Shloka 9
Garuḍa, Saubhari’s Curse, Kāliya’s Refuge, and Kṛṣṇa Saves Vraja from Forest Fire
तत्रैकदा जलचरं गरुडो भक्ष्यमीप्सितम् । निवारित: सौभरिणा प्रसह्य क्षुधितोऽहरत् ॥ ९ ॥
tatraikadā jala-caraṁ garuḍo bhakṣyam īpsitam nivāritaḥ saubhariṇā prasahya kṣudhito ’harat
In that very lake, Garuḍa once desired to eat a fish, for fish were his natural food. Though forbidden by the sage Saubhari, who was meditating within the water, the hungry Garuḍa dared to seize the fish by force.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is now explaining why Garuḍa could not approach the lake in the Yamunā River. It is the nature of birds to eat fish, and thus, by the arrangement of the Lord, the great bird Garuḍa does not commit any offense by nourishing himself with fish. On the other hand, Saubhari Muni’s forbidding a much greater personality to eat his normal food did constitute an offense. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Saubhari committed two offenses: first, he dared to give an order to a supremely exalted soul like Garuḍa, and second, he obstructed Garuḍa from satisfying his desire.
FAQs
This verse recalls how Garuḍa once tried to seize an aquatic prey but was forcibly restrained by the sage Saubhari, indicating a prior incident connected to that location and its extraordinary events.
Saubhari intervened with ascetic power to prevent Garuḍa from taking the aquatic creature, showing how a powerful sage could impede even Garuḍa—setting a narrative precedent for unusual restrictions and conflicts in that region.
Even strong impulses like hunger can lead one to act forcefully; the verse points to the value of restraint and the need to respect higher principles and sacred authority.