10 - Salvation of Putana

Narayana said- Thereafter, Kamsa heard the divine voice from the sky while he was seated over the golden lion throne, "O foolish one what are you doing; think of your well-being. I king your death has arrived on the earth and you think of the ways for your welfare, Vasudeva has changed his son with that of the daughter of Nanda for your destruction and brought her here clandestinely and handed her over to you.

This girl was born of amsha of Maya and the lord himself was born in the house of Vasudeva as his son. He will be the one who will kill you and is growing up in the house of Nanda in Gokula. 

The seventh child of Devaki too is growing up in the house of Nanda, the seventh conception of Devaki was not aborted and that son is still alive.  Yogamaya extracted foetus from the womb of Devaki and transplanted the same in the womb of Rohini and Baladeva was born out of that. 

"Both Krishna and Baladeva will be the cause of your death and are growing up in the house of Nanda." On hearing this divine voice, the king Kamsa started feeling panicky. He could not take his food and he summoned Putana, who was dearer to him than his life and spoke to her in his court which was attended to by many kings. 

Kamsa said- О Putana, you go to the palace of Nanda in Gokula for my sake and applying poison to your breasts you insert them in the mouth of the infant. О dear one, you move with the speed of the mind. You are well-versed in the illusion. 

O Yogini, by means of your illusion you take to human form and go there. О well established one, you can move everywhere because of the mantra you received from Durvasa and are also competent to take to any form. О Narada, thus speaking the king Kamsa, kept quiet. Bowing in reverence to Kamsa, Putana started from the place. The glory of her limbs resembled the molten gold. She was adorned with various types of ornaments and the garland of jasmine flowers, wearing beautiful hair do over the head. She was having the beautiful spots of kasthuri on her forehead, besides the vermilion creating sound with her anklets and waist-band, she went on to her path. Reaching Vraja, she looked at the beautiful palace of Nanda which was difficult to look at by others and was surrounded by quite deep and dark revines which were difficult to cross. It was constructed by Vishvakarma with stones. 

It was decorated with sapphire, emerald lotus like gems, had the divine' kalashas of gold and astonishing type of the shikharas. The boundary walls touching the sky and had four gates which had the doors of iron. The gale keepers were guarding the gates.  

The beautiful palace was surrounded by the beautiful damsels and was filled with diamonds and gems besides other riches. There were enormous number of golden vases, crores of cows, lakhs of cowherds, serving as attendants who were fed there. There were thousands of slave girls who were engaged in different types of works. The chaste Putana entered in such a type of palace in a beautiful form, wearing the serene smile over her face.

Finding her entering in to the palace, the cowherdesses as if Lakshmi or Durga had arrived to have a look at child Krishna all the cowherd and cowherdesses bowed before her and enquired of her welfare. They offered her a lion throne as a seat and washed her feet. The chaste lady also enquired of the welfare from the cowherdesses.  The beautiful damsel then sat there with a smile on her face and accepted the offerings made to her by the cowherds and cowherdesses quite delightfully. 

Thereafter, the cowherdesses enquired of her, “O damsel who are you and where do you live.  What is your name? What is the purpose of your arrival here? You tell us.” 

On hearing the words of the cowherdesses, she spoke in beautiful words, "I reside in Mathura and am a cowherd. Presently I am the wife of the Brahmana. I have heard from a messenger that Nanda and Yashoda have got a son in the old age. On hearing it, I have arrived here to blessed the child. You bring here the child; I shall revert to my abode after blessing the child.” 

On hearing the words of the Brahmana lady, the mind of Yashoda was delighted who bowed before her and gave the child to the Brahmana lady who carried him in her lap. 

Carrying him in her lap, she kissed him again and again; thereafter the chaste Putana inserted his breast into the mouth of Krishna.

She said to Yashoda, "O beautiful cowherdess, this child of your is of astonishing beauty and equates Narayana is qualities. Lord Krishna sucking the breast of Putana coated with poison, sat on her breasts and started smiling, he sucked her milk poison, together with her life.",  

О sage, the chaste lady shed away her life leaving the child there and she fell down on the ground. After the fall of her body her mouth look quite terrific. She fell down with her face on the earth and left her worldly body and entered the ethereal body. She mounted on a gem-studded chariot which was carefully built. The chariot was surrounded with the divine courtiers having beautiful banners in lakhs. It had a large number of mirrors, garments purified by fire was the best, having painting made of different types of gems and had a hundred wheels. It was illumining with the lustre of the gems. The courtiers carried her to excellent Goloka making Putana to ride over it.

Beholding the wonderful act, the cowherd and the cowherdesses felt surprised and hearing all this Kansha too became dazed.

О sage, Yashoda then picked up the child and took him in his lap and started feeding him with her breasts. They also performed the welfare ceremony through the Brahmanas for child. 

Thereafter, Nanda delightfully cremated the body of Putana using sandal-wood, aguru and kasthuri besides others fragrant articles. 

Narada said- Who was that chaste lady in the form of Putana appearing as a demoness? By what merit she had an audience with the lord with and went to the abode Krishna? 

Narayana said- In the sacrifice of Bali his daughter named Ratnamala felt attracted towards Vamana and desired to have him as her son. She had thought in her mind that the son like him should be fed by her from her breasts. "Inserting the breast in to his mouth I shall make him sit over my breasts.” 

The lord understood her desire and therefore he sucked his breasts in the next birth. The compassionate lord who fulfils all the desires, gave her the position of a mother feeding himself from her breasts. 

О sage, the demoness Putana offered her breasts for sucking by Krishna with devotion and achieved the glory. Then why should I adore any other god accept the lord who granted salvation to Putana? 

О Brahmana, thus I have narrated the qualities of lord Krishna which are sweet at every step. Now I am going to narrate to you his qualities further which are no doubt the best in the world.