In the previous episode, we had witnessed Goddess Yoga-Maya’s stern warning to Kamsa saying that the baby who is going to kill him has already taken birth and it is growing up at Gokula, which is on the other side of River Yamuna. Upon hearing this from Goddess Yoga-Maya, Kamsa is all the more stunned! He has been fooled right royally! He had been eagerly waiting for the eighth male child to be killed, and here he is, totally taken aback when he hears that the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva had somehow escaped out of the prison complex at Mathura city, amidst tight security blankets all around! How can this happen? Kamsa couldn’t believe his ears! However, all said and done, things have happened and there is no point in investigating what were the lapses on the security front. Instead, Kamsa quickly gets to action as to how to kill that eighth child now. He immediately calls a meeting with all his ministers to chalk out plans and strategies to take the enemy head-on.
Kamsa thus formed a team of “Raakshasas” to go one after the other to Gokula, to trace out where this baby is and to kill it eventually. The first to arrive at Gokula was the Raakshasi by name “Poothana”. Kamsa calls Poothana and instructs thus, “Oh Poothana! I’ve got an important task for you. Devaki’s eighth son has somehow taken birth without my knowledge and has escaped the prison too successfully. The baby is at Gokula. Now your job is to try and trace the whereabouts of this baby, go to that place and try to feed poison to the baby on the pretext of breastfeeding it. Ultimately, you should come with the news that you’ve killed that baby with the poison from your breasts. Hurry up and get yourselves ready for this mission!”
Kamsa’s instructions were loud and clear! As Poothana is getting ready on this side, let us see what is happening on the other side at Gokula. Now who was this Nandagopa, at whose place Bhagawan Bala-Krishna is currently residing. This Nandagopa is a person who is the head of that village. He is the person who collects all the taxes from the Gokula villagers, crosses over the Yamuna river every month, comes to Kamsa and hands over the taxes to the kingdom. This Nandagopa and Vasudeva are good friends and well-wishers. As Nandagopa goes to Mathura city for handing over that month’s taxes, he specially goes to the prison where Vasudeva was lodged. He wanted to convey the “happy news” that he is now a father of a beautiful baby boy. He goes to Vasudeva and explains thus, “Oh Vasudeva! I’m proud to inform you that I’m a father of a baby boy! I heard that you also had your seventh child but it had a premature death. I also heard that you’ve obtained the eighth child as well, which is a baby girl!”
Nandagopa was sharing all this with Vasudeva, who, because of the illusion that was created by Goddess Yoga-Maya, had completely forgotten that it was he who transported this baby boy of his to Nandagopa’s house! At this moment, nobody in this world is aware of the “baby swap” that had happened the previous night. Nandagopa is happy that he has obtained a baby son, and Vasudeva is also happy for him. However, Vasudeva replies to Nandagopa thus, “Oh my friend! Congratulations on the great feat! However, I urge you to go back to Gokula immediately. I’m seeing a lot of bad omens all around and I think it’s not a very good time now for you to be in Mathura City. Hence, please go back now, and we shall talk later. I sense that there is some evil force that is about to cause some harm to your newborn baby. Hence, please hurry up immediately and check what’s happening on the other side, without wasting much time!”
As Vasudeva was telling thus to Nandagopa, Poothana had arrived at Gokula with her “mission” of finding out the whereabouts of Bhagawan Bala-Krishna. Even before Nandagopa could make his return journey, Poothana had found out the exact address where the baby was and she quickly hurries out to reach that venue. It was at this time when Yashoda had just fed the baby with her breastmilk, placed the child on one corner of the house and had gone out to bring the cows and calves back to the village. As the baby was all alone at the house, with Nandagopa out of town still, Poothana sees this as the best chance to execute the agenda. She quickly disguises herself into the form of a beautiful young woman and comes into Yashoda’s home. She senses that the baby is all alone, lying in one corner and with a beaming beautiful smile on its little face.
Thus, Poothana reaches the place, sees the baby and takes it on her lap! The moment Bhagawan Bala-Krishna was on Poothana’s lap, He started to cry profusely. Some babies have this practice – They start crying a lot when they feel hungry. Seeing thus, Poothana quickly sees this as the golden opportunity to finish off her agenda. She immediately keeps the baby’s mouth on her breasts and the baby starts sucking the milk! However, is this real milk? It is poison, isn’t it? What is going to happen next? Let’s wait for an absorbing episode tomorrow! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 