Lord Shiva Visits Nandagram
Meanwhile In Vrndavan, all the celebrations had settled down. Lord Shiva had heard of the birth of Lord Krsna and desired to go to Nandgram and have darshan of Lord Krsna. Disguising himself as mendicant, Lord Shiva walked on the pathway leading to the palace of Nanda Baba. Along the way he played on his Damaru drum. Hearing all the sound outside Mother Yasoda opened the door and there stood in front of the palace was a sadhu covered in ash. On his neck a snake, scorpions and spiders. When Mother Yasoda saw this sight, she immediately closed the door. Lord Shiva then spoke to her.
O Mother! I came from a very far place to take darshan of your child. Mother Yasoda said that if Krsna sees him, he will become frightened. Lord Shiva pleaded to her, to grant him just one look at her son. And again, Mother Yasoda refused. Lord Shiva then said that he is going to sit down at the door if she doesn’t allow him to see Krsna. Mother Yasoda then opened the door, just to give Lord Shiva some rotis and told him to go away, he can’t sit there. Lord Shiva the went to the northern part of Nandgram and sat down hoping to get darshan of Yasomatinandana.
Meanwhile Krsna in palace understood that his great devotee had come to see Him. He started to cry. Mother Yasoda tried everything to stop him from crying but he would not stop. Then all the older Gopis came and they tried to stop Krsna from crying. But they were all unable to as well. Then one older Gopi came and she explained that someone had put a bad eye on Krsna. She asked Mother Yasoda if anyone had come to the palace. Mother Yasoda replied that a sadhu with ashes and snakes and spiders had come, and he asked to see Krsna but she refused him. She gave him some rotis and sent him away. The older Gopi said that he has put a spell on Krsna. She requested the Gopis to go and fetch the sadhu. A few Gopis went all around Nanda gram looking for Lord Shiva. Finally, after much searching, they found him in the corner of Nanda gram meditating. They asked him to come back with them to the palace and that Mother Yasoda is calling him.
Excitedly Lord Siva came to the palace. Standing at the palace door Nandalal saw Lord Shiva and immediately stopped crying. Mother Yasoda then closed the door and Krsna again started crying.
Mother Yosoda told Lord Shiva, you got darshan now take away this bad eye. Lord Shiva said that the only way that the bad eye can be taken away, if Mother Yasoda put her Lala’s feet on his head.
Shocked by the gesture, Mother Yasoda reluctantly said “No”, but all the Gopis said “Yes”. Then Mother Yasoda picked up Krsna and placed His feet on the head of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva been Nataraja, began to dance. When he started dancing, Lord Krsna became very happy. Seeing Lord Krsna happy, Mother Yasoda asked Lord Shiva to never leave Nandagram. Lord Shiva agreed but made to conditions. One, is that when She bathes Krsna, he gets the water that bathed him and whenever she feeds him, he gets some remnants of Krsna’s prasadam. In this way Lord Shiva resided in Vraja in a place called Asheshavan. There he is known as Asheshwar-Mahadev. Lord Shiva hoping and desiring the darshan of Lord Krsna.
Radharani opens her eyes
The great sage Narada Muni had calculated the appearance of Srimati Radharani in Varsana, so he went to the palace of King Maharaj Vrsabhanu, who welcomed the great sage by washing his feet and offering him prasadam.
Then Narada Muni asked Maharaj Vrsabhanu if he had any children. Vrsabhanu Maharaj told him that he has one son named Sridhama. Sridhama came forward and was blessed by the sage. Narada Muni was sure he had made the right calculations and again asked if Vrsabhanu had any other children. Then Maharaj Vrsabhanu said, that does not have any other children. Disheartened by what he had heard, Narada Muni decided to leave. Maharaj Vrsabhanu could see the disappointment in the face of Narada Muni, so he reluctantly told Narada Muni, that he does have another child, but she has not opened her eyes since her birth.
Narada Muni became overjoyed and requested Vrsabhanu Maharaj to bring Her to him. When the baby girl was brought to Narada Muni, he was overwhelmed with ecstatic symptoms of love. He prayed to Srimati Radharani to show him, Her youthful form. The age of 15, 16 years. The Supreme Goddess of Fortune fulfilled the desires of the great sage by manifesting her Radha Kishori form for Narada Muni’s eyes only. Narada Muni then prayed to this Kishori form of Srimati Radharani and She then manifested her baby form.
Then Narada told Vrsabhanu Maharaj how he can solve the problem of her closed eyes. He told him that he should prepare a big feast and invite everyone in Varsana. They should also invite Nanda Baba and Mother Yasoda and that They should bring their child, Krsna as well. Everyone should have a big festival. Taking his final darshan of Srimati Radharani, Narada Muni leaves while playing on his vina singing the names of Radhika Raman.
A few days later Vsrabhanu Maharaj had arranged for the huge feast. He invited Nanda Baba along with Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini. Everyone from Nanda gram and Varsana all joined in the feast, to celebrate the birth of King Vrsabhanu’s daughter.
The parents of the babies sat down to talk, while Krsna crawled around the marble floor. Seeing a cradle covered with black blanket. He crawled over and pulled himself to stand up as He peeped into the cradle. There he could see the most beautiful golden faced baby girl. The sandalwood, mixed with sweet camphor fragrance emanating from the body of Krsna entered Srimati Radharani’s nose, which is described as the shape of a sesame flower.
Understanding that, standing before Her was the Lord of Goloka, She opened Her beautiful lotus eyes, for the very first time. The First person She saw was baby Krsna standing with a flute in His hand and wearing a peacock feather on His head. Gazing at the Lotus blue eyes of Srimati Radharani, Krsna began to giggle. Srimati Radharani also began making the sounds of a new born child.
Hearing the baby sound, Mother Kirtida came to the cradle and picked up Srimati Radharani. With excitement she told everyone to come see the beautiful eyes of Srimati Radharani. Maharaj Vrsabhanu, Nanda Baba, Mother Yasoda, Mother Rohini and all the ladies of the palace rushed to see Srimati Radharani. They all jumped with joy and began a festive mood and chanting and dancing.
The Killing of Putana
Kamsa began prosecuting all the children of Mathura and Vrndavan. He called upon all his demoniac friends to search out the homes and kill the children. Kamsa then instructed Putana to visit the house of Nanda Baba and Kill the child called Krsna.
Putana was a witch, that had mastered the dark art of killing children. To kill Krsna, she used the art of transforming her terrible, ghastly looking form into a beautiful goddess of fortune. When she walked into the courtyard of Nanda Baba, everyone was pleased to see the beautiful form of this lady. Without anyone’s permission, smiling and walking like a swan, she made her way into the inner chambers of Mother Yasoda. To everyone Putana looked like the Goddess of fortune holding a lotus flower in Her hand.
Mother Yasoda, not suspicious of Putana, invited her sit by the side of Krsna’s bed. Putana looked at Krsna and with her mystic powers, she understood that Krsna was no ordinary child. Here lies a child that could destroy the entire universe. She could understand that although, three months old, Krsna still possessed all His powers in full.
Putana picked up the son of Mother Yasoda. Krsna Closed his eyes, because he did not like to see the face of Putana, who had killed so many children. Another reason for closing His eyes, is that Krsna gave assurance to Putana who knew that Krsna could kill her. The Vedas also state that a child, women, cow and brahmana should never be killed. And since Putana was a woman, Krsna closed his eyes. Another reason is since Putana had offered her breast milk to Krsna, he accepted her as his nurse mother.
Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini sat close by watching the activities of Putana, but they did not stop her, because she showed motherly affection. They could not understand that she was a sword within a decorated case. Putana had smeared a deadly poison on her breast and as she placed on the lips of Krsna, he angrily sucked the milked poison. Putana expected Krsna to die immediately, but instead she left her life force leaving her body.
The witch fell to the ground, kicking, screaming, begging Krsna to release her from his grip. As she took her last breath, the real, terrible form of Putana was revealed. Everyone was surprised to see the huge form of Putana, which stretched eight miles across. Her nose was looking like mountain caves and her hair were like wild bushes.
Everyone searched for Krsna and finally found him playing on the lap of Putana’s dead body. Mother Yasoda and Mother Rohini washed and bathed Krsna with the auspicious products of the cow, Milk and cow urine. They chanted many names of Lord Visnu to protect Krsna. Then the residents of Vrndavan cut down the body of Putana and burnt it. Unlike, the burning of a normal person, Putana’s body smelt like the fragrance of aguru. That was due to the salvation Putana attained by being Killed by Krsna. Putana received the same destination of the cows of Vrndavan and all the elderly Gopis that offered their milk to Krsna. Krsna awarded her the same status as a mother.
Putana in Her Previous Life
Once Bali Maharaj was performing an Ashvamedha Sacrifice. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Vamanadev appeared at the sacrificial arena. The Brahmana effulgence emanating from the body of Vamanadev, robbed every one of their splendors. They began questioning each other whether the sun-god had personally come to take his share of the sacrifice.
Lord Vamana appeared as the most beautiful five-year-old brahmacari boy. When the sister of Bali Maharaj, Ratnamala, saw Vamanadev, she had a feeling of motherly affection come all over her. Within her mind she desired to have Vamanadev as her son. She thought to herself, that, her heart will become happy and she would offer him milk from her breast to drink. Lord Vamana situated in everyone’s heart could understand the desires of Bali Maharaj’s sister and granted her wishes in his heart.
Vanamadev was greeted by all the members of the sacrifice and Bali Maharaj gave Vamanadevi a worshippable seat, then washed his feet. Bali Maharaj, being the grandson of Prahlada Maharaj, was very liberal when it came to offering charity to the brahmanas. After washing the feet of Vanamadev, Bali Maharaj asked the Lord, what charity he would like. To satisfy the request of Bali Maharaj, Vamanadev asked for three steps of land. Bali Maharaj said that he can offer more than just three steps of land. But Vamandev insisted on three steps of land. The Spiritual master of Bali Maharaj, Sukracarya, warned his disciple not to give Vamanadev the three steps He requested, as He will take everything away. Disobeying the orders of his spiritual master, who went against the desire of the Lord, Bali Maharaj granted the three steps of Land.
With the first two steps, Lord Vamanadev covered all the universes, both in the upper planetary and lower planetary systems, and there was no place for the third step. Unable to fulfill his promise, Lord Vamana bound Bali Maharaj with the ropes of Vasuki. Seeing her brother tied up and humiliated, the sister of Bali Maharaj thought to herself, that if I ever have this boy as a child, I will kill him by giving him poison. Understanding the minds and hearts of all living entities, Lord Vamanadev granted that boon.
Thus, when Krsna appeared on earth, Bali Maharaj’s sister was born as Putana along with two brothers Bakasura and Aghasura.
