Putana

Putana is a demoness in Hindu mythology, best known for her attempt to murder the infant Krishna in Vrindavan. In the Bhagavata Purana (Book 10, canto 8) and other Puranic sources, she is sent by the tyrant Kamsa to eliminate Krishna and prevent him from growing into a threat to his rule. Disguised as a nurse and presenting herself as a well‑wisher, she nurses Krishna with breast milk laced with poison.

Krishna, although an infant, is said to detect her deceit through his divine nature. He suckles at her breast and drains her life force, killing her. In most versions, Putana dies at once, her demon form revealed as the act completes. Some tellings describe the poison as transforming into nectar for Krishna, while her body is left on the ground, neutralized by the encounter.

The episode is interpreted in various traditions as a demonstration of Krishna’s protective power over the innocent and his victory over evil, even in infancy. It is frequently cited as one of Krishna’s earliest feats in his childhood narratives. Putana’s story has been depicted in temple art, literature, and theatrical performances as a symbolic confrontation between deceitful evil masquerading as care and the benevolent protection of the divine child.