Shloka 42
इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रसङ्गः, पुरंजय-दैवसाहाय्य-कथा, युवनाश्व-मांधातृ-उत्पत्तिः, सौभरि-वैराग्योपदेशः
अथान्तर्जलावस्थितः स सौभरिर् एकाग्रतासमाधानम् अपहायानुदिनं तत् तस्य मत्स्यस्यात्मजपौत्रदौहित्रादिभिः सहातिरमणीयं ललितम् अवेक्ष्याचिन्तयत् । अहो धन्यो ऽयम् ईदृशम् अप्य् अनभिमतं योन्यन्तरम् अवाप्यैभिर् आत्मजपौत्रादिभिः सह रममाणो ऽतीवास्माकं स्पृहाम् उत्पादयति । वयम् अप्य् एवं पुत्रादिभिः सह रमिष्यामः । इत्य् एवम् अभिसमीक्ष्य स तस्माद् अन्तर्जलान् निष्क्रम्य निर्वेष्टुकामः कन्यार्थं मांधातारं राजानम् अगच्छत् ॥
athāntarjalāvasthitaḥ sa saubharir ekāgratāsamādhānam apahāyānudinaṃ tat tasya matsyasyātmajapautradauhitrādibhiḥ sahātiramaṇīyaṃ lalitam avekṣyācintayat | aho dhanyo 'yam īdṛśam apy anabhimataṃ yonyantaram avāpyaibhir ātmajapautrādibhiḥ saha ramamāṇo 'tīvāsmākaṃ spṛhām utpādayati | vayam apy evaṃ putrādibhiḥ saha ramiṣyāmaḥ | ity evam abhisamīkṣya sa tasmād antarjalān niṣkramya nirveṣṭukāmaḥ kanyārthaṃ māṃdhātāraṃ rājānam agacchat ||
เมื่อนั้น ฤๅษีเสาภริผู้อยู่ใต้น้ำได้ละทิ้งสมาธิ เมื่อเห็นพญามัจฉาเล่นสนุกกับลูกหลาน ท่านจึงดำริว่า 'เราจักหาความสุขเช่นนี้บ้าง' ท่านจึงขึ้นจากน้ำและไปหาท้าวมานธาตาเพื่อสู่ขอธิดา
Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How Saubhari’s observation of fish-play led to loss of samādhi and the decision to enter household life.
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Even advanced yogic concentration can be undone when desire (kāma) is entertained and rationalized, shifting the seeker from nivṛtti to pravṛtti.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Treat desire-thoughts early: label, release, and return to practice; avoid comparing one’s life with others’ pleasures; reaffirm one’s chosen āśrama goals.
Vishishtadvaita: Implied contrast: worldly ‘ramana’ is contingent and binding, while true fulfillment is in loving dependence (śeṣatva) upon the Supreme; the episode functions as a negative exemplar steering the mind toward God-centered joy.
Vamsha: Surya
Key Kings: Saubhari, Māndhātṛ
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
FAQs
It illustrates how even a powerful yogin can be diverted from samādhi when latent desire is stirred by witnessing worldly affection and progeny.
Through Saubhari’s inner reasoning: seeing familial joy creates longing, leading him to abandon one-pointed concentration and actively seek marriage—showing how mental impressions drive life-choices.
Māndhātṛ anchors the episode within the Solar Dynasty narrative; Saubhari’s request for the king’s daughters ties ascetic legend to royal genealogy and dharma in Ansha 4.