तथा तैरुपयातैश्च प्रतियद्भिश्च भारत। आकुला सा सभातात भवति स्म सुखप्रदा
Thus, with those who have arrived and those who are departing, O Bhārata, that assembly becomes crowded, O father, and brings great joy.
सर्वतेजोमयी दिव्या ब्रह्मर्षिगणसेविता। ब्राहया श्रिया दीप्यमाना शुशुभे विगतक्लमा
That divine assembly, pervaded by all brilliance, attended by hosts of Brahmarṣis, shone resplendent, radiant with prosperity, and free from fatigue.
सा सभा तादृशी दृष्टा मया लोकेषु दुर्लभा। सभेयं राजशार्दूल मनुष्येषु यथा तव
Such an assembly I saw, rare even among the worlds; O tiger among kings, such is your assembly among men.
एता मया दृष्टपूर्वाः सभा देवेषु भारत। सभेयं मानुषे लोके सर्वश्रेष्ठतमा तव
These assemblies I have seen before among the gods, O Bhārata; but among humans, your assembly is the very best.
प्रायशो राजलोकस्ते कथितो वदतां वर। वैवस्वतसभायां तु यथा वदसि मे प्रभो
O best of speakers, you have mostly described the royal attendants as they are in the assembly of Vaivasvata; now, lord, tell me as you know.
वरुणस्य सभायां तु नागास्ते कथिता विभो। दैत्येन्द्राश्चापि भूयिष्ठाः सरितः सागरास्तथा
In the assembly of Varuna, you have described the Nagas, O illustrious one, and also the great Daitya lords, the rivers, and the oceans.
तथा धनपतेर्यक्षा गुह्यका राक्षसास्तथा। गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव भगवांश्च वृषध्वजः
Likewise, in the assembly of the Lord of Wealth, you mentioned the Yakshas, Guhyakas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, and the blessed bull-bannered god.
पितामहसभायां तु कथितास्ते महर्षभः। सर्वे देवनिकायाश्च सर्वशास्त्राणि वैव ह
In the assembly of the Grandsire, O great sage, you described all the hosts of gods and all the scriptures as well.
शक्रस्य तु सभायां तु देवाः सङ्कीर्तिता मुने। उद्देशतश्च गन्धर्वा विविधाश्च महर्षयः
In the assembly of Shakra, O sage, you recounted the gods, and in brief, the Gandharvas and the various great sages.
एक एव तु राजर्षिर्हरिश्चन्द्रो महामुने। कथितस्ते सभायां वै देवेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः
But only one royal sage, Harishchandra, O great sage, was mentioned by you as present in the assembly of the mighty Indra.
किं कर्म तेनाचरितं तपो वा नियतव्रत। येनासौ सह शक्रेण स्पर्धदे सुमहायशाः
What deed did he perform, or what austerity or firm vow, by which that greatly renowned one competed with Shakra?
पितृलोकगतश्चैव त्वया विप्र पिता मम। दृष्टः पाण्डुर्महाभागः कथं वाऽपि समागतः
And, O Brahmin, you saw my father Pandu, the illustrious one, who has gone to the world of the ancestors; how did he come there, or in what manner?
किमुक्तवांश्च भगवंस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व सुव्रत। त्वत्तः श्रोतुं सर्वमिदं परं कौतूहलं हि मे
And what did the blessed one say? Tell me that, O steadfast one. I have the highest curiosity to hear all this from you.
यन्मां पृच्छसि राजेन्द्र हरिश्चन्द्रं प्रति प्रभो। तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं तस्य धीमतः
O king, what you ask me concerning Harishchandra, I shall now tell you—the greatness of that wise one.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातस्त्रिशङ्कुर्नाम पार्थिवः। अयोध्याधिपतिर्वीरो विश्वामित्रेण संस्थितः
In the lineage of the Ikshvakus, there was born a king named Trishanku, lord of Ayodhya, a valiant one, who was associated with Vishvamitra.
तस्य सत्यवती नाम पत्नी केकयवंशजा। तस्यां गर्भः समभवद्धर्मेण कुरुनन्दन
His wife was named Satyavati, born in the Kekaya line; in her, O joy of the Kurus, a son was conceived in righteousness.
सा च काले महाभागा राजन्मासं प्रविश्य च। कुमारं जनयामास हरिश्चन्द्रमकल्मषम्। स वै राजा हरिश्चन्द्रस्त्रैशङ्कव इति स्मृतः
And in due time, O king, that blessed lady, having completed her term, gave birth to a son, sinless Harishchandra; that king is remembered as Harishchandra, son of Trishanku.
स राजा बलवानासीत्सम्राट् सर्वमहीक्षिताम्। तस्य सर्वे महीपालाः शासनावनताः स्थिताः
That king was powerful, the emperor of all the earth’s rulers; all the kings stood bowed to his commands.
तेनैकं रथमास्थाय जैत्रं हेमविभूषितम्। शस्त्रप्रतापेन जिता द्वीपाः सप्त जनेश्वर
Mounting a single victorious chariot adorned with gold, he conquered the seven islands, O lord of men, by the might of his weapons.
स निर्जित्य महीं कृत्स्नां सशैलवनकाननाम्। आजहार महाराज राजसूयं महाक्रतुम्
Having conquered the whole earth with its mountains, forests, and groves, the great king performed the great Rajasuya sacrifice.
तस्य सर्वे महीपाला धनान्याजह्रुराज्ञया। द्विजानां परिवेष्टारस्तस्मिन्यज्ञे च तेऽभवन्
All the kings, by his command, brought wealth for him; and in that sacrifice, they became servers of the Brahmins.
समाप्तयज्ञो विधिवद्धरिश्चन्द्रः प्रतापवान्। अभिषिक्तश्च शुशुभे साम्राज्येन नराधिपः
When the sacrifice was duly completed, the glorious Harishchandra, anointed, shone as the sovereign among men.
राजसूयेऽभिषिक्तश्च समाप्तवरदक्षिणे
And when he had been consecrated at the Rājasūya, and the desired gifts and fees had been completed,
प्रादाच्च द्रविणं प्रीत्या याचकानां नरेश्वरः। यथोक्तवन्तस्ते तस्मिंस्ततः पञ्चगुणाधिकम्
the lord of men gladly gave wealth to the petitioners; and as they had requested, he gave them five times as much.
अतर्पयच्च विविधैर्वसुभिर्ब्राह्मणांस्तदा। प्रसर्पकाले सम्प्राप्ते नानादिग्भ्यः समागतान्
Then he satisfied the Brāhmaṇas with various kinds of riches, who had come from many directions at the time of distribution.
भक्ष्यभोज्यैश्च विविधैर्यथाकामपुरस्कृतैः। रत्नौघतर्पितैस्तुष्टैर्द्विजैश्च समुदाहृतम्। तेजस्वी च यशस्वी च नृपेभ्योऽभ्यधिकोऽभवत्
He honored them with all sorts of foods and delicacies, according to their wishes, and with treasures in abundance, so that the delighted twice-born proclaimed that he, full of energy and fame, surpassed other kings.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन्हरिश्चन्द्रो विराजते। तेभ्यो राजसहस्रेभ्यस्तद्विद्वि भरतर्षभ
For this reason, O King, Hariścandra shines forth; among thousands of kings, he is renowned, O bull of the Bharatas.
समाप्य च हरिश्चन्द्रो महायज्ञं प्रतापवान्। अभिषिक्तश्च शुशुभे साम्राज्येन नराधिप
And having completed the great sacrifice, the mighty Hariścandra, consecrated as emperor, shone among men.
ये चान्ये च महीपाला राजसूयं महाक्रतुम्। यजन्ते ते सहेन्द्रेण मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ
And all other rulers of the earth who perform the great Rājasūya sacrifice rejoice together with Indra, O best of the Bharatas.
ये चापि नि नं प्राप्ताः सङ्ग्रामेष्वपलायिनः। ते तत्सदनम् ताद्य मोन्दते भरतर्षभ
And those who, though defeated, did not flee in battle, now rejoice in that assembly, O best of the Bharatas.