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.
चूडाकरणकाले तु प्रवृत्ते परमोत्सवे । सम्प्राप्तस्तरसा पाशी भवनं नृपतेः पुनः
When the time for the head-shaving ceremony arrived, and the great festival began, Varuna quickly came again to the king’s palace.
यदाङ्के सुतमादाय राज्ञी नृपतिसन्निधौ । उपविष्टा क्रियाकाले तदैव वरुणोऽभ्यगात्
When the queen, holding her son in her lap, sat in the king’s presence at the time of the rite, Varuna arrived at that very moment.
कुरु कर्मेति विस्पष्टं वचनं कथयन्नृपम् । विप्ररूपधरः श्रीमान् प्रत्यक्ष इव पावकः
Clearly stating, 'Perform the act,' the illustrious Varuna, taking the form of a Brahmin, appeared before the king like fire manifest.
नृपतिस्त्वं समालोक्य बभूवातीव विह्वलः । नमश्चकार तं भीत्या कृताञ्जलिपुटः पुरः
The king, seeing him, became greatly agitated; out of fear, he bowed before him with palms joined in reverence.
विधिवत्पूजयित्वा तं राजोवाच विनीतवान् । स्वामिन् कार्यं करोम्यद्य मखस्य विधिपूर्वकम्
Having worshipped him according to the proper rites, the king spoke humbly: 'Master, today I wish to perform the prescribed ritual for the sacrifice.'
वक्तव्यमस्ति तत्रापि शृणुष्वैकमना विभो । युक्तं चेन्मन्यसे स्वामिंस्तद् ब्रवीमि तवाग्रतः
'There is something further to be said in this matter—listen attentively, O Lord. If you consider it appropriate, Master, I will speak it before you.'
ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यस्त्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः । संस्कृताश्चान्यथा शूद्रा एवं वेदविदो विदुः
'The Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, and Vaiśya—these three castes are twice-born; the rest are Śūdras. Thus knowers of the Veda understand.'
तस्मादयं सुतो मेऽद्य शुद्रवद्वर्तते शिशुः । उपनीतः क्रियार्हः स्यादिति वेदेषु निर्णयः
'Therefore, my son now lives like a Śūdra; but the Vedas declare that, once initiated, he becomes eligible for the rites.'
राज्ञामेकादशे वर्षे सदोपनयनं स्मृतम् । अष्टमे ब्राह्मणानां च वैश्यानां द्वादशे किल
'For kings, the sacred thread ceremony is prescribed in the eleventh year; for Brāhmaṇas in the eighth, and for Vaiśyas in the twelfth, indeed.'
दयसे यदि देवेश दीनं मां सेवकं तव । तदोपनीय कर्तास्मि पशुना यज्ञमुत्तमम्
'If you show compassion, O Lord of the gods, to me, your humble servant, then, having him initiated, I will perform the supreme sacrifice with animals.'
लोकपालोऽसि धर्मज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद । मन्यसे मद्वचः सत्यं तद् गच्छ भवनं विभो
'You are the guardian of the worlds, knower of dharma, and expert in all the scriptures. If you consider my words true, then, O Lord, go to your abode.'
व्यास उवाच - इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दयावान् यादसां पतिः । ओमित्युक्त्वा ययावाशु प्रसन्नवदनो नृपः
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, the compassionate lord of the waters, with a pleased face, said 'Om' and swiftly departed, O King.
गतेऽथ वरुणो राजा बभूवातिमुदान्वितः । सुखं प्राप्य सुतस्यैवं राजा मुदमवाप ह
When Varuṇa had gone, the king became filled with great joy; having attained happiness through his son, the king rejoiced.
चकार राजकार्याणि हरिश्चन्द्रस्तदा नृपः । कालेन व्रजता पुत्रो बभूव दशवार्षिकः
Then King Hariścandra performed his royal duties; as time passed, his son reached the age of ten.
तस्योपवीतसामग्रीं विभूतिसदृशीं नृपः । चकार ब्राह्मणैः शिष्टैरन्वितः सचिवैस्तथा
The king, accompanied by learned Brāhmaṇas and ministers, prepared for his son the sacred thread and other items, all befitting his status.
एकादशे सुतास्याब्दे व्रतबन्धविधौ नृपः । विदधे विधिवत्कार्यं चित्ते चिन्तातुरः पुनः
In his son's eleventh year, at the time of the sacred thread ceremony, the king performed all the prescribed rites, though his mind was again troubled with anxiety.
वर्तमाने तथा कार्ये उपनीते कुमारके । आजगामाथ वरुणो विप्रवेषधरस्तदा
While the ceremony was underway and the boy had been initiated, Varuṇa then arrived, disguised in the form of a Brāhmaṇa.
तं वीक्ष्य नृपतिस्तूर्णं प्रणम्य पुरतः स्थितः । कृताञ्जलिपुटः प्रीतः प्रत्युवाच सुरोत्तमम्
Seeing him, the king quickly bowed and stood before him, palms joined in reverence, and joyfully addressed the best of the gods.
देव दत्तोपवीतोऽयं पशुयोग्योऽस्ति मे सुतः । प्रसादात्तव मे शोको गतो वन्ध्यापवादजः
'O god, my son has now received the sacred thread and is fit for the sacrificial rite; by your grace, the sorrow caused by the reproach of childlessness has left me.'
कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं यज्ञं प्रभूतवरदक्षिणम् । समये शृणु धर्मज्ञ सत्यमद्य ब्रवीम्यहम्
'I wish to perform a sacrifice with abundant gifts and offerings; listen to the appointed time, O knower of dharma, for today I speak the truth.'