SB 10.6.4 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

सा खेचर्येकदोत्पत्य पूतना नन्दगोकुलम् । योषित्वा माययात्मानं प्राविशत् कामचारिणी ॥ ४ ॥

Verse text

sā khe-cary ekadotpatya pūtanā nanda-gokulam yoṣitvā māyayātmānaṁ prāviśat kāma-cāriṇī

Synonyms

sā — that (Pūtanā) ; khe — carī — who traveled in outer space ; ekadā — once upon a time ; utpatya — was flying ; pūtanā — the demon Pūtanā ; nanda — gokulam — at the place of Nanda Mahārāja, Gokula ; yoṣitvā — converting into a very beautiful woman ; māyayā — by mystic power ; ātmānam — herself ; prāviśat — entered ; kāma — cāriṇī — one who could move according to her own desire .

Translation

Once upon a time, Pūtanā Rākṣasī, who could move according to her desire and was wandering in outer space, converted herself by mystic power into a very beautiful woman and thus entered Gokula, the abode of Nanda Mahārāja.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Once upon a time, Pūtanā Rākṣasī, who could move according to her desire and was wandering in outer space, converted herself by mystic power into a very beautiful woman and thus entered Gokula, the abode of Nanda Mahārāja. KB 10.6.4 Such witches are called khecarī, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pūtanā knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhāgavatam as khecarī. Pūtanā entered the county of Gokula, the residential quarter of Nanda Mahārāja, without permission. Dressing herself just like a beautiful woman, she entered the house of Mother Yaśodā.

Purport

Rākṣasīs learn mystic powers by which they can travel in outer space without machines. In some parts of India there are still such mystical witches, who can sit on a stick and use it to fly from one place to another in a very short time. This art was known to Pūtanā. Assuming the feature of a very beautiful woman, she entered Nanda Mahārāja’s abode, Gokula.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In order that the pastime of killing Putana be performed, by the inspiration of the lila sakti of the Lord, Putana entered Gokula as if invited by death to be killed. With this intention the verse is spoken. One day in the evening, flying from the sky (utpatya), she entered Gokula. An alternate reading is upetya (arriving). By illusion she took on the form of a beautiful women (yosita). All were so much enamored with her beauty that she had access to all the houses and towns. Though the Lord’s illusory energy has no desire to bewilder the eternal devotees of Vraja, in order execute the pastimes of Krsna, Putana was able to exert her illusions, like a magician, by the will of the Lord.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

She went at night, according to Parāśara and Vaiśampāyaṇa, flying in the sky. Because she was of ferocious demeanor she transformed herself into a woman. The verb form should actually be yoṣāyitvā. It is abbreviated by poetic license.