Shloka 15

Pūtanā-mokṣa — The Witch Pūtanā’s Attempt and Kṛṣṇa’s Deliverance

Devanagari script

ईषामात्रोग्रदंष्ट्रास्यं गिरिकन्दरनासिकम् । गण्डशैलस्तनं रौद्रं प्रकीर्णारुणमूर्धजम् ॥ १५ ॥ अन्धकूपगभीराक्षं पुलिनारोहभीषणम् । बद्धसेतुभुजोर्वङ्‍‍घ्रि शून्यतोयह्रदोदरम् ॥ १६ ॥ सन्तत्रसु: स्म तद्वीक्ष्य गोपा गोप्य: कलेवरम् । पूर्वं तु तन्नि:स्वनितभिन्नहृत्कर्णमस्तका: ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

īṣā-mātrogra-daṁṣṭrāsyaṁ giri-kandara-nāsikam gaṇḍa-śaila-stanaṁ raudraṁ prakīrṇāruṇa-mūrdhajam

Translation

その羅刹女の口は、鋤の刃のような猛々しい歯で満ち、鼻孔は山の洞窟のごとく深かった。乳房は丘から落ちた巨岩の板のようで、乱れた髪は銅の赤に散っていた。眼窩は暗い深井戸のように深く、恐るべき腿は川岸のように見え、腕・脚・足は大きな橋のようで、腹は水の尽きた湖のようであった。彼女の叫び声だけでも、牧人たちと牧女たちの心と耳と頭は打ち砕かれていたが、この荒々しくも異様な巨体を見て、いよいよ恐怖に包まれた。

Synonyms

• ईषामात्रोग्रदंष्ट्रास्यम्: having a mouth with fierce fangs as big as beams
• ईषामात्रोग्रदंष्ट्रास्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईषा + मात्रा + उग्र + दंष्ट्रा + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयसमास: ईषामात्रा (as big as a beam) + उग्रा दंष्ट्रा (fierce fangs) + आस्यम् (mouth)

• गिरिकन्दरनासिकम्: with a nose like a mountain-cave
• गिरिकन्दरनासिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि + कन्दर + नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (गिरेः कन्दरवत् नासिका / गिरिकन्दर-नासिका)

• गण्डशैलस्तनम्: with breasts like rocky hills
• गण्डशैलस्तनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण्ड + शैल + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय (गण्डौ शैलौ इव; शैलवत् स्तनः)

• रौद्रम्: terrible
• रौद्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रकीर्णारुणमूर्धजम्: with scattered reddish hair
• प्रकीर्णारुणमूर्धजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-कीर्ण (कृदन्त) + अरुण + मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: प्रकीर्णाः अरुणाः मूर्धजाः यस्य (whose reddish hair is disheveled)

Characters & Entities

• Pūtanā
• Gopas
• Gopīs

FAQs

How is Pūtanā’s body described in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 6?

This verse portrays her corpse as gigantic and terrifying—cave-like nostrils, dreadful fangs, and hill-like features—emphasizing the enormity of the danger from which Kṛṣṇa protected Vraja.

Who is speaking these verses about Pūtanā in the Bhagavatam?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates these details to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while describing Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes in Vṛndāvana.

What is the practical takeaway from the Pūtanā episode for modern life?

Even when danger appears overwhelming, devotion and taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa bring protection; the verse highlights how fearsome threats can be neutralized by divine grace.