PUTANA KILLED & SAKATASURA LIBERATED

adapted for puppet theater by Mrgaksi dasi & Akhilananda dasa

from Krsna Book Chapter 6, lyrics by Yamini dasi

(opening music)
Kamsa paces nervously to song

Song:

King Kamsa had an evil plan

To send a witch throughout the land
To kill the children big and small
He thought this would prevent his fall

He sent Putana with this mission:

"Kill them all, including Krsna,
He's the one I'm most afraid of!"
But they didn't know what He was made of!

REFRAIN:
Krsna's the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Wherever He appears, He dissipates all fears
His Holy Name alone, can liberate us from death
Putana got His grace, and went to His Own place.

Kamsa: Putana! Putana! Come here right now! I have a plan for you. After consulting with my
ministers, I think you're the one we need! Somewhere out there, the One who will kill me has taken
birth and I do not want Him to survive. So, since killing children is your specialty, I want you to go
kill all kinds of children in the cities and towns! Then I will be safe!

Putana: Oh, Kamsa, how nice of you to think of me! There certainly is no other more qualified than
myself! I can change my body to look sooo beautiful, no-one will suspect my purposes!

Kamsa: Great, you old witch! Now get out there and do your dirty business!
(Ugly Putana circles, goes down and Beautiful Putana appears.)

PUTANA'S SONG
Putana Putana is my name
Killing little children is my game
I come from Kamsa that sinful man
And I'll kill Krsna if I can.

I am Khecari, and you can see

Me fly through the air on an uprooted tree. I like to kill children, in cities and towns
I'll even kill those on the pasturing grounds.
Now you see me with a pretty smile
Earrings and flowers, and perfect style
Now I can wander anywhere
Dressed like a Goddess, fine and fair

Putana Putana is my name

Killing little children is my game
(She laughs and changes to Ugly Putana again and then disappears
Curtain closes. Backdrop changed- Vrndavan scene)

Scene Two

(M. Yasoda, baby Krsna and M. Rohini enter very slowly.)

Song:
Putana was a Khecari witch and so she could fly in the sky
Although she was evil, she entered Gokula, where everyone let her pass by.
Because of her smiling beauty and the lotus in her hand,
Yasoda and Rohini said that the Goddess of Fortune had come.

Putana was a sword in a decorated case, because of the poison upon her breast.
She was a demon, Krsna could tell, so He sucked out her milk and her life as well.
Putana was a sword in a decorated case, because of the poison upon her breast.
She was a demon, Krsna could tell, so He sucked out her milk and her life as well.
Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Mother Yasoda: Oh, Rohini, just see little Krsna! His features are so nice, no one can resist Him.
People are coming from miles around simply to present Him with nice gifts. The Supreme Lord
Vishnu is so kind upon me! Who can understand His Mercy?

Rohini: Oh yes, Yasoda, you are very fortunate! Everyone loves Krsna so! His eyes look just like
lotus petals and His body is the color of a raincloud! Dressed in yellow garments, He is more
attractive than million of Cupids! Oh, just see who's coming! She must be the Goddess of Fortune,
come to see your extraordinary Child!

(Putana Enters Slowly.)

Song:
Even though she was so ugly
She made herself look quite lovely
Dressed in jewels and golden crown
She made her way to Nanda's town

The gopis saw a Goddess coming

As she walked she looked so stunning
She fooled Yasoda and the rest
For she smeared poison on her breast

REFRAIN:
Krsna's the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Wherever He appears, He dissipates all fears
His Holy Name alone, can liberate us from death
Putana got His grace, and went to His Own place.

Mother Yasoda: My dear lady, who are you? You look so beautiful, you must be the consort of
Lord Narayana. I suspect you must have come to see my Child, Krsna. There he is - over there.
Please bless Him.

Putana: Aha! It worked! She doesn't know who I am! Now is my chance to satisfy Kamsa! Hmmm,
this Child is so powerful that He can destroy the whole universe immediately! Anyway, I'm Putana,
the child killer, what am I afraid of? Here Child take some milk from me. I know you must be very
thirsty!

Song:
Putana walked into the room
Thinking Krsna would be dead soon
As the lord woke from His nap
Putana placed Him upon her lap
She gave her poisoned breast to nurse,
But Kamsa's plan worked in reverse.
As Krsna drank, He closed His eyes
Then He sucked out Putana's life

REFRAIN:
Krsna's the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Wherever He appears, He dissipates all fears
His Holy Name alone, can liberate us from death
Putana got His grace, and went to His Own place.

Putana: Ah! What is this? Leave me child, leave me! Help!

(She sets down Krsna and changes into Big Putana and dies.
Yasoda and Rohini enter Right. Nanda and Upananda enter from left.)

Mother Yasoda: Oh no!! Oh Rohini, look what's happened! My poor baby! Oh, what a horrible
witch! Oh, but by the Lord's Grace, He is alright. Quick, let us perform auspicious rituals and chant
Vedic mantras to help protect Krsna from any evil.

Nanda Maharaj: Oh, Narayana! What is this? My child has been attacked by a huge demon! The
prophesy of Vasudeva has come true. How could he have foretold something that happened in his
absence from Gokula? Come, let us cut this gigantic body into pieces and pile it with wood for
burning. I don't want to take any chances of her returning to harm my child Krsna!
(Men heap up body with sticks and chop with axes.)

Song:
Nanda returned with the cowherd men
And saw the form of the ugly demon
Putana changed with her life now gone
Into a dead witch twelve miles long

Yasoda chanted for protection

And showered Krsna with affection
Nanda said,"So she won't return
We'll cut up her body and let it burn."

REFRAIN:
Krsna's the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Wherever He appears, He dissipates all fears
His Holy Name alone can liberate us from death
Putana got His grace, and went to His Own place.

Nanda Maharaj: There! I think that's enough wood. Now we'll light it and be rid of this menace!
What's this? I can't believe it! The smoke actually smells sweet! How can it be??

Cowherd Man: Oh Nanda, I am thinking that your child is special.

Could it be that His touch has purified this ugly demon? All Glories to the Son of Nanda Maharaja,
the Joy of Yasoda, the Pleasure of Gokula!

Song:
As the body burned, the smoke smelled sweet
Because she'd been touched by Krsna's Lotus Feet
She had more envy than any of us
But Krsna treated her like His mother

REFRAIN:
Krsna's the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Wherever He appears, He dissipates all fears
His Holy Name alone can liberate us from death
Putana got His grace, and went to His Own place.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

(Bow. Close curtain. Prepare for second story. Change backdrop to another Vrndavana scene.)
 SAKATASURA
Song:
Baby Krsna kicked the cart, it fell to the ground and broke apart
repeat
Sakatasura was pushed along with the cart upon the earth.
repeat

Narrator: When Krsna grew up a little more He began to turn Himself front side up, which gave His
parents great pleasure.

Mother Yasoda: Oh Nanda, see how our Child is now turning over by Himself. It is time to observe
His first birthday ceremony.
Let us prepare for this festival.

Nanda Maharaj: Yes, Yasoda, I will arrange to distribute large quantities of grains and give first
class cows in charity to the Brahmanas.

Mother Yasoda: And I will invite all cowherd men and women to participate. Come friends, come!
It is time for Krsna's birthday party!

Cowherd Man: Here we come with great gifts for your Son! We have never seen a child like this!
His little face attracts our heart. We feel that our gifts are insignificant in comparison to His lustre!

Cowherd Woman: My dear Yasoda, you are so fortunate! Your child has an effulgence which
surpasses that of the moon! And, although they will not do justice to His appearance we have
brought silken cloth and jewels to adorn this transcendental child!

Nanda Maharaj: Now let the band play while the Brahmanas are chanting hymns! Yasoda will
bathe our child, Krsna, on this Janmastami day.

Narrator: Yasoda bathed Krsna and then took Him upon her lap and sat listening to the Vedic
mantras. Soon, the Child fell asleep and Mother Yasoda laid him down in a bed under a cart and
then engaged herself in receiving all the friends and relatives in Gokula. While Yasoda was away,
Krsna woke up and was hungry so, He began to cry for His mother's milk. But, Mother Yasoda
could not hear Him because of the various noises. Krsna became so angry, He lifted His legs and
began to kick His Lotus Feet, but while he was kicking His legs, He accidentally touched the wheel
of the cart and it collapsed with a great noise! All the utensils scattered hither and thither surprising
all the inhabitants. A demon named Sakatasura had been hiding in the cart but simply with His
kicking, Krsna had killed him. But, the inhabitants of Gokula did not know what had happened and
they came running to pick up the Lord.

Nanda Maharaj: Oh Govinda! How has this happened? The cart that Krsna was lying under has
completely collapsed, though I can't see any cause for it!

1st Cowherd Boy: Oh, Nanda Maharaja, we know how it fell. We saw Krsna kicking His feet and
when He touched the wheel it broke off sending everything flying!

2nd Cowherd Boy: We saw Him do it!

1st Cowherd Boy: Honest, Honest! We saw it!

3rd Cowherd Boy: Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Nanda Maharaj: Oh no, how could that be? Krsna is just a small child, His little feet couldn't do
such harm!

Cowherd Man: Well, I don't know, Nanda, your child is different from any other we have seen. He
just may have done it, you know!
He's actually very special.

2nd Cowherd Man: Maybe He's a demigod, Nanda!

Narrator: The inhabitants of Gokula could not understand

that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply lying there as a Baby. Both the possible
and the impossible were within His power. He could do anything.

Nanda Maharaj: Well, for whatever reason the cart has fallen, our child Krsna is safe! Let us offer
oblations into the fire and worship the Lord for the good fortune of Krsna!

Mother Yasoda: Here, little one, don't cry anymore. Simply take my breastmilk and you will be out
of danger.

Nanda Maharaj: My dear friends, I don't know how Krsna is saved from all these calamities. But, I
am simply asking you to help me pray for His protection. So, do you think you can help me? It is
said that for this age only one kind of sacrifice is recommended - the chanting of the Mahamantra.
It goes like this - Please Repeat:
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare

Very Good!! Now let's sing it loudly for the good fortune of our Child Krsna! Come on - sing
along!

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
(three times)