Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects
BATTLE OF THE SNAKES – STAFF OF AESCULAPIUS VS. CADUCEUS
The emblem of a single snake and a rod is called the asklepian, or Staff of Asclepius. It is the Symbol of Medicine, found on Medical Stores and Apothecary shops. Asclepius was the Greek god of medicine, and the stick was one of the physician's tools associated with him. -- The Caduceus is a modern winged staff with two entwined serpents, believed to be the rod of the messenger-god Hermes and is the symbol of trade and commerce.
POISON TO CURE POISON
Prabhupāda: Just like a small grain of poison, venomous poison. If it is injected in your body, you will die immediately. It has got so power. Poison is bad, but sometimes it is required for administering medicine. Even poison is administered. When one's heart is... According to Āyur-vedic system, when the man's heart is almost to fail, at that time, poison is given. So the heart becomes again agitated. In the medical science also. So poison is poison, but sometimes it requires as medicine administration.
Prabhupāda: So why is a serpent so dangerous? Because it has got the fang. He has got fang, poison. But there are physicians, in the Āyurvedic physician. They know. They capture snakes and they take away the fang for making medicine. They are also used as medicine. So if the poison teeth is broken, then it is not more dangerous, no more dangerous. The Snake may have very big hood, but one knows that his poison teeth is taken away, he is not afraid.
POISON AS A WEAPON
The most common weapon of conspirators has been poison, as in most cases it allows the poisoner to remain in the shadows. The way the poisoners and poisons were feared in ancient times is clearly demonstrated by the story of King Mithridates VI of Pontus, who, unwilling to repeat the fate of his father poisoned by enemies since childhood accustomed his body to various poisons. He regularly took poisons, gradually increased the doses and eventually accustomed his body to them. When Mithridates had to end his life, he had to throw himself on the sword, because the poisons were powerless to kill him.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam gives a similar description :
Chapter Twenty-five, 25 The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Purañjana
However great a hero one may be in the material world, he can be immediately conquered by the lumps of flesh and blood known as the breasts of women. In the history of material activities there are many examples, like the Roman hero Antony, who became captivated by the beauty of Cleopatra. Similarly, a great hero in India named Baji Rao became a victim of a woman during the time of Maharashtrian politics, and he was defeated. From history we understand that formerly politicians used to employ beautiful girls who were trained as viṣa-kanyā. These girls had poison injected into their bodies from the beginning of their lives so that in due course of time they would become so immune to the poison and so poisonous themselves that simply by kissing a person they could kill him. These poisonous girls were engaged to see an enemy and kill him with a kiss. Thus there are many instances in human history of heroes who have been curbed simply by women.
KISS OF DEATH
PURPORT: From history we understand that formerly politicians used to employ beautiful girls who were trained as viṣa-kanyā. These girls had poison injected into their bodies from the beginning of their lives so that in due course of time they would become so immune to the poison and so poisonous themselves that simply by kissing a person they could kill him. These poisonous girls were engaged to see an enemy and kill him with a kiss. Thus there are many instances in human history of heroes who have been curbed simply by women.
Another example of an envious and undetected conspiracy is recounted in Citraketu’s Lamentation:
King Citaketu, who had no sons, got an opportunity to meet the great sage Angira. When Angira inquired from the King about his welfare, the King expressed his moroseness, and therefore by the grace of the great sage, the King's first wife, Krtadyuti, gave birth to a son, who was the cause of both happiness and lamentation. Upon the birth of the son, the King and all the residents of the palace were very happy. The co-wives of Krtadyuti, however,were envious, they lost their intelligence. Being extremely hardhearted and unable to tolerate the Kings neglect, they finally administered poison to the son. (SB Canto Six, Chapter Fourteen)
ADMINISTERING POISON
As their envy increased, they lost their intelligence. Being extremely hardhearted and unable to tolerate the King’s neglect, they finally administered poison to the son. Unaware of the poison administered by her co-wives, Queen Kṛtadyuti walked within the house, thinking that her son was sleeping deeply. She did not understand that he was dead. When the maidservant approached the child, who was lying down, she saw that his eyes were turned upward. There were no signs of life, all his senses having stopped, and she could understand that the child was dead. Seeing this, she immediately cried, “Now I am doomed,” and fell to the ground. Hearing her loud voice, the Queen immediately came, and when she approached her son, she saw that he was suddenly dead. (SB 6.14.43-49)
Queen Kṛtyadyuti’s co-wives, who had poisoned the child, were very much ashamed, and they lost all their bodily luster. While lamenting, O King, they remembered the instructions of Aṅgirā and gave up their ambition to bear children. Following the directions of the brāhmaṇas, they went to the bank of the Yamunā, where they bathed and atoned for their sinful activities.
FEEDING POISON
Pūtanā wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa by feeding him poison. She had smeared a very powerful poison on her breasts, and immediately after taking the baby on her lap, she pushed her breastly nipple within His mouth. She was hoping that as soon as He would suck her breast, He would die. But baby Kṛṣṇa very quickly took the nipple in anger. He sucked the milk-poison along with the life air of the demon.
And now to the most atrocious example of the most failed, unsuccessful attempt ever in the history of the universe of trying to kill the most famous, topmost devotee of the Lord:
KILLING WITH POISON
Hiraṇyakaśipu planned a campaign to kill Prahlāda Mahārāja. He would kill his son by administering poison to him while he was eating, by making him sit in boiling oil, or by throwing him under the feet of an elephant while he was lying down. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu decided to kill his innocent child, who was only five years old, simply because the boy had become a devotee of the Lord. This is the attitude of nondevotees toward devotees.
Hiraṇyakaśipu could not kill his son by throwing him beneath the feet of big elephants, throwing him among huge, fearful snakes, employing destructive spells, hurling him from the top of a hill, conjuring up illusory tricks, administering poison, starving him, exposing him to severe cold, winds, fire and water, or throwing heavy stones to crush him. When Hiraṇyakaśipu found that he could not in any way harm Prahlāda, who was completely sinless, he was in great anxiety about what to do next.
UNEFFECTED BY POISON
Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison. He knew that "My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?" And such a big powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu. The mother cried, requested... He forced the mother, Prahlāda's mother, "Give your son this poison." So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. "No, you must give." So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? "All right, let me drink." Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. He is not agitating. "All right, if Kṛṣṇa likes, I will live." This is the position of sādhu. He is not disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sādhu. Sādhu does not become disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. At the same time, kāruṇikāḥ. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others. So even up to the point of death, he is trying to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Let the people be benefited. Eh, what is this material body? Even if I am killed, I am not killed. This body is killed, that's all." This is sādhu. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. In one side he is tolerant, and other side, merciful.
COUNTERACTING POISON
Garuḍa Paṇḍita, the thirty-seventh branch of the tree, always engaged in chanting the auspicious name of the Lord. Because of the strength of this chanting, even the effects of poison could not touch him. PURPORT: Garuḍa Paṇḍita was once bitten by a poisonous snake, but the snake's poison could not affect him because of his chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. (cc/adi/10/75)
POISONED TO DEATH
My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Aśvatthāmā. (sb/1/8/24)
PURPORT: Once Bhīma was administered poison in a cake, ... They were put into trouble by Duryodhana and his party due to the kingdom, and each and every time the sons of Kuntī were saved by the Lord. (The story is very nicely explained in the Mahabharata, see below, at the end)
THE POISON'S EFFECT
Prabhupāda: ... Just like you take one grain of, what is called, poison? Snake poison? Arsenic? Poison called? What is called? Yes, venom poison.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Arsenic is poison.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You take only one grain and mix with water and just inject within your body. So immediately the action is there that your heart fails and you die. One small half grain of pota (?)cyanide, you take, just touch on the tongue. According to the chemist there is no taste of pota cyanide. Because what is this... Whether it is sour or sweet, because there was no chance of tasting it. As soon as the taste is, the man is finished. He cannot say what is the sour or sweet. So if a material thing, a small particle, has got so much power that immediately it can stop the function of the body, immediately spreads all over the body, so the soul, the spiritual spark, grain, a small grain, just like atom, it is so powerful that so long that spiritual grain, spirit is in the heart, this body is so nice. As soon as it is passed, immediately body begins to decompose. Immediately. So it is so powerful.
Prabhupāda: You can understand, just the one grain of poison, potassium cyanide. You touch on your tongue, immediately whole body becomes poisoned. How the molecules spread immediately? How does it react? Potassium cyanide? It blocks the oxygen path? The poison action immediately spreads all over the body.
THE POISONOUS EFFECT
Prabhupāda: "Regarding the poisonous effect in our Society, it is a fact and I know where from this poison tree has sprung up and how it affected practically the whole Society in a very dangerous form. But it does not matter. Prahlada Maharaja was administered poison, but it did not act. Similarly Lord Krsna and the Pandavas were administered poison and it did not act. I think in the same parampara system that the poison administered to our Society will not act if some of our students are as good as Prahlada Maharaja."
POISONING THE GURU
Prabhupada: Someone says that I’ve been poisoned. It is possible.
Kaviraja (doctor): What is he saying?
Prabhupada: Someone says that someone has given poison.
Kaviraja: To whom?
Prabhupada: To me.
Kaviraja: Who said?
Prabhupada: These all friends
Kaviraja: Who would give you poison? Why would anyone do that?
Prabhupada: I do not know, but it is said.
Kaviraja: Look, this is the thing, that maybe some rakshasa (demon) gave him poison.
Bhakti-caru: Someone gave him poison here.
Tamal Krsna: Prabhupada was thinking that someone had poisoned him.
Bhakti-caru:Yes!!!
Tamal Krsna: That was the mental distress.
Bhakti-caru:Yes!!!
Kaviraja: If he says that, there must definitely be some truth in it.
Tamal Krsna: What did Kaviraja just say?
Bhakti-caru: He said that when Srila Prabhupada was saying that, there must be some truth behind it.
Tamal Krsna: Tssh.
[Recorded Room Conversation, Nov 9-10, 1977, Vrindavana]
Note: Srila Prabhupada is complaining here Himself, that He is being TORTURED AND POISONED "TO DEATH" BY HIS DEVIOUS DISCIPLES AND THIS IS AGAIN CONFIRMED:
CONFIRMATION OF SRILA PRABHUPADA'S POISONING
Bhakticaru: Someone gave him poison here.
Tamala Krsna: Prabhupada was thinking that someone had poisoned him. [(((audio)))]
Bhakticaru: YES!!!
Tamala Krsna: That was the mental distress. [(((audio)))]
Bhakticaru: YES!!!
Kaviraja: If he says that, there must definitely be some truth to it. (Hindi) [(((audio)))]
Tamala Krsna: What did Kaviraja just say?
Bhakticaru: He said that when Srila Prabhupada was saying that (he is poisoned) there must be something truth behind it.
Tamala Krsna: Sssss!
Srila Prabhupada's own words, stating that his poisoning is possible, is the strongest possible evidence, since these are the words of the acharya. Such directly revealed evidence is conclusive since it is beyond the four defects. Even supposedly water-tight forensic evidence has to take second place to the words of the acharya. Any sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada will believe in His words.
Any sincere disciple and follower of Srila Prabhupada will accept His complaint of being poisoned and try to find out the poisoners. Why a guru has to beg his disciples not to torture him to death is another inconceivable question. We only can guess that these so called devious torturing disciples are so bad, as to cause such a horrible statement of the guru, who helplessly has to beg for His life:
Srila Prabhupada: "my only request is , that at the last stage don't torture me, and put me to death" (from SPC Vol. 36, November 3, 1977 tape recorded Room Conversation)
WE ALL KNOW NOW WHO GAVE POISON TO SRILA PRABHUPADA
Kaviraja: speaks in Hindi.....
Tamala Krsna: Put poison in different containers. That's all right.
Audio Clip in MP3 Format 
This is NOT a whisper - these words are clearly audible, spoken by Tamal Krsna. It is interesting to note that even though the transcription of this section of the audio tape was transcribed into the BBT Folio, this sentence was omitted. Why was this sentence omitted? How will BBT / Bhaktivedanta Archives officials explain this "mystery"?
Tamal Krsna, Bhakticaru, Jayapataka and Bhavananda were obviously dominating over the conversations at the time. Srila Prabhupada was 80 years of age, his body was skin and bones, he could hardly speak. On the other hand Tamal Krsna, Jayapataka, Bhavananda, Jayadvaita, Bhakti Charu, Giriraj were about 30 years of age. To solicit such a response from their own spiritual master to not torture him and ‘put to death’ is nerve racking to say the least. Their behavior is typical of people with a psychopathic nature and demoniac consciousness.
http://www.iskcon-truth.com/poison/prabhupada-poisoned-overview.html
http://killgurubecomeguru.org/prabhupada-speaks/prabhupada-says-he-is-being-maliciously-poisoned/
ALL GLORIES TO OUR ETERNAL SAMPRADAYA-ACARYA A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI SRILA PRABHUPADA FOR SO GENEROUSLY AND SELFLESSLY GIVING THE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF LORD KRSNA TO THE WHOLE WORLD FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 9500 YEARS TO COME !!!
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BHIMA'S POISONING - FROM THE MAHABHARATA
The Poisoned Cace
After the Pandavas settled in their father's palace, they accustomed themselves to the opulence that was due to them. Whenever Bhima was engaged in play with the sons of Dhritarastra, his strength became apparent. Bhima proved superior in speed, striking objects, consuming food and scattering dust. The son of the wind-god pulled the sons of Dhritarastra by the hair and made them fight with one another, laughing all the while. Bhima would seize them by the hair, throw them down, and drag them along the ground. In his playful mood, Bhima would accidentally break their knees, their heads and their shoulders. Sometimes while swimming together, the second son of Pandu would hold ten of them at a time under water until they were almost dead. When the sons of Dhritarastra would climb a tree to gather fruits, Bhima would shake the tree until the fruits as well as the one-hundred sons fell to the ground. He would play with them in childishness, but would never hurt them out of envy.
When it was obvious that Bhima could challenge all the one-hundred sons of Dhritarastra single-handedly, Duryodhana began to make deceitful plans to harm him. He thought, There is no person who can compare with Bhima's strength. He does not think twice of challenging my one-hundred brothers to combat. I will exterminate him and confine Yudhisthira and Arjuna to imprisonment. Then I shall be the sole heir to the throne without hindrance.
Possessed with this mentality, the wicked Duryodhana built a palace on the banks of the Ganges that was just for sporting in the water. His plan was to invite the Pandavas to this house and feed Bhima a poisoned cake. When Bhima was unconscious from the poison, Duryodhana and his brothers would throw him in the Ganges. With this evil plan in mind, Duryodhana began construction. After the palace was completed, Duryodhana invited his cousins, Let us go to Gange's bank and sport in the water. We shall have a picnic and enjoy the scenery.
Not understanding Duryodhana's evil intentions, the Pandavas accompanied Dhritarastra's sons to the banks of the Ganges and inspected the newly constructed palace by the water. They all sat down to a feast before swimming. Duryodhana brought Bhima a cake filled with enough poison to kill one hundred men. That wicked youth, who spoke sweetly, but whose heart was like a razor, continued to feed Bhima different kinds of food that were filled with poison. After the feast the boys began playing in the water. Bhima became fatigued from the poison, and rising from the water, lay down on the ground. Seizing this opportunity, Duryodhana and some of his brothers bound him with ropes and threw him into the Ganges. He sank down to the bottom of the river where the Naga (snake) kingdom is situated. Thousands of Nagas began to bite him, and the poison from the cake was neutralized by the serpents' venom.
On regaining consciousness, the son of Kunti broke his bonds and began killing the snakes that were biting him. The rest of the snakes fled and went to their leader Vasuki, telling him the events that had taken place. Vasuki happened to be related to Bhima through the wind god Vayu, and upon hearing that Bhima was present, he went to the spot and embraced him. Bhima then related to Vasuki the sinister plan of the poisoned cake. Vasuki, wanting to protect him from future attacks, offered Vayu's son eight bowls of nectar which empowered a person with the strength of ten thousand elephants. Bhima drank one bowl in one breath, and after drinking all eight, he lay down on a bed prepared by the serpents.
After Yudhisthira, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Dhritarastra's sons were satiated in their swimming play, they set out for Hastinapura anticipating that Bhima had already gone there. The wicked Duryodhana was elated thinking that Bhima was dead, and he appeared very happy on the way back to Hastinapura. Yudhisthira, who was unacquainted with vice and wickedness, thought nothing of the matter. Upon entering the palace chambers of his mother, he inquired, O mother, have you seen Bhima? I cannot find him anywhere. While swimming in the Ganges, he became tired and slept on the shore. After finishing our water sports, he had disappeared. Has he come here early because of exhaustion from swimming?
Kunti became alarmed when she heard that Bhima was missing. My dear Yudhisthira, she said, I have not seen Bhima. He has not come here. Return in haste with your brothers and try to find him. After dismissing her sons, Kunti summoned Vidura and anxiously spoke to him, O illustrious Vidura, Bhima is missing. Today the boys went swimming in the Ganges, and they returned without him. I know that Duryodhana is envious of him. This first son of Dhritarastra is crooked, malicious, low-minded and cruel. His only desire is to obtain the throne. I am afraid he might have killed Bhima and this is saddening my heart.
Blessed lady, Vidura replied, do not grieve. Protect your sons with care. If Duryodhana is accused, he might slay the other sons. The great sage Vyasadeva has foretold that your sons will be long-lived. Therefore, Bhima will surely return and gladden your heart. Vidura then left for his residence and Kunti, unable to shake her anxiety, stayed in her quarters.
Meanwhile, Bhimasena awoke from his deep sleep after eight days. The Nagas extoled him and tended to his needs. O greatly powerful Bhima, they said, you are filled with the nectar of the heavenly gods. This will give you the vitality of ten thousand elephants. No one will be able to defeat you in battle. You must now return home, for your mother is in deep anxiety over your absence. The Nagas then dressed him in fine silks and ornaments and returned him to the palace by the river.
Bhima sprinted to Hastinapura with great haste. He entered the palace of his mother and bowed at her feet and at the feet of his elder brother. Queen Kunti took her son on her lap, and as she affectionately embraced him, tears glided down her face. The other brothers gathered round and welcomed him warmly. Bhima then briefed them on everything that had happened. He explained how Duryodhana had tried to poison him, and how the wicked son of Dhritarastra and his brothers had tied him up and thrown him in the Ganges. Bhima also explained how the Nagas had bitten him, countering the poison in the cake. He told how he had been given eight bowls of immortal elixir, and how his strength had increased thousands of times. Do not speak of this to anyone, Yudhisthira said. From this day on we should protect one another with care. Under Vidura's guidance, no harm can come to us.
Thus Ends the Seven Chapter of the Adi Parva to the Summary Study of the Mahabharata, Entitled, The Poisoned Cake.