At Kamsa’s behest, Putana walks into Gokula assuming the form of a beautiful woman. The people are attracted by her charms, and allow her to fondle Krishna. She quickly offers her poisoned breast milk to Him not knowing that He is the Supreme Being incarnate who is to grant her salvation. Sage Suka describes how the Lord sucks out her very life energy even as she thought she would kill the infant. Her frantic appeal ‘enough enough; release me release me’ rents the air as she wishes to be let off from Krishna’s extraordinary grip that outdid her evil intentions. She assumes her original form and falls dead while her terrible cries rock the earth and the mountains and reverberate across the heavens and the nether regions.
In her case, these words, uttered minutes before the Lord chooses to release her from Samsara, are not an appeal for Moksha, though her words reflect the spirit and essence of one seeking release from Samsara, pointed out Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse. She was ultimately liberated because she had fed Krishna though it is with murderous intent, says the Bhagavata Purana. When her huge body was consigned to flames, there arose fragrant fumes to indicate that she had been purified because of her contact with the Lord.
The path to Moksha is accessible only to those who have renounced the mixed fare of joy and sorrow that is the birthright of every Jivatma. The cause of repeated births is desire. If the aim is moksha, one gradually learns to renounce the aspiration to accumulate the better and attractive options in material existence that claim one’s attention.
The bent of mind that accepts whatever is got as God’s gift and the resolute desire to seek His grace are necessary. The moment of realisation that there is not anything to be achieved in worldly gains shapes the attitude of the spiritual aspirant towards salvation.
