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.
इत्यादिष्टास्ततस्ते तु रुरुदुश्चातुरा भृशम् । सचिवा निर्ययुस्तूर्णं नत्वा तं च वनाश्रमात्
Thus instructed, those wise ministers wept greatly, then quickly departed, bowing to him in the forest hermitage.
अयोध्यायामुपागत्य पुण्येऽह्नि विधिपूर्वकम् । अभिषेकं तदा चक्रुर्हरिश्चन्द्रस्य मूर्ध्नि ते
Having reached Ayodhyā on an auspicious day, with proper rites, they then performed the consecration on Hariścandra's head.
अभिषिक्तस्तु तेजस्वी सचिवैश्च नृपाज्ञया । राज्यं चकार धर्मिष्ठः पितरं चिन्तयन्भृशम्
Consecrated by the ministers on the king's command, the radiant one ruled righteously, ever thinking deeply of his father.
त्रिशङ्कुशापोद्धाराय विश्वामित्रसान्त्वनवर्णनम् राजोवाच - हरिश्चन्द्रः कृतो राजा सचिवैर्नृपशासनात् । त्रिशङ्कुस्तु कथं मुक्तस्तस्माच्चाण्डालदेहतः
The king said: Hariścandra was made king by the ministers at the king's command; but how was Triśaṅku freed from the body of an outcaste?
मृतो वा वनमध्ये तु गङ्गातीरे परिप्लुतः । गुरुणा वा कृपां कृत्वा शापात्तस्माद्विमोचितः
Did he die in the forest, washed on the banks of the Gaṅgā, or was he released from the curse by the Guru's compassion?
एतद् वृत्तान्तमखिलं कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । चरितं तस्य नृपतेः श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि सर्वथा
Tell me this entire account before me; I wish to hear all the deeds of that king.
व्यास उवाच - अभिषिक्तं सुतं कृत्वा राजा सन्तुष्टमानसः । कालातिक्रमणं तत्र चकार चिन्तयञ्छिवाम्
Vyāsa said: Having consecrated his son, the king, his mind satisfied, spent his time there, contemplating auspiciousness.
एवं गच्छति काले तु तपस्तप्त्वा समाहितः । द्रष्टुं दारान्सुतादींश्च तदागात्कौशिको मुनिः
As time passed thus, having performed austerities with concentration, the sage Kauśika then came to see his wife, son, and others.
आगत्य स्वजनं दृष्ट्वा सुस्थितं मुदमाप्तवान् । भार्यां पप्रच्छ मेधावी स्थितामग्रे सपर्यया
Arriving and seeing his family well, he felt great joy; the wise one questioned his wife, who stood before him with reverence.
दुर्भिक्षे तु कथं कालस्तया नीतः सुलोचने । अन्नं विना त्विमे बालाः पालिता केन तद्वद
O fair-eyed one, how did you pass the time during the famine? Tell me, by whom were these children cared for without food?