120 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 12
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 ap-
preciated 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 Per-
sonality of Godhead, everything can be done. This was to be a test of
whether Lord Siva could remain unagitated.
TEXT 17
AIH TAA
ef aa aaataaaacetT |
TN ARAVA III
Sri-Suka uvdca
iti bruvano bhagavams
tatraivantaradhiyata
sarvatas cdryams caksur
bhava aste sahomaya
$ri-Sukah uvaéca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; bruvanah—

while speaking; bhagavan—Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; tatra—there; eva —immediately; antaradhiyata —disap-
peared from the vision of Lord Siva and his associates; sarvatah —every-
where; carayan—moving; caksuh—the eyes; bhavah—Lord Siva;
aste—remained; saha-umayé—with his wife, Uma.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After speaking in this way, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, immediately disap-
