विश्वामित्रस्तु जग्राह तं करे दक्षिणे तदा । एहि पुत्र गृहं मे त्वमित्युक्त्वा प्रेमपूरितः
Viśvāmitra then took him by the right hand, saying, 'Come, my son, to my house,' his heart overflowing with affection.
शुनःशेपो जगामाशु तेनैव सह सत्वरः । वरुणस्तु प्रसन्नात्मा जगाम च स्वमालयम्
Śunaḥśepa quickly departed together with him; Varuṇa, his mind at ease, returned to his own abode.
ऋत्विजश्च तथा सभ्याः स्वगृहान्निर्ययुस्तदा । राजापि रोगनिर्मुक्तो बभूवातिमुदान्वितः
The priests and the assembly members also left for their own homes at that time; the king, freed from illness, became filled with great joy.
प्रजास्तु पालयामास सुप्रसन्नेन चेतसा । रोहिताख्यस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वृत्तान्तं वरुणस्य ह
He protected his subjects with a mind made thoroughly happy; Rohita, hearing of Varuṇa's affair,
आजगाम गृहं प्रीतो दुर्गमाद्वनपर्वतात् । दूता राजानमभ्येत्य प्रोचुः पुत्रं समागतम्
came home, delighted, from the difficult forest and mountains; messengers approached the king and announced that his son had returned.
मुदितोऽसौ जगामाशु सम्मुखः कोसलाधिपः । दृष्ट्वा पितरमायान्तं प्रेमोद्रिक्तः सुसम्भ्रमः
Joyful, the lord of Kosala hurried forward; seeing his father approaching, he was overwhelmed with love and reverence.
दण्डवत्पतितो भूमावश्रुपूर्णमुखः शुचा । राजापि तं समुत्थाप्य परिरभ्य मुदान्वितः
He fell prostrate on the ground, his face filled with tears of sorrow; the king raised him up, embraced him, and was filled with happiness.
तमाघ्राय सुतं मूर्ध्नि पप्रच्छ कुशलं पुनः । उत्सङ्गे तं समारोप्य मुदितो मेदिनीपतिः
Smelling his son's head, he again inquired about his well-being; the delighted lord of the land seated him on his lap.
उष्णैर्नेत्रजलैः शीर्षण्यभिषेकमथाकरोत् । राज्यं शशास तेनासौ पुत्रेणातिप्रियेण च
He then performed an ablution on his head with warm tears from his eyes; together with his beloved son, he ruled the kingdom.
वृत्तान्तं नरमेधस्य कथयामास विस्तरात् । राजसूयं क्रतुवरं चकार नृपसत्तमः
He narrated in detail the story of the human sacrifice; the foremost king performed the great Rājasūya sacrifice.
वसिष्ठं पूजयित्वाथ होतारमकरोद्विभुः । समाप्ते त्वथ यज्ञेशे वसिष्ठोऽतीव पूजितः
After honoring Vasiṣṭha, the lord made him the chief priest; when the sacrifice was completed, Vasiṣṭha was greatly honored.
शक्रस्य सदनं रम्यं जगाम मुनिरादरात् । विश्वामित्रोऽपि तत्रैव वसिष्ठेन च सङ्गतः
The sage, with respect, went to the splendid abode of Śakra; Viśvāmitra also joined there with Vasiṣṭha.
मिलित्वा तौ स्थितौ देवसदने मुनिसत्तम । विश्वामित्रोऽपि पप्रच्छ वसिष्ठं प्रतिपूजितम्
Having met, those two eminent sages remained in the divine abode; Viśvāmitra, after honoring Vasiṣṭha, questioned him.
वीक्ष्य विस्मयचित्तस्तं सभायां तु शचीपतेः । विश्वामित्र उवाच - क्वेयं पूजा त्वया प्राप्ता महती मुनिसत्तम
Seeing him in the assembly of Śacī's lord, his mind filled with wonder, Viśvāmitra spoke: 'How did you receive such great honor, O eminent sage?'
कृता केन महाभाग सत्यं ब्रूहि ममान्तिके । वसिष्ठ उवाच - यजमानोऽस्ति मे राजा हरिश्चन्द्रः प्रतापवान्
'By whom was it done, O most fortunate one? Tell me the truth in my presence.' Vasiṣṭha said: 'I have a king as my sacrificer, Hariścandra, renowned for his prowess.'
राजसूयः कृतस्तेन राज्ञा प्रवरदक्षिणः । नेदृशोऽस्ति नृपश्चान्यः सत्यवादी धृतव्रतः
'He performed the Rājasūya, the supreme sacrifice, giving excellent gifts; there is no other king like him, truthful and steadfast in vows.'
दाता च धर्मशीलश्च प्रजारञ्जनतत्परः । तस्य यज्ञे मया पूजा प्राप्ता कौशिकनन्दन
'He is generous, righteous, and devoted to pleasing his subjects; in his sacrifice, I received honor, O son of Kauśika.'
[ किं पृच्छसि पुनः सत्यं ब्रवीम्यकृत्रिमं द्विज ] हरिश्चन्द्रसमो राजा न भूतो न भविष्यति । सत्यवादी तथा दाता शूरः परमधार्मिकः
'Why do you ask again? I speak the truth, without embellishment, O twice-born. A king equal to Hariścandra has never been nor will ever be; he is truthful, generous, heroic, and supremely righteous.'
व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोऽतिकोपनः । बभूव क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनोऽप्यब्रवीच्च तम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words, Viśvāmitra, greatly enraged, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke to him.
विश्वामित्र उवाच एवं स्तौषि नृपं मिथ्यावादिनं कपटप्रियम् । वञ्चितो वरुणो येन प्रतिश्रुत्य वरं पुनः
Viśvāmitra said: Thus you praise the king, who speaks falsely and delights in deceit, by whom Varuṇa was deceived after promising a boon.
मम जन्मार्जितं पुण्यं तपसः पठितस्य च । त्वदीयं वातितपसो ग्लहं कुरु महामते
The merit I have accumulated from birth and through ascetic practice and study—O wise one, wager your own merit earned by austerity against mine.
अहं चेत्तं नृपं सद्यो न करोम्यतिसंस्तुतम् । असत्यवादिनं काममदातारं महाखलम्
If I do not immediately bring down this king, who is excessively praised, a liar, a giver of desires, and a great villain—
आजन्मसञ्चितं सर्वं पुण्यं मम विनश्यतु । अन्यथा त्वत्कृतं सर्वं पुण्यं त्विति पणावहे
Let all the merit I have gathered since birth be destroyed; otherwise, let all the merit you have gained be forfeited—let this be our wager.
ग्लहं कृत्वा ततस्तौ तु विवदन्तौ मुनी तदा । स्वाश्रमं स्वर्गलोकाच्च गतौ परमकोपनौ
Having made the wager, the two sages, quarreling, departed in great anger to their own hermitages and heavenly realms.
हरिश्चन्द्रद्वारा वृद्धब्राह्मणाय धनदानप्रतिज्ञावर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - कदाचित्तु हरिश्चन्द्रो मृगयार्थं वनं ययौ । अपश्यद्रुदतीं बालां सुन्दरीं चारुलोचनाम्
Vyāsa said: Once, Hariścandra went to the forest for hunting and saw a crying young girl, beautiful and with lovely eyes.
तामपृच्छन्महाराजझ् कामिनीं करुणापरः । पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षि किं रोदिषि वरानने
The compassionate king asked her, desiring to help: 'O wide-eyed one, lotus-eyed, why are you crying, beautiful-faced?'
केनासि पीडितात्यर्थं किं ते दुःखं वदाशु मे । काच त्वं विजने घोरे कस्ते भर्ता पिताथवा
'Who has caused you such distress? Tell me quickly what sorrow afflicts you. Who are you in this dreadful wilderness—who is your husband or father?'
न बाधते च राज्ये मे राक्षसोऽपि पराङ्गनाम् । तं हन्मि तरसा कान्ते यस्त्वां सुन्दरि बाधते
'Not even a demon disturbs women in my kingdom. Whoever troubles you, O beautiful one, I will swiftly slay him.'
ब्रूहि दुःखं वरारोहे स्वस्था भव कृशोदरि । विषये मम पापात्मा न तिष्ठति सुमध्यमे
'Tell me your sorrow, O lovely one, be at ease, slender-waisted. In my realm, no evil soul remains, O fair-waisted.'
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारी तमब्रवीन्नृपम् । प्रमृज्याश्रूणि वदनाद्धरिश्चन्द्रं नृपोत्तमम्
Hearing his words, the woman wiped her tears from her face and spoke to Hariścandra, the foremost king.