NBS#191

Çré Pavitropana Ekädaçé

Issue no:191

08th August 2022

A Natural Reflection Of The Supreme Mercy The Killing Of The Demon Putana Srila Sukadeva Goswami

Maharaja Parikshit And Putana

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

How Was Putana Promoted To Goloka Vrindavan?

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

A Natural Reflection Of The Supreme Mercy Srila Santana Goswami

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Issue no 190, Page — 2 The Killing Of The Demon Putana Srila Sukadeva Goswami

Sukadeva Goswami continued: My dear King, while Nanda Maharaja was on the way home, he considered that what Vasudeva had said could not be false or useless. There must have been some danger of disturbances in Gokula. As Nanda Maharaja thought about the danger for his beautiful son, Krishna, he was afraid, and he took shelter at the lotus feet of the supreme controller, Narayana.

While Nanda Maharaja was returning to Gokula, the same fierce Putana whom Kamsa had previously engaged to kill babies was wandering about in the towns, cities and villages, doing her nefarious duty. My dear King, wherever people in any position perform their occupational duties of devotional service by chanting and hearing [çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù], there cannot be any danger from bad elements. Therefore, there was no need for anxiety about Gokula while the Supreme Personality of Godhead was personally present. Once upon a time, Putana Räkñasé, who could travel by to her desire alone and was wandering in outer space, converted herself by mystic power into a very beautiful woman and thus entered Gokula, the abode of Nanda Maharaja.

Her hips were full, her breasts were large and firm, seeming to overburden her slim waist, and she was dressed very nicely. Her hair, adorned with a garland of fragrant, snow-white mallikä flowers, was scattered about her beautiful face.

Her earrings were brilliant, and as she smiled very attractively, glancing upon everyone, her beauty drew the attention of all the inhabitants of Vraja, especially the men. When the cowherd ladies saw her, they thought that the beautiful goddess of fortune, holding a lotus flower in her hand, had come to see her husband, Krishna.

While searching for small children, Putana, whose purpose was to kill them, entered the house of Nanda Maharaja unobstructed, having been sent by the superior potency of the Lord.

Without asking anyone’s permission, she entered Nanda Maharaja’s room, where she saw the child sleeping in bed, His unlimited power covered like a powerful fire covered by ashes. She could understand that this child was not ordinary, but was meant to kill all demons.

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Lord Sri Krishna, the all-pervading Supersoul, lying on the bed, understood that Putana, a witch who was expert in killing small children, had come to kill Him. Therefore, as if afraid of her, Krishna closed His eyes. Thus, Putana took upon her lap Him who was to be her own annihilation, just as an unintelligent person places a sleeping snake on his lap, thinking the snake to be a rope.

Putana Räkñasé's heart was fierce and cruel, but she looked like a very affectionate mother. In this way she resembled a sharp sword in a soft sheath.

Although seeing her within the room, Yasoda and Rohini, overwhelmed by her beauty, did not stop her, but remained silent because she treated the child like a mother.

On that very spot, the fiercely dangerous Räkñasé took Krishna on her lap and pushed her breast into His mouth. The nipple of her breast was smeared with a dangerous, immediately effective poison, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, becoming very angry at her, took hold of her breast, squeezed it very hard with both hands, and sucked out both the poison and her life. Unbearably pressed in every vital point, the demon Putana began to cry, “Please leave me, leave me! Suck my breast no longer!” Perspiring, her eyes wide open and her arms and legs flailing, she cried very loudly again and again.

As Putana screamed loudly and forcefully, the earth with its mountains, and outer space with its planets, trembled. The lower planets and all directions vibrated, and people fell down, fearing that thunderbolts were coming upon them. In this way the demoness Putana, very distressed because her breast was being attacked by Krishna, lost her life. O King Pariksit, opening her mouth wide and spreading her arms, legs and hair, she fell down in the pasturing ground in her original form as a Räkñasé, as Vrtrasura had fallen when killed by the thunderbolt of Indra.

O King Pariksit, when the gigantic body of Putana fell to the ground, it smashed all the trees to a range of twelve miles. Appearing in a gigantic body, she was certainly extraordinary. The Räkñasé’s mouth was full of teeth, each resembling the front of a plough, her nostrils were deep like mountain caves, and her breasts resembled big slabs of stone fallen from a hill. Her scattered hair was the colour of copper. The sockets of her eyes

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä appeared like deep blind wells, her fearful thighs resembled the banks of a river, her arms, legs and feet seemed like big bridges, and her abdomen appeared like a dried-up lake bed. The hearts, ears and heads of the cowherd men and women were already shocked by the Räkñasé’s screaming, and when they saw the fierce wonder of her body, they were even more frightened. Without fear, the child Krishna was playing on the upper portion of Putana Räkñasé’s breast, and when the gopés saw the child’s wonderful activities, they immediately came forward with great jubilation and picked Him up.

Thereafter, mother Yasoda and Rohini, along with the other elderly cowherd ladies (gopés), waved about the switch of a cow to give full protection to the child Sri Krishna. The child was thoroughly washed with cow urine and then smeared with the dust raised by the movements of the cows. Then different names of the Lord were applied with cow dung on twelve different parts of His body, beginning with the forehead, as done in applying tilaka. In this way, the child was given protection. The gopés first executed the process of äcamana, drinking a sip of water from the right hand. They purified their bodies and hands with the nyäsa-mantra and then applied the same mantra upon the body of the child.

[Sukadeva Gosvami informed Maharaja Pariksit that the gopés, following the proper system, protected Krishna, their child, with this mantra.] May Aja protect Your legs, may Maniman protect Your knees, Yajsa Your thighs, Acyuta the upper part of Your waist, and Hayagriva Your abdomen. May Kesava protect Your heart, Isa Your chest, the sun-god Your neck, Visnu Your arms, Urukrama Your face, and Isvara Your head. May Cakri protect You from the front; may Sri Hari, Gadadhari, the carrier of the club, protect You from the back; and may the carrier of the bow, who is known as the enemy of Madhu, and Lord Ajana, the carrier of the sword, protect Your two sides. May Lord Urugaya, the carrier of the conchshell, protect You from all corners; may Upendra protect You from above; may Garuda protect You on the ground; and may Lord Haladhara, the Supreme Person, protect You on all sides. May Hrsikesa protect Your senses, and Narayana Your life air. May the master of Svetadvipa protect the core of Your heart, and may Lord Yogesvara protect Your mind. May Lord Prsnigarbha protect Your intelligence, and www.ibmedu.org

Issue no 190, Page—3 the Supreme Personality of Godhead Your soul.

While You are playing, may Govinda protect You, and while You are sleeping may Madhava protect You. May Lord Vaikuntha protect You while You are walking, and may Lord Narayana, the husband of the goddess of fortune, protect You while You are sitting. Similarly, may Lord Yajsabhuk, the fearful enemy of all evil planets, always protect You while You enjoy life. The evil witches known as Òäkinés, Yätudhänés and Kuñmäëòas are the greatest enemies of children, and the evil spirits like Bhütas, Pretas, Piçäcas, Yakñas, Räkñasas and Vinäyakas, as well as witches like Koöarä, Revaté, Jyeñöhä, Pütanä and Mätåkä, are always ready to give trouble to the body, the life air and the senses, causing loss of memory, madness and bad dreams.

Like the most powerful evil stars, they all create great disturbances, especially for children, but one can vanquish them simply by uttering Lord Visnu’s name, for when Lord Visnu’s name resounds, all of them become afraid and go away.

Sukadeva Goswami continued: All the cowherd ladies (gopés), headed by mother Yasoda, were bound by maternal affection. After they thus chanted mantras to protect the child, mother Yasoda gave the child the nipple of her breast to suck and then got Him to lie down on His bed. Meanwhile, all the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, returned from Mathura, and when they saw on the way the gigantic body of Putana lying dead, they were struck with great wonder. Nanda Maharaja and the other cowherd men (gopas) exclaimed: My dear friends, you must know that Anakadundubhi, Vasudeva, has become a great saint or a master of mystic power. Otherwise how could he have foreseen this calamity and predicted it to us? The inhabitants of Vraja cut the gigantic body of Putana into pieces with the help of axes. Then they threw the pieces far away, covered them with wood and burned them to ashes. Because of Krishna’s having sucked the breast of the demoness (Räkñasé) Putana, when Krishna killed her she was immediately freed of all material contamination.

Her sinful reactions automatically vanished, and therefore when her gigantic body was being burnt, the smoke emanating from her body was fragrant like aguru incense. Putana was always hankering for the blood of human children, and with that desire she came to kill Krishna; but because she offered her breast to the Lord, she attained the Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

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greatest achievement. What then is to be said of those who had natural devotion and affection for Krishna as mothers and who offered Him their breasts to suck or offered something very dear, as a mother offers something to a child? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is always situated within the core of the heart of the pure devotee, and He is always offered prayers by such worshipable personalities as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Because Krishna embraced Putana’s body with great pleasure and sucked her breast,

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä although she was a great witch, she attained the position of a mother in the transcendental world and thus achieved the highest perfection. What then is to be said of the cows whose nipples Krishna sucked with great pleasure and who offered their milk very jubilantly with affection exactly like that of a mother? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the bestower of many benedictions, including liberation [kaivalya], or oneness with the Brahman effulgence. For that Personality of Godhead, the gopés always felt maternal love, and Krishna sucked their breasts with full satisfaction. Therefore, because of their relationship as mother and son, although the gopés were engaged in various family activities, one should never think that they returned to this material world after leaving their bodies.

Upon smelling the fragrance of the smoke emanating from Putana’s burning body, many inhabitants of Vrajabhumi in distant places were astonished. “Where is this fragrance coming from?” they asked. Thus, they went to the spot where Putana’s body was being burnt. When the inhabitants of Vraja who had come from distant places heard the whole story of how Putana had come and then been killed by Krishna, they were certainly astonished, and they offered their blessings to the child for His wonderful deed of killing Putana. Nanda Maharaja, of course, was very much obliged to Vasudeva, who had foreseen the incident, and simply thanked him, thinking how wonderful Vasudeva was. O Maharaja Pariksit, best of the Kurus, Nanda Maharaja was very liberal and simple. He immediately took his son Krishna on his lap as if Krishna had returned from death, and by formally smelling his son’s head, Nanda Maharaja undoubtedly enjoyed transcendental bliss. Any person who hears with faith and devotion about how Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, killed Putana, and who thus invests his time in hearing such childhood pastimes of Krishna, certainly attains attachment for Govinda, the supreme, original person.

- Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum » Chapter Six » Verses 1-44 » Translations by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Maharaja Parikshit And Putana

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

na yatra çravaëädéni rakño-ghnäni sva-karmasu kurvanti sätvatäà bhartur yätudhänyaç ca tatra hi When Maharaja Pariksit heard that the fearful child-killer Putana wandered through various villages killing children on the order of Kamsa, he was full of anxiety for Krishna. At that time Sri Sukadeva Gosvami spoke this verse in order to relieve the king’s anxiety.

This verse was spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to the apprehensive Pariksit Maharaja to confirm that since Putana was engaged in sinful activities, she would certainly die. “Places where the hearing and chanting of Krishna’s names are not present are full of demoniac influence, but wherever the Lord is present there is no question of fear.” (Sridhara Svami) After hearing that Putana was wandering around want only killing children, one may fearfully inquire, “Alas, what was the position of the other baby boys in Sri Nanda’s village?” Sri Sukadeva spoke this verse in answer to this question. If one indirectly hears and chants the names of Krishna in the course of performing one’s occupational duties like sacrifices, then one can never be exploited by demonesses; and if one directly hears and chants the names of Krishna, then there no question of any influence from them. The word sätvata, or the Lord of the devotees, confirms that what to speak of the hearing and chanting the Lord’s names, even hearing and chanting the names of His devotees destroys all demoniac influences. The demons exhibit their influence only in places where the Lord’s names are not heard or chanted. The meaning of this verse can also be as follows: One may raise the doubt—“Were all the children of that time killed by Putana or not?” Sri Sukadeva Gosvami spoke this verse in answer to this question. The above purport is applicable here.

Other than the baby boys who heard and chanted Krishna’s names, the Lord had Putana kill all those who were averse to Him and belonging to Kamsa’s party. The foolishness of Kamsa is displayed in this incident. In spite of the Lord’s personal presence, www.ibmedu.org

Issue no 190, Page—5 the arrival of wicked Putana in Vraja and her disturbances there were only to nourish the pastimes of the Lord, which give pleasure to the entire world and increase the love and affection of the Vrajavasis headed by Yasoda. These incidents are all arranged by the Lord’s lélä-çakti, pastime-creating potencies.

The word lélä-çakti here refers to one of the three principle energies in Vaikuntha and Vrndadevi in Vrndavana. (Sri Jiva Gosvami’s Laghu-toñaëé) This verse was spoken by Sri Sukadeva to the anxious Maharaja Pariksit to confirm that since Putana was engaged in sinful activities, she would certainly die. Villages and cities where persons are engaged in fruitive activities that are fructified or unfructified and are devoid of hearing or chanting the names of Krishna, who is the Lord of the devotees, are influenced by demonesses. Such demonesses cannot disturb a place where hearing and chanting about Krishna is the main activity, and where hearing and chanting about Krishna is the only activity it is impossible for them to create any mischief. What then can be said about the place where the Lord is personally present? (Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti’s Särärtha-darçiné) - Purport to Ädi-khaëòa 8.89, Çré Caitanya-bhägavata - Srila Vrndavanadasa Thakura, Edited and Published by Pundarika Vidyanidhi dasa Vrajraj Press

How Was Putana Promoted To Goloka Vrindavan?

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

padbhyäà bhakta-hådi-sthäbhyäà vandyäbhyäà loka-vanditaiù aìgaà yasyäù samäkramya bhagavän api tat-stanam yätudhäny api sä svargam aväpa janané-gatim kåñëa-bhukta-stana-kñéräù kim u gävo 'numätaraù These verses explain how devotional service rendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whether directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly, becomes successful. Putana was neither a devotee nor a non-devotee; she was Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

actually a demoniac witch instructed by Kamsa to kill Krishna. Nonetheless, in the beginning she assumed the form of a very beautiful woman and approached Krishna exactly like an affectionate mother, so that Mother Yasoda and Rohini did not doubt her sincerity. The Lord took all this into consideration, and thus she was automatically promoted to a position like that of Mother Yasoda.

As explained by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, there are various roles one may play in such a position. Putana was immediately promoted to Vaikunthaloka, which is also sometimes described as Svarga. The Svarga mentioned in this verse is not the material heavenly planet, but the transcendental world. In Vaikunthaloka, Putana attained the position of a nurse (dhätry-ucitäm), as described

by Uddhava. Putana was elevated to the position of a nurse and maidservant in Goloka Vrndavana to assist Mother Yasoda.

- Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum » Chapter Six » Verses: 37-38 » Purport by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

A Natural Reflection Of The Supreme Mercy Srila Santana Goswami

Krishna allowed Putana to enter Gokula respectably, appearing among the cowherds dressed as a first-class lady. At the beginning of Sukadeva Gosvami ’s description of Putana’s encounter with Krishna, we are told: na yatra çravaëädéni rakño-ghnäni sva-karmasu kurvanti sätvatäà bhartur yätudhänyaç ca tatra hi “My dear king, wherever people in any position perform their occupational duties of devotional service by chanting and hearing [çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù], there cannot be any danger from bad elements. Therefore there was no need for anxiety about Gokula while the Supreme Personality of Godhead was personally present.” (Bhägavatam 10.6.3) In other words, the witch Putana posed no threat to the inhabitants of Gokula. Krishna allowed her to enter simply to give her His mercy. Krishna placed His lotus feet, the object of Lord Brahma’s

meditation, on Putana’s lap and allowed her to caress Him. By this, Yasoda and Rohini were greatly astonished: täà tékñëa-cittäm ati-väma-ceñöitäà vékñyäntarä koña-paricchadäsi-vat vara-striyaà tat-prabhayä ca dharñite nirékñyamäëe janané hy atiñöhatäm “Putana Räkñasé’s heart was fierce and cruel, but she looked like a very affectionate mother. Thus she resembled a sword in a sheath. Although seeing her within the room, Yasoda and Rohini, overwhelmed by her beauty, did not stop her, but remained silent because she treated the child like a mother.” (Bhägavatam 10.6.9) Thanks to having the opportunity to treat Krishna as her infant, Putana became His mother eternally, as several authorities in Çrémad-Bhägavatam affirm. According to Sukadeva Gosvami :

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nityaà bhägavata-sevayä jighäàsayäpi haraye stanaà dattväpa sad-gatim “Putana was always hankering for the blood of human children, and with that desire she came to kill Krishna; but because she offered her breast to the Lord, she attained the greatest achievement.”

(Bhägavatam 10.6.35) As Lord Brahma said to Lord Krishna, sad-veñäd iva pütanäpi sa-kulä tväm eva deväpitä: “You have already arranged to give Yourself to Putana and her family members in exchange for her disguising herself as a devotee.” (Bhägavatam 10.14.35) And in the words of Sri Uddhava: aho baké yaà stana-käla-küöaà jighäàsayäpäyayad apy asädhvé lebhe gatià dhätry-ucitäà tato ’nyaà kaà vä dayäluà çaraëaà vrajema “Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Putana] although she was unfaithful and she had prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?” (Bhägavatam 3.2.23) Even Putana’s dead body, restored to the horrible form of a witch, was sanctified as Krishna’s playground: bälaà ca tasyä urasi kréòantam akuto-bhayam gopyas türëaà samabhyetya jagåhur jäta-sambhramäù “Without fear, the child Krishna was playing on the upper portion of Putana Räkñasé’s chest, and when the gopés saw the child’s wonderful activities, they immediately came forward with great jubilation and picked Him up.” (Bhägavatam10.6.18) And when her corpse was burned, it gave off a fragrance like precious aguru, which spread in all directions: dahyamänasya dehasya dhümaç cäguru-saurabhaù utthitaù kåñëa-nirbhuktasapady ähata-päpmanaù www.ibmedu.org

Issue no 190, Page—7 “Because of Krishna’s having sucked the breast of the Räkñasé Putana, when Krishna killed her she was immediately freed of all material contamination. Her sinful reactions automatically vanished, and therefore when her gigantic body was being burnt, the smoke emanating from her body was fragrant like aguru incense.” (Bhägavatam 10.6.34) Other persons who came to Gokula also obtained special mercy from Krishna. The sons of Kuvera entrapped in the bodies of arjuna trees found themselves in the midst of the wonderful pastimes of Damodara. Krishna released these two sons from Narada’s curse after listening to their prayers, and bestowed upon them prema-bhakti.

Aghasura was graced by Krishna entering into Agha’s huge mouth along with the cowherd boys and calves. And Agha obtained liberation from Krishna in a way that astounded the whole world.

His dead body served as an attraction in Vraja: räjann äjagaraà carma çuñkaà våndävane ’dbhutam vrajaukasäà bahu-tithaà babhüväkréòa-gahvaram “O King Pariksit, when the python-shaped body of Aghasura dried up into merely a big skin, it became a wonderful place for the inhabitants of Vrndavana to visit, and it remained so for a long, long time.” (Bhägavatam 10.12.36) Sometimes Krishna would also apparently punish His loving devotees in Vraja, as when He abandoned the gopés during the rasa dance. He did this to increase the intensity of their love for Him. Because Krishna was enchanted by the gopés’ love, His prime reason for abandoning them was to hear them speak like madwomen, in separation from Him. As He explained: nähaà tu sakhyo bhajato ’pi jantün bhajämy améñäm anuvåtti-våttaye yathädhano labdha-dhane vinañöe tac-cintayänyan nibhåto na veda “The reason I do not at once reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopés, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya

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thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else. evaà mad-arthojjhita-loka-vedasvänäà hi vo mayy anuvåttaye ’baläù mayäparokñaà bhajatä tirohitaà mäsüyituà märhatha tat priyaà priyäù “My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas, and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you.

Therefore, My beloved gopés, please do not harbour any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved.

nityaà bhägavata-sevayä glorious deeds be your compensation.” (Bhägavatam 10.32.20–22) The mercy of Krishna’s punishment was evident not only when He appeared in His original form in Gokula, but also in many of His incarnations. As Sri Vamana, for example, when the Lord arrested Bali Daityaraja and humiliated him, the Lord declared to the world the strength of Bali’s sober determination. Then, having taken away from him the throne of heaven, Lord Vamana gave him in exchange the greater kingdom of Sutala-loka with all its riches.

The Lord took up the post of doorkeeper at Bali’s palace and defended the palace gates from the incursion of Ravana, and when Durvasa begged Lord Vamana to leave Bali for some time and defend Durvasa against the demon Kusa, Lord Vamana refused to do so without Bali’s permission.

In yet other incarnations, the Personality of Godhead killed demons like Madhu, Kaitabha, and Kalanemi, who had enjoyed the pleasure of opposing the Lord in battle. They received great mercy from Him. These histories are recounted in various Puranas. The mercy shown by Sri Krishna through His incarnations is a natural reflection of the supreme mercy He displays in His original form. The source of incarnations is glorified by the glories of each of His expansions.

- Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta 1.5.30, of Srila Sanatana Gosvami Volume One. Translated by Gopiparanadhana Dasa.

!! Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra Jayati !!

ISKCON Bhägavata Mahävidyalaya is a branch of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Acarya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

na päraye ’haà niravadya-saàyujäà sva-sädhu-kåtyaà vibudhäyuñäpi vaù yä mäbhajan durjara-geha-çåìkhaläù saàvåçcya tad vaù pratiyätu sädhunä “I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own

Editor Brajsundar Das Copy Editor Isha Prakash Das Sanskrit Editor, Vrajsevika Devi Dasi Assistance Vamsidhari Gauri Devi Dasi Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists.

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