Garga Bhagavatam: Golok Khand : Chapter 13
Salvation of Putana
Narada says:- Oh King! Nanda went
to Kamsa's place to pay taxes and also enquire about the welfare of Vasudeva
and also inform him about the birth of the child in his home. At the same time,
the huge and evil demoness (rakshasi), Pootana, who was sent by Kamsa, moving
around towns and villages came near Gokul. The breath coming out of her
nostrils had a gurgling sound.
As she neared Gokul she took the
form of sweet and lovely sixteen-year-old girl with her Maya(magical powers).
Her beauty and radiance were more than those of Shachi, Saraswati, Rambha, and
Rathi. When she walked, her swinging body made her more attractive. Looking at
her, Rohini and Yashoda were overawed by her beauty. As soon as she came, she
took Balagopal in her arms and held him close to her bosom and started feeding
Him milk from her breasts which was very poisonous.
Srihari, who was angered by this
sucked all the milk from her bosom and also the life out of her. When the pain
was unbearable, she screamed with pain and ran out of the house, carrying the
baby. After going out, she lost her magic and got back to her original form.
Her eyes popped out. Her body became pale and she fell weeping and screaming.
All the worlds echoed her screaming and the whole earth started shaking. An
amazing incident took place there. Oh, King! Pootana's body was very huge and
was as hard as a diamond. All the trees that came under her body broke into
pieces. At that time, the Gopas were talking to each other and were saying 'the
baby who goes into the arms of the fearful and huge demoness can never be
alive'. But that remarkable boy was sitting on her body, playfully smiling and
playing. He was enjoying after drinking Pootana's milk. All the women along
with Yashoda and Rohini lifted the boy from that position and held Him in their
arms. Everyone was overjoyed. They took the baby and protected him with
rituals. They applied the holy sand of the Yamuna river and bathed him in the
water of Yamuna. They purified him with a cow's tail and poured a mixture of
Gomutra (cow's urine) and cow dung on him. They recited holy and protective
slokas(verses) to safeguard him from all evils.
श्रीकृष्णस्तेशिर:
पातु वैकुन्ठ: कन्ठमेव
हि|
श्वेतद्वीपपति:
कर्णौ नासिकाम् यज्ञरूप दृक्||
नृसिम्होनेत्रयुग्मम् च जिह्वाम् दशरथात्मज:|
अधराववतात्ते
तु नरनारायणावृषि|
कपोलौ
पान्तु ते साक्षात
सनकाद्या: कला हरे:|
भालम्
ते श्वेतवाराहो नारदो
भृलतेवतु||
चिबुकम्
कपिल: पातु दत्तात्रेय
उरोवतु|
स्कन्धौ
द्वावृशभ: पातु करौ
मत्स्य: प्रपातु ते||
दोर्दन्डम्
सततम् रक्षेत् पृथु: पृथुलविक्रम: |
उधरम
कमठ: पातु नाभिम् दन्वन्तरिह
क ते||
srikrishnasteshirah paatu
vaikunTha kanThameva hi|
shvetadwiipapatiH karnau
naasikaam yagnyaroopa drik||
nrusimhonetrayugmam ca jihvaam dasharathaatmajah|adharaavavataatte tu naranaaraayaNaavriShi|
kapolaou paantu te saakshaat
sanakaadyaaH kalaa hareH|
bhaalam te shvetavaaraaho naarado
bhruulatevatu||
cibukam kapilaH paatu dattaatreya
urovatu|
skandhau dvaavrishabhaH paatu
karau matsyaH prapaatu te||
dordanDam satatam rakshet prithuH
prithulavikramaH |
udharam kamaThaH paatu naabhim
danvantariH ca te||
This is the most beautiful 'Sri Krishna kavach' (protective
mantra). This was given by Lord Vishnu
Himself to Brahma, who came out of his navel. Brahma taught this to Shambu, who
taught it to Durvasa. And Durvasa came to Nanda's house and taught this to Yashoda.
Yashoda along with Gopis protected Nandanandan with this and rewarded the
Brahmanas.
At that time Nanda and other Gopas returned to Mathura and all of them were struck with fear. The Gopas severed the body of Pootana into pieces and cremated, The smoke that emanated from the pyre was very aromatic and smelling like cardamom, cloves, and sandal perfume. Who else can we surrender to other than Krishna who gave moksha(salvation) to even to the lowliest, Pootana?
King Bahulashwa asked:- Who was this demoness, Pootana whose breasts were filled with poison, in her previous birth and could attain salvation in this birth?
Narada said:- In the past during,
King Bali's spiritual sacrifice, the daughter of Bali called Ratnamala beheld
Lord Vaman and loved Him like a son, and wished that she should be able to
breastfeed a child, like Him. Bali was a great devotee of the Lord Vamana.
Hence He granted her a boon saying ' what you are wishing in your mind will be
fulfilled'. That same Ratnmala became well-known as demoness Pootana at the end
of Dwapara yuga. By the touch of Sri Krishna, her wish got fulfilled. King of
Mithila! all those humans who listen to the story of the salvation of Pootana
will get the benevolence of Lord Sri Krishna. They will attain all the three
benefits of Dharma, Artha, and Kaama. What else is there to say?
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