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Pootanaa is a Bhaagvat Puraan character. She was the Dhaaya of Kans. Dhaaya is the woman who breastfeeds an infant in the absence of his or her mother or mother's milk. She is given the status of second mother. So since Pootanaa breastfed Kans in his childhood, he regarded her as his second mother.

She had two younger brothers named Aghaasur and Bakaasur.

When Kans threw the 8th child of Devakee, a girl, to kill her, she flew in the sky saying "Your killer has already been born." Hearing this Kans fell in deep thoughts. Since it was not too long, he thought proper to remember Pootanaa and send her to kill all the children born within the last week. She then went to Brij and killed all the children born within the last week by breastfeeding them. When the turn came to breastfeed to Krishn, Krishn killed her.

It is said that she was the incarnation of Ratnmaalaa (Bali's daughter). When she saw Vaaman Bhagavaan she had a desire that she should also have such a child and breastfeed him. But when she saw His Viraat Roop, she wished that she would kill Him if He were her son. Bhagavaan heard both of her wishes and fulfilled them in this life. She breastfed Him with love and tried to kill Him too. She got the status of Bhagavaan's mother after her death.

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