Kamsa , Putana an expert in killing infants and an expert in transforming herself with different disguises started moving about the villages and towns of Vraja ) _______________
Putana's Salvation .
Suka Deva continued.
Meanwhile encouraged and engaged by Kamsa, Putana an expert in killing infants and an expert in transforming herself with different disguises started moving about the villages and towns of Vraja. She reached Gokul in the course of time. Transforming herself into a beautiful lady attracting the attention of all and looking like a Lakshmi herself with a lotus in her hand in search of the Lord Vishnu, she wandered into Gokul trying to locate the Divine child that was born to kill Kamsa.
While searching, she entered the house of Maharaj Nanda and found the divine child of Yashoda lying on the bed. The all knowing divine child merely closed his eyes like the infant he is supposed to be and in anticipation of events to happen. The Rakshasa woman Putana took the child into her lap very lovingly , very much like the person who unknowingly picks up a serpent thinking it to be a mere rope. Yashoda and Rohini were hypnotized by the magic of the beautiful looking Rakshasa lady Putana. They did not object to Putana picking up the divine child . As Putana pushed her breasts smeared with poison into the divine child's mouth, the divine child gripped her breasts with both hands as if to suck the milk and squeezed it very hard, sucking out her life along with the poison. Putana let out a cry saying “enough enough release me release me “. With eyes protruding and body perspiring profusely , she flailed her hands and feet repeatedly and finally the demon Putana lost her life and fell down dead in her original form of the Rakshasa woman of monstrous proportions , relinquishing the façade of the beautiful lady . The divine child was playing about kicking his legs on the upper portion of her breast even as the Rakshasa woman lay dead.
The Gopi women immediately picked up the infant. The mothers Yashoda and Rohini immediately took all the protective measures, like waving the tail of a cow around the baby. Thereafter cleansing the infant and cleansing themselves, all of them led a prayer for the protection of the divine child who needs no protection.
They sang in unison.
“May the Lord Aja protect your legs.
May the Lord Maniman protect your knees.
May the Lord Yagna protect your thighs.
May the Lord Achyuta protect the upper part of your waist.
May the Lord Hayagriva protect your abdomen.
May the Lord Kesava protect your Heart.
May the Lord Isa protect your Chest.
May the Lord Surya protect your neck.
May the Lord Vishnu protect your arms.
May the Lord Urukram protect your face .
May the Lord Iswara protect your head.
May the Lord Chakri protect you from the front .
May the Lord Srihari protect you from the back.
May the Lord Madhusudana and Lord Ajana protect you from the sides.
May the Lord Urugaya protect you from the corners.
May the Lord Upendra and Lord Tarkshya protect you from above and the ground.
May Lord Hrishikesa protect your senses.
May the Lord Narayana protect your life.
May the Lord Svetadweepa protect your chitta.
May the Lord Yogeswara protect your mind.
May the Lord Prisnigarbha protect your Intellect.
May the Supreme Soul protect your Soul.
May the Lord Govinda protect you while playing.
May the Lord Madhava protect you while sleeping.
May the Lord Vaikuntha protect you while walking.
May the Lord Sripathi protect you while sitting.
May the Lord of all sacrifices protect you while eating.
Whatever destroyers of children are there like Dakinis, Rakshasis, Kushmandas , Whatever evil forces are there that attack the body like Bhutas , Pretas, Pisachas, Whatever young planets are seen in dreams indicating evil portents – May all such things be utterly destroyed in the dread of Lord's name “
This is a simple prayer addressing all their concerns for the baby.
After the Gopis have taken all protective measures for the baby out of love and affection, the mother Yashoda took the baby to nurse and put him to sleep.
Nanda and other Gopas who came back from Mathura were surprised to see the huge body of Putana. Immediately Nanda recalled warning of Vasudev and told other Gopas that Vasudev must be a Rishi to have been able to foresee and predict the calamitous happenings. The body of Putana was too huge to be cremated in one piece. They then had the huge body of Putana cut to pieces and cremated the same using the firewood. As the body was burnt sweet smell of Sandalwood spread everywhere. It is as through the sinful Rakshasa woman was sanctified by the mere act of suckling the baby, who is in reality the supreme Lord Himself. Surprised by the sweet smell the Gopas returned home. They were quite astonished by the turn of events. Nanda too was astonished after hearing the story of arrival Putana, her suckling of Krishna, then her death and the miraculous survival of the infant.
Suka deva continued. “This is a wonderful story of Krishna as a child. O King! Who ever hears this story of Putana's salvation, he will obtain the blessings of Govinda “.
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“who ever hear this story of Putana's salvation, a wonderful story of Krishna as a child, he will obtain the blessings of Govinda! “