"When you decide to give up the path of dharma, then you also give a bad name to those who are chaste, even to Laksmi herself, if we consider the reasoning that the bad conduct of one person gives a bad name to others. Seeing this splendid golden line on my chest you criticize laksmi, the most chaste of women. Why are you committing offense to Laksmi devi? " "We are not blaming Laksmi devi at all, but the fault is in the work of the creator. He has made you in order to destroy dharma in the three worlds." Thus they speak with anger. "O Krsna, women are bewildered by the song from your flute, which is like nectar." Another version of this verse reads kala padayata murcchitena which means "bewildered by the extended improvised phrases of your flute melody." "This is not a fault of the women, but of you playing on the flute. All women are made to fall from their vow of chastity. By the flute you make all women give up dharma. Not only do you have the bad quality of destroying dharma but your form bewilders all the people, in both spiritual and material worlds in all three parts-upper, lower and middle, and destroys their dharma. This is no ones fault except yours. The natural lust of women cannot be not said to be the cause of their bewilderment, because all moving and non moving entities are also bewitched by your form and song." "Therefore o king, what more can be said about this. In the chapter on the song of the flute it is said that Brahma, Indra and Siva also are bewildered by the flute. Even the most knowledgeable of men are astonished by his flute. Similarly they are most astonished by his form (visvapanam svasya...). This should be understood from Sukadeva saying "O king anga!"

“You will be mocked by those who are faithful to their husbands. That is clear.” In anger they reply. What woman in the three worlds would not deviate from the proper path by the sound of your flute? All would deviate. kṛṣṇaṁ nirīkṣya vanitotsava-rūpa-śīlaṁ śrutvā ca tat-kvaṇita-veṇu-vivikta-gītam devyo vimāna-gatayaḥ smara-nunna-sārā bhraśyat-prasūna-kabarā mumuhur vinīvyaḥ When the devatās’ wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Kṛṣṇa, whose nature and form bring joy to all women, and when they hear the pure song when he plays the flute, their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen. SB 10.21.12 The word kala was previously explained in verse 3. What woman would not deviate by the song of the flute with long drawn out, insistent (āyata), soft notes (kala) at every moment (pada). This indicates that the gopīs spent a long time patiently hearing the flute. Another version has amṛta instead of āyata. This indicates the astonishing tastiness of the song. “Seeing or not seeing me, there is only destruction.” In fear they again speak. This form is dear to all (saubhāgya) or most beautiful for the upper, middle and lower worlds. The word idam indicates that the form is directly visible and negates other forms. Or idam indicates a most extraordinary form. Hearing the flute, all become bewildered, what to speak of seeing your form! And even men and the Supreme Lord become bewildered. savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ kaśmalaṁ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ When he takes his flute to his bimba-red lips and sends forth the tones of the harmonic scale in variegated melodies, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other chief devatās become confused upon hearing the sound. Although they are the most learned authorities, they cannot ascertain the essence of that music, and thus they bow down their heads and hearts. SB 10.32.15 yan martya-līlaupayikaṁ sva-yoga- māyā-balaṁ darśayatā gṛhītam vismāpanaṁ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ paraṁ padaṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāṅgam The Lord appeared in the mortal world by his internal potency, yoga-māyā. He came in his eternal form, which is just suitable for his pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord himself in his form as the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. Thus his body is the ornament of all ornaments. SB 3.2.12 What to speak of the best of men, even the cows become bewildered by the flute song and his beauty. This verse is an answer to verse 25 which mentions women who desire a good destination in the next life. Indifference is expressed as follows. “If you are not agitated by seeing my body, why do you want to go away?” What woman would not leave you in order to follow correct behavior? Since even the cows have their hairs standing on end, who would not flee on seeing that form? Everyone would flee. A beautiful woman staying with a handsome man who is not her husband is criticized. Since we are not bewildered and we do not look at your form, we will go.

“O women of best conduct! You should preserve good conduct to teach persons like me.” They speak in misery. What woman in the three worlds would not deviate from the proper path by the sound of your flute? All would deviate. That is well known from Pārvatī hearing about his attractiveness in Skanda Purāṇa. kṛṣṇaṁ nirīkṣya vanitotsava-rūpa-śīlaṁ śrutvā ca tat-kvaṇita-veṇu-vivikta-gītam devyo vimāna-gatayaḥ smara-nunna-sārā bhraśyat-prasūna-kabarā mumuhur vinīvyaḥ When the devatās’ wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Kṛṣṇa, whose nature and form bring joy to all women, and when they hear the pure song when he plays the flute, their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen. SB 10.21.12 The flute should not be played at all. But the all attractive form is always present. This form is dear to all (saubhāgya) or most beautiful for the upper, middle and lower worlds. The word idam indicates that the form is directly visible and negates other forms. Or idam indicates a most extraordinary form. Seeing Rāma’s beauty, the sages were bewildered and developed special bhāva. Purā mahaṛṣayaḥ sarve dandakāraṇya-vāsinaḥ Dṛṣṭvā rāmaṁ hariṁ tatra bhoktum icchan suvigraham Te sarve strītvam āpannāḥ samudbhūtāś ca gokule Previously all the great sages at Daṇḍakāraṇya saw Rāma and desired to enjoy that beautiful form there. They become women and were born in Gokula. Padma Purāṇa. Agni-putrā mahātmānas tapasā strītvam āpire Bhartāraṁ ca jagad yoniṁ vāsudevam ajaṁ vibhum The saintly sons of Agni attained bodies of women by the path of vaidhi-bhakti, and attained as their husband (not lover), the unborn, powerful Vāsudeva, source of the universe. Mahākūrma Purāṇa Now the form surpasses that form in beauty, because it does not display the powers of the Lord. Or this form (idam) is indescribable, most astonishing. Even by seeing your picture, a special bhāva manifests. Uddhava says:

māyā-balaṁ darśayatā gṛhītam vismāpanaṁ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ paraṁ padaṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāṅgam Kṛṣṇa possesses that form suitable for human pastimes to show the full capacity of his yoga-māyā. That form astonishes even the lord of Vaikuṇṭha. It is the pinnacle of auspicious qualities and enhances the beauty of his ornaments. SB 3.2.12 The three worlds are bewildered by the song of your flute, just by hearing and remembering. If they directly see you, they cannot move at all. Because of that form (yat) the cows, bulls, buffaloes etc. all the domesticated animals, though without intelligence, horripulate all over their bodies (pulakāni) at all times because of special bhāva. This infers other ecstatic symptoms also. gā gopakair anu-vanaṁ nayator udāra veṇu-svanaiḥ kala-padais tanu-bhṛtsu sakhyaḥ aspandanaṁ gati-matāṁ pulakas taruṇāṁ niryoga-pāśa-kṛta-lakṣaṇayor vicitram My dear friends! When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma pass from forest to the forest with their cowherd friends, with their cows, carrying ropes to bind the cows’ rear legs at the time of milking, by the generous sound of his flute, among all living beings, those which move things become inert and trees which cannot move sprout shoots in ecstasy. This is most amazing. SB 10.21.19 The form is most enchanting even by hearing the flute. Rukmiṇī says: śrutvā guṇān bhuvana-sundara śṛṇvatāṁ te nirviśya karṇa-vivarair harato ’ṅga-tāpam rūpaṁ dṛśāṁ dṛśimatām akhilārtha-lābhaṁ tvayy acyutāviśati cittam apatrapaṁ me O beauty of the worlds, having heard of your qualities, which enter the ears of those who hear and remove their bodily distress, and having also heard of your beauty, which fulfills all desires of those who see, I have fixed my shameless mind upon you, O Kṛṣṇa. SB 10.52.37 Thus the form is most excellent. Those who have eyes can appreciate the beauty. They become astonished on seeing how all become totally confused on seeing clever Kṛṣṇa. Even the cows and other animals without power of discrimination develop ecstatic symptoms. Even the devatās develop symptoms of ecstasy: savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ kaśmalaṁ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other chief devatās listen repeatedly to the sound. Although they are the most learned authorities, with hearts in submission, they cannot ascertain the meaning and forget everything. SB 10.35.15 Or yad can mean “by the flute sound and the form” animals’ hairs stand on end. The special enchanting power of the flute was described in the Twenty-first Chapter. It will also be described in the Thirty-sixth Chapter. The enchanting nature of Kṛṣṇa’s form and flute song have been described. This includes the enchanting nature of his name. Because his name is most enchanting, they cannot even utter it directly. Thus there is no fault at all in giving up proper conduct if it is beyond one’s power to resist. Actually such devotees are not supposed to follow proper conduct. They are beyond it. That was previously described. Thus Śrīdhara Svāmī writes that it is proper to give up one’s dharma simply on hearing a sound indicating Kṛṣṇa. It is possible for the Lord to follow proper conduct to teach the people since he is full of all powers. But how is it possible for devotees controlled by prema who have no such power? Their greatness is very deep. nirapekṣaṁ muniṁ śāntaṁ nirvairaṁ sama-darśanam anuvrajāmy ahaṁ nityaṁ pūyeyety aṅghri-reṇubhiḥ I always follow the footsteps of my pure devotees, who are free from all personal desire, are rapt in thought of my pastimes, are fixed in me, without any feelings of enmity, and are equal to all conditions of the world. Let me be purified by the dust from their feet! SB 11.14.16 This verse answers verse 27. “Love for me arises by the devotional processes of hearing about me, seeing my form, meditating on me and faithfully chanting my glories. The same result is not achieved by mere physical proximity. So please go back to your homes.” Since men, sages, in a previous avatāra, and even cows now become bewildered, what can we do? We are not at fault for losing discrimination. Or the cows develop such bliss just by seeing him or hearing his flute. On directly enjoying him the highest bliss in special prema will develop. So close contact is recommended. By hearing, bhāva develops and by direct contact the bhāva becomes special. The meaning using puns is as follows. What women would fall from proper behaviour? None would fall. Does not the beautiful form which causes cows to horripulate exist in the three worlds? Yes, it does. Do not be proud of that. Or O person playing a song on the flute! O bewildered one! O person bewildered by desire! This is exclaimed with lack of control. Who would not move away from you? Who would not go home? Why? Because they have proper conduct, the highest dharma. Or O best person bewildered by the sound of the flute! This is said with great boldness. Because of your bad character, who would not go away? Who would accept you?