The Liberation of Putana

On his ministers' advice, the frightened Kansa ordered all newborn children in the region to be killed. For this he sent a demoness named Putana. She took the form of a beautiful woman and came to Gokul. Seeing her sweet smile, no one stopped her.

She went straight to Nand Baba's house, where baby Krishna lay sleeping in his cradle. Even Yashoda and Rohini were deceived by her looks. Putana picked up the child and put him to her breast, which was smeared with deadly poison.

But baby Krishna drew out her very life along with the milk. Putana screamed in pain, let go, let go!, and fell in her true, gigantic demon form. Her body stretched for miles. The gopis ran up and saw little Kanha playing fearlessly on her chest.

Yashoda and the gopis anxiously performed rites to ward off evil and chanted protective mantras. When Putana's body was burnt, a sweet fragrance rose from it. Shukdev says: even with evil intent, she had fed the Lord like a mother. So the Lord gave her a mother's liberation.

Shukdev adds that if the Lord freed even a demoness who came to kill Him, what to say of one who offers Him something with true love. After this Kansa sent many more asuras, like Shakatasur and Trinavarta, but the child Krishna ended them all.