We saw that from SlOkas 18 to 33, Azhwaan referred to the superhuman
exploits of Bhagavaan in his Avataara as Sri Rama. In the 25 slOkas from 34th
to 58th SlOkas, he describes those deeds that Bhagavaan did in his avataara as
Sri KrishNa.

While the feats of Sri Rama were few and far between, as Sri KrishNa, the
Lord?s wonderful deeds are far too numerous to recount that Swami Desika in his
?Dasaavataara StOtram? was tempted to mention just the KaaLinga episode and
conclude saying ?like this and other such deeds?

?kaaLindee rasikaaya kaaLiyapaNa spaara sphaTaa vaaTikaa-
rangOtsanga visanka chankrama dhuraa paryaaya charyaa yatE?

SlOkam 34: WHO REALLY DRANK POISON?

Saa pootanaa sakaTam arjunayO: cha yugmam
baalyOchita anyapara chEshTita vishpulingE /
yasya alabhanta salabatvam ahO! nigooDa:
sa tvam vrajE vavrudhishE kila kamsa bheetyaa //

?Oh! Lord! Befitting the role of a child that you assumed as KuTTY KrishNa, you
destroyed the evil minded Pootana who came in the form of a breastfeeding
woman, the one who came disguised as a push cart, felled the twin maruta trees,
and destroyed the weird looking ?Sarabha? as if it were a moth falling into the
fire of a lamp and getting burnt. Having done all these, how come, you
pretended to be afraid of Kamsa and went into hiding in
TiruvaaippaaDi and grew up there??

COMMENT:

Pootana is an evil being like Daakinee, yOginee, Vinaayaga etc that seize young
children.

?With a casual movements of limbs babies are used to, You as KuTTY KrishNa
playfully destroyed her as well as the one who came in the form of a wheel of a
push cart and a couple of asuras who lurked in a couple of Maruta trees on the
backyard of YasOda?s home. All of them got destroyed much in the manner of
moths that attracted by the bright light of lamps fall in the lamp fire and get
burnt. You could have destroyed Kamsa also in a like manner. But, you did not
do so. This was perhaps due to the fact that, Kamsa did not appear in your
presence. With all your might and valor, you could have dealt with him in like
manner. But, you appeared as if you were afraid of him and chose to live
?Incognito? in AayarpaaDi and grew up there.

Who are you trying to deceive? (kila)

It is said that when a woman assumes the role of a loving mother, any evil
thought like killing a child would not arise in her mind. But, since Pootana?s
intention did not change and she was bent on killing Baby KrishNa, KrishNa
decided not spare her.

SakaTam:
Azhwaan wonders at how even a few months old baby, when it could only supine on
its back and not even turn on its sides, krishNa could lift his feet that were
so soft as a cotton ball (panji enna) and kick the mighty SakaTaasura to his
doom:

?kanjan tannaal puNarkkap paTTa kaLLa SakaDu kalakkazhiya panji yenna mell
aDiyaal paainda pOdu?

arjunayO:cha yugmam:
In the PuraNas, it is depicted that the two sons of KubEra, naLakoobaran and
maNigreevan were taking bath in the nude and that Sage Naarada cursed them to
become ?maruta? trees and that they were relieved of the curse when KrishNa
touched them with his feet. This being the case, how does Azhwaan characterize
them as asuras?

In several contexts, the duos have been bracketed with asuras and Azhwaan has
only based his statements on good authority. For example,

Periyaazhwaar:
?poim maaaya ?marudaana? asuraraip ponruvithu? (3.1.3)?
?kanjanum kaaLiyanum kaLirum ?marudum? erudum vanjanaiyil maDiya? (4.3.2)

Naachiyaar:
Ninra neeL ?marudum? erudum puLLum venri vEl virar kanjanum veezha munn
konravan varil kooDalE? (4.7)

Bahaashyakaarar: in Gita Bhaashyam:
?Pootana sakaTa ?yamalaarjunarishTa? pralamba dEnuka kaaLiya kEsi
kuvalayaapeeDa chaaNoora mushTikatosala kamsaadeen nihatya??

Uttara RamayaNa: (Sargam 6.35,36 &37)
??yamalaarjunaou cha haardikhya: sumbhaschaiva nisumbhaka: /
Asuraa daanavaas chaiva sathyvantO mahaabhalaa:?.
naaraayaNEna nihataa: sataso atha sahasrasa: //?

Therefore, there is enough basis for Azhwaan characterizing them as ?asuras?.

There is an important implication to note in the Pootana episode.
It is popularly believed that Lord Siva drank the halahaa (kaalakooTa) poison.

Did he really drink the poison? The answer is a big NO. The poison never went
down his throat where it stuck and earned for him the sobriquet ?NeelakanTan?
(the blue throated).

Compare this with what KrishNa did?

KrishNa drank the poison completely.
Not only that.
He drank with it the life of Pootana as completely too!

Now, you be the judge.
Who really drank poison, Siva or KrishNa?