"How can we, who have such affection for you, serve husbands who are unappealing, unfavorable, and unsuitable?" "If your husbands are not of good character, but not sinful, then you should still serve them, for the scriptures say, "One should serve the husband who is not fallen." patims tv apatitam bhajet (sb 7.11.28) Only those who are deeply engrossed in sin should be given up. Women who desire happiness in married life (lokepsubhih) should do activities in this way." The other meaning is as follows. Women desiring happiness in married life are expecting meager happiness and fame in this world and the next. Such women should not give up their husbands. But you, who have given up interest in this and the next world, and frolick in my ocean of sweetness, from the very beginning have given up service to your husbands.

“O expert at giving others instructions! We have given up our husbands completely. What is the question of serving them?” But you should not give up a husband even if he has bad conduct, such as being a thief, even if he has bad luck, being unsuccessful in his endeavors (durbhagaḥ), even if he is old, incapable of doing actions (jaḍaḥ), afflicted with grave disease, or cannot even maintain himself. The word api indicates that each of these items is not a cause of rejection of the husband. The men of Vraja are endowed with all good qualities. How can they be rejected? A woman who desires good in this and next life should not do this. If she does she will suffering in this life and the next. But one should give up a sinful person, one who commits serious sins which cause him to fall down (apātakī). Smṛti says patiṁ tv apatitaṁ bhajet: one should worship a husband who is not fallen. Therefore you should not reject your husbands since none of them have committed sin at all. Though he knows that the gopīs have firm attachment to him, he speaks in this manner to increase their longing. Another meaning is as follows. I am actually your husband. As a husband I do not have any faults like bad conduct and therefore should not be rejected. I am endowed with all good qualities, and cannot be rejected. These others are filled with faults and are not their husbands. They should be rejected.

“O expert at giving others instructions! We have given up our husbands completely. What is the question of serving them?” But you should not give up a husband even if he has bad conduct, such as being a thief, even if he has bad luck, being unsuccessful in his endeavors (durbhagaḥ), even if he is old, incapable of doing actions (jaḍaḥ), afflicted with a grave disease, or cannot even maintain himself. The word api indicates that each of these items is not a cause of rejection of the husband. The men of Vraja are endowed with all good qualities. How can they be rejected? The list of qualities is in order of increasing adharma. Misfortune (durbhagaḥ) is more adharmic than weakness (duḥśīlaḥ). Misfortune is unavoidable since it is caused by higher powers. Worse than that is old age. Old age is caused by lack of power. An old man is not desirable to a young woman and cannot fulfill his duties as a householder. If a man is dumb, he cannot distinguish dharma from adharma. A sick person is never respected by anyone. He becomes the source of all faults because he cannot perform his pious acts. Worse than that is the adhana. He becomes devoid of all good qualities because of lack of money and hunger. Women who are chaste, who think of this word and the next (lokepsubhiḥ) should not reject such husbands even if they are inferior. Otherwise they have defamation in this life and hell in the next. But she can reject a greatly sinful man. Thus the apatakī (without sin) should not be rejected. Smṛti says patiṁ tv apatitaṁ bhajet: the woman should serve the husband who is not fallen. Since none in the list are fallen, they should not be rejected. Sometimes, their love for him may diminish on hearing afterwards about dharma. To prevent that, he makes their love stronger by having them first hear about dharma. Or as previously he is joking. He enumerates the bad qualities of the husbands, in contrast to his endowment of six qualities such as good behavior. The meaning using puns as as follows. I am the pati, one who protects you from dangers. Even though you desire good in this and next life, or desire good for husbands and sons, you should not reject me, though I have all bad qualities. But I have not fallen from dharma (apātakī). Rather you should associate with me at all times, with embraces. But I am not like that, having opposite qualities –not being endowed with good qualities and not being devotees solely to you. But why should you, surrendered to me, disregarding all others, not be embraced right now? Or though a husband has all six bad qualities, he is not detestable. I however am also a pati, but endowed with six good qualities. How can I be detestable? It is suitable that you have come, giving up everything. Or the detestable man should be rejected by women who desire good in this and next life. But a husband endowed with all good qualities and who is not fallen should be rejected by women who desire the highest spiritual benefit. Because you are attracted to me with the highest anurāga, you have surpassed respect for good in this life and the next. That is the conclusion. Or showing hatred of the cowherds he speaks. The husband who is not fallen but has bad qualities—anger (duḥśīla),ugliness (durbhagaḥ), old age (vṛddaḥ), foolishness (jaḍaḥ), sickness (rogī), without cows (adhanaḥ) is not be be approached (hātavyaḥ) by the women of Vraja, who desire my planet (lokepṣubhiḥ).