हरिश्चन्द्रस्य जलोदरव्याधिप्राप्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - प्रवृत्ते सदने तस्य राज्ञः पुत्रमहोत्सवे । आजगाम तदा पाशी विप्रवेषधरः शुभः
Vyāsa said: As the king's festival for his son's birth began in his palace, a noble one arrived, bearing the guise of a Brāhmaṇa and holding a noose.
स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा नृपं प्राह वरुणोऽहं निशामय । पुत्रो जातस्तवाधीश यजानेन नृपाशु माम्
He said 'Blessings!' and addressed the king: 'Know that I am Varuṇa. Your son has been born, O ruler; now perform a sacrifice for me without delay.'
सत्यं कुरु वचो राजन् यत्प्रोक्तं भवतः पुरा । वन्ध्यत्वं तु गतं तेऽद्य वरदानेन मे किल
Fulfill your promise, O king, as you once declared; your barrenness has ended today by my boon.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा चिन्तां चकार ह । कथं हन्मि सुतं जातं जलजेन समाननम्
Hearing these words, the king fell into thought: 'How can I slay my newborn son, who is equal to a lotus?'
लोकपालः समायातो विप्रवेषेण वीर्यवान् । न देवहेलनं कार्यं सर्वथा शुभमिच्छता
The guardian of the world has come, powerful, in the form of a Brāhmaṇa; one who desires auspiciousness should never disrespect the gods.
पुत्रस्नेहः सुदुश्छेद्यः सर्वथा प्राणिभिः सदा । किं करोमि कथं मे स्यात्सुखं सन्ततिसम्भवम्
The love for one's son is extremely difficult to sever for all living beings; what should I do, and how can I have happiness with my offspring?
धैर्यमालम्ब्य भूपालस्तं नत्वा प्रतिपूज्य च । उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं युक्तं विनयपूर्वकम्
The king, gathering courage, bowed and honored him, then spoke gentle words, appropriate and full of humility.
राजोवाच - देवदेव तवानुज्ञां करोमि करुणानिधे । वेदोक्तेन विधानेन मखं च बहुदक्षिणम्
The king said: 'Lord of gods, I will act according to your permission, O ocean of compassion; I will perform a sacrifice with many gifts, as prescribed in the Vedas.'
पुत्रे जाते दशाहेन कर्मयोग्यो भवेत्पिता । मासेन शुध्येज्जननी दम्पती तत्र कारणम्
When a son is born, the father becomes fit for ritual after ten days; the mother is purified in a month—such is the reason for the couple.
सर्वज्ञोऽसि प्रचेतस्त्वं धर्मं जानासि शाश्वतम् । कृपां कुरु त्वं वारीश क्षमस्व परमेश्वर
You are all-knowing, O Pracetā, and you understand eternal dharma; show mercy, O lord of waters, forgive me, O supreme lord.
व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तस्तु प्रचेतास्तं प्रत्युवाच जनाधिपम् । स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि कुरु कार्याणि पार्थिव
Vyāsa said: Thus addressed, Pracetā replied to the king: 'Blessings to you! I will depart; fulfill your duties, O ruler.'
आगमिष्यामि मासान्ते यष्टव्यं सर्वथा त्वया । कृत्वौत्थानिकमाचारं पुत्रस्य नृपसत्तम
'I will return at the end of the month; you must perform the sacrifice then, O best of kings, after completing the purificatory rites for your son.'
इत्युक्त्वा श्लक्ष्णया वाचा राजानं यादसां पतिः । हरिश्चन्द्रो मुदं प्राप गते पाशिनि पार्थिवः
Having spoken these gentle words, the lord of the waters departed from the king; Hariścandra rejoiced after the noose-holder had gone.
कोटिशः प्रददौ गास्ता घटोध्नीर्हेमपूरिताः । विप्रेभ्यो वेदविद्भ्यश्च तथैव तिलपर्वतान्
He gave away cows by the millions, pots filled with gold, and mountains of sesame seeds to Brāhmaṇas and Vedic scholars.
राजा पुत्रमुखं दृष्ट्वा सुखमाप महत्तरम् । नामास्य रोहितश्चेति चकार विधिपूर्वकम्
The king, seeing his son's face, experienced immense happiness; he named him Rohita, following the prescribed rites.
पूर्णे मासे ततः पाशी विप्रवेषेण भूपतेः । आजगाम गृहे सद्यो यजस्वेति ब्रुवन्मुहुः
When the month was complete, the noose-holder, disguised as a Brāhmaṇa, came at once to the king's house, repeatedly saying, 'Sacrifice now!'
वीक्ष्य तं नृपतिर्देवं निमग्नः शोकसागरे । प्रणिपत्य कृतातिथ्यं तमुवाच कृताञ्जलिः
Seeing that god, the king, submerged in an ocean of sorrow, bowed down, offered hospitality, and spoke with joined palms.
दिष्ट्या देव त्वमायातो गृहं मे पावितं प्रभो । मखं करोमि वारीश विधिवद्वाञ्छितं तव
By good fortune, O Lord, you have come—my house is purified, O Master. I shall perform the sacrifice, O Lord of Waters, as you desire and according to the proper rites.
अदन्तो न पशुः श्लाघ्य इत्याहुर्वेदवादिनः । तस्माद्दन्तोद्भवे तेऽहं करिष्यामि महामखम्
The Vedic scholars say that a toothless animal is not fit for sacrifice; therefore, when the teeth emerge, I will perform the great sacrifice for you.
व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तस्तेन वरुणस्तथेत्युक्त्वा ययावथ । हरिश्चन्द्रो मुदं प्राप्य विजहार गृहाश्रमे
Vyasa said: Thus addressed, Varuna replied, 'So be it,' and departed; Harishchandra, filled with joy, dwelled happily in his household.
पुनर्दन्तोद्भवं ज्ञात्वा प्रचेता द्विजरूपवान् । आजगाम गृहे तस्य कुरु कार्यमिति ब्रुवन्
Again, knowing the teeth had emerged, Varuna, taking the form of a Brahmin, came to his house, saying, 'Now fulfill your promise.'
भूपालोऽपि जलाधीशं वीक्ष्य प्राप्तं द्विजाकृतिम् । प्रणम्यासनसम्मानैः पूजयामास सादरम्
The king, seeing the Lord of Waters arrived in the form of a Brahmin, bowed and respectfully worshipped him with seat and honors.
स्तुत्वा प्रोवाच वचनं विनयानतकन्धरः । करोमि विधिवत्कामं मखं प्रबलदक्षिणम्
Having praised him, with head bowed in humility, he spoke: 'I will perform the desired sacrifice with proper rites and abundant gifts.'
बालोऽप्यकृतचौलोऽयं गर्भकेशो न सम्मतः । यज्ञार्थे पशुकरणे मया वृद्धमुखाच्छ्रुतम्
This boy is still uninitiated, his birth hair not yet removed; he is not approved for sacrifice as an animal—I have heard this from the elders.
तावत्क्षमस्व वारीश विधिं जानासि शाश्वतम् । कर्तव्यः सर्वथा यज्ञो मुण्डनान्ते शिशोः किल
Therefore, forgive me, O Lord of Waters; you know the eternal ordinance. The sacrifice must be performed only after the child’s head is shaved.
तस्येति वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रचेताः प्राह तं पुनः । प्रतारयसि मां राजन् पुनः पुनरिदं ब्रुवन्
Hearing this speech, Varuna again said to him: 'You are deceiving me, O King, repeating this again and again.'
अपि ते सर्वसामग्री वर्तते नृपतेऽधुना । पुत्रस्नेहनिबद्धस्त्वं वञ्चयस्येव साम्प्रतम्
'Do you now possess all the necessary materials, O King? Bound by affection for your son, you seem to be deceiving me at this time.'
क्षौरकर्मविधिं कृत्वा न कर्तासि मखं यदि । तदाहं दारुणं शापं दास्ये कोपसमन्वितः
'If, after performing the shaving ceremony, you do not carry out the sacrifice, then, filled with anger, I will pronounce a terrible curse upon you.'
अद्य गच्छामि राजेन्द्र वचनात्तव मानद । न मृषा वचनं कार्यं त्वयेक्ष्वाकुकुलोद्भव
'Today I depart, O King, at your word, O giver of honor. Let your promise not be false, O scion of the Ikshvaku line.'
इत्याभाष्य ययावाशु प्रचेता नृपतेर्गृहात् । राजा परमसन्तुष्टो ननन्द भवने तदा
Having spoken thus, Varuna swiftly departed from the king’s house; the king was exceedingly pleased and rejoiced in his palace.