यमुनान्तर्जले मग्नस्तप्यमान: परन्तप: । निर्वृतिं मीनराजस्य दृष्ट्वा मैथुनधर्मिण: ॥ ३९ ॥ जातस्पृहो नृपं विप्र: कन्यामेकामयाचत । सोऽप्याह गृह्यतां ब्रह्मन् कामं कन्या स्वयंवरे ॥ ४० ॥
yamunantar-jale magnas tapyamanah param tapah nirvrtim mina-rajasya drstva maithuna-dharminah jata-sprho nrpam viprah kanyam ekam ayacata so ’py aha grhyatam brahman kamam kanya svayamvare
- yamuna-antah-jale
- in the deep water of the river Yamuna
- magnah
- merged completely
- tapyamanah
- executing austerities
- param
- uncommon
- tapah
- austerity
- nirvrtim
- pleasure
- mina-rajasya
- of a big fish
- drstva
- seeing
- maithuna-dharminah
- engaged in sexual affairs
- jata-sprhah
- became sexually inclined
- nrpam
- unto the King (Mandhata)
- viprah
- the brahmana (Saubhari Rsi)
- kanyam ekam
- one daughter
- ayacata
- begged for
- sah
- he, the King
- api
- also
- aha
- said
- grhyatam
- you can take
- brahman
- O brahmana
- kamam
- as she desires
- kanya
- daughter
- svayamvare
- a personal selection
Saubhari Rsi was engaged in austerity, deep in the water of the river Yamuna, when he saw a pair of fish engaged in sexual affairs. Thus he perceived the pleasure of sex life, and induced by this desire he went to King Mandhata and begged for one of the King’s daughters. In response to this request, the King said, “O brahmana, any of my daughters may accept any husband according to her personal selection.”