Narayaneeyam Dasakam 40
Salvation of Putana
Bhattathiri depicts Poothana Moksha in the Fortieth Dashakam of Narayaneeyam. In her search for Krishna, Puthana slaughtered numerous children. She finally arrived in Gokula. There, she tried to kill Little Krishna under the guise of nursing him. However while she was nursing him, Lord Krishna sucked out her life and gave moksha to her soul.
तदनु नन्दममन्दशुभास्पदं नृपपुरीं करदानकृते गतम्।
समवलोक्य जगाद भवत्पिता विदितकंससहायजनोद्यम: ॥१॥
tadanu nandamamandashubhaaspadaM nR^ipapuriiM karadaanakR^ite gatam |
samavalOkya jagaada bhavatpitaa viditakamsasahaayajanOdyamaH || 1||
Shortly after the divine birth of Lord, Nandagopa who had received good luck visited the royal city of Mathura to offer the taxes and tributes to the king. And lord’s father Vasudeva, who knew of the wicked intentions of the mean King Kamsa, and of the evil plot of his allies, approached Nandagopa there, and addressed him in anxiety and love.
अयि सखे तव बालकजन्म मां सुखयतेऽद्य निजात्मजजन्मवत् ।
इति भवत्पितृतां व्रजनायके समधिरोप्य शशंस तमादरात् ॥२॥
ayi sakhe tava baalaka janma maaM sukhayate(a)dya nijaatmaja janmavat |
iti bhavatpitR^itaaM vrajanaayake samadhirOpya shashamsa tamaadaraat || 2 ||
Vasudeva told his close friend Nandagopa that he was thrilled as though he had been bestowed with a child when he heard about Nanda’s son’s birth. By saying this, he quietly gave Nandagopa the privilege of being Krishna’s father.
iha cha santyanimitta shataani te kaTakasiimni tatO laghu gamyataam |
iti cha tadvachasaa vrajanaayakO bhavadapaayabhiyaa druta maayayau || 3 ||
Vasudeva, who knew that Kamsa had wicked plans, had apprehensively informed Nanda that, there were many bad omens in the city. He advised Nandagopa to go back to Gokula hastily. Nanda, who was anxious about the safety of Krishna, rushed at once to get back to his village on hearing those words.
अवसरे खलु तत्र च काचन व्रजपदे मधुराकृतिरङ्गना ।
तरलषट्पदलालितकुन्तला कपटपोतक ते निकटं गता ॥४॥
avasare khalu tatra cha kaachana vrajapade madhuraakR^itiranganaa |
taralaShaTpada laalita kuntalaa kapaTapOtaka te nikaTaM gataa || 4 ||
Just at that very moment in Gokula came a woman of gorgeous beauty. Buzzing bees fondled her soft curls, and she moved with grace and ease. Acting like she was loving him, she went to baby Krishna, who was lying there in his cradle.
In this verse, he urges us to see beyond the outward looks of things or people and to be vigilant on the intentions of people or things.
सपदि सा हृतबालकचेतना निशिचरान्वयजा किल पूतना ।
व्रजवधूष्विह केयमिति क्षणं विमृशतीषु भवन्तमुपाददे ॥५॥
sapadi saa hR^itabaalaka chetanaa nishicharaanvayajaa kila puutanaa |
vrajavadhuuShviha keyamiti kshaNaM vimR^ishatiiShu bhavantamupaadade || 5 ||
That woman, who, was none other than Pootana, born of the race of demons, immediately crept up and took baby Krishna into her arms. The ladies of Gokula hesitated a little, “who is this lady?” they said to themselves, as they watched her acting like a mother. But before any could know what she was, she was already holding the baby on her lap.
This verse shows the way in which evil may come in the guise of kindness. It teaches us to trust not blindly but knowingly and to understand that not everyone who smiles at us has good intentions.
ललितभावविलासहृतात्मभिर्युवतिभि: प्रतिरोद्धुमपारिता ।
स्तनमसौ भवनान्तनिषेदुषी प्रददुषी भवते कपटात्मने ॥५॥
lalita bhaavavilaasahR^itaatmabhi-ryuvatibhiH pratirOddhumapaaritaa |
stanamasau bhavanaantaniSheduShii pradaduShii bhavate kapaTaatmane || 6 ||
Pootana, was charming and graceful in her movements, and she charmed the hearts of the young women about her. These Gokula women, fascinated by her beauty and grace, could not prevent her as she entered the house of Nanda. Disguised as a loving mother, she sat down and offered her poisoned breast to baby Krishna, with the aim of killing Him.
समधिरुह्य तदङ्कमशङ्कितस्त्वमथ बालकलोपनरोषित: ।
महदिवाम्रफलं कुचमण्डलं प्रतिचुचूषिथ दुर्विषदूषितम् ॥७॥
samadhiruhya tadankamashankitastvamatha baalakalOpana rOShitaH |
mahadivaamraphalaM kuchamaNDalaM pratichuchuuShitha durviShaduuShitam ||7||
Without any fear or suspicion, little Krishna climbed onto Pootana’s lap, as if accepting her maternal affection. As she tried to feed Him her poisoned milk, He became angry on her and her killings of innocent children. Then, He began to suck her breast — not just the milk, but her very life-force — just as one would draw juice from a ripe mango. Her poisoned body couldn’t bear His divine power.
असुभिरेव समं धयति त्वयि स्तनमसौ स्तनितोपमनिस्वना ।
निरपतद्भयदायि निजं वपु: प्रतिगता प्रविसार्य भुजावुभौ ॥८॥
asubhireva samaM dhayati tvayi stanamasau stanitOpama nisvanaa |
nirapatad bhayadaayi nijaM vapuH pratigataa pravisaarya bhujaavubhau || 8 ||
As Krishna, continued to suck her poison milk, the life-breaths of Pootana started to pass out of her body. She screamed with the pain – her shouts were as loud as thunder rolling up in the heavens. She reached out her arms in a wild gesture, and dropped upon the floor, and in her real gigantic, terrifying shape. The sight of the demoness lying dead shook the whole Gokula, and yet to the beholders it was a scene of divine devotion,–that the infant who conquered evil was still lying there calmly, undisturbed, and glowing.
Pootana is an allegory of hypocrisy, evil in the guise of care or affection, which is typical of the modern world as well. Krishna’s annihilation of her deception demonstrates that pretence and concealed evil are not able to oppose true good and godly innocence. It is also a lesson to us to remember that when we walk with faith and clarity the strongest of deceptions or dangers will fall off themselves.
असुभिरेव समं धयति त्वयि स्तनमसौ स्तनितोपमनिस्वना ।
निरपतद्भयदायि निजं वपु: प्रतिगता प्रविसार्य भुजावुभौ ॥८॥
asubhireva samaM dhayati tvayi stanamasau stanitOpama nisvanaa |
nirapatad bhayadaayi nijaM vapuH pratigataa pravisaarya bhujaavubhau || 8 ||
The screams and cries of Pootana resembled thunder in the skies. When death seized her she showed her real, horrible shape, huge and dreadful, and sank down dead upon the floor, her arms spread out. The earth shook at her fall and the people of Gokula were struck with fear and wonder.
This verse teaches us that as long as we remain anchored in purity and inner goodness, then nothing in the outside world can really hurt us. The act of divinity by Krishna reminds us that we should maintain the purity within us because that will have the power to eliminate the most poisonous things that surround us.
भयदघोषणभीषणविग्रहश्रवणदर्शनमोहितवल्लवे ।
व्रजपदे तदुर:स्थलखेलनं ननु भवन्तमगृह्णत गोपिका: ।।९॥
bhayadaghOShaNabhiiShaNa vigraha shravaNadarshana mOhita vallave |
vrajapade taduraHsthanakhelanaM nanu bhavantamagR^ihNata gOpikaaH || 9||
The people of Gokula were full of fear and wonder when they heard the horrible cries of Pootana and beheld her gigantic, horrible body, lying dead on the ground. The bellowing shudder shook the village, and all the men, women, and children ran to see what was going on. The Gopikas in particular were greatly surprised and terrified. However, they all lost their fear when they saw the baby Krishna playing on the chest of the slain demoness. The Gopikas rushed onwards with tears of gratitude and surging love, and, taking Him in their arms, embraced and kissed Him, and seemed to shelter Him in their arms.
भुवनमङ्गलनामभिरेव ते युवतिभिर्बहुधा कृतरक्षण: ।
त्वमयि वातनिकेतननाथ मामगदयन् कुरु तावकसेवकम् ॥१०॥
bhuvana mangala naamabhireva te yuvatibhirbahudhaa kR^itarakshaNaH |
tvamayi vaataniketananaatha maamagadayan kuru taavaka sevakam ||10 ||
Once Pootana had been killed, the gopikas surrounded little Krishna with much devotion and care. They recited holy and favourable invocations of the Lord, ” Govinda, Madhava and Narayana”, to save Him against every evil. Their hearts were filled with motherly love and gratitude that He was safe. They thought that they were protecting the child, but actually, it was Krishna who had saved them all against evil. Thereupon Bhattathiri addresses himself to Guruvayurappan, pleading to him, “O Lord who resides in our heart, O Master of the Universe! Like how Gopikas protected baby Krishna , may You now heal me and turn me into your favourite devotee.