तत्र तेन शरीरेण बभूव श्वपचाकृतिः । कुण्डलेऽश्ममये वापि जाते तस्य च तत्क्षणात्
In that body, he became a dog-eater in form; at that instant, earrings of stone appeared for him.
देहे चन्दनगन्धश्च विगन्धो ह्यभवत्तदा । नीलवर्णेऽथ सञ्जाते दिव्ये पीताम्बरे तनौ
His body, once fragrant with sandalwood, became foul-smelling; his divine yellow garments turned blue in color.
राजवर्णोऽभवद्देहः शापात्तस्य महात्मनः । शक्त्युपासकरोषेण फलमेतदभून्नृप
His royal complexion vanished from his body due to the curse of that great soul; this was the result of anger toward a devotee of Śakti.
तस्माच्छ्रीशक्तिभक्तो हि नावमान्यः कदाचन । गायत्रीजपनिष्ठो हि वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः
Therefore, a devotee of Śakti should never be disrespected; Vasiṣṭha, the foremost sage, was devoted to reciting the Gāyatrī.
दृष्ट्वा निन्द्यं निजं देहं राजा दुःखमवाप्तवान् । न जगाम गृहे दीनो वनमेवाभितो ययौ
Seeing his own body in a contemptible state, the king was overcome with sorrow; he did not return home, but, dejected, went toward the forest.
चिन्तयामास दुःखार्तास्त्रिशङ्कुः शोकविह्वलः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि देहो मेऽतीव निन्दितः
Tormented by grief, Triśaṅku, overwhelmed by sorrow, thought: 'What shall I do? Where shall I go? My body is utterly disgraceful.'
कर्तव्यं नैव पश्यामि येन मे दुःखसंक्षयः । गृहे गच्छामि चेत्पुत्रः पीडितोऽद्य भविष्यति
'I see no action by which my suffering may end; if I go home, my son will be afflicted today.'
भार्यापि श्वपचं दृष्ट्वा नाङ्गीकारं करिष्यति । सचिवा नादरिष्यन्ति वीक्ष्य मामीदृशं पुनः
'Even my wife, seeing me as an outcaste, will not accept me; nor will the ministers respect me, seeing me in this condition.'
ज्ञातयो बन्धुवर्गश्च सङ्गतो न भजिष्यति । सर्वैस्तक्तस्य मे नूनं जीवितान्मरणं वरम्
'Relatives and family will not associate with me; surely, for one abandoned by all, death is better than life.'
विषं वा भक्षयित्वाद्य पतित्वा वा जलाशये । कृत्वा वा कण्ठपाशं च देहत्यागं करोम्यहम्
'Today I will end my life, whether by taking poison, plunging into water, or tying a noose around my neck.'
अग्नौ वा ज्वलिते देहं जुहोमि विधिवद् बलात् । कृत्वा वानशनं प्राणांस्त्यजामि दूषितान्भृशम्
'Or I will cast my body into blazing fire according to the proper rite, or, by fasting, I will abandon this defiled life.'
आत्महत्या भवेन्नूनं पुनर्जन्मनि जन्मनि । श्वपचत्वं च शापश्च हत्यादोषाद्भवेदपि
'But surely, by suicide, I will be reborn again and again; and because of the sin of killing, I will be cursed and become an outcaste.'
पुनर्विचार्य भूपालश्चेतसा समचिन्तयत् । आत्महत्या न कर्तव्या सर्वथैव मयाधुना
Then, reconsidering, the king reflected in his mind: 'I must not, under any circumstances, commit suicide now.'
भोक्तव्यं स्वकृतं कर्म देहेनानेन कानने । भोगेनास्य विपाकस्य भविता सर्वथा क्षयः
'I must endure, with this body, the results of my own actions in the forest; only by experiencing their fruits will there surely be an end.'
प्रारब्धकर्मणां भोगादन्यथा न क्षयो भवेत् । तस्मान्मयात्र भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम्
'There is no other way for the results of actions begun to be exhausted except by experiencing them; therefore, I must bear the consequences of my deeds, whether good or bad.'
कुर्वन्पुण्याश्रमाभ्याशे तीर्थानां सेवनं तथा । स्मरणं चाम्बिकायास्तु साधूनां सेवनं तथा
'Dwelling near the hermitages of the virtuous, serving holy places, remembering Ambikā, and serving the good—'
एवं कर्मक्षयं नूनं करिष्यामि वने वसन् । भाग्ययोगात्कदाचित्तु भवेत्साधुसमागमः
'Thus, living in the forest, I will surely bring about the exhaustion of my karma; perhaps, by fortune, there may someday be the company of the virtuous.'
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा त्यक्त्वा स्वनगरं नृपः । गङ्गातीरे गतः कामं शोचंस्तत्रैव संस्थितः
Thinking thus in his mind, the king abandoned his city and went to the bank of the Gaṅgā, where he remained, grieving as he wished.
हरिश्चन्द्रस्तदा ज्ञात्वा पितुः शापस्य कारणम् । दुःखितः सचिवांस्तत्र प्रेषयामास पार्थिवः
Hariścandra, then understanding the reason for his father's curse, was distressed and sent his ministers there.
सचिवास्तत्र गत्वाऽऽशु तमूचुः प्रश्रयान्विताः । प्रणम्य श्वपचाकारं निःश्वसन्तं मुहुर्मुहुः
The ministers quickly went there and, bowing with respect, addressed him—who had the form of an outcaste and was sighing again and again.
राजन् पुत्रेण ते नूनं प्रेषितान्समुपागतान् । अवेहि सचिवांस्त्वं नो हरिश्चन्द्राज्ञया स्थितान्
'O king, know that we, your ministers, have surely been sent here by your son Hariścandra.'
युवराजसुतः प्राह यत्तच्छृणु नराधिप । आनयध्वं नृपं यूयं सम्मान्य पितरं मम
The prince spoke thus: 'Hear what I say, O king: You all, honoring my father, bring the king here.'
तस्माद्राजन् समागच्छ राज्यं प्रति गतव्यथः । सेवां सर्वे करिष्यन्ति सचिवाश्च प्रजास्तथा
Therefore, O King, return to your kingdom without distress; all the ministers and the people will serve you.
गुरुं प्रसादयिष्यामः स यथा तु दयेत वै । प्रसन्नोऽसौ महातेजा दुःखस्यान्तं करिष्यति
We will appease the Guru so that he may show compassion; when that great and radiant one is pleased, he will bring an end to this suffering.
इति पुत्रेण ते राजन् कथितं बहुधा किल । तस्माद् गमनमेवाशु रोचतां निजसद्मनि
Thus, O King, your son spoke to you in many ways; therefore, let your mind be set quickly on returning to your own home.
व्यास उवाच - इति तेषां नृपः श्रुत्वा भाषितं श्वपचाकृतिः । स्वगृहं गमनायासौ न मतिं कृतवानतः
Vyāsa said: Hearing their words, the king, though bearing the form of an outcaste, did not resolve to return to his own house.
तानुवाच तदा वाक्यं व्रजन्तु सचिवाः पुरम् । गत्वा पुरं महाभागा ब्रुवन्तु वचनाच्च मे
Then he spoke these words to them: Let the ministers go to the city; having gone to the city, O blessed ones, speak my words there.
नागमिष्याम्यहं पुत्र कुरु राज्यमतन्द्रितः । मानयन्ब्राह्मणान्देवान्यजन्यज्ञैरनेकशः
I will not return, my son; rule the kingdom with diligence, honoring Brahmins and gods with many sacrifices.
नाहं श्वपचवेषेण गर्हितेन महात्मभिः । आगमिष्याम्ययोध्यायां सर्वे गच्छन्तु मा चिरम्
I will not enter Ayodhyā in the form of an outcaste, despised by the great-souled; let all of you go without delay.
पुत्रं सिंहासने स्थाप्य हरिश्चन्द्रं महाबलम् । कुर्वन्तु राज्यकर्माणि यूयं तत्र ममाज्ञया
Seat my son, the mighty Hariścandra, upon the throne; you all should perform the royal duties there by my command.