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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 9 · Chapter 6: The Downfall of Saubhari Muni
9.6.449.6.47

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 9.6.45-46

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.6.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

स बह्वऋचस्ताभिरपारणीय-

तप:श्रियानर्घ्यपरिच्छदेषु ।

गृहेषु नानोपवनामलाम्भ:-

सरस्सु सौगन्धिककाननेषु ॥ ४५ ॥

महार्हशय्यासनवस्त्रभूषण-

स्‍नानानुलेपाभ्यवहारमाल्यकै: ।

स्वलङ्‍कृत स्त्रीपुरुषेषु नित्यदा

रेमेऽनुगायद्द्विजभृङ्गवन्दिषु ॥ ४६ ॥

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

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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Material Opulence Is Not Life’s Perfection

  1. 1

    Yogic perfection makes eight material opulences available. Through his austerities and expertise in chanting mantras, Saubhari Muni arranged extraordinary comforts for family enjoyment.

  2. 2

    Material opulence can be achieved through ordinary means or through subtle means such as mantras. Yet Saubhari Muni’s attainment of opulence was not perfection in life.

  3. 3

    Those who know the spiritual value of life are not inspired by material opulence. Saubhari Muni became dissatisfied, left everything, reentered the forest in the vānaprastha order, and achieved final success.

Key points from the purport
  • Saubhari Muni exhibited superexcellence in material enjoyment by dint of his yogic perfection.
  • 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.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Attachment and struggle → Renunciation and responsibility. Multiple royal lives reveal the cost of choices.

Chapters 6–9 of Canto 9: Saubhari, Sagara and Bhagīratha's lineage. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 6: The Downfall of Saubhari Muni

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Thus he accepted the order of vānaprastha, performed very severe austerities, and thus attained perfection. In this regard, Śukadeva Gosvāmī described how Saubhari Muni’s wives also became perfect.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.6
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. saḥhe, Saubhari Ṛṣi
  2. bahu-ṛcaḥquite expert in utilizing Vedic mantras
  3. tābhiḥwith his wives
  4. apāraṇīyaunlimited
  5. tapaḥthe result of austerity
  6. śriyāby opulences
  7. anarghyaparaphernalia for enjoyment
  8. paricchadeṣuequipped with different garments and dresses
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 9.6

    In this verse: “chanting”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 9.6

    In this verse: “material”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Are you measuring success mainly by external comforts or by the spiritual value of life?

Practice

Write down one material comfort you seek, then spend a minute reflecting on why obtaining it would not itself be perfection in life.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayMaterial Opulence Is Not Life’s PerfectionThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 9.6.45-46? Get an answer from the verses themselves.