Shloka 40
Ikṣvāku Dynasty: Vikukṣi’s Offense, Purañjaya’s Victory, Māndhātā’s Birth, and Saubhari’s Fall and Renunciation
यमुनान्तर्जले मग्नस्तप्यमान: परन्तप: । निर्वृतिं मीनराजस्य दृष्ट्वा मैथुनधर्मिण: ॥ ३९ ॥ जातस्पृहो नृपं विप्र: कन्यामेकामयाचत । सोऽप्याह गृह्यतां ब्रह्मन् कामं कन्या स्वयंवरे ॥ ४० ॥
yamunāntar-jale magnas tapyamānaḥ paraṁ tapaḥ nirvṛtiṁ mīna-rājasya dṛṣṭvā maithuna-dharmiṇaḥ
Saubhari Ṛṣi, immersed in the waters of the Yamunā and engaged in austerity, saw a pair of fish absorbed in mating. Perceiving the pleasure of sensual life, desire arose within him; thus he approached King Māndhātā and begged for one of the king’s daughters. The king replied, “O brāhmaṇa, in the svayaṃvara my daughters may choose a husband according to their own will.”
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.
FAQs
This verse shows that even a powerful ascetic can become disturbed when exposed to sense-objects; therefore tapasya must be supported by vigilance, purity, and higher spiritual absorption.
After witnessing the fish king’s mating pleasure, desire awakened in him, and he sought to fulfill it by requesting a girl from the king, illustrating how association and sight can trigger latent impressions.
Guard the senses, avoid provocative stimuli, and redirect the mind to bhakti practices (nāma-japa, śravaṇa, and sādhusanga) so that desire is transformed rather than merely suppressed.