The Liberation of Putana

A dark plan

Long ago, in the village of Gokul, the evil king Kamsa feared the child Krishna. He sent many frightening things to stop the child who was born to bring joy. One of the beings he sent was Putana. She was a demoness who could change her shape. She pretended to be a kind nurse and went toward the home of Nanda and Yashoda.

Putana at the door

Putana came like a gentle woman with bright clothes and a soft voice. Yashoda saw her and felt that the woman looked like a good nurse. Putana smiled and said words that sounded sweet, and she asked to hold the baby. Nanda and Yashoda wanted to protect their child, but they also wanted to be polite and caring. They allowed the woman into the house.

The poisoned milk

Putana held the baby close and offered him her breast. She had put poison in the milk. Her plan was to end the life of the little boy. The house was quiet. Yashoda watched with a mother’s love and a little worry. Putana thought her plan would work. She started to feed Krishna.

The little Lord’s secret

Krishna was not an ordinary child. Even as a baby, He knew what was in the heart of others. He looked at Putana with his bright eyes. He was calm and sweet. Instead of fear, Krishna's face showed a gentle knowing. He began to suck the milk. But he did not drink mere milk. He drew out what Putana had used to harm him. He also drew out the life that kept her evil form going.

Putana’s surprise

Putana felt something strange. She had planned to kill, and now she felt warmth and peace. Her strong power slowly left her. She tried to pull away, shocked and afraid. "What is happening?" she thought. Her horns and terrible shape began to fade. She saw Krishna’s face close and loving. In that look, something she had never known came to her heart.

A motherly blessing

As Putana’s body fell still, she remembered the small hands that had held her. She thought of the gentle suck of the child who did not hate her even though she had meant harm. In those last moments, Putana’s anger and fear left. She felt a strange joy, like water after thirst. The child Krishna had accepted what looked like a mother's service. Because the Lord had taken that offering, Putana’s soul was freed from her evil life.

The end and a new beginning

When Yashoda and Nanda saw what happened, they wept for the strange end of the woman and for the miracle of their child. Yashoda held Krishna close and felt grateful. Nanda was amazed. The neighbors talked softly about the baby who had shown both power and mercy. Putana's story ended in Gokul, but for her soul it was a new beginning: she was released from her demonic ways and given a place near the Lord as one who had, in a way, fed him like a mother.

Whispers in the village

People in the village told the tale again and again. They spoke in low, awed voices about how the little boy had seen the truth in Putana and had turned her last act into a blessing. Children heard the story and wondered quietly who would come next to test Krishna, and what the Lord would do. The village felt both safe and full of wonder, because they knew that this child was not only playful but also divine.

A calm promise

After the event, Yashoda hummed a soft song as she rocked Krishna. He smiled as babies do, and the house filled with peace. The story of Putana remained in the hearts of those who had seen it. It told of a moment when danger met mercy, and when a tiny hand changed the fate of a soul. The people of Gokul kept watching the little Lord, curious and hopeful about the many more strange and sweet things that would follow in His childhood.