Flute

Krishna's fast friend is the flute, and the gopis (the cowherd maidens) are envious of the flute because it always gets to drink the nectar of Krishna's lips, which is rightfully their property. When He plays the flute, everyone and everything go absolutely mad--the sound is so beautiful and so bewitching that everyone who hears it stops dead in their tracks and runs to find that flute player. So the gopis never have any peace of mind--that flute melody can come dancing into their ears at any time and pull them out of their houses. So, jokingly, the gopis call the flute their enemy. One ongoing pastime is the gopis stealing the flute. They figure if they can get it away from Krishna, then they can have some peace in their lives. There are many funny stories about them stealing and hiding the flute in their braids or in their skirts, but eventually Krishna always gets His flute back. So this amusing story goes on eternally, always with a new twist. Here is one verse from Srila Rupa Gosvami'sPadyavali (Text 245):

nécair nyäsäd atha caraëayor nüpure mükayanté
     dhåtvä dhåtvä kanaka-valayäny utkñipanté bhujante
mudräm akñëoç cakita-cakitaà çaçvad älokayanté
     smitvä smitvä haraté muralém aìkato mädhavasya

                                                                              
[One day Radha told Krsna, “You are the very treasure of My existence, but Your flute has robbed us of all our virtues – our chastity, our religiosity and our observance of social etiquette. Indeed, this murali has ruined our lives. If I ever get the chance I will grab that flute and throw it in the Yamuna and You will never see it again.” Always remembering Radharani’s threat, Krsna would hide the flute under His cloth when He would fall asleep in a kunja. But one time Radha got Her chance.]

She approached Madhava stealthily like a cat, taking care that Her ankle-bells did not tinkle. She slid Her golden bangles up Her arms lest they jangle, and keeping Her eyes on His, in fear that He might wake up, She slyly stole the flute from His lap.                       

                                                                                                              Sri Daityari Pandita

And in Vidagdha-madhava Sri Rupa Gosvami describes how Krsna becomes so bewildered by Radha's glance that He unknowingly gives Her His flute when giving Her a package of naga-kesara flowers. Radha says to Herself (4.35): "This is the same flute that causes the gopis' hands to become numbed when they perform their household duties. At nighttime this flute attracts the golden-complexioned gopis, even from their husbands' embraces. This flute loosens the gopis' tight belts, even in the presence of their elders. This rascal flute - the property of the auspiciousness of Gokula (Krsna) - is now under My control!"

http://www.harekrsna.de/Sanatana_Autumn_and_Flute.htm