CHAPTER VIII.Then Kangsa, the brother of Devaki, besought the demoness Putanā, mother of evil, to give each child in arms the milk of her breast, that should fill them with death at the sucking.And forth she did go, and prayed to be taken into the palace of the king, to behold the young Child v/hose face gave blessing to all who on it looked.On her coming, the Child stretched forth its arms to be taken to her breast, but when her breast between His lips He took, she bent her face to look at the Babe, and fear made her pale and faint, for in the beauty of His eye the wisdom of all the world she beheld.And releasing the Master she held at her breast, she pleaded and prayed that He cease His sucking, but harder He drew and firmer His grip was, till exhausted and lifeless she fell on the ground, while with a smile the Babe played with the breast arid crept on the body that lay in death.And when they came from far and wide to look at her who brought destruction and death to children, they beheld her swelled and stretched to immensity.For smiling evil seemeth not big, but rob it of the smile that hideth its leer, and huge and misshapen it doth become.So with Putanā it was. Forth she went to mother and suckle the young children and thus bring death to the Child of Love. Clothed in sweet motherhood and kindness of purpose, all hearts were opened to welcome her freely, yet evil she brought wherever she walked.But He who was All Love at once sighted her hatred for love, by that which in her all unlike Himself was, and straightway in her poverty of Love and nakedness of heart she stood revealed in His eyes.And all saw her thus hideous and unsightly, and marvelled at the blindness of their eyes.But mark now the kindness and power of Love.By the touch of His lips upon her breast, she, who never knew love, by contact with Him became sanctified. And the effort Putanā put forth to bring death to Krishna, under cover of Love, did make her for the moment a mother in truth. And for that moment of concentrated love in Him the honor of Divine Motherhood on her was bestowed in that realm where hate is unknown. And all the world marvelled, when dead she lay, at the aroma that rose from her huge body.But the Child only smiled as He played on her breast.Verily the aroma of great sweetness reached to all the skies. For Love is ever the master of hate, and Love in its strength doth conquer all hate, and hate is purified by the breath of Love, and sanctified it is by its hand.
CHAPTER VIII.Then Kangsa, the brother of Devaki, besought the demoness Putanā, mother of evil, to give each child in arms the milk of her breast, that should fill them with death at the sucking.And forth she did go, and prayed to be taken into the palace of the king, to behold the young Child v/hose face gave blessing to all who on it looked.On her coming, the Child stretched forth its arms to be taken to her breast, but when her breast between His lips He took, she bent her face to look at the Babe, and fear made her pale and faint, for in the beauty of His eye the wisdom of all the world she beheld.And releasing the Master she held at her breast, she pleaded and prayed that He cease His sucking, but harder He drew and firmer His grip was, till exhausted and lifeless she fell on the ground, while with a smile the Babe played with the breast arid crept on the body that lay in death.And when they came from far and wide to look at her who brought destruction and death to children, they beheld her swelled and stretched to immensity.For smiling evil seemeth not big, but rob it of the smile that hideth its leer, and huge and misshapen it doth become.So with Putanā it was. Forth she went to mother and suckle the young children and thus bring death to the Child of Love. Clothed in sweet motherhood and kindness of purpose, all hearts were opened to welcome her freely, yet evil she brought wherever she walked.But He who was All Love at once sighted her hatred for love, by that which in her all unlike Himself was, and straightway in her poverty of Love and nakedness of heart she stood revealed in His eyes.And all saw her thus hideous and unsightly, and marvelled at the blindness of their eyes.But mark now the kindness and power of Love.By the touch of His lips upon her breast, she, who never knew love, by contact with Him became sanctified. And the effort Putanā put forth to bring death to Krishna, under cover of Love, did make her for the moment a mother in truth. And for that moment of concentrated love in Him the honor of Divine Motherhood on her was bestowed in that realm where hate is unknown. And all the world marvelled, when dead she lay, at the aroma that rose from her huge body.But the Child only smiled as He played on her breast.Verily the aroma of great sweetness reached to all the skies. For Love is ever the master of hate, and Love in its strength doth conquer all hate, and hate is purified by the breath of Love, and sanctified it is by its hand.
CHAPTER VIII.Then Kangsa, the brother of Devaki, besought the demoness Putanā, mother of evil, to give each child in arms the milk of her breast, that should fill them with death at the sucking.And forth she did go, and prayed to be taken into the palace of the king, to behold the young Child v/hose face gave blessing to all who on it looked.On her coming, the Child stretched forth its arms to be taken to her breast, but when her breast between His lips He took, she bent her face to look at the Babe, and fear made her pale and faint, for in the beauty of His eye the wisdom of all the world she beheld.And releasing the Master she held at her breast, she pleaded and prayed that He cease His sucking, but harder He drew and firmer His grip was, till exhausted and lifeless she fell on the ground, while with a smile the Babe played with the breast arid crept on the body that lay in death.And when they came from far and wide to look at her who brought destruction and death to children, they beheld her swelled and stretched to immensity.For smiling evil seemeth not big, but rob it of the smile that hideth its leer, and huge and misshapen it doth become.So with Putanā it was. Forth she went to mother and suckle the young children and thus bring death to the Child of Love. Clothed in sweet motherhood and kindness of purpose, all hearts were opened to welcome her freely, yet evil she brought wherever she walked.But He who was All Love at once sighted her hatred for love, by that which in her all unlike Himself was, and straightway in her poverty of Love and nakedness of heart she stood revealed in His eyes.And all saw her thus hideous and unsightly, and marvelled at the blindness of their eyes.But mark now the kindness and power of Love.By the touch of His lips upon her breast, she, who never knew love, by contact with Him became sanctified. And the effort Putanā put forth to bring death to Krishna, under cover of Love, did make her for the moment a mother in truth. And for that moment of concentrated love in Him the honor of Divine Motherhood on her was bestowed in that realm where hate is unknown. And all the world marvelled, when dead she lay, at the aroma that rose from her huge body.But the Child only smiled as He played on her breast.Verily the aroma of great sweetness reached to all the skies. For Love is ever the master of hate, and Love in its strength doth conquer all hate, and hate is purified by the breath of Love, and sanctified it is by its hand.
Then Kangsa, the brother of Devaki, besought the demoness Putanā, mother of evil, to give each child in arms the milk of her breast, that should fill them with death at the sucking.
And forth she did go, and prayed to be taken into the palace of the king, to behold the young Child v/hose face gave blessing to all who on it looked.
On her coming, the Child stretched forth its arms to be taken to her breast, but when her breast between His lips He took, she bent her face to look at the Babe, and fear made her pale and faint, for in the beauty of His eye the wisdom of all the world she beheld.
And releasing the Master she held at her breast, she pleaded and prayed that He cease His sucking, but harder He drew and firmer His grip was, till exhausted and lifeless she fell on the ground, while with a smile the Babe played with the breast arid crept on the body that lay in death.
And when they came from far and wide to look at her who brought destruction and death to children, they beheld her swelled and stretched to immensity.
For smiling evil seemeth not big, but rob it of the smile that hideth its leer, and huge and misshapen it doth become.
So with Putanā it was. Forth she went to mother and suckle the young children and thus bring death to the Child of Love. Clothed in sweet motherhood and kindness of purpose, all hearts were opened to welcome her freely, yet evil she brought wherever she walked.
But He who was All Love at once sighted her hatred for love, by that which in her all unlike Himself was, and straightway in her poverty of Love and nakedness of heart she stood revealed in His eyes.
And all saw her thus hideous and unsightly, and marvelled at the blindness of their eyes.
But mark now the kindness and power of Love.
By the touch of His lips upon her breast, she, who never knew love, by contact with Him became sanctified. And the effort Putanā put forth to bring death to Krishna, under cover of Love, did make her for the moment a mother in truth. And for that moment of concentrated love in Him the honor of Divine Motherhood on her was bestowed in that realm where hate is unknown. And all the world marvelled, when dead she lay, at the aroma that rose from her huge body.
But the Child only smiled as He played on her breast.
Verily the aroma of great sweetness reached to all the skies. For Love is ever the master of hate, and Love in its strength doth conquer all hate, and hate is purified by the breath of Love, and sanctified it is by its hand.