The Killing of the Demoness Putana

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.6.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच नन्दः पथि वचः शौरेर्न मृषेति विचिन्तयन् । हरिं जगाम शरणमुत्पातागमशङ्कितः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca nandaḥ pathi vacaḥ śaurer na mṛṣeti vicintayan hariṁ jagāma śaraṇam utpātāgama-śaṅkitaḥ

Shri Shuka said: On the way home, Nanda reflected that Shauri's (Vasudeva's) words could not be false, and fearing some calamity was at hand, he took shelter in Bhagavan Hari.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.6.2)

कंसेन प्रहिता घोरा पूतना बालघातिनी । शिशूंश्चचार निघ्नन्ती पुरग्रामव्रजादिषु ॥ २ ॥

kaṁsena prahitā ghorā pūtanā bāla-ghātinī śiśūṁś cacāra nighnantī pura-grāma-vrajādiṣu

Sent by Kamsa, the terrible child-slaying Putana was roaming through towns, villages, and cowherd settlements, killing infants wherever she found them.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.6.3)

न यत्र श्रवणादीनि रक्षोघ्नानि स्वकर्मसु । कुर्वन्ति सात्वतां भर्तुर्यातुधान्यश्च तत्र हि ॥ ३ ॥

na yatra śravaṇādīni rakṣo-ghnāni sva-karmasu kurvanti sātvatāṁ bhartur yātudhānyaś ca tatra hi

O King, wherever people fail to make the hearing and chanting of the Lord of the Satvatas — acts that destroy every evil influence — a part of their daily duty, it is there that such demonesses find their way in.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.6.4)

सा खेचर्येकदोत्पत्य पूतना नन्दगोकुलम् । योषित्वा माययात्मानं प्राविशत् कामचारिणी ॥ ४ ॥

sā khe-cary ekadotpatya pūtanā nanda-gokulam yoṣitvā māyayātmānaṁ prāviśat kāma-cāriṇī

That demoness, who could roam the sky at will, once flew straight to Nanda's Gokula. There, using her magical power to assume the form of a beautiful young woman, she made her way inside.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.6.5)

तां केशबन्धव्यतिषक्तमल्लिकां बृहन्नितम्बस्तनकृच्छ्रमध्यमाम् । सुवाससं कल्पितकर्णभूषण- त्विषोल्लसत्कुन्तलमण्डिताननाम् ॥ ५ ॥

tāṁ keśa-bandha-vyatiṣakta-mallikāṁ bṛhan-nitamba-stana-kṛcchra-madhyamām suvāsasaṁ kalpita-karṇa-bhūṣaṇa- tviṣollasat-kuntala-maṇḍitānanām

Her hair was bound with a garland of mallika flowers; her full hips and breasts seemed almost too heavy for her slender waist. Beautifully dressed, her face was framed by curling locks that shone with the glow of her jeweled earrings.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.6.6)

वल्गुस्मितापाङ्गविसर्गवीक्षितै- र्मनो हरन्तीं वनितां व्रजौकसाम् । अमंसताम्भोजकरेण रूपिणीं गोप्यः श्रियं द्रष्टुमिवागतां पतिम् ॥ ६ ॥

valgu-smitāpāṅga-visarga-vīkṣitair mano harantīṁ vanitāṁ vrajaukasām amaṁsatāmbhoja-kareṇa rūpiṇīṁ gopyaḥ śriyaṁ draṣṭum ivāgatāṁ patim

With her charming smile and the sidelong play of her glances, she captivated the hearts of the people of Vraja. Seeing her loveliness, lotus in hand, the gopis took her for the goddess of fortune herself, come to see her husband.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.6.7)

बालग्रहस्तत्र विचिन्वती शिशून् यदृच्छया नन्दगृहेऽसदन्तकम् । बालं प्रतिच्छन्ननिजोरुतेजसं ददर्श तल्पेऽग्निमिवाहितं भसि ॥ ७ ॥

bāla-grahas tatra vicinvatī śiśūn yadṛcchayā nanda-gṛhe ’sad-antakam bālaṁ praticchanna-nijoru-tejasaṁ dadarśa talpe ’gnim ivāhitaṁ bhasi

That demoness who preyed upon infants, searching among the children, chanced upon Nanda's house — the very house of Him who ends the wicked. There on the bed she saw the child, His boundless power hidden, like a fire smoldering beneath a covering of ash.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.6.8)

विबुध्य तां बालकमारिकाग्रहं चराचरात्मा स निमीलितेक्षणः । अनन्तमारोपयदङ्कमन्तकं यथोरगं सुप्तमबुद्धिरज्जुधीः ॥ ८ ॥

vibudhya tāṁ bālaka-mārikā-grahaṁ carācarātmā sa nimīlitekṣaṇaḥ anantam āropayad aṅkam antakaṁ yathoragaṁ suptam abuddhi-rajju-dhīḥ

Knowing her to be the demoness who preyed on infants, the Lord, the very soul of all that moves and moves not, closed His eyes. And so she, taking her own death upon her lap without knowing it, lifted the boundless child, just as a foolish man might pick up a sleeping serpent, mistaking it for a rope.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.6.9)

तां तीक्ष्णचित्तामतिवामचेष्टितां वीक्ष्यान्तरा कोषपरिच्छदासिवत् । वरस्त्रियं तत्प्रभया च धर्षिते निरीक्ष्यमाणे जननी ह्यतिष्ठताम् ॥ ९ ॥

tāṁ tīkṣṇa-cittām ativāma-ceṣṭitāṁ vīkṣyāntarā koṣa-paricchadāsivat vara-striyaṁ tat-prabhayā ca dharṣite nirīkṣyamāṇe jananī hy atiṣṭhatām

Cruel at heart, yet gentle and pleasing in her manner — like a sword sheathed in velvet — that woman entered unopposed. Yashoda and Rohini, dazzled by her radiant beauty, could only watch, mistaking her for a mother come to see the child.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.6.10)

तस्मिन् स्तनं दुर्जरवीर्यमुल्बणं घोराङ्कमादाय शिशोर्ददावथ । गाढं कराभ्यां भगवान् प्रपीड्य तत्- प्राणैः समं रोषसमन्वितोऽपिबत् ॥ १० ॥

tasmin stanaṁ durjara-vīryam ulbaṇaṁ ghorāṅkam ādāya śiśor dadāv atha gāḍhaṁ karābhyāṁ bhagavān prapīḍya tat- prāṇaiḥ samaṁ roṣa-samanvito ’pibat

Taking the child onto her terrible lap, she pressed her breast, smeared with an unbearable poison, to His mouth. But the Lord seized it firmly with both hands and, filled with anger, drank out the poison together with her very life.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.6.11)

सा मुञ्च मुञ्चालमिति प्रभाषिणी निष्पीड्यमानाखिलजीवमर्मणि । विवृत्य नेत्रे चरणौ भुजौ मुहुः प्रस्विन्नगात्रा क्षिपती रुरोद ह ॥ ११ ॥

sā muñca muñcālam iti prabhāṣiṇī niṣpīḍyamānākhila-jīva-marmaṇi vivṛtya netre caraṇau bhujau muhuḥ prasvinna-gātrā kṣipatī ruroda ha

"Let go, let go, enough!" she screamed, as every vital point in her body was being crushed. Her eyes wide with terror, thrashing her arms and legs again and again, her whole body drenched in sweat, she wailed aloud.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.6.12)

तस्याः स्वनेनातिगभीररंहसा साद्रिर्मही द्यौश्च चचाल सग्रहा । रसा दिशश्च प्रतिनेदिरे जनाः पेतुः क्षितौ वज्रनिपातशङ्कया ॥ १२ ॥

tasyāḥ svanenātigabhīra-raṁhasā sādrir mahī dyauś ca cacāla sa-grahā rasā diśaś ca pratinedire janāḥ petuḥ kṣitau vajra-nipāta-śaṅkayā

At the deep, violent force of her scream, the earth with its mountains and the heavens with their planets shook. The nether worlds and every direction echoed with the sound, and people fell to the ground, thinking that thunderbolts were crashing down upon them.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.6.13)

निशाचरीत्थं व्यथितस्तना व्यसु- र्व्यादाय केशांश्चरणौ भुजावपि । प्रसार्य गोष्ठे निजरूपमास्थिता वज्राहतो वृत्र इवापतन्नृप ॥ १३ ॥

niśā-carītthaṁ vyathita-stanā vyasur vyādāya keśāṁś caraṇau bhujāv api prasārya goṣṭhe nija-rūpam āsthitā vajrāhato vṛtra ivāpatan nṛpa

Thus, tormented in her breast, that wanderer of the night lost her life. O King, with mouth agape, hair, arms, and legs sprawled wide, she fell in the cow-pen in her true demonic form, just as Vritrasura once fell, struck down by Indra's thunderbolt.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.6.14)

पतमानोऽपि तद्देहस्त्रिगव्यूत्यन्तरद्रुमान् । चूर्णयामास राजेन्द्र महदासीत्तदद्भुतम् ॥ १४ ॥

patamāno ’pi tad-dehas tri-gavyūty-antara-drumān cūrṇayām āsa rājendra mahad āsīt tad adbhutam

Even as it fell, her body shattered every tree within a circle of some twelve miles. O best of kings, that vast form was truly astonishing.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.6.15)

ईषामात्रोग्रदंष्ट्रास्यं गिरिकन्दरनासिकम् । गण्डशैलस्तनं रौद्रं प्रकीर्णारुणमूर्धजम् ॥ १५ ॥

īṣā-mātrogra-daṁṣṭrāsyaṁ giri-kandara-nāsikam gaṇḍa-śaila-stanaṁ raudraṁ prakīrṇāruṇa-mūrdhajam

Her mouth bristled with fangs fierce as the pole of a plough, her nostrils gaped like mountain caverns, her breasts loomed terrible as boulders fallen from a cliff, and her disheveled hair was the color of copper.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.6.16)

अन्धकूपगभीराक्षं पुलिनारोहभीषणम् । बद्धसेतुभुजोर्वङ्घ्रि शून्यतोयह्रदोदरम् ॥ १६ ॥

andha-kūpa-gabhīrākṣaṁ pulināroha-bhīṣaṇam baddha-setu-bhujorv-aṅghri śūnya-toya-hradodaram

Her eye sockets were deep as blind wells, her thighs as fearsome as river sandbanks, her arms and legs like great causeways, and her belly hollow as a dried-up lake bed.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.6.17)

सन्तत्रसुः स्म तद्वीक्ष्य गोपा गोप्यः कलेवरम् । पूर्वं तु तन्निःस्वनितभिन्नहृत्कर्णमस्तकाः ॥ १७ ॥

santatrasuḥ sma tad vīkṣya gopā gopyaḥ kalevaram pūrvaṁ tu tan-niḥsvanita- bhinna-hṛt-karṇa-mastakāḥ

Seeing that monstrous corpse, the cowherd men and women trembled in fear — their hearts, ears, and heads already shattered by the sound of her scream.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.6.18)

बालं च तस्या उरसि क्रीडन्तमकुतोभयम् । गोप्यस्तूर्णं समभ्येत्य जगृहुर्जातसम्भ्रमाः ॥ १८ ॥

bālaṁ ca tasyā urasi krīḍantam akutobhayam gopyas tūrṇaṁ samabhyetya jagṛhur jāta-sambhramāḥ

And seeing the child playing fearlessly upon her breast, the gopis rushed forward in astonishment and swept Him up at once.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.6.19)

यशोदारोहिणीभ्यां ताः समं बालस्य सर्वतः । रक्षां विदधिरे सम्यग्गोपुच्छभ्रमणादिभिः ॥ १९ ॥

yaśodā-rohiṇībhyāṁ tāḥ samaṁ bālasya sarvataḥ rakṣāṁ vidadhire samyag go-puccha-bhramaṇādibhiḥ

Together with Yashoda and Rohini, they performed every rite of protection around the child, waving a cow's tail and the like on every side.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.6.20)

गोमूत्रेण स्नापयित्वा पुनर्गोरजसार्भकम् । रक्षां चक्रुश्च शकृता द्वादशाङ्गेषु नामभिः ॥ २० ॥

go-mūtreṇa snāpayitvā punar go-rajasārbhakam rakṣāṁ cakruś ca śakṛtā dvādaśāṅgeṣu nāmabhiḥ

They first bathed the infant in cow's urine, then again in the dust stirred up by the cows, and then, marking twelve parts of His body with the Lord's names in cow-dung, gave Him protection.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.6.21)

गोप्यः संस्पृष्टसलिला अङ्गेषु करयोः पृथक् । न्यस्यात्मन्यथ बालस्य बीजन्यासमकुर्वत ॥ २१ ॥

gopyaḥ saṁspṛṣṭa-salilā aṅgeṣu karayoḥ pṛthak nyasyātmany atha bālasya bīja-nyāsam akurvata

Having first touched water, the gopis performed the seed-syllable rite of nyasa separately upon their own limbs and hands, and then performed that same rite upon the body of the child.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.6.22)

अव्यादजोऽङ्घ्रि मणिमांस्तव जान्वथोरू यज्ञोऽच्युतः कटितटं जठरं हयास्यः । हृत्केशवस्त्वदुर ईश इनस्तु कण्ठं विष्णुर्भुजं मुखमुरुक्रम ईश्वरः कम् ॥ २२ ॥

avyād ajo ’ṅghri maṇimāṁs tava jānv athorū yajño ’cyutaḥ kaṭi-taṭaṁ jaṭharaṁ hayāsyaḥ hṛt keśavas tvad-ura īśa inas tu kaṇṭhaṁ viṣṇur bhujaṁ mukham urukrama īśvaraḥ kam

May Aja guard Your feet, Manimaan Your knees, Yajna Your thighs, Achyuta the small of Your back, and Hayagriva Your belly. May Keshava guard Your heart, Isha Your chest, the sun-god Your throat, Vishnu Your arms, Urukrama Your face, and Ishvara Your head.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.6.23)

चक्रयग्रतः सहगदो हरिरस्तु पश्चात् त्वत्पार्श्वयोर्धनुरसी मधुहाजनश्च । कोणेषु शङ्ख उरुगाय उपर्युपेन्द्र- स्तार्क्ष्यः क्षितौ हलधरः पुरुषः समन्तात् ॥ २३ ॥

cakry agrataḥ saha-gado harir astu paścāt tvat-pārśvayor dhanur-asī madhu-hājanaś ca koṇeṣu śaṅkha urugāya upary upendras tārkṣyaḥ kṣitau haladharaḥ puruṣaḥ samantāt

May the disc-bearer guard You in front, and mace-bearing Hari behind. May the bow-and-sword-wielding slayer of Madhu, and Ajana, guard Your two sides. In the corners may the conch-bearer Urugaya guard You, Upendra from above, Tarkshya on the ground, and Haladhara, the Supreme Person, from every direction.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.6.24)

इन्द्रियाणि हृषीकेशः प्राणान् नारायणोऽवतु । श्वेतद्वीपपतिश्चित्तं मनो योगेश्वरोऽवतु ॥ २४ ॥

indriyāṇi hṛṣīkeśaḥ prāṇān nārāyaṇo ’vatu śvetadvīpa-patiś cittaṁ mano yogeśvaro ’vatu

May Hrishikesha guard Your senses, and Narayana Your vital breath; may the Lord of Shvetadvipa guard Your consciousness, and Yogeshvara Your mind.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.6.25)

पृश्निगर्भस्तु ते बुद्धिमात्मानं भगवान् परः । क्रीडन्तं पातु गोविन्दः शयानं पातु माधवः ॥ २५ ॥

pṛśnigarbhas tu te buddhim ātmānaṁ bhagavān paraḥ krīḍantaṁ pātu govindaḥ śayānaṁ pātu mādhavaḥ

May Prishnigarbha guard Your intellect, and the Supreme Lord Himself Your very self; may Govinda protect You while You play, and Madhava while You sleep.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.6.26)

व्रजन्तमव्याद्वैकुण्ठ आसीनं त्वां श्रियः पतिः । भुञ्जानं यज्ञभुक् पातु सर्वग्रहभयङ्करः ॥ २६ ॥

vrajantam avyād vaikuṇṭha āsīnaṁ tvāṁ śriyaḥ patiḥ bhuñjānaṁ yajñabhuk pātu sarva-graha-bhayaṅkaraḥ

May Vaikuntha protect You while You walk, and the Lord of Shri while You sit; may Yajnabhuk, before whom every evil influence trembles, protect You while You eat.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.6.27)

डाकिन्यो यातुधान्यश्च कुष्माण्डा येऽर्भकग्रहाः । भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च यक्षरक्षोविनायकाः ॥ २७ ॥

ḍākinyo yātudhānyaś ca kuṣmāṇḍā ye ’rbhaka-grahāḥ bhūta-preta-piśācāś ca yakṣa-rakṣo-vināyakāḥ

The Dakinis, Yatudhanis, and Kushmandas who prey upon children; the ghosts and spirits known as Bhutas, Pretas, Pishachas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, and Vinayakas —

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.6.28)

कोटरा रेवती ज्येष्ठा पूतना मातृकादयः । उन्मादा ये ह्यपस्मारा देहप्राणेन्द्रियद्रुहः ॥ २८ ॥

koṭarā revatī jyeṣṭhā pūtanā mātṛkādayaḥ unmādā ye hy apasmārā deha-prāṇendriya-druhaḥ

Kotara, Revati, Jyeshtha, Putana, and the Matrikas; and those spirits of madness and epilepsy that afflict the body, the life-breath, and the senses —

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.6.29)

स्वप्नदृष्टा महोत्पाता वृद्धा बालग्रहाश्च ये । सर्वे नश्यन्तु ते विष्णोर्नामग्रहणभीरवः ॥ २९ ॥

svapna-dṛṣṭā mahotpātā vṛddhā bāla-grahāś ca ye sarve naśyantu te viṣṇor nāma-grahaṇa-bhīravaḥ

those glimpsed in dreams as great portents of evil, and the aged demonesses that seize children — may all of them, who tremble at the very sound of Vishnu's name, be driven away and destroyed.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.6.30)

श्रीशुक उवाच इति प्रणयबद्धाभिर्गोपीभिः कृतरक्षणम् । पाययित्वा स्तनं माता सन्न्यवेशयदात्मजम् ॥ ३० ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti praṇaya-baddhābhir gopībhiḥ kṛta-rakṣaṇam pāyayitvā stanaṁ mātā sannyaveśayad ātmajam

Shri Shuka said: Thus, once the gopis, bound to Him by affection, had completed His protection, mother Yashoda gave her son her breast to nurse and laid Him down to sleep.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.6.31)

तावन्नन्दादयो गोपा मथुराया व्रजं गताः । विलोक्य पूतनादेहं बभूवुरतिविस्मिताः ॥ ३१ ॥

tāvan nandādayo gopā mathurāyā vrajaṁ gatāḥ vilokya pūtanā-dehaṁ babhūvur ativismitāḥ

Meanwhile Nanda and the other cowherds, returning to Vraja from Mathura, came upon Putana's body on the way and were struck with utter astonishment.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.6.32)

नूनं बतर्षिः सञ्जातो योगेशो वा समास सः । स एव दृष्टो ह्युत्पातो यदाहानकदुन्दुभिः ॥ ३२ ॥

nūnaṁ batarṣiḥ sañjāto yogeśo vā samāsa saḥ sa eva dṛṣṭo hy utpāto yad āhānakadundubhiḥ

"Surely Anakadundubhi has become some great sage or master of mystic power," they said, "for it was exactly this calamity that he foresaw and spoke of."

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.6.33)

कलेवरं परशुभिश्छित्त्वा तत्ते व्रजौकसः । दूरे क्षिप्त्वावयवशो न्यदहन् काष्ठवेष्टितम् ॥ ३३ ॥

kalevaraṁ paraśubhiś chittvā tat te vrajaukasaḥ dūre kṣiptvāvayavaśo nyadahan kāṣṭha-veṣṭitam

The residents of Vraja hacked that huge body to pieces with their axes, carried the pieces far away, wrapped them in wood, and burned them.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.10.6.34)

दह्यमानस्य देहस्य धूमश्चागुरुसौरभः । उत्थितः कृष्णनिर्भुक्तसपद्याहतपाप्मनः ॥ ३४ ॥

dahyamānasya dehasya dhūmaś cāguru-saurabhaḥ utthitaḥ kṛṣṇa-nirbhukta- sapady āhata-pāpmanaḥ

From that burning body rose smoke as fragrant as aguru incense — for, having been suckled by Krishna, all her sin had been instantly consumed.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.10.6.35)

पूतना लोकबालघ्नी राक्षसी रुधिराशना । जिघांसयापि हरये स्तनं दत्त्वाप सद्गतिम् ॥ ३५ ॥

pūtanā loka-bāla-ghnī rākṣasī rudhirāśanā jighāṁsayāpi haraye stanaṁ dattvāpa sad-gatim

Putana, the blood-drinking demoness who slew the children of the world, still attained the supreme destination simply for offering her breast to Hari — even though her intent had been to kill Him.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.10.6.36)

किं पुनः श्रद्धया भक्त्या कृष्णाय परमात्मने । यच्छन् प्रियतमं किं नु रक्तास्तन्मातरो यथा ॥ ३६ ॥

kiṁ punaḥ śraddhayā bhaktyā kṛṣṇāya paramātmane yacchan priyatamaṁ kiṁ nu raktās tan-mātaro yathā

What then can be said of those who, with faith and devotion, offer to Krishna, the Supreme Soul, whatever is dearest to them — offering it, indeed, as only a truly loving mother would?

Verse 37 (bhagavata.10.6.37)

पद्भ्यां भक्तहृदिस्थाभ्यां वन्द्याभ्यां लोकवन्दितैः । अङ्गं यस्याः समाक्रम्य भगवानपितत् स्तनम् ॥ ३७ ॥

padbhyāṁ bhakta-hṛdi-sthābhyāṁ vandyābhyāṁ loka-vanditaiḥ aṅgaṁ yasyāḥ samākramya bhagavān api tat-stanam

With those very feet that dwell in the hearts of His devotees, and that are revered even by those great ones whom the whole world reveres, the Lord climbed upon her body and took her breast.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.10.6.38)

यातुधान्यपि सा स्वर्गमवाप जननीगतिम् । कृष्णभुक्तस्तनक्षीराः किमु गावोऽनुमातरः ॥ ३८ ॥

yātudhāny api sā svargam avāpa jananī-gatim kṛṣṇa-bhukta-stana-kṣīrāḥ kim u gāvo ’numātaraḥ

Though she was a demoness, she attained both heaven and the status of a mother. What then can be said of the cows whose milk Krishna drank, and who followed after Him just like true mothers?

Verse 39 (bhagavata.10.6.39)

पयांसि यासामपिबत् पुत्रस्नेहस्नुतान्यलम् । भगवान् देवकीपुत्रः कैवल्याद्यखिलप्रदः ॥ ३९ ॥

payāṁsi yāsām apibat putra-sneha-snutāny alam bhagavān devakī-putraḥ kaivalyādy-akhila-pradaḥ

Bhagavan, the son of Devaki, who bestows liberation and every other blessing, drank freely of the milk that flowed from the gopis' breasts, moved by their maternal love for Him.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.10.6.40)

तासामविरतं कृष्णे कुर्वतीनां सुतेक्षणम् । न पुनः कल्पते राजन् संसारोऽज्ञानसम्भवः ॥ ४० ॥

tāsām avirataṁ kṛṣṇe kurvatīnāṁ sutekṣaṇam na punaḥ kalpate rājan saṁsāro ’jñāna-sambhavaḥ

O King, for those women who gazed upon Krishna without cease as a mother gazes upon her son, this cycle of birth and death born of ignorance can never again take hold.

Verse 41 (bhagavata.10.6.41)

कटधूमस्य सौरभ्यमवघ्राय व्रजौकसः । किमिदं कुत एवेति वदन्तो व्रजमाययुः ॥ ४१ ॥

kaṭa-dhūmasya saurabhyam avaghrāya vrajaukasaḥ kim idaṁ kuta eveti vadanto vrajam āyayuḥ

Catching the fragrance of the smoke rising from that pyre, the people of Vraja who lived at a distance came asking, "What is this, and where can it be coming from?"

Verse 42 (bhagavata.10.6.42)

ते तत्र वर्णितं गोपैः पूतनागमनादिकम् । श्रुत्वा तन्निधनं स्वस्ति शिशोश्चासन् सुविस्मिताः ॥ ४२ ॥

te tatra varṇitaṁ gopaiḥ pūtanāgamanādikam śrutvā tan-nidhanaṁ svasti śiśoś cāsan suvismitāḥ

There they heard from the cowherds the whole story of Putana's coming and her destruction, and of the child's safety, and they were filled with wonder.

Verse 43 (bhagavata.10.6.43)

नन्दः स्वपुत्रमादाय प्रेत्यागतमुदारधीः । मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय परमां मुदं लेभे कुरूद्वह ॥ ४३ ॥

nandaḥ sva-putram ādāya pretyāgatam udāra-dhīḥ mūrdhny upāghrāya paramāṁ mudaṁ lebhe kurūdvaha

O best of the Kurus, the large-hearted Nanda took his son upon his lap as though the child had returned from the very jaws of death, and, smelling his head, felt the deepest joy.

Verse 44 (bhagavata.10.6.44)

य एतत् पूतनामोक्षं कृष्णस्यार्भकमद्भुतम् । शृणुयाच्छ्रद्धया मर्त्यो गोविन्दे लभते रतिम् ॥ ४४ ॥

ya etat pūtanā-mokṣaṁ kṛṣṇasyārbhakam adbhutam śṛṇuyāc chraddhayā martyo govinde labhate ratim

Whatever mortal hears with faith this wondrous childhood deed of Krishna — the liberation of Putana — attains loving attachment to Govinda.