उत्पन्नश्वापि मृत्युर्मे भूतपूर्व्वः स वै किल । इत्येतदू बालिका प्राह देवकीगर्भसम्भवा ।। ५-४-
Even if death, which has occurred before, arises for me, so be it—thus spoke the maiden born from Devaki's womb.
तस्मादू बालेषु परमो यत्रः कार्य्यो महीतले । यत्रोद्रिक्तं बलं बाले स हन्तव्यः प्रयत्रतः ।। ५-४-
Therefore, wherever on earth there are exceptional children, and wherever a child possesses excessive strength, he must be killed with effort.
इत्याज्ञाप्यासुरान् कंसः प्रविश्यात्मगृहं ततः । मुमोच वसुदेवञ्च देवकीञ्च निरोधतः ।। ५-४-
Having thus commanded the Asuras, Kamsa then entered his own house and released Vasudeva and Devaki from confinement.
युवयोर्घातिता गर्भा वृथैवैते मयाधुना । कोऽप्यन्य एव नाशाय बालो मम समुदूगतः ।। ५-४-
The children in your wombs whom I killed are now gone in vain; some other child has arisen for my destruction.
तदलं परितापेन नूनं तद्भाविनो हि ते । अर्भका युवयोर्दोषाच्चायुषो यद्रियोजिताः ।। ५-४-
Therefore, let there be no more sorrow; surely, those children were destined for that fate. Because of your fault, their lives were cut short.
इत्याश्वास्य विमुक्त्वां च कंसस्तौ परिशङ्कितः । अन्तर्गहं द्रिजश्वेष्ठ प्रविवेश पुनः स्वकम् ।। ५-४-
Thus consoling and releasing them, Kamsa, still suspicious, entered his inner chambers once again, O best of the twice-born.
विमुक्तो वसुदेवोऽस्य नन्दस्य शकटं गतः । प्रह्टष्टं दृष्टवान् नन्दं पूत्रो जातो ममेति वै ।। ५-५-
Released, Vasudeva went to Nanda's cart and saw Nanda rejoicing, saying, 'A son has been born to me!'
वसुदेवोऽपि तं प्राह दिष्ठया दिष्ठयति सादरम् । वार्द्धकेऽपि समुत्पन्नस्तनयोऽयं तवाघुना ।। ५-५-
Vasudeva also spoke to him with respect, 'By good fortune, even in your old age, a son has been born to you.'
दत्तो हि वार्षिकः सर्व्वो भवद्भिर्नृ पतेः करः । यदर्थमागतास्तस्मान्नावस्थेयं महाधनाः ।। ५-५-
Indeed, you have all paid the annual tax to the king; for that purpose you have come, so you wealthy ones need not stay.
यदर्थमागताः कार्य्यं तन्निष्पन्नं किमास्यते ? भतद्भिर्गम्यतां नन्द! तच्छीघ्रं निजगोकुलम् ।। ५-५-
The purpose for which you came has been accomplished; why remain here? Go, Nanda, quickly to your own cowherd village.
ममापि बालकस्तत्र रोहिणीप्रसवी हि यः । स रक्षणीयो भवता यथायं तनयो निजः ।। ५-५-
There too is my own child, born of Rohiṇī; you must protect him just as you do your own son.
इत्युक्ताः प्रययुर्गोपा नन्दगोपपुरोगमाः । शकटारोपितैर्भाण्डैः करं दत्त्वा महाबलाः ।। ५-५-
Thus addressed, the cowherds, led by Nanda, departed, having loaded their goods onto carts, and paid their taxes, being mighty in strength.
वसतां गोकुले तेषां पूतना बालघातिनी । सुप्तं कृषूणमुपादाय रात्रौ तस्मै ददौ स्तनम् ।। ५-५-
While they dwelt in Gokula, Pūtanā, the child-killer, took up the sleeping Kṛṣṇa at night and offered him her breast.
यस्मै यस्मै स्तनं पूतना सम्प्रयच्छति । तस्य तस्य क्षणोनाङ्ग बालकस्योपहन्यते ।। ५-५-
To whichever child Pūtanā gave her breast, that very child, within a moment, would be destroyed.
कुषूणस्तस्याः स्तनं गाढ़ं कराभ्यामवपीड़ितम् । गृहोत्वा प्राणसहितं पपौ कोपसमन्वितः ।। ५-५-
But Kṛṣṇa grasped her firm breast tightly with his hands, and, filled with anger, drank out her very life along with her milk.
सा विमुक्तमहारावा विच्छिन्नस्त्रंयुबन्धना । पपात पूतना भूमौ म्रियमाणतिभीषणा ।। ५-५-
With a great, terrible cry, her limbs loosened, Pūtanā fell to the ground, dying, fearsome to behold.
तन्नादश्रुतिसन्त्रासात् प्रबुद्धास्ते व्रजौकसः । ददृशुः पूतनोत्सङ्गे कृषूणं ताञ्च निपातिताम् ।। ५-५-
Awakened by the terror of that sound, the residents of Vraja saw Kṛṣṇa in Pūtanā’s lap and her fallen dead.
आदाय कृषूणं सन्त्रस्ता यशोदापि द्रिजोत्तम! गोपुच्छं भ्राम्य हस्तेन बालदोषमपाकरोत् ।। ५-५-
Taking up Kṛṣṇa in fear, O best of the twice-born, Yaśodā waved a cow’s tail over him with her hand to remove any evil influence.
गोः करीषमुपादाय नन्दगोफोऽपि मस्तके । कृषूणस्य प्रददौ रक्षां कुर्वंश्चैतदुदोरयन् ।। ५-५-
Nanda, too, took cow dung and, placing it on Kṛṣṇa’s head, performed a rite of protection for him, reciting as follows:
रक्षतु त्वामशेषाणां भूतानां प्रभवो हरिः । यस्य नाभिसमुदूभूतपङ्कजादभवज्जगत् ।। ५-५-
May Hari, the source of all beings, protect you—he from whose navel-lotus the world arose.
येन दंष्ट्राग्रविधृता धारयत्यवनी जगत् । वराहरूपधूगू देवः स त्वां रक्षतु केशवः ।। ५-५-
May Keśava, the god who, in the form of the Boar, held up the earth and the world on the tip of his tusk, protect you.
नखाङूकुरविनिर्भिन्न-वैरिवक्षःस्थलो विभुः । नृसिंहरूपी सर्व्वत्र स त्वां रक्षतु केशवः ।। ५-५-
May Keśava, the all-pervading one who, as Narasiṃha, tore open the chest of his enemy with his sharp nails, protect you everywhere.
वामनो रक्षतु सदा भवन्तं यः क्षणादभूत् । त्रिविक्रमः क्रमाकान्त-त्रैलोक्यः स्फुरदायुधः ।। ५-५-
May Vāmana, who in an instant became Trivikrama, whose strides encompassed the three worlds and whose weapons shine, always protect you.
शिरस्ते पातु गोविन्दः कणठं रक्षतु केशवः । गुह्यञ्च जठरं विष्णुर्जङ्घा-पादौ जनार्द्दनः ।। ५-५-
May Govinda guard your head, Keśava your throat, Viṣṇu your secret parts and belly, and Janārdana your thighs and feet.
मुखं बाहू प्रबाहू च मनः सर्व्वेन्द्रियाणि च । रक्षत्वव्याहतैश्वर्य्यस्तव नारयणोऽव्ययः ।। ५-५-
May Nārāyaṇa, the imperishable lord of unimpeded sovereignty, protect your face, arms, forearms, mind, and all your senses.
शाङ्ग-चक्र-गदा-खडूग-शङ्खनादहताः क्षयम् । गच्छन्तु प्रते-कुष्माण्ड-राक्षसा ये तवाहिताः ।। ५-५-
May those who are your enemies—the Piśācas, Kūṣmāṇḍas, and Rākṣasas—be destroyed, struck down by the sound of the conch and the weapons Śārṅga, discus, mace, and sword.
त्वां पातु दिक्षु वैकुणठो विदिक्षु मधुसूदनः । ह्टषीकेशोऽम्बरे भूमौ रक्षतु त्वां महीधरः ।। ५-५-
May Vaikuṇṭha protect you in all directions, Madhusūdana in the intermediate directions, Hṛṣīkeśa in the sky, and the Lord of the Earth protect you on the ground.
एवं कृतस्वस्त्ययनो नन्दगोपेन बालकः । शायितः शकटस्याधो बालपर्य्यङ्किकातले ।। ५-५-
Having thus performed the rite of protection, Nanda placed the child to sleep beneath the cart, on a bed prepared for him.
ते च गोपा महदू दृष्ट्वा पूतनायाः कलेवरम् । मृतायाः परमं त्रासं विस्मयं परमं ययुः ।। ५-५-
And those cowherds, seeing the enormous body of Putana, who was now dead, experienced the utmost fear and great astonishment.
कदाचिच्छकटाधस्ताच्छयानो मधुसूदनः । चिक्षेप चरणावूद्ध्व स्तन्यार्थी प्ररुरोद च ।। ४-६-
Once, as Madhusudana lay beneath a cart, he lifted his feet upward, seeking milk, and began to cry.