SB 9.6.46 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

स बह्वऋचस्ताभिरपारणीय- तप:श्रियानर्घ्यपरिच्छदेषु । गृहेषु नानोपवनामलाम्भ:- सरस्सु सौगन्धिककाननेषु ॥ ४५ ॥ महार्हशय्यासनवस्त्रभूषण- स्‍नानानुलेपाभ्यवहारमाल्यकै: । स्वलङ्‍कृत स्त्रीपुरुषेषु नित्यदा रेमेऽनुगायद्द्विजभृङ्गवन्दिषु ॥ ४६ ॥

Verse text

sa bahv-ṛcas tābhir apāraṇīya- tapaḥ-śriyānarghya-paricchadeṣu gṛheṣu nānopavanāmalāmbhaḥ- saraḥsu saugandhika-kānaneṣu mahārha-śayyāsana-vastra-bhūṣaṇa- snānānulepābhyavahāra-mālyakaiḥ svalaṅkṛta-strī-puruṣeṣu nityadā reme ’nugāyad-dvija-bhṛṅga-vandiṣu

Synonyms

saḥ — he, Saubhari Ṛṣi ; bahu — ṛcaḥ — quite expert in utilizing Vedic mantras ; tābhiḥ — with his wives ; apāraṇīya — unlimited ; tapaḥ — the result of austerity ; śriyā — by opulences ; anarghya — paraphernalia for enjoyment ; paricchadeṣu — equipped with different garments and dresses ; gṛheṣu — in the house and rooms ; nānā — varieties of ; upavana — parks ; amala — clean ; ambhaḥ — water ; saraḥsu — in lakes ; saugandhika — very fragrant ; kānaneṣu — in gardens ; mahā — arha — very costly ; śayyā — bedding ; āsana — sitting places ; vastra — clothing ; bhūṣaṇa — ornaments ; snāna — bathing places ; anulepa — sandalwood ; abhyavahāra — palatable dishes ; mālyakaiḥ — and with garlands ; su — alaṅkṛta — properly dressed and decorated ; strī — women ; puruṣeṣu — with men also ; nityadā — constantly ; reme — enjoyed ; anugāyat — followed by the singing of ; dvija — birds ; bhṛṅga — bumblebees ; vandiṣu — and professional singers .

Translation

Because Saubhari Muni was expert in chanting mantras perfectly, his severe austerities resulted in an opulent home, with garments, ornaments, properly dressed and decorated maidservants and manservants, and varieties of parks with clear-water lakes and gardens. In the gardens, fragrant with varieties of flowers, birds chirped and bees hummed, surrounded by professional singers. Saubhari Muni’s home was amply provided with valuable beds, seats, ornaments, and arrangements for bathing, and there were varieties of sandalwood creams, flower garlands, and palatable dishes. Thus surrounded by opulent paraphernalia, the muni engaged in family affairs with his numerous wives.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Because Saubhari was expert in chanting mantras perfectly, he enjoyed with his wives in luxurious homes, valuable furniture, fragrant gardens with lakes of clear water and parks, with garlands, palatable food, cosmetics, baths, ornaments, clothing, seats and valuable beds, along with other men and women, all created by his impossible austerities, while birds, bees and bards sang. Bahvṛcaḥ means that he had powers from mantras to create his wealth. He had performed austerities impossible for others (apāraṇīya-tapaḥ). He enjoyed in houses, and even cities with great wealth, created by his austerity.

Purport

Saubhari Ṛṣi was a great yogī. Yogic perfection makes available eight material opulences — aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. Saubhari Muni exhibited superexcellence in material enjoyment by dint of his yogic perfection. The word bahv-ṛca means “expert in chanting mantras. ” As material opulence can be achieved by ordinary material means, it can also be achieved by subtle means through mantras. By chanting mantras, Saubhari Muni arranged for material opulence, but this was not perfection in life. As will be seen, Saubhari Muni became very dissatisfied with material opulence and thus left everything and reentered the forest in the vānaprastha order and achieved final success. Those who are not ātma-tattva-vit, who do not know the spiritual value of life, can be satisfied with external material opulences, but those who are ātma-tattva-vit are not inspired by material opulence. This is the instruction we can derive from the life and activities of Saubhari Muni.