Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 28
Pūtanā-mokṣa — The Witch Pūtanā’s Attempt and Kṛṣṇa’s Deliverance
डाकिन्यो यातुधान्यश्च कुष्माण्डा येऽर्भकग्रहा: । भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च यक्षरक्षोविनायका: ॥ २७ ॥ कोटरा रेवती ज्येष्ठा पूतना मातृकादय: । उन्मादा ये ह्यपस्मारा देहप्राणेन्द्रियद्रुह: ॥ २८ ॥ स्वप्नदृष्टा महोत्पाता वृद्धा बालग्रहाश्च ये । सर्वे नश्यन्तु ते विष्णोर्नामग्रहणभीरव: ॥ २९ ॥
ḍākinyo yātudhānyaś ca kuṣmāṇḍā ye ’rbhaka-grahāḥ bhūta-preta-piśācāś ca yakṣa-rakṣo-vināyakāḥ
The evil witches known as Ḍākinīs, Yātudhānīs and Kuṣmāṇḍas are the greatest enemies of children, and the evil spirits like Bhūtas, Pretas, Piśācas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas and Vināyakas, as well as witches like Koṭarā, Revatī, Jyeṣṭhā, Pūtanā and Mātṛkā, are always ready to give trouble to the body, the life air and the senses, causing loss of memory, madness and bad dreams. Like the most experienced evil stars, they all create great disturbances, especially for children, but one can vanquish them simply by uttering Lord Viṣṇu’s name, for when Lord Viṣṇu’s name resounds, all of them become afraid and go away.
As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) :
FAQs
This verse declares that all such harmful beings and inauspicious influences are destroyed because they fear the very utterance of Viṣṇu’s name.
Because the chapter narrates Pūtanā’s attempt to kill baby Kṛṣṇa; the verse lists her among many destructive forces, emphasizing that devotion and Viṣṇu’s name overpower them all.
Regularly remembering and chanting the Lord’s names (nāma-smaraṇa) is presented here as a spiritual shelter that dispels fear, anxiety, and harmful influences by fixing the mind in divine protection.