Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9 - Chapter 1 - Verse 26

Sanskrit:

श्रीशुक उवाचअथाम्बरीषस्तनयेषु राज्यंसमानशीलेषु विसृज्य धीर: ।वनं विवेशात्मनि वासुदेवेमनो दधद् ध्वस्तगुणप्रवाह: ॥ २६ ॥

ITRANS:

śrī-śuka uvācaathāmbarīṣas tanayeṣu rājyaṁsamāna-śīleṣu visṛjya dhīraḥvanaṁ viveśātmani vāsudevemano dadhad dhvasta-guṇa-pravāhaḥ

Translation:

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thereafter, because of his advanced position in devotional life, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, who no longer desired to live with material things, retired from active family life. He divided his property among his sons, who were equally as qualified, and he himself took the order of vānaprastha and went to the forest to concentrate his mind fully upon Lord Vāsudeva.

Purport:

As a pure devotee, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was liberated in any condition of life because, as enunciated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, a devotee is always liberated. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī thus instructs that if one’s only desire is service to the Lord, he is liberated in any condition of life. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was undoubtedly liberated in any condition, but as an ideal king he accepted the vānaprastha order of retirement from family life. It is essential for one to renounce family responsibilities and fully concentrate on the lotus feet of Vāsudeva. Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa divided the kingdom among his sons and retired from family life.