Devanagari
तत्रैकदा जलचरं गरुडो भक्ष्यमीप्सितम् ।
निवारित: सौभरिणा प्रसह्य क्षुधितोऽहरत् ॥ ९ ॥
Verse text
tatraikadā jala-caraṁ
garuḍo bhakṣyam īpsitam
nivāritaḥ saubhariṇā
prasahya kṣudhito ’harat
Synonyms
tatra
—
there (in that lake)
;
ekadā
—
once
;
jala
—
caram — an aquatic creature
;
garuḍaḥ
—
Garuḍa
;
bhakṣyam
—
his proper food
;
īpsitam
—
desired
;
nivāritaḥ
—
forbidden
;
saubhariṇā
—
by Saubhari Muni
;
prasahya
—
taking courage
;
kṣudhitaḥ
—
feeling hunger
;
aharat
—
he took .
Translation
In that very lake Garuḍa had once desired to eat a fish — fish being, after all, his normal food. Although forbidden by the sage Saubhari, who was meditating there within the water, Garuḍa took courage and, feeling hungry, seized the fish.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In that very lake Garuḍa had once desired to eat a fish-fish being, after all, his normal food. Although forbidden by the sage Saubhari, who was meditating there within the water, Garuḍa took courage and, feeling hungry, seized the fish.
KB 10.17.9
Kāliya took shelter within the water of the Yamunā for the following reason. Just as Garuḍa went to the island of the Kāliya snake, he also used to go to the Yamunā to catch fish to eat. There was, however, a great yogī known as Saubhari Muni who used to meditate within the water there and who was sympathetic with the fish. He asked Garuḍa not to come there and disturb the fish. Although Garuḍa was not under anyone’s order, being the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, he did not disobey the order of the great yogī. Instead of staying and eating many fish, he carried off one big fish, who was their leader.
Purport
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.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
This verse explains the reason why Garuda could not enter Kaliya’s lake. Saubari committed two offenses against the great devotee Garuda, by giving his superior an order not to eat the fish, and by preventing Garuda’s happiness. Garuda disobeyed Saubari’s order and committed violence by eating the fish, but this was not an offense, because Garuda was superior to Saubari.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
This happened twenty-four yuga cycles previously when Māndhāṭa, ancestor of Rāma, ruled the earth. Fish are ordinary among all living entities and edible. They served as his food while performing pastimes as a bird and he desired them. “But he should have respected the sage’s words.” He was hungry. Though his hunger was part of the pastime like the Lord’s hunger, there is no fault in eating even forbidden foods if one is hungry. Thus Garuḍa made no offense. But the sage made offense since he obstructed eating what was edible when a great devotee was hungry.