Here Lord Krishna's chaste wife makes a quite unequivocal statement about material sense gratification based on the physical body. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti comments as follows on this verse: On the authority of the statement sa vai patih syad akuto-bhayah svayam -- "He indeed should become one's husband who can remove all fear" -- Sri Krishna is the real husband for all women at all times. Thus a woman who worships someone else as her husband simply worships a dead body.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti comments further: Rukmini thus considered that although the sweetness of Lord Krishna's lotus feet is well known, and although He possesses an eternal body full of knowledge and bliss, foolish women reject Him. An ordinary husband's body is covered on the outside by skin and hair; otherwise, being filled with blood, feces, flesh, bile and so on, it would be overwhelmed with flies and other vermin attracted by its bad smell and other offensive qualities.

Those who have no practical experience of the beauty and purity of Krishna or of Krishna consciousness may be confused by such uncompromising denunciations of material, bodily gratification. But those who are enlightened in Krishna consciousness will be enlivened and enthused by such absolutely truthful statements.