Who was Putana?

In the previous blog titled "Putana," we explored the tale of demoness Putana, who sought to harm a baby in Nand's house. Putana cunningly disguised herself as an attractive woman to deceive the villagers and fed poisoned milk to a sleeping infant. However, the child was not harmed but instead drained the life from the demoness as he suckled her breast, causing her death and revealing her gruesome, true form. After her monstrous body was dismembered and placed on a funeral pyre for cremation, a surprising transformation occurred. To the amazement of the onlookers, the consuming flames produced a beautiful fragrance.

Let's continue with the story ....

The question naturally arises - how did a divine aroma emanate from the funeral pyre of a wicked demoness? In this blog, we will discuss Putana's past life to answer the question.

Some stories in the Puranas do not unfold in one lifetime. They stretch across births, across yugas, and sometimes even across incarnations of the Lord Himself. The story of Ratnamala, the daughter of Maharaj Bali, is one such story. She was born into a lineage steeped in power and pride, being the great-grandchild of the celebrated Prahlad.

The Maternal Desire of Ratnamala

The tale began when Ratnamala encountered Vaman Bhagwan, the diminutive incarnation of Lord Krishna, appearing as a young Brahmin. As she beheld his innocent yet divine countenance, a profound desire blossomed within her heart— she thought,

“If this child were my son, I would feed Him my own breast milk.”

Vaman Bhagwan smiled and inwardly blessed her

“Your desire will be fulfilled.”

Ratnamala's father, Maharaj Bali, was not just any ruler; he was the king of the three worlds. He was a paragon of generosity and virtue, admired by his subjects. He was known to grant wishes without hesitation and welcomed all who approached him for aid. Yet, this boundless generosity alarmed the celestial beings, who grew increasingly frightened of Maharaj Bali's rising fame and fortune. Aditi, the revered mother of the gods, sought the guidance of Lord Vishnu to counter Maharaj Bali's rapidly increasing power.

Lord Vishnu incarnated as Vaman Bhagwan, the son of Aditi. When Vaman Bhagwan approached Maharaj Bali, Vaman Bhagwan requested only a sliver of land, enough to cover with his three steps. Ever generous Maharaj Bali, eager to fulfil even the slightest wish, readily agreed to this modest demand.

Maharaj Bali’s Sacrifice

Then, in an awe-inspiring transformation, Vaman Bhagwan expanded into a cosmic form known as Trivikrama.

With the first colossal step, Lord Trivikrama encompassed the entire earth.

With the second colossal step, he reached the heavens, leaving Maharaj Bali astounded and powerless. As the demon king knelt with folded hands in submission, Vaman Bhagwan posed the question to Maharaj Bali:

"Where should I place my third step?"

In a moment of unparalleled selflessness, Maharaj Bali said, "Please place your third step on my head."

In this way, he offered his own head as the pedestal, thus upholding his promise, even at the cost of his own freedom. With that act, Vaman Bhagwan placed his foot upon Maharaj Bali's head, casting him into Patala, the Netherworld.

The Convergence of Desires

When Ratnamala witnessed her father being cast away into the Netherworld, she became angry and desired to kill Vaman Bhagwan by feeding him poison.

Vaman Bhagwan again noted her desire, smiled, and blessed her.

This same Ratnamala was born as Putana in the Dwapar Yug. The Lord, who knows all of our desires, accepted Putana's poisonous milk, fulfilling Ratnamala's desire to feed the Lord as her child.

Redemption and the Power of Divine Love

In a bittersweet twist of fate, Putana found liberation in her demise. Despite her treacherous intentions, the Lord embraced her as His mother because she nursed Him. Thus, in a cycle of transformation and redemption, Putana, who was Ratnamala, was liberated, a testament to the Lord's forgiving nature.

This explains why a heavenly fragrance emanated from the burning pyre when Putana's body was burned. The Lord had accepted her as his mother gave her residence in His divine abode, Golok.

The Divine sees the intention behind your thoughts, not just the outer actions.
Even a moment of pure love can overpower lifetimes of sins. God remembers the love.

Summary

This story explores the spiritual redemption of the demoness Putana, explaining why her funeral pyre emitted a heavenly fragrance despite her attempt to murder the infant divine child of Nand. The story traces her origins back to a previous life as Ratnamala, the daughter of Maharaj Bali, whose maternal instincts were stirred by the divine beauty of Lord Vishnu’s Vaman avatar. The Lord chose to honour her original wish to nurse him.