Putana Uddhar

Putana uddhar With the Commentaries of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Vishvanatha Chakravatipad,

Mangalacarana. oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him. çré-caitanya-mano-’bhéñöaà sthäpitaà yena bhü-tale svayaà rüpaù kadä mahyaà dadäti sva-padäntikam When will Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Chaitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet? vande ‘haà çré-guroù çré-yuta-pada-kamalaà çré-gurün vaiñëaväàç ca çré-rüpaà sägrajätaà saha-gaëa-raghunäthänvitaà taà sa-jévam sädvaitaà sävadhütaà parijana-sahitaà kåñëa-caitanya-devaà çré-rädhä-kåñëa-pädän saha-gaëa-lalitä-çré-viçäkhänvitäàç ca I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and unto the feet of all vaiñëavas, I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami along with his elder brother Sanatan Goswami, as well as Raghunath Das and Raghunath Bhatta, Gopal Bhatta, and Srila Jiva Goswami. I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krishna Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda along with Adwaita Acharya, Gadadhar, Srivas, and other associates. I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna along with Their associates Sri Lalita and Visakha. he kåñëa karuëä-sindho déna-bandho jagat-pate gopeça gopikä-känta rädhä-känta namo’stu te O my dear Krishna, O ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the gopés and the lover of Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.

tapta-käïcana-gauräìgi rädhe våndävaneçvari våñabhänu-sute devi praëamämi hari-priye I offer my respects to Radharani, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrindavan. You are the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, and you are very dear to Lord Krishna. väïchä-kalpatarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca patitänäà pävanebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the vaiñëava devotees of the Lord.

They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls. namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanyanämne gaura-tviñe namaù O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. — Cc. madhya 19.53 yad advaitaà brahmopaniñadi tad apy asya tanu-bhä ya ätmäntaryämé puruña iti so ‘syäàça-vibhavaù ñaò-aiçvaryaiù pürëo ya iha bhagavän sa svayam ayaà na caitanyät kåñëäj jagati para-tattvaà param iha What the Upaniñads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, full with six opulences. He is the absolute truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him. — Cc. ädi 1.3 rädhä kåñëa-praëaya-vikåtir hlädinéçaktir asmäd ekätmänäv api bhuvi purä deha-bhedaà gatau tau caitanyäkhyaà prakaöam adhunä tad-dayaà caikyam äptaà rädhä-bhäva-dyuti-suvalitaà naumi kåñëa-svarüpam

The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure giving potency. Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united in the form of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Srimati Radharani although He is Krishna Himself. — Cc. ädi 1.5 ciräd adattaà nija-gupta-vittaà svaprema-nämämåtam atyudäraù äpämaraà yo vitatära gauraù kåñëo janebhyas tam ahaà prapadye The most munificent Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Gaurakrishna, distributed to everyone—even the lowest of men—His own confidential treasury in the form of the nectar of love of Himself and the holy name. This was never given to the people at any time before. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. — Cc. madhya 23.1 gauraù sac-caritämåtämåta-nidhiù gauraà sadaiva-stuve gaureëa prathitaà rahasya-bhajanaà gauräya sarvaà dade gaurädasti kåpälu-ratra na paro gaurasya bhrityo bhavaà gaure gauravamäcarämi bhagavan gaura-prabho rakña mäm I pray to Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu whose ecstatic transcendental pastimes are like a river of nectar. Gaura has given the path of confidential devotional service. I will completely surrender to Gaura. Is there anyone more merciful than Gaura? I will become a servant of Gaura. I shall preach the glory of Gaura. May my Lord Gaura protect me. — Gauräìga-virudävalé by Srila Raghunandan Goswami mädhuryyaiù-madhubhiù sugambhi-bhajana çvarëambhujänäà vanam käruëyämåta nirjharai-rupacitah sat-prema hemacälaù bhaktämbodhara dharaëé vijayané niskampa sampävalé daivo na kula daivatäà vijayatäà caitanya-kåñëa-hariù I worship the golden hued Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Who is absorbed in the enchanting mellows of madhurya rasa. May the transcendental love of Krishna that Mahaprabhu is distributing, pour down on this earth like a waterfall of nectar. All glories to that Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

äjänu-lambita-bhujau kanakäva-dätau saìkértanaika-pitarau kamaläya-täksau visvambharau dvijavarau yuga-dharma-pälau vande jagat priyakarau karuëävatärau I worship Their Lordships Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu whose long arms extend down to Their knees, whose beautiful complexions are radiant yellow like molten gold and whose elongated eyes are like red lotuses. They are the topmost brähmaëas, the guardians of religious principles for this age, the most munificent benefactors of all living entities, and the most compassionate incarnations of Godhead. They initiated the congregational chanting of the names of Lord Krishna. — Caitanya-bhägavata ädi 1.1 anarpita-caréà cirät karuëayävatérëaù kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasäà sva-bhakti-çriyam hariù puraöa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandépitaù sadä hådaya-kandare sphuratu vaù çacé-nandanaù May that Lord, who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi, be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service. — Vidagdha-mädhava 1.2 The following three verses are from Prema-bhakti-chandrikä by Srila Narottama Das Thakur section 10, verses 12-14. çré-kåñëa-caitanyadeva rati-mati bhave bhaja prema-kalpa-taru-bara-dätä çré-vraja-räja-nandana rädhikä-jévana-dhana aparüpa ei saba kathä O brother, always worship Sri Krishna Caitanyadeva who is the great philanthropist giving away the treasure of the desire tree of pure love for Krishna. This Lord Chaitanya is actually Lord Krishna, the prince of Vraja and the life of Srimati Radharani. Descriptions of Him are spiritual sounds. They are not at all material. — verse 12 navadvépe avatari´ rädhä-bhäva aìgékari´ täìra känti aìgera bhüñaëa tina väïchä abhiläñé´ çacé-garbhe parakäçi´

saìge laïä pariñada-gaëa Lord Krishna desired to appear in Nabadwip to understand the intense love Srimati Radharani felt for Him, and accept Her golden complexion as His bodily ornament. In order to fulfill these three desires, the Lord appeared in Sacidevi’s womb. When the Lord appeared like this in the material world, all His associates followed Him, and also appeared in the world. — verse 13 gaura-hari avatari ´premera vädara kari´ sädhilä manera tina käja rädhikära präëa-pati kivä bhäve käìde niti ihä bujhe bhakata-samäja The Lord appeared in the golden form of Lord Chaitanya, and preached the message of pure love for Krishna. In this way He fulfilled the three desires in His mind. Only the devotees are able to understand in what a wonderful way Krishna, who is the Lord of Srimati Radharani’s life, continually cried in ecstatic love of God. — verse 14 uttama adhama kichu na bächila yäciyä dilaka kola kahe premänanda emana gauräìga hådaye dhariyä bola bhaja gauräìga kaha gauräìga laha gauräìga näma (re) ye jana gauräìga bhaje sei haya ämära präëa (re) Never discriminating who was a fit candidate, elevated or degraded, the son of mother Sachi magnanimously accepts one and all onto His lap in a loving embrace crying, ‚Come to My fold, come to My fold!‛ The poet Premananda Das begs you all to constantly chant the sweet name of Krishna while holding tightly to that son of mother Sachi in the innermost core of your heart.

Worship Gauranga! Speak about Gauranga! Oh please take to gaura-näma!

Whoever worships Gauranga is my life and soul. yasyaiva pädämbuja-bhakti-läbhyaù premäbhidhänaù paramaù pum-arthaù tasmai jagan-maìgala-maìgaläya caitanya-candräya namo namas te O Lord Chaitanyachandra, by devotedly serving Your lotus feet one can attain the pure love for Lord Krishna that is the ultimate goal of all endeavors. O Lord Chaitanyachandra, O great auspiciousness of the world, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. — Srila Prabhodhananda Saraswati, Çré Caitanya-candrämåta text 9 änanda-lélämaya-vigrahäya

hemäbha-divya-cchavi-sundaräya tasmai mahä-prema-rasa-pradäya caitanyacandräya namo namas te O Lord Chaitanyachandra, O Lord whose form is full of blissful pastimes, O Lord whose complexion is as splendid as gold, O Lord who gives in charity the nectar of pure love for Lord Krishna. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. — Çré Caitanya-candrämåta text 11 yan näptaà karma-niñöhair na ca samadhi-gataà yat tapo dhyänayogair vairägyais tyäga-tattva-stutibhir api na yat tarkitaà cäpi kaiçcit govinda-prema-bhäjäm api na ca kalitaà yad rahasyaà svayaà tan nämnaiva präduräséd avatarati pare yatra taà naumi gauram Not attainable by the faithful performers of pious deeds, not understood by those engaged in austerity, meditation, and yoga, not guessed by those absorbed in detachment, renunciation of the fruits of work, philosophical speculation or recitation of prayers, and unknown even to the devotees full of love for Lord Govinda, the secret of pure devotional service has been revealed by the holy name during Lord Gaura’s advent. Let me glorify that Lord Gaura.

— Çré Caitanya-candrämåta text 3

Putana Uddhara With the Commentaries of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Vishvanatha Chakravatipad, Meeting of Maharaja Nanda and Vasudeva.

From the opulence of the birth ceremony of Krishna, it is very clear that at that time Våndävana was rich in every respect. Because Lord Krishna took birth in the house of King Nanda and Mother Yaçodä, the goddess of fortune was obliged to manifest her opulences in Våndävana. It appeared that Våndävana had already become a site for the pastimes of the goddess of fortune.

After the birth ceremony, Nanda Mahäräja decided to go to Mathurä to pay the annual tax to the government of Kaàsa. Before leaving, he called for the able cowherd men of the village and asked them to take care of Våndävana in his absence.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says Nanda Maharaja was thinking ‚ In all good fortune there are many impediments.‛ First Nanda Maharaja satisfied the demigods, forefathers and planets with worship . Then he immediately left for Mathura with gifts of gold coins, jewels and cloth to give to the evil king kamsa as yearly tax to please him.

When Nanda Mahäräja arrived in Mathurä, Vasudeva got the news and was very eager to congratulate his friend. He immediately went to the place where Nanda Mahäräja was staying. When Nanda saw Vasudeva, he felt that he had regained his life. Nanda, overwhelmed with joy, immediately stood up and embraced Vasudeva. Vasudeva was received very warmly and offered a nice place to sit.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: King Devamidha of the Yadu clan had two wives, one from the Ksatriya family, the other from the Vaisya Family.

Through the Ksatriya wife he bore a son named sura and through the vaisya wife he bore the son named Parjanya. Sura had a son named Vasudeva, a ksatriya andParjanya had a son named Nanda, a cowherd or vaisya. Thus Vasudeva and Nanda were brothers or cousins, with the same grandfather (a Yadava) and different Grandmother. Nanda was therefore a Yadava. Also

Nanda was elder to Vasudev therefore he did not offer pranams to Vasudeva but embraced him.

Anxious about his two sons, who had been put under the protection of Nanda without Nanda’s knowledge, Vasudeva inquired about Them with great anxiety. Both Balaräma and Krishna were the sons of Vasudeva. Balaräma was transferred to the womb of Rohiëé, Vasudeva’s own wife, but Rohiëé was kept under the protection of Nanda Mahäräja. Krishna was personally delivered to Yaçodä and exchanged with her daughter. Nanda Mahäräja knew that Balaräma was the son of Vasudeva, but he did not know that Krishna was also Vasudeva’s son. Vasudeva, of course, was aware of this fact and inquired very eagerly about both Krishna and Balaräma. diñöyä bhrätaù pravayasa idäném aprajasya te prajäçäyä nivåttasya prajä yat samapadyata (SB 10.6.23) Vasudeva then addressed Nanda, ‚My dear brother, you were old and very anxious to beget a son, and yet you had none. Now by the grace of the Lord you are fortunate to have a very nice son.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: It would be a lie for Vasudev to say to Nanda that in old age he had a son. To say he actually had a daughter would not be belived by Nanda. Therefore Vasudeva used the word praja which can mean offspring, either male or female. This word was also used because Vasudev was in doubt as to whether Nanda understood that Vasudev had put his own son in Yashoda’s bed and taken Nanda’s daughter.

I think that this incident is very auspicious for you. Dear friend, I was imprisoned by Kaàsa, and now I am released; therefore this is another birth for me. I had no hope of seeing you again, but by God’s grace I can see you.‛ In this way, Vasudeva indirectly expressed his anxiety about Krishna. Krishna was sent incognito to the bed of Mother Yaçodä, and after Nanda very pompously celebrated Krishna’s birth ceremony, he went to Mathurä. So Vasudeva was very much pleased and said, ‚This is a new birth for me.‛ He never expected that Krishna would live, because all his other sons had been killed by Kaàsa.

Vasudeva continued: ‚My dear friend, it is very difficult for us to live together.

Although we have our family and relatives, sons and daughters, by nature’s way we are generally separated from one another. The reason for this is that every living entity appears on this earth under different pressures of fruitive activities; although they assemble together, there is no certainty of their remaining together for a long time. According to one’s fruitive activities, one has to act differently and thereby be separated. For example, many plants and creepers are floating on the waves of the ocean. Sometimes they come together, and sometimes they separate forever: one plant goes one way, and another plant goes another. Similarly, our family assembly may be very nice while we are living together, but after some time, in the course of the waves of time, we are separated.‛ The Srila Prabhupada comments: of this expression by Vasudeva is this: although he had eight sons born in the womb of Devaké, unfortunately they were all gone. He could not even keep his one son Krishna with him.

Vasudeva was feeling His separation, but he could not express the real fact. ‚Please tell me about the welfare of Våndävana,‛ he said. ‚You have many animals—are they happy? Are they getting sufficient grass and water? Please also let me know whether the place where you are now living is undisturbed and peaceful.‛ This inquiry was made by Vasudeva because he was very anxious about Krishna’s safety. He knew that Kaàsa and his followers were trying to kill Krishna by sending various kinds of demons. They had already resolved that all children born within ten days of the birthday of Krishna should be killed.

Because Vasudeva was so anxious about Krishna, he inquired about the safety of His residence. He also inquired about Balaräma and His mother, Rohiëé, who were entrusted to the care of Nanda Mahäräja. Vasudeva also reminded Nanda Mahäräja that Balaräma did not know His real father. ‚He knows you as His father. And now you have another child, Krishna, and I think you are taking very nice care of both of Them.‛ It is also significant that Vasudeva inquired about the welfare of Nanda Mahäräja’s animals. The animals, and especially the cows, were protected exactly in the manner of one’s children. Vasudeva was a kñatriya, and Nanda Mahäräja was a vaiçya. It is the duty of the kñatriyas to give protection to the citizens, and it is the duty of

the vaiçyas to give protection to the cows. The cows are as important as the citizens. Just as the human citizens should be given all kinds of protection, so the cows also should be given full protection.

Vasudeva expressed his sorrow due to not being able to give protection to his own sons born of Devaké. He was thinking that religious principles, economic development and the satisfaction of his senses were therefore all lost.

Upon hearing this, Nanda Mahäräja replied, ‚My dear Vasudeva, I know that you are very much aggrieved because the cruel king Kaàsa has killed all your sons born of Devaké. Although the last child was a daughter, Kaàsa could not kill her, and she has entered into the celestial planets. My dear friend, do not be aggrieved; we are all being controlled by our past unseen activities.

Everyone is subjected to his past deeds, and one who is conversant with the philosophy of karma and its reactions is a man in knowledge. Such a person will not be aggrieved at any incident, happy or miserable.‛ Vasudeva then replied, ‚My dear Nanda, if you have already paid the government taxes, then return soon to your place, because I think that there may be some disturbances in Gokula.‛ After the friendly conversation between Nanda Mahäräja and Vasudeva, Vasudeva returned to his home. Nanda Mahäräja and the other cowherd men, who had come to Mathurä to pay their taxes, also returned home. ु उवाच श्रीशक

नन्द् ऩथथ वच् शौयेन न भृषथे त थवथचन्तमन ्

ु हथयॊ जगाभ शयणभत्पातागभशथित्||१|| Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: My dear King, while Nanda Mahäräja 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 Mahäräja thought about the danger for his beautiful son, Krishna, he was afraid, and he took shelter at the lotus feet of the supreme controller.

Srila Prabhupada comments:: Whenever there is danger, the pure devotee thinks of the protection and shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In

this material world there is danger at every step (padaà padaà yad vipadäm [SB 10.14.58]). Therefore a devotee has no other course than to take shelter of the Lord at every step. कॊ सेन प्रथहता घोया ऩूतना फारघाथतनी

ु ु ||२|| ॊ चाय थनघ्नन्ती ऩयग्राभव्रजाथदष थशशूश्च While Nanda Mahäräja was returning to Gokula, the same fierce Pütanä whom Kaàsa had previously engaged to kill babies was wandering about in the towns, cities and villages, doing her nefarious duty. न मत्र श्रवणादीथन यऺोघ्नाथन स्वकभनस ु

ु कुवनथन्त सात्वताॊ बतमनु ानतधान्यश्च तत्र थह ||३|| My dear King, wherever people in any position perform their occupational duties of devotional service by chanting and hearing [çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù SB 7.5.23], 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.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Çukadeva Gosvämé spoke this verse to mitigate the anxiety of Mahäräja Parékñit. Mahäräja Parékñit was a devotee of Krishna, and therefore when he understood that Pütanä was causing disturbances in Gokula, he was somewhat perturbed. Çukadeva Gosvämé therefore assured him that there was no danger in Gokula Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: This verse is spoken to allay the fears of Maharaja Parikshit for Krishna’s safety. In those places where people engage in scriptural duties like sacrifices without devotional acts such as hearing the stories of the Lord, who is the life of the devotees, the raksasis become powerful. But raksasis have no influence where the primary activities are acts of devotion. What to speak of the place where the lord is personally present. सा खेचमेकदोत्पत्य ऩूतना नन्दगोकुरभ ्

मोथषत्वा भाममात्मानॊ प्राथवशत्काभचाथयणी||४|| Once upon a time, Pütanä Räkñasé, who could move according to her desire and was wandering in outer space, converted herself by mystic power into a very beautiful woman and thus entered Gokula, the abode of Nanda Mahäräja.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Räkñasés learn mystic powers by which they can travel in outer space without machines. In some parts of India there are still such mystical witches, who can sit on a stick and use it to fly from one place to another in a very short time. This art was known to Pütanä. Assuming the feature of a very beautiful woman, she entered Nanda Mahäräja's abode, Gokula.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: To enact the pastimes of killing Putana, Krishna’s lila-sakti inspired Putana to enter Gokula as if invited by death to be killed. With this intention the verse is spoken. One evening, Putana entered Gokula by flying through the sky. By mystic power Putana took on the form of a beautiful woman.

All the Vrajvasis were so much enamored by Putana’s beauty that they gave her access to all the houses in town. Though the Lord’s illusory energy has no desire, by the will of the Lord, Putana displayed her illusions just like a magician to bewilder the eternal devotees of Vraja and to unfold the transcendental pastimes of Krishna. ताॊ के शफन्धव्यथतषक्तभथिकाॊ

् फृहथितम्बस्तनकृ च्छ्रभध्यभाभ || ु सवाससॊ कथितकणनबषू ण

् थत्वषोिसत्कुन्तरभथडिताननाभ ||५|| ु ् वल्गथिताऩाङ्गथवसगनवीथऺतैय

् भनो हयन्तीं वथनताॊ व्रजौकसाभ || अभॊसताम्भोजकयेण रूथऩणीं

् गोप्य् थश्रमॊ द्रष्टथु भवागताॊ ऩथतभ ||६|| 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 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 gopés saw her, they thought that the beautiful goddess of fortune, holding a lotus flower in her hand, had come to see her husband, Krishna.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: Seeing that beautiful woman holding a

lotus Flower in her hands, the gopis concluded that she was Lakshmi, the embodiment of all wealth and jewels. She must have come to see her husband Narayana, the worship able family deity of Nanda Maharaja. Putana has full hips and large firm breasts which contrasted her thin waist. She was so extremely attractive that the Vrajavasis let her enter the inner chambers of their houses without obstruction.

Who is Putana ?

One may ask, ‚How is it possible for such a terribly sinful living entity as Putana to get such mercy from the Lord? Surely there must be some reason behind it.‛ The Brahma-vaivarta Puräëa 4.10.40-43 addresses this point and narrates a little known description of Putana’s previous birth.

Therein, Narada Muni asks the sage Narayana Rishi, ‚Who was that woman in the form of a demoness? She must have been a great devotee. What pious deeds did she perform that was she able to see Krishna and then go to his transcendental abode?‛ Sri Narayan Rishi replied, ‚When Bali Maharaja’s daughter Ratnamala saw Lord Vaman’s handsome form in the yajïa arena, she at once felt for him the love a mother feels for her son. She thought, ‘If I had a son like him, I would cradle him to my chest and give him my breast milk.’ Understanding her mind, in another birth Krishna drank from her breast. An ocean of mercy that fulfills all desires, Krishna made her like his mother. Some persons say that when Ratnamala first saw Lord Vamanadev she became attracted to him and nourished the desire in her heart to have him as a son and offer her breast to him. Then when Ratnamala saw Vamanadev take away everything from her father Bali, she became angry, and thought to herself, ‚If I offered my breast to him I would smear it with poison to kill him.‛ Krishna, they say, kindly gave Ratnamala in her next life the opportunity to fulfill both of her desires.

What does she represent?

Putana is the first demon killed by baby Krishna. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur describes that she represents the first obstacle encountered by a spiritual aspirant — acceptance of a false guru. Anyone who wants to achieve genuine love of Krishna must give up false teachers, whether they be mundane religionists, priests, secular teachers, materialistic counselors, friends, or family members.

False Gurus ädau duñöa-guru-präptiù pütanä stanya-däyiné vätyä-rüpa-kutarkas tu tåëävarta itéritaù

Persons who are on the path of attachment should avoid the first obstacle, accepting a bogus guru, by discussing Pütanä's arrival in Vraja in the guise of a nurse. There are two types of gurus—antaraìga, or internal, and bahiraìga, or external. The living entity who is situated in samädhi is his wn antaraìga guru.

One who accepts argument as his guru and who learns the process of worship from such a guru is said to have accepted the shelter of a bogus guru.

When argument poses as nourishment for the living entities' constitutional duties, this may be compared with Pütanä's falsely posing as a nurse.

Worshipers on the path of attachment must immerse all arguments in spiritual subjects and take shelter of samädhi. The external guru is he from whom the science of worship is learned. One who knows the proper path of attachment and who instructs his disciples according to their qualification is a sad-guru, or eternal guru. One who does not know the path of attachment yet instructs others in this path or who knows that path and instructs his disciples without considering their qualification is a bogus guru and must be given up. The second obstacle is false arguments. It is difficult for one's ecstatic emotion to be awakened until Tåëävarta, in the form of a whirlwind, is killed in Vraja. In the form of Tåëävarta, the arguments of philosophers, Buddhists, and logicians are all obstacles to the ecstatic emotion of Vraja.

Quoting Viñëu-småti, Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.45-146) also describes: paricaryä-yäço-läbha-lipsuù çiñyäd gurur na hi kåpä-sindhuù ssu-sampürëaù sarva-sattvopakärakaù nispåhaù sarvataù siddhaù sarva-vidyä-viçäradaù sarva-saàçaya-saïcchettänalaso gurur ähåtaù One who is greedy to get worship, praise, and money from his disciples is a bogus guru. A true spiritual master is an ocean of mercy, perfect, a person who does good to everyone, free from all material desires, fully knowledgeable, able to cut apart all doubts, and not lazy.

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes: There are many pseudo-worshipers that become religionists only for the sake of name and fame. Such pseudo-religionists do not wish to get out of this universe and reach the spiritual sky. They only want to maintain the status quo in the material world under the garb of worshiping the Lord.

... The pseudo-religionists have neither knowledge nor detachment from material affairs, for most of them want to live in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of philanthropic activities disguised as religious principles. By a false display of religious sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. In this way they pass as spiritual masters and devotees of God. ... pseudo-religionists are heading toward the most obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification. फारग्रहस्तत्र थवथचन्वती थशशून्यदृच्छमा नन्दगृहेऽसदन्तकभ ्

फारॊ प्रथतच्छिथनजोरुतेजसॊ ददशन तिेऽथिथभवाथहतॊ बथस ||८|| While searching for small children, Pütanä, whose business was to kill them, entered the house of Nanda Mahäräja unobstructed, having been sent by the superior potency of the Lord. Without asking anyone's permission, she entered Nanda Mahäräja'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.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: Putana the killer of children saw the child who, though He himself is the killer of the wicked, appeared easy to kill. At that time, Krishna concealed His unlimited powers just as fire is sometimes covered by ashes. ु ताॊ फारकभाथयकाग्रहॊ चयाचयात्मा स थनभीथरतेऺण् थवफध्य

ु ु ु अनन्तभायोऩमदिभन्तकॊ मथोयगॊ सप्तभफ थियज्ज धी्|| Lord Çré Krishna, the all-pervading Supersoul, lying on the bed, understood that Pütanä, 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 Pütanä 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.

In Krishna Book, Srila Prabhupada comments: This closing of the eyes is interpreted and studied in different ways by the devotees. Some say that Krishna closed his eyes because he did not like to see the face of Putana, who had killed so many children and who had now come to kill him.

Others say that Putana hesitated to take the baby on her lap because something extraordinary was being dictated to her from within, and in order to give her assurance, Krishna closed his eyes so that she would not be frightened.

And yet others interpret in this way: Krishna appeared in order to kill the demons and give protection to the devotees, as stated in the Bhagavad-gétä: pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm. The first demon to be killed was a woman. According to Vedic rules, the killing of a woman, a brähmaëa, cows, or a child is strictly forbidden. Krishna was obliged to kill the demon Putana, and because the killing of a woman is forbidden according to Vedic çästra, he could not help but close his eyes.

Another interpretation is that Krishna closed his eyes because he simply took Putana to be his nurse. Putana came to Krishna just to offer her breast for the Lord to suck. Krishna is so merciful that even though he knew Putana was there to kill him, he took her as his nurse or mother.

The two words antakam and anantam are contradictory. Because of not being intelligent, Pütanä thought that she could kill her antakam, the source of her annihilation; but because He is ananta, unlimited, no one can kill Him. Srila Jiva Goswami comments on the significance of Krishna closing his eyes, citing several reasons: 1. He wanted to demonstrate his extreme childishness and fearfulness.

2. He wanted to avoid looking at such a wicked being.

3. He wanted to avoid her fiendish, hypnotizing glance.

4. To hide his visible shame and confusion at having to kill someone who was coming to him in the role of a mother, even though the killing was necessary to benefit her. This is because he is an ocean of good qualities.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: Why did krishna close his eyes? To show his fearfulness as a small child; to avoid seeking such an inauspicious person; to avoid making the violence auspicious by the touch of His auspicious glance; to avoid the shame of killing a woman posing as a mother, and to avoid seeing the inauspiciousness of Putana’s death. ताॊ तीक्ष्णथचत्ताभथतवाभचेथष्टताॊ वीक्ष्यान्तया कोषऩथयच्छदाथसवत ्

् वयथिमॊ तत्प्रबमा च धथषनते थनयीक्ष्यभाणे जननी ह्यथतष्ठताभ ||९|| Pütanä Räkñasé's heart was fierce and cruel, but she looked like a very

affectionate mother. Thus she resembled a sharp sword in a soft sheath.

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

Srila Prabhupada comments: Although Pütanä was an outsider and although she personified fierce death because the determination within her heart was to kill the child, when she directly came and placed the child on her lap to offer the child her breast to suck, the mothers were so captivated by her beauty that they did not prohibit her.

Sometimes a beautiful woman is dangerous because everyone, being captivated by external beauty (mäyä-mohita), is unable to understand what is in her mind. Those who are captivated by the beauty of the external energy are called mäyä-mohita.

Here, of course, the two mothers Rohiëé and Yaçodä were not mäyämohita, deluded by the external energy, but to develop the pastimes of the Lord, they were captivated by yogamäyä. Such mäyä-moha is the action of yogamäyä.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti says: Overwhelmed by Putana’s influence, Yashoda and rohini thought that perphaps Ambika, Indrani or Lakshmi of the celestail regions had come to feed Krishna out of motherly love. Thus they passively watched her pick up the child. ु तथिन्स्तनॊ दुजनयवीमनभल्बणॊ घोयािभादाम थशशोदनदावथ

गाढॊ कयाभ्ाॊ बगवान्प्रऩीड्य तत ्

् प्राणै् सभॊ योषसभथन्वतोऽथऩफत ||10|| 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.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti : Krishna was filled with anger knowing that Putana planned to kill all the children of Vraja by offering her breast to them.

Therefore Krishna’s power of destruction, samhara-sakti, sucked out her

impure life. Krishna did not personally do this. Though we say a man cuts down the tree, actually it is the axe held by the man that cuts down the tree.

Similarly, its is stated that Krishna sucked out Putana’s life airs, but actually His Samhara sakti performed the work.

Srila Hari shuri says: The word roña here signifies Lord shiva. Actually when Putana gave her nipple to Krishna which was smeared with kalakuta posion.

Lord Krishna asked Lord shiva to take his share of his Poison and he himself drank the milk. ु भञ्चारथभथत ु सा भञ्च प्रबाथषणी थनष्पीड्यभानाथखरजीवभभनथण

ु भह् ु प्रथस्विगात्रा थऺऩती रुयोद ह ||११|| थववृत्य नेत्र े चयणौ बजौ Unbearably pressed in every vital point, the demon Pütanä 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. तस्ा् स्वनेनाथतगबीययॊहसा साथद्रभनही द्यौश्च चचार सग्रहा

यसा थदशश्च प्रथतनेथदये जना् ऩेत्ु थऺतौ वज्रथनऩातशिमा ||१२|| As Pütanä 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 falling upon them. थनशाचयीत्थॊ व्यथथतस्तना व्यसयु ् ु व्यादाम के शाॊश्चयणौ बजावथऩ

प्रसामन गोष्ठे थनजरूऩभाथिता वज्राहतो वृत्र इवाऩतिृऩ ||१३|| In this way the demon Pütanä, very much aggrieved because her breast was being attacked by Krishna, lost her life. O King Parékñit, 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 Våträsura had fallen when killed by the thunderbolt of Indra.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravati : Because of the pain of death, Putana Raksasi could not maintain her disguise as a beautiful woman and reverted to her demoniac form.

ऩतभानोऽथऩ तद्देहथिगव्यूत्यन्तयद्रुभान ्

् चूणमन ाभास याजेन्द्र भहदासीत्तदद्भत ु भ ||१४|| O King Parékñit, when the gigantic body of Pütanä fell to the ground, it smashed all the trees within a limit of twelve miles. Appearing in a gigantic body, she was certainly extraordinary.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Because of the grievous hurt imposed upon her by Krishna's sucking her breast, Pütanä, while dying, not only left the room but abandoned the village and fell down in the pasturing ground in her gigantic body.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: The word api here signifies that not only while living, but even while dying Putana was killing other living entities. All the trees within an area of six krosas (twelve miles) were crushed by the falling body of the gigantic witch. It was remarkable that only the trees were crushed and none of the village houses. Putanas body was of length six krosas (twelve miles), width two krosas (four miles) and height 1 krosas (2 miles). It could take around 2 prahar (6hrs) to go around Putana’s dead body.

Srila Jiva Goswami’s Vaishnav tosani tika, these trees, which were laden with pleasurable fruits, were located in Kamsa’s personal garden. This was all done by the influence of the lila-sakti of the lord. ईषाभात्रोग्रदॊष्ट्रास्ॊ थगथयकन्दयनाथसकभ ्

् न भ ||१५|| गडिशैरस्तनॊ यौद्रॊ प्रकीणानरुणभूधज ् ु अन्धकू ऩगबीयाऺॊ ऩथरनायोहबीषणभ

् ु थि शून्यतोमह्रदोदयभ ||१६|| फिसेतबु जोवन

सन्तत्रस्ु ि तद्वीक्ष्य गोऩा गोप्य् करेवयभ ्

ऩूवं त ु तथि्स्वथनत थबिहृत्कणनभस्तका्||१७|| The Räkñasé's mouth was full of teeth, each resembling the front of a plow, her nostrils were deep like mountain caves, and her breasts resembled big slabs of stone fallen from a hill. Her scattered hair was the color of copper. The sockets of her eyes 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. 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. फारॊ च तस्ा उयथस क्रीिन्तभकुतोबमभ ्

गोप्यस्तूणं सभभ्ेत्य जगृहजानतसम्भ्रभा्||१८|| Without fear, the child Krishna was playing on the upper portion of Pütanä Räkñasé's breast, and when the gopés saw the child's wonderful activities, they immediately came forward with great jubilation and picked Him up.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: Putana’s chest was raised like a hill, suitable for playing. The gopis entered the maternity ward, but they did not see Krishna there. Yashoda and rohini lay on the ground unconscious. Desiring to see Krishna the gopis went outside the house and saw Him playing on putana.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—Krishna. Although the Räkñasé Pütanä could increase or decrease her bodily size by her mystic abilities and thus gain proportionate power, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equally powerful in any transcendental form. Krishna is the real Personality of Godhead because whether as a child or as a grown-up young man, He is the same person. He does not need to become powerful by meditation or any other external endeavor. Therefore when the greatly powerful Pütanä expanded her body, Krishna remained the same small child and fearlessly played on the upper portion of her breast. Ñaòaiçvarya-pürëa. Bhagavän, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always full in all potencies, regardless of whether He is present in this form or that. His potencies are always full. He can display all potencies under any circumstances. मशोदायोथहणीभ्ाॊ ता् सभॊ फारस् सवनत्

ु यऺाॊ थवदथधये सम्यग्गोऩच्छभ्रभणाथदथब्||१९|| Thereafter, mother Yaçodä and Rohiëé, along with the other elderly gopés, waved about the switch of a cow to give full protection to the child Çré Krishna.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: This verse mentions that Yashoda, Rohini and

the other gopis performed rituals of protection. Yashoda and Rohini did not take leading role, however, because they were extermely affected by the anxiety for Krishna’s safety. The elderly gopis waved a cow’s tail around all the Krishna’s limbs to protect him. They also offerred other items such as mustard seeds, and touched Krishna with the edge of the winnowing basket. ु े स्नाऩथमत्वा ऩनगोयजसाबन गोभूत्रण कभ ्

यऺाॊ चक्रुश्च शकृ ता द्वादशाङ्गेष ु नाभथब्||२०|| 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. गोप्य् सॊस्पष्टृ सथररा अङ्गेष ु कयमो् ऩृथक ्

न्यस्ात्मन्यथ फारस् फीजन्यासभकुवनत||२१|| 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.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: The gopis hastily started the rituals of protection without first doing acamana because of great fear. After calming down, they did the rituals properly by first performing acamana. They then performedanga nyasa and kara nyasa on their own bodies and hands. Then they invoked bija mantras on Krishna’s limbs. The bija consists of the first syllable of the name with an anusvara. Example : am namah, May Aja protect Your feet.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Nyäsa-mantra includes äcamana, or first drinking a sip of water kept in the right hand. There are different viñëu-mantras to purify the body. The gopés, and in fact any householders, knew the process for being purified by chanting Vedic hymns. The gopés executed this process first to purify themselves and then to purify the child Krishna. One executes the process of aìga-nyäsa and kara-nyäsa simply by drinking a little sip of water and chanting the mantra. The mantra is preceded with the first letter of the name, followed by anusvära and the word namaù: oà namo 'jas taväìghré avyät, maà mano maëimäàs tava jänuné avyät, and so on. By losing Indian culture, Indian householders have forgotten how to execute the aìga-nyäsa and are simply busy in sense

gratification, without any advanced knowledge of human civilization. अव्यादजोऽथि भथणभाॊस्तव जान्वथोरू ु कथितिॊ जठयॊ हमास्​् मऻोऽच्यत् हृत्के शवस्त्वदुय ईश इनस्त ु कडठॊ

् ु रुक्रभ ु नु ॊ भखभ थवष्णबु ज ईश्वय् कभ ||२२|| चक्र्यग्रत् सहगदो हथययस्त ु ऩश्चात ् ु भधहु ाजनश्च त्वत्पाश्वनमोधननयसी

े स् कोणेष ु शङ्ख उरुगाम उऩमऩनु न्द्र

् ु ताक्ष्यन् थऺतौ हरधय् ऩरुष् सभन्तात||२३|| [Çukadeva Gosvämé informed Mahäräja Parékñit that the gopés, following the proper system, protected Krishna, their child, with this mantra.] May Aja protect Your legs, may Maëimän protect Your knees, Yajïa Your thighs, Acyuta the upper part of Your waist, and Hayagréva Your abdomen. May Keçava protect Your heart, Éça Your chest, the sun-god Your neck, Viñëu Your arms, Urukrama Your face, and Éçvara Your head. May Cakré protect You from the front; may Çré Hari, Gadädharé, 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 Urugäya, the carrier of the conchshell, protect You from all corners; may Upendra protect You from above; may Garuòa protect You on the ground; and may Lord Haladhara, the Supreme Person, protect You on all sides.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Even in the houses of the cultivators, who were not very advanced in the modern ways of civilization, the ladies used to know how to chant mantras to give protection to children with the help of cow dung and cow urine. This was a simple and practical way to give the greatest protection from the greatest dangers. People should know how to do this, for this is a part of Vedic civilization.

इथन्द्रमाथण हृषीके श् प्राणािायामणोऽवत ु

ु श्वेतद्वीऩऩथतथश्चत्तॊ भनो मोगेश्वयोऽवत||२४|| May Håñékeça protect Your senses, and Näräyaëa Your life air. May the master of Çvetadvépa protect the core of Your heart, and may Lord Yogeçvara protect Your mind. ु ऩृथिगबनस्त ु ते फथिभात्मानॊ बगवान्पय्

क्रीिन्तॊ ऩात ु गोथवन्द् शमानॊ ऩात ु भाधव्||२५|| व्रजन्तभव्याद्वैकुडठ आसीनॊ त्वाॊ थश्रम् ऩथत्

ु ु ु सवनग्रहबमिय्||२६|| बञ्जानॊ मऻबक्पात May Lord Påçnigarbha protect Your intelligence, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Your soul. While You are playing, may Govinda protect You, and while You are sleeping may Mädhava protect You. May Lord Vaikuëöha protect You while You are walking, and may Lord Näräyaëa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, protect You while You are sitting. Similarly, may Lord Yajïabhuk, the fearful enemy of all evil planets, always protect You while You enjoy life. ु िाथकन्यो मातधान्यश्च कुष्माडिा मेऽबनकग्रहा् बूतप्रेतथऩशाचाश्च मऺयऺोथवनामका्||२७|| कोिया येवती ज्येष्ठा ऩूतना भातृकादम् उन्मादा मे ह्यऩिाया देहप्राणेथन्द्रमद्रुह्||२८|| स्वप्नदृष्टा भहोत्पाता वृिा फारग्रहाश्च मे

सवे नश्मन्त ु ते थवष्णोनानभग्रहणबीयव्||२९|| 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 experienced evil stars, they all create great disturbances, especially for children, but one can vanquish them simply by uttering Lord Viñëu's name, for when Lord Viñëu's name resounds, all of them become afraid

and go away.

Srila Prabhupada comments: As stated in the Brahma-saàhitä (5.33): advaitam acyutam anädim ananta-rüpam ädyaà puräëa-puruñaà nava-yauvanaà ca vedeñu durlabham adurlabham ätma-bhaktau govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi "I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the original person—nondual, infallible, and without beginning. Although He expands into unlimited forms, He is still the original, and although He is the oldest person, He always appears as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful and all-knowing forms of the Lord cannot be understood by the academic wisdom of the Vedas, but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed devotees."

While decorating the body with tilaka, we give protection to the body by chanting twelve names of Viñëu. Although Govinda, or Lord Viñëu, is one, He has different names and forms with which to act differently. But if one cannot remember all the names at one time, one may simply chant, "Lord Viñëu, Lord Viñëu, Lord Viñëu," and always think of Lord Viñëu. Viñëor ärädhanaà param: this is the highest form of worship. If one remembers Viñëu always, even though one is disturbed by many bad elements, one can be protected without a doubt.

The Äyurveda-çästra recommends, auñadhi cintayet viñëum: even while taking medicine, one should remember Viñëu, because the medicine is not all and all and Lord Viñëu is the real protector. The material world is full of anger (padaà padaà yad vipadäm [SB 10.14.58]). Therefore one must become a Vaiñëava and think of Viñëu constantly. This is made easier by the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahä-mantra. Therefore Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has recommended, kértanéyaù sadä hariù [Cc. Ädi 17.31] paraà vijayate çréKrishna-saìkértanam, and kértanäd eva Krishnasya mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet. ु उवाच श्रीशक

इथत प्रणमफिाथबगोऩीथब् कृ तयऺणभ ्

् ऩामथमत्वा स्तनॊ भाता सन्न्यवेशमदात्मजभ||३०||

Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: All the gopés, headed by mother Yaçodä, were bound by maternal affection. After they thus chanted mantras to protect the child, mother Yaçodä gave the child the nipple of her breast to suck and then got Him to lie down on His bed.

Srila Prabhupada comments: When a baby drinks milk from the breast of his mother, this is a good sign of health. So the elderly gopés were not satisfied with chanting mantras to give protection to Krishna; they also tested whether their child's health was in order. When the child sucked the breast, this confirmed that He was healthy, and when the gopés were fully satisfied, they had the child lie down on His bed. ताविन्दादमो गोऩा भथयु ामा व्रजॊ गता्

थवरोक्य ऩूतनादेहॊ फबूवयु थतथवथिता्||३१|| Meanwhile, all the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahäräja, returned from Mathurä, and when they saw on the way the gigantic body of Pütanä lying dead, they were struck with great wonder.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Nanda Mahäräja's wonder may be understood in various ways. First of all, the cowherd men had never before seen such a gigantic body in Våndävana, and therefore they were struck with wonder. Then they began to consider where such a body had come from, whether it had dropped from the sky, or whether, by some mistake or by the power of some mystic yoginé, they had come to some place other than Våndävana. They could not actually guess what had happened, and therefore they were struck with wonder. नून ॊ फतथषन् सञ्जातो मोगेशो वा सभास स्

ु स एव दृष्टो ह्यत्पातो मदाहानकदुन्दुथब्||३२|| Nanda Mahäräja and the other gopas exclaimed: My dear friends, you must know that Änakadundubhi, 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?

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: Certainly Vasudev is the rsi in our Family; for being all knowing,he has predicted correctly. Through practice of astanga yoga Vasudev has acquired the Power to see the future. Thus his glories forever shine.

Srila Prabhupada comments:This verse illustrates the difference between kñatriyas and innocent vaiçyas. By studying the political situation, Vasudeva could see what would happen, whereas Nanda Mahäräja, the king of the agriculturalists, could only guess that Vasudeva was a great saintly person and had developed mystic powers. Vasudeva actually had all mystic powers under his control; otherwise he could not have become the father of Krishna. But in fact he foresaw the calamities in Vraja by studying Kaàsa's political activities and thus warned Nanda Mahäräja to take precautions, although Nanda Mahäräja thought that Vasudeva had predicted this incident through wonderful mystic powers. By mystic powers gained through the practice of haöha-yoga, one can study and understand the future. करेवयॊ ऩयशथु बथश्ित्त्वा तत्ते व्रजौकस्

् दूये थऺप्त्वावमवशो न्यदहन्काष्ठवेथष्टतभ||३३|| The inhabitants of Vraja cut the gigantic body of Pütanä into pieces with the help of axes. Then they threw the pieces far away, covered them with wood and burned them to ashes.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: On the order of Upananda and others, the lower class men completely burned Putana’s body out of fear that it would come to life again. The influence of the poisonous creatures is extinguished when their bodies are burned up.

Srila Prabhupada comments: It is the practice that after a snake has been killed, its body is cut into various pieces for fear that it may come to life again simply by interacting with air.

Merely killing a serpent is not sufficient; after it is killed, it must be cut to pieces and burned, and then the danger will be over. Pütanä resembled a great serpent, and therefore the cowherd men took the same precautions by burning her body to ashes.

ु दह्यभानस् देहस् धूभश्चागरुसौयब्

नु सऩद्याहतऩाप्मन्||३४|| उथत्थत् कृ ष्णथनबक्त Because of Krishna's having sucked the breast of the Räkñasé Pütanä, 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.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: This verse describes how Putana’s body became sanctified by the touch of Krishna’s mouth. Her body became purified of all sins the moment Krishna began to drink from her breast.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Such are the effects of Krishna consciousness. If one somehow or other becomes Krishna conscious by applying his senses in the service of the Lord, one is immediately freed from material contamination. Çåëvatäà sva-kathäù Krishnaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù (SB 1.2.17). Hearing about the activities of Krishna is the beginning of purified life. Puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù: simply by hearing and chanting, one becomes purified. Therefore, in discharging devotional service, çravaëa-kértana (hearing and chanting) is most important.

Then, with purified senses, one begins to render service to the Lord (håñékeëa håñékeça-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]). Bhaktir ucyate: this is called bhakti.

When Pütanä was somehow or other, directly or indirectly, induced to render some service to the Lord by feeding Him with her breast, she was immediately purified, so much so that when her nasty material body was burnt to ashes, it gave off the fragrance of aguru, the most agreeably scented herb. ऩूतना रोकफारघ्नी याऺसी रुथधयाशना

् थजघाॊसमाथऩ हयमे स्तनॊ दत्त्वाऩ सद्गथतभ||३५|| ु श्रिमा बक्त्या कृ ष्णाम ऩयभात्मने थकॊ ऩन्

मच्छथन्प्रमतभॊ थकॊ न ु यक्तास्तन्मातयो मथा||३६|| Pütanä 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. 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?

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: This shloka describes the glories of devotional service and also describes the mercy of Lord Krishna. Putana came in deguised as a mother to kill Krishna, she was niether devotee nor nondevotee. She was like an enemy. But still she got the postion of the mother in Goloka Vrindavan. So what should we say about those who offer with a neutral attitude? Or what to say about those who offer things with Pure Devotion? There is no doubt that they wont be delivered.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Pütanä had no affection for Krishna; rather, she was envious and wanted to kill Him. Nonetheless, because with or without knowledge she offered her breast, she attained the highest achievement in life. But the offerings of devotees attracted to Krishna in parental love are always sincere. A mother likes to offer something to her child with affection and love; there is no question of envy. So here we can make a comparative study. If Pütanä could attain such an exalted position in spiritual life by neglectfully, enviously making an offering to Krishna, what is to be said of mother Yaçodä and the other gopés, who served Krishna with such great affection and love, offering everything for Krishna's satisfaction? The gopés automatically achieved the highest perfection.

Therefore Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu recommended the affection of the gopés, either in maternal affection or in conjugal love, as the highest perfection in life (ramyä käcid upäsanä vrajavadhü-vargeëa yä kalpitä). ऩद्भ्ाॊ बक्तहृथदिाभ्ाॊ वन्द्याभ्ाॊ रोकवथन्दत ै्

् अङ्गॊ मस्ा् सभाक्रम्य बगवानथऩ तत्स्तनभ||३७|| ु मातधान्यथऩ सा स्वगनभवाऩ जननीगथतभ ्

ु ु कृ ष्णबक्तस्तनऺीया् थकभ ु गावोऽनभातय्||३८|| 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 Brahmä and Lord Çiva. Because Krishna embraced Pütanä's body with great pleasure and sucked her breast, 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?

Sri Srimad Radha Govinda Goswami Maharaja: ऩूतना ज ैसी याऺसी इतनी क्रूय होकय

् बी अवाऩ जननीगथतभ जननी की गथत को प्राप्त की | इस श्लोक भें गथत का अथन है रक्ष्य मा गॊतव्य | जननी भाने जन्म देन े वारी, रारन-ऩारन कयने वारी भाॉ | भाॉ मशोदा कृ ष्ण से प्राण बये हृदम से प्रेभ कयती थी | भाॉ मशोदा यात-थदन कृ ष्ण के रारन-ऩारन भें रगी यहती थी | कृ ष्ण को थखराना-थऩराना, उठाना-

् इच्छा होती थी थक भाॉ हभें िािें , फाॉध े | थपय बी वह ु सराना तथा उनकी यऺा कयना इत्याथद | बगवान की

ु ऩय बी कहती थक तम्हाये ु अऩने ऩत्रु को दु्ख नहीं देना चाहती थी | महाॉ तक थक गोथऩमों से उराहना सनने थजतने बी भिके -फतनन तोड़ा है, उन्हें रे जाओ रेथकन भैं अऩने फच्चे को नहीं िािॉू गी | मह है अऩने फच्चे के प्रथत भाॉ का वात्सल्य स्नेह |

एक फाय भाॉ मशोदा ने थदऩावरी के थदन दाथसमों को दूसये काभों भें रगा थदमा औय स्वमॊ दही भथने

् फार रीराओ ॊ का ियण कयते हए वह उन्हें गा यही थी | उसी सभम बगवान श्रीकृ ् ष्ण रगी | बगवान की स्तन ऩीने के थरमे अऩनी भाॉ के ऩास आए | उन्होंने अऩनी भाता के हृदम भें प्रेभ औय आनॊद को फढ़ाते हए दही की भथनी ऩकड़ री तथा उन्हें भथने से योक थदमा | श्रीकृ ष्ण भाता मशोदा के गोद भें चढ़ गमे | भाॉ ु ु श्रीकृ ष्ण का भख ु देखने रगी | इतने भें ही दूसयी उन्हें दूध थऩराने रगी औय भन्द-भन्द भस्कान से मक्त

ओय अॊगीठी ऩय यखे हए दूध भें उपान आ गमा | उसे देखकय मशोदा जी उन्हें अतृप्त अविा भें िोड़कय

् क्रोध आ गमा | बगवान ने ् सोचा जल्दी से दूध अॊगीठी से उतायने के थरमे चरी गमी | इससे बगवान को ् ऩास थक भेया कोई भहत्व नहीं है | उनके रार-रार होठ पड़कने रगे | उन्हें दाॉतों से दफाकय बगवान ने

ही ऩड़े हए रोढ़े से भिका पोड़ िारा | दही चायों ओय पै र गमा | श्रीकृ ष्ण थवचाय कयने रगे थक अफ कै से ु भायेगी | मह थवचाय कय दही के फाढ़ भें िऩ-िऩ कयते हए धीये-धीये बागे | बागू?ॉ भाॉ अफ आएगी तो भझे दही के कीचड़ से उनके ऩदथचन्ह फनते गमे |

मशोदा जी औ ॊिे हए दूध को दूसये घय भें यखकय दही भथने के िान ऩय रौिी | वहाॉ देखती हैं तो दही का भिका नीचे से पू िा हआ है | औय रारा वहाॉ नहीं है | भाॉ मशोदा जान गमी थक मह सफ कृ ष्ण की ु ही कयतूत है | भाॉ मशोदा भन-हीं-भन फहत प्रसि हईं थक रारा फथिभान है् | नीचे पोड़ा है - थजससे

आवाज न हो औय ऩेंदी भें पोड़ने के थरमे भिका उठामा है - उसका भतरफ हभाये फेिे भें फर फढ़ यहा है | साथ ही थचॊथतत हो गमी थक फच्चे की आदत थफगड़ यही है | आज भिका पोड़ा है, कर घय भें आग रगा ु सकता है | मे थफगड़ता जा यहा है | आज भाखन की चोयी कय यहा है, कर थकसी के घय का सोना चया ु सकता है | थकसी तयह से इसे सधायना ु सकता है मा थकसी की रड़की चया है |

इधय-उधय ढ़ूॉढ़ने ऩय ऩता चरा थक कृ ष्ण एक उरिे हए उखर ऩय खड़े हैं औय िींके ऩय का भाखन रे-

रेकय फॊदयों को खूफ रृिा यहे हैं | श्रीर हथय सूथय जी कहते हैं थक उदाय व्यथक्त बरे चोयी कये रेथकन दान देता ही यहता है | मह देखकय मशोदा यानी ऩीिे से धीये-धीये कृ ष्ण के ऩास आ गमी | जफ श्रीकृ ष्ण ने देखा थक भेयी भाॉ हाथ भें िड़ी थरमे भेयी ही ओय आ यही है, तफ झि से उखर ऩय से कू द ऩड़े औय िये हए की ु देव गोस्वाभी कहते हैं थक फड़े-फड़े मोगी तऩस्ा के द्वाया अऩने भन को अत्यन्त बाॉथत बागे | श्रीर शक

ु फनाकय बी थजनभें प्रवेश नहीं कय ऩाते, ऩाने की फात तो दूय यही उन्हीं बगवान के् ऩीिेसूक्ष्म औय शि ऩीिे उन्हें ऩकड़ने के थरमे भाॉ मशोदा दौड़ी | जफ इस प्रकाय भाता मशोदा श्रीकृ ष्ण के ऩीिे दौड़ने रगी, तफ कुि ही देय भें फड़े-फड़े एवॊ थहरते हए थनतम्बों के कायण उनकी चार धीभी ऩड़ गमी | वे ज्यों-ज्यों

आगे फढ़ती, ऩीिे चोिी भें गथ ॉ ु े हए पू र थगयते जाते | इस प्रकाय भाॉ मशोदा ज ैसे-तैसे कृ ष्ण को ऩकड़ सकी | ् झाॉकी फड़ी ही थवरऺण हो श्रीकृ ष्ण का हाथ ऩकड़कय भाॉ उन्हें ियाने-धभकाने रगी | बगवान की

यही थी | आॉखों से अजस्र आॉस ू थगय यहे थे | जफ भाॉ मशोदा ने देखा की रारा िय गमा है, तफ उनके

हृदम भें वात्सल्य-स्नेह उभड़ आमा औय उन्होंने िड़ी पेंक दी | इसके फाद सोची थक इसको यस्सी से फाॉध

ु ऩीिने का इतना देना चाथहमे, नहीं तो मह कहीं बाग जामेगा | भाता ने कृ ष्ण से िाॉिते हए कहा, “मथद तझे

ु भाखन कहाॉ से ही िय था, तो भिका क्यों पोड़ा? अये! अशान्त प्रकृ ते! वानयफॊधो! भथनी स्फोिक! अफ तझे ु ऐसा फाॉधग ूॉ ी थक न तो तू ग्वारफारों के साथ खेर सके गा औय न भाखन चोयी का थभरेगा? आज भैं तझे

ु िोिी ऊधभ भचा सके गा |” जफ भाता मशोदा अऩने फेिे को यस्सी से फाॉधने रगी तफ वह यस्सी दो अॊगर ऩड़ गमी | भाॉ ने दूसयी यस्सी रेकय उससे जोड़ी |वह बी िोिी हो गमी, थपय दूसयी यस्सी जोड़ी | अनेकों

ु कभ ऩड़ती गमीं | इस प्रकाय भाॉ मशोदा ने घय की सायी यथस्समाॉ ु के फाद बी दो-दो अॉगर यथस्समों के जड़ने ् न फाॉध सकी | उनकी असपरता ऩय देखने वारी गोथऩमाॉ भस्क ु ु याने रगीं जोड़ िारी, थपय बी बगवान को ् देखा थक ु ु याती हई आश्चमनचथकत हो गमी थपय बी कापी प्रमास यत यही | बगवान ने | भाॉ मशोदा बी भस्क भेयी भाॉ ऩसीने से रथऩथ हो गमी है, फहत थक गमी है, चोिी भें गथ ॉ ु ी हई भाराएॉ थगय गमी है | तफ

न स्वमॊ ही अऩनी भाॉ के फन्धन भें फॉध गमे | फाॉधकय भाॉ ने सफकी ओय देखकय कहा, “कोई कृ ष्ण कृ ऩाऩूवक को नहीं खोरेगा |” मह है भाॉ का स्नेह | ् ष्ण ऩयभ स्वतन्त्र हैं | ब्रह्मा, थशव, इन्द्र आथद के साथ मह सम्पूण न जगत उनके ् बगवान श्रीकृ वश भें है | थपय बी इस प्रकाय फॉधकय उन्होंने सॊसाय को मह थदखा थदमा थक भैं अऩने प्रेभी बक्तों के वश भें हॉ |

् मशोदा का स्तन ऩीते हैं, उनकी गोद भें सोते हैं | जफ कृ ष्ण ऩूयी तयह भाॉ मशोदा के वश भें हैं | बगवान भाॉ

् थखराती है तफ खाते हैं, नहराती है तफ नहाते हैं | इसे ही जननीगथतभ कहते हैं | भाॉ का जो ऩद है, ् कृ ऩा से प्राप्त थकमा | उसकी जो थक्रमाएॉ है उसे ऩूतना ने बगवान की

् इस श्लोक भें स्वगनभ शब्द का प्रमोग थकमा गमा है | महाॉ साभान्य स्वगन जहाॉ ऩय देवता यहते हैं ,

उसकी चचान नहीं की जा यही है | बगवान के् थनज धाभ वैकुडठ मा गोरोक वृन्दावन को ही स्वगन कहा गमा ् है | ऩूतना ने गोरोक वृन्दावन धाभ प्राप्त थकमा है | श्री बगवान वात्सल्य यस का खूफ आस्वादन कयते हैं | ् ु अनबू ु थत थभरती है | बगवान स्वमॊ इसभें आत्मीमता का बयऩूय (प्रचय) स्वीकाय कयते हैं -

भाता भोये ऩत्रु -बावे कयेन फन्धन | अथतहीन-ऻाने कये रारन-ऩारन || -श्रीच ैतन्य चथयताभृत, आथद-रीरा ४.२४ ् ष्ण कहते हैं थक भाॉ भझको ु ु फहत ही बगवान श्रीकृ अऩना ऩत्रु भानकय अऩयाध कयने ऩय फाॉधती है | भझे

ु का सभझकय भेया रारन-ऩारन कयती है | भैं जफ थभट्टी खाता हॉ तफ थभट्टी उगरवाती हई कहती कभ फथि ु थभट्टी क्यों खाई?” हैं - "शैतान! तभने

थभट्टी-बऺण रीरा ् थभट्टी खा री | इस ऩय फरयाभ जी भाॉ मशोदा से जाकय कहते हैं, "तेये एक फाय खेर-खेर भें बगवान ने रारा ने व्रजयज खाई, मशोदा, सनु भाई |” मशोदा दौड़कय आमी औय कृ ष्ण का हाथ ऩकड़कय कहने

ु बोजन नहीं थभरता, भाखन-थभश्री नहीं थभरती, योिी नहीं थभरता? थपय रगी - "क्यों ये निखि! क्या तम्हें क्यों थभट्टी खाई? कृ ष्ण उसी सभम थभट्टी खाए थे थपय बी भाॉ से कहने रगे, नाहॊ बथऺतवानम्ब "भाॉ! भैंन े

ु थभट्टी नहीं खाई है | मे सफ झ ूठ फोर यहे हैं | मथद तभु इन्हीं की फात सच भानती हो तो भेया भहॉ ु तम्हाये ् साभने ही है, तभु अऩनी आॉखों से देख रो |” कहीं दाॉत भें थभट्टी थदखामी न दे इसथरमे बगवान राय

फनाकय जल्दी-जल्दी थभट्टी घोिने का प्रमास कय यहे थे | मशोदा जी ने कहा, “ठीक है, मथद ऐसा है तो भहॉ ु ् भहॉ ु खोर थदमा | खोरो |” भाता के ऐसा कहने ऩय बगवान ने

् ू न जगत थवद्यभान भाॉ मशोदा जी ने देखा थक उनके भहॉ ु भें चय-अचय सॊऩण है | आकाश, थदशाएॉ,

ु अथि, चन्द्रभा, तायों के साथ सम्पूण न ऩहाड़, द्वीऩ, सभद्रु सथहत सायी ऩृथ्वी, फहने वारी वाम,ु थवद्यत,

ु ज्योथतभनडिर, जर, ऩवन, वैकाथयक अहिाय के कामन, देवता, भन-इथन्द्रम, ऩञ्चतन्मात्राएॉ औय तीनों गण

ु भें थदख यहे थे | सम्पूण न व्रज के साथ अऩने-आऩ को बी भाॉ मशोदा ने श्रीकृ ष्ण के भख ु भें श्रीकृ ष्ण के भख

् भामा है | धीये-धीये भाॉ ु का कोई भ्रभ है मा बगवान की देखा | मशोदा जी थचॊथतत हो गमीं थक मह भेये फथि

् अऩनी स्नेहभमी मोगभामा का उनके हृदम भें सॊचाय मशोदा श्रीकृ ष्ण का तत्व सभझने रगी तफ बगवान ने कय थदमा | तत्क्षण भाॉ ने अऩने दुराये कृ ष्ण को गोद भें उठा थरमा | ु भें नहाने न कथा का आशम मह है थक भाॉ थकतना ध्यान यखती है थक कृ ष्ण थभट्टी न खाए, मभना जामे | भाॉ मशोदा इसथरमे थचॊथतत हो जाती थी थक कहीं हभाये रारा को थभट्टी खाने की आदत रग गमी

ु भें नहाने जामेगा तो तैयना नहीं जानता है - िूफ जामेगा | भाॉ तो इसके ऩेि भें कीड़े ऩड़ जामेंग े औय मभना मशोदा कृ ष्ण की थनत्य जननी है औय कृ ष्ण उनके थनत्य ऩत्रु |

अप्राकृ त जगत ् ् द्वाथयका रौिे तो सफसे ऩहरे भाताओ ॊ के घय भें श्रीभद ् बागवत भें वणनन है थक हथस्तनाऩयु से बगवान जफ

् देखते ही अऩनी गोद भें रे थरमा औय तत्क्षण उनके स्तनों से दूध की प्रवेश थकमे | भाताओ ॊ ने बगवान को

् भाताएॉ हैं , इनका दूध कबी सखता ु धाया फहने रगी तथा आॉखों से आसूॉ फहने रगे | मे थदव्य जगत की नहीं ् फच्चे के फड़े होने ऩय भाॉ के स्तनों से दूध सभाप्त हो जाता है | रेथकन अप्राकृ त है | इस प्राकृ त जगत भें

् ऐसा नहीं होता | अप्राकृ त जगत भें ् बगवान के् साथ का सम्बन्ध कबी नहीं फदरता है | भाॉ थनत्य जगत भें

भाॉ यहती है | थप्रमा थनत्य थप्रमा हैं | कार फीतता है, मगु फीतते हैं , कोथि-कोथि वषन फीतते हैं रेथकन कृ ष्ण के

् त् साथ गोरोक वृन्दावन भें जीव का जो थनत्य सम्बन्ध है वह कबी-बी नष्ट नहीं होता | अप्राकृ त जगत अथान ् वैकुडठ मा गोरोक भें थवकाय नहीं होते | श्रीभद ् बगवद ्-गीता भें बगवान कहते हैं -

ऩयस्तिात्त ु बावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातन्| म् स सवेष ु बूतषे ु नश्मत्सनु थवनश्मथत || -श्रीभद ् बगवद ्-गीता ८.२० इसके अथतथयक्त एक अन्य प्रकृ थत है, जो शाश्वत है औय इस व्यक्त तथा अव्यक्त ऩदाथन से ऩये है | मह ऩया

(श्रेष्ठ) औय कबी नाश न होने वारी है | जफ इस सॊसाय का सफकुि रम हो जाता है, तफ बी उसका नाश नहीं होता |

ु अव्यक्तोऽऺय इत्यक्तस्तभाह् ऩयभाॊगथतभ |् मॊ प्राप्य न थनवतनन्त े तिाभऩयभॊ भभ || -श्रीभद ् बगवद ्-गीता ८.२१ थजसे वेदान्ती अप्रकि तथा अथवनाशी फताते हैं , जो ऩयभ गॊतव्य है, थजसे प्राप्त कय रेन े ऩय कोई वाऩस नहीं आता, वही भेया ऩयभ धाभ है | ् ऩथयकय फन जाता है, तफ उसे इस दुखभम जड़ जगत भें ् कबी-बी नहीं आना जफ साधक जीव बगवान का ु देव गोस्वाभी कहते हैं थक कृ ष्ण की सेवा कय जो सख ु भाॉ मशोदा को प्राप्त हआ है, उसी ऩड़ता | श्रीर शक

ऩद को ऩूतना ने प्राप्त थकमा | गङ्गा जी थहभारम से थनकरकय सभद्रु भें थगयती है | यास्ते भें कई शहय ऩड़ते ु वायाणसी, ऩिना, कोरकाता इत्याथद | इनके नारें गङ्गा जी भें फहते हैं | गङ्गा जी के हैं - हथयद्वाय, कानऩय, ु नहीं कय सॊग से उन नारों का ऩानी बी गङ्गा जी हो जाता है | गङ्गा जी को उन नारों का ऩानी अशि

सकता | मह गङ्गा जी की थदव्य शथक्त का प्रबाव है | थजनके चयणकभर के धोवन भें ऐसी शथक्त है | उन ु बगवान के् श्रीथवग्रह भें थकतनी शथक्त होगी | अनभान नहीं थकमा जा सकता | ऐसे ऩयभ ऩावन प्रब ु के

सम्पकन भें आकय ऩूतना सद्गथत प्राप्त की | थपय जफ ब्रह्मा जी ग्वारफार औय फिड़ों को हय रे गमे, तफ

् बगवान स्वमॊ ही फिड़े औय ग्वारफार फन गमे | उस सभम अनेकों गोऩों औय वत्सों के रूऩ से एक वषन तक थजन गोथऩमों औय गामों के स्तनों का ऩान थकमे, उन भाताओ ॊ की तो फात ही क्या है! ् ु ु हस्नतान्यरभ ऩमाॊथस मासाभथऩफत्पत्रस्ने

ु कै वल्याद्यथखरप्रद्||३९|| बगवान्देवकीऩत्र् ु ऺणभ ् तासाभथवयतॊ कृ ष्णे कुवनतीनाॊ सते

ु किते याजन्सॊसायोऽऻानसम्भव्||४०|| न ऩन् 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.

Sri Srimad Radha Govinda Goswami Maharaja: ु वैकुडठ तथा गोरोक वृन्दावन की सेवा देन े वारे हैं देवकीनन्दन बगवान कै् वल्य आथद सफ प्रकाय की भथक्त,

| उन्होंने व्रज की गोथऩमों औय गौओ ॊ का वह दूध , जो बगवान के् प्रथत ऩत्रु -बाव होने से वात्सल्य-स्नेह की अथधकता के कायण स्वमॊ ही झयता यहता था, बयऩेि ऩान थकमा | अथखरप्रद् - सफकुि देन े भें सभथन प्रब ु - जो दुथनमाॉ को देत े हैं वे व्रज भें थरमे | कई रूऩ धायण कयके दूध, दही, भाखन खामे | गामों के थनों के नीचे फ ैठकय फिड़े ज ैसा बी दूध ऩीते थे | गोथऩमों के घय चोयी कयके ् ु व्रज भें बयऩूय आनन्द का आस्वादन थकमे | खाते थे | अथानत प्रब

ु भें मशोदा जी के दो नाभों का उिे ख है - मशोदा औय देवकी महाॉ देवकी का अथन मशोदा है | आथद ऩयाण | द्वे नाम्नी नन्दबामानमा मशोदा देवाकीथत च | ु -आथद ऩयाण ् श्री बगवान स्वमॊ को अनेकों रूऩ भें थवस्ताथयत कय अनेकों गोथऩमों के घय एक ही सभम भें चोयी कयते थे | जफ अनेकों गोथऩमाॉ भाॉ मशोदा के ऩास उराहना देन े आतीं औय सफ एक ही सभम भें अरग -अरग घय भें कृ ष्ण के चोयी की फात कयती तो भैमा उन्हें ऩागर कहकय भना कय देती | बरा! एक ही सभम भें कन्हैमा अनेकों घयों भें कै से जा सकता है? तभु रोग झ ूठ फोर यही हो | भेये फेिे को फदनाभ कय यही हो |

ु हए अऩने घय भें ऩकड़ री | श्रीकृ ष्ण का फाॉह ऩकड़कय भाॉ एक फाय एक गोऩी कृ ष्ण को भाखन चयाते

ु -थवनम थकमे थक भझे ु िोड़ दो | जो मशोदा के ऩास रे जाने रगी | श्रीकृ ष्ण फाय -फाय गोऩी से अननम

कहोगी - वह सेवा करूॉगा | रेथकन वह गोऩी भानी नहीं | फाॉह ऩकड़कय खींचते हए नन्दबवन की ओय जाने रगी | उसी सभम उस गोऩी का एक रड़का जो श्रीकृ ष्ण के सभ-वमस था - वहाॉ आ गमा औय कृ ष्ण ् को थचढ़ाते हए हॉसने रगा | तफ तक बगवान गोऩी से कहे - भेये इस फाॉह को िोड़ दो - फहत ददन कय यहा

है | दूसया ऩकड़ रो | तफ गोऩी ठीक है - कहकय कृ ष्ण का फाॉह िोड़ दी | तफ श्रीकृ ष्ण पू थतन से उसके फेिे का हाथ उसके हाथ भें ऩकड़वा कय बाग गमे | नन्दबवन ऩहॉचकय वह गोऩी मशोदा जी से कहने रगी - यानी जी! आऩ कहती हो थक भेया रारा चोयी नहीं कयता है | देखो! आज इसे प्रत्यऺ ऩकड़कय रामी हॉ | मशोदा जी ने कहा - ऩागर हो गमी हो क्या ? ु मह हभाया रारा है थक तम्हाया रारा है ? तफ गोऩी अऩने हाथ भें अऩने रारा को देखकय हक्काफक्का हो

गमी | अये! कृ ष्ण कहाॉ गमा? भाॉ मशोदा के ऩीिे से कृ ष्ण वहाॉ आकय फोरे - देखो भैमा! मही गोथऩमों का ु ु हार है | चोयी इनके फेिे कयते हैं औय उराहना तम्हाये घय आता है | भैमा! मे गोथऩमाॉ भझको देखने के

थरमे फहाना फनाकय हभाये घय आती है | हभाये घय इतने अच्छे -अच्छे भाखन हैं | थपय बी चोयी क्यों

करूॉगा? मे झ ूठ फोर यही हैं , भैमा! इस तयह अऩने वचन द्वाया, अऩनी रीराओ ॊ द्वाया कृ ष्ण भाॉ मशोदा को ु देत े हैं | वही सख ु ऩूतना को बी प्रदान थकमे | मे रीराएॉ गोरोक वृन्दावन भें थनत्य चरती यहती हैं , सख उनका कबी-बी ऩमनवसान नहीं हो सकता | ् ष्ण को अऩने ऩत्रु के ु देव गोस्वाभी कहते हैं थक जो गौएॉ औय गोथऩमाॉ थनत्य थनयॊतय बगवान श्रीकृ श्रीर शक ु सॊसाय के चक्र भें कबी नहीं ऩड़ सकतीं, ही रूऩ भें देखती थीं, उनकी थिथत थदव्य है | मे जन्म-भृत्यरूऩ

क्योंथक मह सॊसाय तो अऻान के कायण ही है | अऻानता के कायण जीव इस देह को भैं भानकय फ ैठा है औय ु बाई को अऩना भानता है | सॊसाय भें जो बी सम्बन्ध है वह अऻान जथनत उस देह से सम्बथन्धत ऩत्नी, ऩत्र,

है | बगवान के् साथ जीव का जो बी सम्बन्ध है - दास, बाई, सखा, भाॉ, थप्रमा आथद वह थनत्य सम्बन्ध है | वहाॉ कोई अऻान नहीं है | ज ैसे स्वप्न भें कोई व्यथक्त ऩत्रु के रूऩ भें, थऩता मा भाॉ के रूऩ भें थभरता है |

ु ही वह सम्बन्ध सभाप्त हो जाता है | उसी तयह वास्तव भें कोई थकसी का ऩत्रु नहीं है, रेथकन नींद खरते

् कोई थकसी का थऩता नहीं है मा कोई थकसी की भाॉ नहीं है | इस सॊसाय के साये सम्बन्ध स्वप्नवत थभथ्या है | ु स्वाभी, सखा औय थप्रमतभ भानना जीव का वास्तथवक सम्बन्ध कृ ष्ण के साथ है | उन्हीं को अऩना ऩत्र,

् कथाओ ॊ द्वाया दृढ़ कयना चाथहमे अन्यथा इस सॊसाय के सम्बन्ध कबी नहीं चाथहमे | इस बाव को बगवान की ु भेयी भाॉ, भेयी िी, छूिें गे | व्यथक्त भयने ऩय दूसया शयीय धायण कयता है | रेथकन उस शयीय भें बी भेया ऩत्र, इसी अऻान भें ऩड़ा यहता है | कृ ष्ण के साथ अऩने सम्बन्ध को श्रवण द्वाया ही दृढ़ थकमा जा सकता है |

् रीरा-कथाओ ॊ का श्रवण कयते-कयते उनभें भन आथवष्ट हो जाता है | ऩूतना की गथत सनकय ु बगवान की बगवान के् स्वबाव का ऩता चरता है | बगवान के् स्वबाव को सभझने का प्रमास कयना चाथहमे | मह

् हैं , उनका व्यवहाय कै सा है | वास्तव भें श्रवण द्वाया ही बगवान को ् जानना आवश्मक है थक बगवान क्या सभझा जा सकता है | साधकों के थरमे श्रवण ही आधाय है | ् थवशेषता सनकय ु सनने ु ु ु ु वारे रुथिणी जी ने बगवान की उन्हें ऩत्र थरखा था | हे बवनस न्दय! आऩके गण, ु देत े हैं | जफ के कानों के यास्ते हृदम भें प्रवेश कयके एक-एक अङ्ग के ताऩ तथा जन्म-जन्म की जरन फझा

ु हॉ तफ से भेया थचत्त रज्जा, शभन सफकुि िोड़कय आऩ भें ही प्रवेश कय यहा है | से भैं आऩके थवषम भें सनी ् रीराओ ॊ का श्रवण कय रुथिणी ने उन्हें सभऩण न थकमा था | इस तयह बगवान की

साधकों के थरमे श्रवण ही आधाय है | व्रजवाथसमों (गोऩों व गोथऩमों) के साभने वे प्रत्यऺ रूऩ से थे, रेथकन ् ु हैं औय उनकी रीराएॉ थदव्य हैं | उन्होंने हभाये थरमे तो श्रवण ही आधाय है | बगवान ऩयभ सन्दय

थगथययाज जी को धायण थकमा, यास रीरा की तथा काथरम के पन ऩय नृत्य थकमा | इन रीराओ ॊ को

् कथाओ ॊ का श्रवण कयना फहत ही ु -सनते ु भन उनभें आथवष्ट हो जाता है | वास्तव भें बगवान की सनते ् फरवान साधन है | इसथरमे बथक्त भें ऩहरे श्रवण को यखा गमा है |

् श्रवणॊ कीतनन ॊ थवष्णो् ियणॊ ऩादसेवनभ |् अचनन ॊ वन्दनॊ दास्ॊ सख्यभात्मथनवेदनभ || ् -श्रीभद ् बागवतभ ७.५.२३ ् सायोऽऻानसम्भव् जो गोथऩमाॉ ु है | न ऩन् ु किते याजन सॊ इस नवथवधा बथक्त भें श्रवण सफसे भख्य

् थनत्य अऩने ऩत्रु के रूऩ भें देखती थी, वह थपय जन्म-भृत्यरूऩ ु सॊसाय के चक्र भें कबी नहीं ऩड़ बगवान को सकती | वहाॉ अऻान जथनत सॊसाय सॊबव ही नहीं है | किधूभस् सौयभ्भवघ्राम व्रजौकस्

ु थकथभदॊ कुत एवेथत वदन्तो व्रजभामम्||४१|| Upon smelling the fragrance of the smoke emanating from Pütanä's burning body, many inhabitants of Vrajabhümi in distant places were astonished.

"Where is this fragrance coming from?" they asked. Thus they went to the spot where Pütanä's body was being burnt.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti: After burning the dead body of Putana the Vrajvasis were thinking ‚Where does this smell come from? Is this aguru incense coming down from Indrapuri through the earth and trying to enter sutala? Or is it ascending from Bali’s abode on Sutala through the earth and up to Svarga? Or is it coming from Kuvera’s city in the north or from Varuna’s city in the west?‛ In this way, the cowherd men entertained many questions.

Srila Prabhupada comments: The aroma of the smoke emanating from a burning fire is not always very favorable. Therefore upon smelling such a wonderful fragrance, the inhabitants of Vraja were astonished. ते तत्र वथणनत ॊ गोऩ ै् ऩूतनागभनाथदकभ ्

ु ा तथिधनॊ स्वथस्त थशशोश्चासन्सथवथिता्||४२|| ु श्रत्व When the inhabitants of Vraja who had come from distant places heard the whole story of how Pütanä 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 Pütanä. Nanda Mahäräja, of course, was very much obliged to Vasudeva, who had foreseen the incident, and simply thanked him, thinking how wonderful Vasudeva was. ु ु नन्द् स्वऩत्रभादाम प्रेत्यागतभदायधी्

भूर्ध्न्ऩुन ाघ्राम ऩयभाॊ भदॊु रेब े कुरूद्वह||४३|| O Mahäräja Parékñit, best of the Kurus, Nanda Mahäräja 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 Mahäräja undoubtedly enjoyed transcendental bliss.

Srila Prabhupada comments: Nanda Mahäräja could not understand how the inhabitants of his house had allowed Pütanä to enter the house, nor could he imagine the gravity of the situation. He did not understand that Krishna had wanted to kill Pütanä and that His pastimes were performed by yogamäyä. Nanda Mahäräja simply thought that someone had entered his house and created havoc. This was Nanda Mahäräja's simplicity. म एतत्पूतनाभोऺॊ कृ ष्णस्ाबनकभद्भत ु भ्

् ु शृणमाच्छ्रिमा भत्यो गोथवन्दे रबते यथतभ ||४४|| Any person who hears with faith and devotion about how Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, killed Pütanä, and who thus invests his hearing in such childhood pastimes of Krishna, certainly attains attachment for Govinda, the supreme, original person.

Srila Vishvanath Chakravati: Here he is offering two understandings.

1. Anyone who faithfully hears the childhood Pastimes of Krishna and the liberation of Putana and accepts them as most astonishing, will obtain attraction for Govinda.

2. Anyone who hears the childhood pastimes of Krishna and the Liberation of Putana with faith will attain attraction to Govinda and everything related to Govinda.

Srila Prabhupada comments: The incident in which the great witch attempted to kill the child but was killed herself is certainly wonderful. Therefore this verse uses the word adbhutam, meaning "specifically wonderful." Krishna has left us many wonderful narrations about Him. Simply by reading these narrations, as they are described in Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one gains salvation from this material world and gradually develops attachment to and devotion for Govinda, Ă„di-puruĂąa.

!!!!

All glories to Sri Srimad Radha Govinda Goswami Maharaja. !!!!