तपःश्रियानर्घ्यपरिच्छदेषु ।
गृहेषु नानोपवनामलाम्भः
सरःसु सौगन्धिककाननेषु ॥४५॥
महार्हशय्यासनवस्त्रभूषण
स्नानानुलेपाभ्यवहारमाल्यकैः ।
स्वलङ्कृतस्त्रीपुरुषेषु नित्यदा
रेमेऽनुगायद्द्विजभृङ्गवन्दिषु ॥४६॥
sa bahv-á¹›cas tÄbhir apÄraṇīya-
tapaḥ-Å›riyÄnarghya-paricchadeá¹£u
gá¹›heá¹£u nÄnopavanÄmalÄmbhaḥ-
saraḥsu saugandhika-kÄnaneá¹£u
mahÄrha-Å›ayyÄsana-vastra-bhÅ«á¹£aṇa-
snÄnÄnulepÄbhyavahÄra-mÄlyakaiḥ
svalaá¹…ká¹›ta-strÄ«-puruá¹£eá¹£u nityadÄ
reme 'nugÄyad-dvija-bhṛṅga-vandiá¹£u
saḥ - he, Saubhari Ṛṣi; bahu-á¹›caḥ - quite expert in utilizing Vedic mantras; tÄbhiḥ - with his wives; apÄraṇīya - unlimited; tapaḥ - the result of austerity; Å›riyÄ - by opulences; anarghya - paraphernalia for enjoyment; paricchadeá¹£u - equipped with different garments and dresses; gá¹›heá¹£u - in the house and rooms; nÄnÄ - varieties of; upavana - parks; amala - clean; ambhaḥ - water; saraḥsu - in lakes; saugandhika - very fragrant; kÄnaneá¹£u - in gardens; mahÄ-arha - very costly; Å›ayyÄ - bedding; Äsana - sitting places; vastra - clothing; bhÅ«á¹£aṇa - ornaments; snÄna - bathing places; anulepa - sandalwood; abhyavahÄra - palatable dishes; mÄlyakaiḥ - and with garlands; su-alaá¹…ká¹›ta - properly dressed and decorated; strÄ« - women; puruá¹£eá¹£u - with men also; nityadÄ - constantly; reme - enjoyed; anugÄyat - followed by the singing of; dvija - birds; bhṛṅga - bumblebees; vandiá¹£u - and professional singers.
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.
Saubhari Ṛṣi was a great yogÄ«. Yogic perfection makes available eight material opulences — aṇimÄ, laghimÄ, mahimÄ, prÄpti, prÄkÄmya, Ä«Å›itva, vaÅ›itva and kÄmÄvasÄyitÄ. Saubhari Muni exhibited superexcellence in material enjoyment by dint of his yogic perfection. The word bahv-á¹›ca 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 vÄnaprastha order and achieved final success. Those who are not Ätma-tattva-vit, who do not know the spiritual value of life, can be satisfied with external material opulences, but those who are Ätma-tattva-vit are not inspired by material opulence. This is the instruction we can derive from the life and activities of Saubhari Muni.
