Sri Krishna Katha (The Blissful Play of Sri
Krishna’s Leelas)
Seeking refuge at the lotus feet that instil firm
devotion toward Sri Krishna, and bowing to our Mother Durga—the beloved sister
of Sri Krishna—let us delve into this great tale of Krishna.
First, let us understand the hidden secrets of
'Putana Moksha' (The Liberation of Putana), a story very dear to me. It is
widely known that Putana was Kamsa's sister. Sent by Kamsa, she arrived at
Yashoda's house in Gokulam, disguised as a beautiful woman. When she tried to
nurse Krishna with poisonous milk, He sucked out her life force along with the
milk, slaying her. This part of the story is known to everyone.
What happened next is truly remarkable. As soon
as Krishna drew out Putana's life, her body—which had appeared as a beautiful
woman—returned to its original, fearsome demonic form and collapsed. When that
massive body was taken away with great effort and cremated, a divine and
heavenly fragrance emerged from the burning pyre. The residents of Gokulam were
astonished to witness this.
Even more miraculous was the event that followed.
The life force (subtle body) of Putana, drawn out by Krishna, began to glow
with divine brilliance. At that moment, a celestial chariot descended—adorned
with a hundred wheels, studded with gems, and draped in fire-purified silks. It
was accompanied by thousands of Sri Krishna’s attendants (Parshadas) carrying
whisks and mirrors. With great devotion, these attendants placed Putana's
subtle body in the chariot and took her to the rarest supreme abode, 'Goloka'.
What is the secret behind this? If you ask
anyone, they might say, "Since she was killed by Krishna Himself, all her
sins were washed away, and she attained salvation."
But the real secret is this: In her previous
birth, Putana was 'Ratnamala', the daughter of King Bali. When the young Vamana
(an incarnation of Vishnu) appeared at King Bali’s sacrifice to ask for alms,
Ratnamala was mesmerized. She thought, "Who is this child? He glows with
such brilliance and is so delicate. If only he were my son, I would hold him in
my lap, shower him with love, and nurse him." She looked at the Lord with
the pure heart of a mother.
The Lord, who resides in everyone’s heart,
understood Ratnamala’s desire. To fulfil her wish of motherly affection, He
gave her birth as Putana. He climbed into her lap, was adored by her, and even
though the milk was poisonous, it was given with a motherly sentiment. Thus, He
drank her milk, fulfilled her longing, and granted her liberation.
Such is the delightful and divine play of Sri
Krishna’s stories.
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