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avatarah—incarnations; maya—by me; drstah—have been seen; ramamanasya—while You demonstrate Your various pastimes; te—of You; gunaih—by the manifestations of transcendental qualities; sah—Lord Siva; aham—I; tat—that incarnation; drastum icchami—wish to see; yat—which; te—of You; yosit-vapuh—the body of a woman; dhrtam—was accepted.

My Lord, I have seen all kinds of incarnations You have exhibited by Your transcendental qualities, and now that You have appeared as a beautiful young woman, I wish to see that form of Your Lordship.

When Lord Siva approached Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu inquired about the purpose for Lord Siva’s coming there. Now Lord Siva discloses his desire. He wanted to see the recent incarnation of Mohini-murti, which Lord Visnu had assumed to distribute the nectar generated from the churning of the ocean of milk.

SB8.12.13

TEXT 13

yena sammohita daityah

payitas camrtam surah

tad didrksava ayatah

param kautuhalam hi nah

yena—by such an incarnation; sammohitah—were captivated; daityah—the demons; payitah—were fed; ca—also; amrtam—nectar; surah—the demigods; tat—that form; didrksavah—desiring to see; ayatah—we have come here; param—very much; kautuhalam—great eagerness; hi—indeed; nah—of ourselves.

My Lord, we have come here desiring to see that form of Your Lordship which You showed to the demons to captivate them completely and in this way enable the demigods to drink nectar. I am very eager to see that form.

SB8.12.14

TEXT 14

sri-suka uvaca

evam abhyarthito visnur

bhagavan sula-panina

prahasya bhava-gambhiram

girisam pratyabhasata

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam—in this way; abhyarthitah—being requested; visnuh bhagavan—Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sula-panina—by Lord Siva, who carries a trident in his hand; prahasya—laughing; bhava-gambhiram—with serious gravity; girisam—unto Lord Siva; pratyabhasata—replied.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: When Lord Visnu was thus requested by Lord Siva, who carries a trident in his hand, He smiled with gravity and replied to Lord Siva as follows.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is known as Yogesvara. Yatra yogesvarah krsnah. Mystic yogis want to acquire some power by practicing the yoga system, but Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is known as the Supreme Lord of all mystic power. Lord Siva wanted to see the Mohini-murti, which was captivating the entire world, and Lord Visnu was gravely thinking of how to captivate Lord Siva also. Therefore the word bhava-gambhiram is used here. The illusory, material energy is represented by Durgadevi, who is the wife of Girisa, or Lord Siva. Durgadevi could not captivate Lord Siva’s mind, but now that Lord Siva wanted to see Lord Visnu’s feminine form, Lord Visnu, by His mystic power, would assume a form that would captivate even Lord Siva. Therefore Lord Visnu was grave and at the same time was smiling.

SB8.12.15

TEXT 15

sri-bhagavan uvaca

kautuhalaya daityanam

yosid-veso maya dhrtah

pasyata sura-karyani

gate piyusa-bhajane

sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kautuhalaya—for the bewildering; daityanam—of the demons; yosit-vesah—the form of a beautiful woman; maya—by Me; dhrtah—assumed; pasyata—seeing that it is necessary for Me; sura-karyani—for executing the interests of the demigods; gate—having been taken away; piyusa-bhajane—the jug of nectar.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: When the demons took away the jug of nectar, I assumed the form of a beautiful woman to bewilder them by directly cheating them and thus to act in the interest of the demigods.

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed the form of the beautiful woman Mohini-murti, the demons were certainly captivated, but the demigods present were not. In other words, those who maintain a demoniac mentality are bewildered by the beauty of a woman, but those who are advanced in Krsna consciousness, or even those on the platform of goodness, are not bewildered. The Supreme Personality of Godhead knew that because Lord Siva is not an ordinary person, he cannot be bewildered even by the most beautiful woman. Cupid himself tried to invoke Lord Siva’s lusty desires in the presence of Parvati, but Lord Siva was never agitated. Rather, the blazing fire from Lord Siva’s eyes turned Cupid to ashes. Therefore, Lord Visnu had to think twice about what kind of beautiful form would bewilder even Lord Siva. Consequently He was smiling gravely, as stated in the previous verse (prahasya bhava-gambhiram). A beautiful woman generally cannot induce Lord Siva to be lusty, but Lord Visnu was considering whether there was any form of woman who could enchant him.

SB8.12.16

TEXT 16

tat te ’ham darsayisyami

didrksoh sura-sattama

kaminam bahu mantavyam

sankalpa-prabhavodayam

tat—that; te—unto you; aham—I; darsayisyami—shall show; didrksoh—desirous of seeing; sura-sattama—O best of the demigods; kaminam—of persons who are very lusty; bahu—very much; mantavyam—an object of adoration; sankalpa—lusty desires; prabhava-udayam—causing to be strongly aroused.

O best of the demigods, I shall now show you My form that is very much appreciated by those who are lusty. Since you want to see that form, I shall reveal it in your presence.

Lord Siva’s desiring to see Lord Visnu reveal the most attractive and beautiful form of a woman was certainly a joking affair. Lord Siva knew that he could not be agitated by any so-called beautiful woman. “The Daityas may have been bewildered,” he thought, “but since even the demigods could not be agitated, what to speak of me, who am the best of all the demigods?” However, because Lord Siva wanted to see Lord Visnu’s form as a woman, Lord Visnu decided to impersonate a woman and show him a form that would immediately put him in an ocean of lusty desires. In effect, therefore, Lord Visnu told Lord Siva, “I will show you My form as a woman, and if you become agitated by lusty desires, do not blame Me.” The attractive features of a woman are appreciated by those who are affected by lusty desires, but those who are above such desires, who are on the platform of Krsna consciousness, are very difficult to bewilder. Nonetheless, by the supreme desire of the Personality of Godhead, everything can be done. This was to be a test of whether Lord Siva could remain unagitated.

SB8.12.17

TEXT 17

sri-suka uvaca

iti bruvano bhagavams

tatraivantaradhiyata

sarvatas carayams caksur

bhava aste sahomaya

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; bruvanah—while speaking; bhagavan—Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tatra—there; eva—immediately; antaradhiyata—disappeared from the vision of Lord Siva and his associates; sarvatah—everywhere; carayan—moving; caksuh—the eyes; bhavah—Lord Siva; aste—remained; saha-umaya—with his wife, Uma.

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After speaking in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, immediately disappeared, and Lord Siva remained there with Uma, looking for Him all around with moving eyes.

SB8.12.18

TEXT 18

tato dadarsopavane vara-striyam

vicitra-pusparuna-pallava-drume

vikridatim kanduka-lilaya lasad-

dukula-paryasta-nitamba-mekhalam

SYNONYMS

tatah—thereafter; dadarsa—Lord Siva saw; upavane—in a nice forest; vara-striyam—a very beautiful woman; vicitra—of many varieties; puspa—flowers; aruna—pink; pallava—leaves; drume—in the midst of the trees; vikridatim—engaged in playing; kanduka—with a ball; lilaya—by pastimes of playing; lasat—shining; dukula—by a sari; paryasta—covered; nitamba—on her hips; mekhalam—dressed with a belt.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in a nice forest nearby, full of trees with reddish-pink leaves and varieties of flowers, Lord Siva saw a beautiful woman playing with a ball. Her hips were covered with a shining sari and ornamented with a belt.

SB8.12.19

TEXT 19

avartanodvartana-kampita-stana-

prakrsta-haroru-bharaih pade pade

prabhajyamanam iva madhyatas calat-

pada-pravalam nayatim tatas tatah

SYNONYMS

avartana—by the falling down; udvartana—and springing up; kampita—trembling; stana—of the two breasts; prakrsta—beautiful; hara—and of garlands; uru-bharaih—because of the heavy load; pade pade—at every step; prabhajyamanam iva—as if breaking; madhyatah—in the middle portion of the body; calat—moving like that; pada-pravalam—feet reddish like coral; nayatim—moving; tatah tatah—here and there.

TRANSLATION

Because the ball was falling down and bouncing up, as She played with it Her breasts trembled, and because of the weight of those breasts and Her heavy flower garlands, Her waist appeared to be all but breaking at every step, as Her two soft feet, which were reddish like coral, moved here and there.

SB8.12.20

TEXT 20

diksu bhramat-kanduka-capalair bhrsam

prodvigna-tarayata-lola-locanam

sva-karna-vibhrajita-kundalollasat-

kapola-nilalaka-manditananam

SYNONYMS

diksu—in all directions; bhramat—moving; kanduka—of the ball; capalaih—restlessness; bhrsam—now and then; prodvigna—full of anxieties; tara—eyes; ayata—broad; lola—restless; locanam—with such eyes; sva-karna—on Her own two ears; vibhrajita—illuminating; kundala—earrings; ullasat—shining; kapola—cheeks; nila—bluish; alaka—with hair; mandita—was decorated; ananam—face.

TRANSLATION

The woman’s face was decorated by broad, beautiful, restless eyes, which moved as the ball bounced here and there from Her hand. The two brilliant earrings on Her ears decorated Her shining cheeks like bluish reflections, and the hair scattered on Her face made Her even more beautiful to see.

SB8.12.21

TEXT 21

slathad dukulam kabarim ca vicyutam

sannahyatim vama-karena valguna

vinighnatim anya-karena kandukam

vimohayantim jagad-atma-mayaya

SYNONYMS

slathat—slipping or slackening; dukulam—the sari; kabarim ca—and the hair on the head; vicyutam—being slackened and scattered; sannahyatim—trying to bind; vama-karena—with the left hand; valguna—very beautifully attractive; vinighnatim—striking; anya-karena—with the right hand; kandukam—the ball; vimohayantim—in this way captivating everyone; jagat—the whole world; atma-mayaya—by the spiritual potency, the internal energy.

TRANSLATION

As She played with the ball, the sari covering Her body became loose, and Her hair scattered. She tried to bind Her hair with Her beautiful left hand, and at the same time She played with the ball by striking it with Her right hand. This was so attractive that the Supreme Lord, by His internal potency, in this way captivated everyone.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (7.14) it is said, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: the external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is extremely strong. Indeed, everyone is fully captivated by her activities. Lord Sambhu (Siva) was not to be captivated by the external potency, but because Lord Visnu wanted to captivate Him also, He exhibited His internal potency to act the way that His external potency acts to captivate ordinary living entities. Lord Visnu can captivate anyone, even such a strong personality as Lord Sambhu.

SB8.12.22

TEXT 22

tam viksya deva iti kanduka-lilayesad-

vridasphuta-smita-visrsta-kataksa-mustah

stri-preksana-pratisamiksana-vihvalatma

natmanam antika umam sva-ganams ca veda

tam—Her; viksya—after observing; devah—Lord Sambhu; iti—in this way; kanduka-lilaya—by playing with the ball; isat—slight; vrida—by bashfulness; asphuta—not very distinct; smita—with smiling; visrsta—sent; kataksa-mustah—defeated by the glances; stri-preksana—by glancing at that beautiful woman; pratisamiksana—and by constantly being watched by Her; vihvala-atma—whose mind was agitated; na—not; atmanam—himself; antike—(situated) nearby; umam—his wife, mother Uma; sva-ganan ca—and his associates; veda—Lord Siva could understand.

While Lord Siva observed the beautiful woman playing with the ball, She sometimes glanced at him and slightly smiled in bashfulness. As he looked at the beautiful woman and She watched him, he forgot both himself and Uma, his most beautiful wife, as well as his associates nearby.

The material bondage of this world is that a beautiful woman can captivate a handsome man and that a handsome man can captivate a beautiful woman. Such are the affairs that began when Lord Siva observed the beautiful girl playing with the ball. In such activities, the influence of Cupid is very prominent. As both parties move their eyebrows and glance at one another, their lusty desires increase more and more. Such reciprocations of lusty desire took place between Lord Siva and the beautiful woman, even though Uma and Lord Siva’s associates were by Lord Siva’s side. Such is the attraction between man and woman in the material world. Lord Siva was supposed to be above all this attraction, but he was victimized by the captivating power of Lord Visnu. Rsabhadeva thus explains the nature of lusty attraction:

pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam
tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh
ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair
janasya moho ’yam aham mameti

“The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life’s illusions and thinks in terms of ‘I and mine.’ ” (Bhag. 5.5.8) When a man and woman exchange feelings of lust, both of them are victimized, and thus they are bound to this material world in various ways.

SB8.12.23

TEXT 23

tasyah karagrat sa tu kanduko yada

gato viduram tam anuvrajat-striyah

vasah sasutram laghu maruto ’harad

bhavasya devasya kilanupasyatah

tasyah—of the beautiful woman; kara-agrat—from the hand; sah—that; tu—but; kandukah—the ball; yada—when; gatah—had gone; viduram—far off; tam—that ball; anuvrajat—began to follow; striyah—of that woman; vasah—the covering dress; sa-sutram—with the belt; laghu—because of being very fine; marutah—the breeze; aharat—blew away; bhavasya—while Lord Siva; devasya—the chief demigod; kila—indeed; anupasyatah—was always looking.

When the ball leaped from Her hand and fell at a distance, the woman began to follow it, but as Lord Siva observed these activities, a breeze suddenly blew away the fine dress and belt that covered her.

SB8.12.24

TEXT 24

evam tam rucirapangim

darsaniyam manoramam

drstva tasyam manas cakre

visajjantyam bhavah kila

SYNONYMS

evam—in this way; tam—Her; rucira-apangim—possessing all attractive features; darsaniyam—pleasing to see; manoramam—beautifully formed; drstva—seeing; tasyam—upon Her; manah cakre—thought; visajjantyam—to be attracted by him; bhavah—Lord Siva; kila—indeed.

TRANSLATION

Thus Lord Siva saw the woman, every part of whose body was beautifully formed, and the beautiful woman also looked at him. Therefore, thinking that She was attracted to him, Lord Siva became very much attracted to Her.

PURPORT

Lord Siva was observing every part of the woman’s body, and She was also glancing at him with restless eyes. Thus Siva thought that She was also attracted to him, and now he wanted to touch Her.

SB8.12.25

TEXT 25

tayapahrta-vijnanas

tat-krta-smara-vihvalah

bhavanya api pasyantya

gata-hris tat-padam yayau

taya—by Her; apahrta—taken away; vijnanah—good sense; tat-krta—done by Her; smara—by the smiling; vihvalah—having become mad for Her; bhavanyah—while Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva; api—although; pasyantyah—was seeing all these incidents; gata-hrih—bereft of all shame; tat-padam—to the place where She was situated; yayau—went.