FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.6.39-40

यमुनान्तर्जले मग्नस्तप्यमान: परन्तप: । निर्वृतिं मीनराजस्य द‍ृष्ट्वा मैथुनधर्मिण: ॥ ३९ ॥ जातस्पृहो नृपं विप्र: कन्यामेकामयाचत । सोऽप्याह गृह्यतां ब्रह्मन् कामं कन्या स्वयंवरे ॥ ४० ॥
yamunāntar-jale magnas
[yamunaantar-jale magnas]
tapyamānaḥ paraṁ tapaḥ
[tapyamaanah param tapah]
nirvṛtiṁ mīna-rājasya
[nirvritim meena-raajasya]
dṛṣṭvā maithuna-dharmiṇaḥ
[drishtvaa maithuna-dharminah]
jāta-spṛho nṛpaṁ vipraḥ
[jaata-spriho nripam viprah]
kanyām ekām ayācata
[kanyaam ekaam ayaachata]
so ’py āha gṛhyatāṁ brahman
[so ’py aaha grihyataam brahman]
kāmaṁ kanyā svayaṁvare
[kaamam kanyaa svayamvare]
Word-for-word
yamunā-antaḥ-jale — in the deep water of the river Yamunā magnaḥ — merged completely tapyamānaḥ — executing austerities param — uncommon tapaḥ — austerity nirvṛtim — pleasure mīna-rājasya — of a big fish dṛṣṭvā — seeing maithuna-dharmiṇaḥ — engaged in sexual affairs jāta-spṛhaḥ — became sexually inclined nṛpam — unto the King (Māndhātā) vipraḥ — the brāhmaṇa (Saubhari Ṛṣi) kanyām ekām — one daughter ayācata — begged for saḥ — he, the King api — also āha — said gṛhyatām — you can take brahman — O brāhmaṇa kāmam — as she desires kanyā — daughter svayaṁvare — a personal selection.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yamunāntar-jale magnas
yamunā-antaḥ-jale
in the deep water of the river Yamunā
magnaḥ
merged completely
tapyamānaḥ paraṁ tapaḥ
tapyamānaḥ
executing austerities
param
uncommon
tapaḥ
austerity
nirvṛtiṁ mīna-rājasya
nirvṛtim
pleasure
mīna-rājasya
of a big fish
dṛṣṭvā maithuna-dharmiṇaḥ
dṛṣṭvā
seeing
maithuna-dharmiṇaḥ
engaged in sexual affairs
jāta-spṛho nṛpaṁ vipraḥ
jāta-spṛhaḥ
became sexually inclined
nṛpam
unto the King (Māndhātā)
vipraḥ
the brāhmaṇa (Saubhari Ṛṣi)
kanyām ekām ayācata
kanyām ekām
one daughter
ayācata
begged for
saḥ
he, the King
api
also
so ’py āha gṛhyatāṁ brahman
āha
said
gṛhyatām
you can take
brahman
O brāhmaṇa
kāmaṁ kanyā svayaṁvare
kāmam
as she desires
kanyā
daughter
svayaṁvare
a personal selection.
Saubhari Ṛṣi was engaged in austerity, deep in the water of the river Yamunā, when he saw a pair of fish engaged in sexual affairs. Thus he perceived the pleasure of sex life, and induced by this desire he went to King Māndhātā and begged for one of the King’s daughters. In response to this request, the King said, “O brāhmaṇa, any of my daughters may accept any husband according to her personal selection.”
Purport

This is the beginning of the story of Saubhari Ṛṣi. According to Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Māndhātā was the king of Mathurā, and Saubhari Ṛṣi was engaged in austerity while submerged deep within the river Yamunā. When the ṛṣi felt sexual desire, he emerged from the water and went to King Māndhātā to ask that one of the King’s daughters become his wife.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Saubhari was engaged in austerity in the water of the River Yamunā, when he saw the pleasure of a big fish engaged in sexual affairs. When desire appeared in him, he went to King Māndhātā and begged for one of the King's daughters. In response to this request, the King said, "O brāhmaṇa, any of my daughters may accept any husband according to her personal selection." ‘Why did the sage Saubhari performing great austerities, marry these daughters and why did the daughters accept an old withered sage as their husband?” After seeing the fish, he came out of the water, went to Mathurā and requested King Māndhātā.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Even a sage submerged in penance can be undone by the wrong glance. Sense impressions, even from creatures pursuing their nature, can plant desires that uproot years of austerity.
Reflection Questions
  • What stray sense input — image, video, environment — have I been treating as harmless but is quietly shaping my desires?
  • Where do I need a stricter gate over what enters my eyes and ears?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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