Chapter 75 - Pūtanā slain and Cart smashed

1. Vasudeva who was released went to Nanda’s cart. He saw Nanda who was delighted because a son was born to him.

2. Vasudeva then said to him with great respect:—Good luck, good luck, even in your old age a son is now born to you.

3. The yearly revenue to the king has been paid: The purpose for which you all came here has been served. Hence, my noble friends should not stay here.

4. O Nanda, the task for which you came here has been accomplished; why do you tarry then? You must all go back to the cowherds’ colony quickly.

5. That son of mine born of Rohiṇī should be looked after by you in the same manner as your own son.

Vyāsa said:

6. Thus urged, the powerful cowherds led by Nanda paid the revenue and went back after loading their carts with vessels and articles of trade.

7. While they were staying in the cowherds’ colony a certain (ogress) named Pūtanā who had been going about killing children took up Kṛṣṇa who was asleep at night and fed at her breasts.

8. All the children whom Pūtanā fed at her breasts during the night used to die instantaneously.

9. Kṛṣṇa seized her breasts and pressed them forcibly with both of his hands. He sucked the breast furiously and drank up even her vital breath.

10. The terrible Pūtanā groaned loudly as she died with the nervous cards snapping one by one. She fell on the ground.

11. Frightened on hearing her loud cry the residents of the cowherds’ colony woke up and saw Pūtanā lying dead and Kṛṣṇa was in her lap.

12. O brahmins, then the extremely frightened Yaśodā took up Kṛṣṇa from her (dead body). She warded off the evil effects on the boy by whirling the cow’s tail over him and by similar rituals.

13. Nanda the cowherd took some cow-dung and smeared Kṛṣṇa’s forehead with it, according him protection thereby. Even as he did so he uttered these Mantras:—

Nanda said:

14-20. May Hari the source of origin of all living beings save you; the universe originated from the lotus that grew up from his umbilicus. May lord Keśava who assumed the form of a boar and by whom the Earth was held at the tip of his curved fang, protect you. The whole universe was thus supported by the Earth. May the lord Keśava in the form of Man-lion protect you everywhere; the lord who split open the chest of his enemy with his claws. May Viṣṇu protect your private parts along with the belly; may Janārdana protect your calves and feet. May Vāmana protect you always, Vāmana who instantaneously became very huge, covering up the three worlds in as many steps and whose weapons shone (in all the three worlds). May Govinda protect your head. May Keśava protect your neck. May the unchanging Nārāyaṇa whose prowess is unimpeded, protect your face, arms, forearms, mind and the sense-organs. May Govinda protect you in all the quarters. May Madhusūdana protect you in the intermediary quarters. May Hṛṣīkeśa protect you in the sky and may Mahīdhara protect you on the Earth.

Vyāsa said:

21. The boy for whom the benedictory rites were performed by Nanda the cowherd, was laid in the child’s cradle beneath a cart.

22. On seeing the huge body of the dead ogress Pūtanā, the cowherds were frightened and surprised.

23. Once (the infant) Śrīkṛṣṇa who was lying beneath the cart cried out for breast milk and kicked up his legs.

24. Hit by his legs the cart was upset. With all the vessels and utensils broken the cart lay there topsy turvy.

25-29. O brahmins, all the cowherds and the cowherdesses came there crying, “Alas, Alas.” Knowing that the child was safely lying supine, the cowherds asked—“By whom was the cart upset?” The boys there said—“It was kicked down by this infant boy who was crying. We saw the cart being overturned when struck by the legs of the boy. No one else has done this.”

Thereat the cowherds became still more surprised. Nanda who was extremely surprised caught hold of the boy and held him close to himself.

Yaśodā who too was bewildered worshipped the broken cart with curds, flowers, fruits and raw rice grains.