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.
नार्युवाच - राजन् मां बाधतेत्यर्थं विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । तपः करोति यद्घोरं मदर्थं कौशिको वने
The woman said: 'O king, Viśvāmitra, the great sage, is troubling me; he performs fierce austerities in the forest for my sake.'
तेनाहं दुःखिता राजन् विषये तव सुव्रत । विद्धि मां कमनां कान्तां पीडितां मुनिना भृशम्
'Because of him, O righteous king, I am distressed in your realm. Know me, O handsome one, as a beloved who is greatly afflicted by the sage.'
राजोवाच - स्वस्था भव विशालाक्षि न ते दुःखं भविष्यति । तमहं वारयिष्यामि मुनिं तापपरायणम्
The king said: 'Be at ease, O wide-eyed one, you shall not suffer. I will restrain that sage, devoted to austerity.'
इत्याश्वास्य स्त्रियं राजा तरसा मुनिसन्निधौ । नत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा तमुवाच महीपतिः
Thus comforting the woman, the king quickly approached the sage, bowed his head, and spoke to him.
स्वामिन्किं क्रियतेऽत्यर्थं तपसा देहपीडनम् । किमर्थं ते समारम्भो ब्रूहि सत्यं महामते
'O master, why do you torment your body with austerity? For what purpose is this effort? Tell me truly, O wise one.'
वाञ्छितं तव गाधेय करोमि सफलं किल । उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ तरसा तपसालमतः परम्
'O descendant of Gādhi, whatever you desire, I shall fulfill it. Arise, arise quickly; enough of this severe austerity.'
विषये मम सर्वज्ञ न कर्तव्यं सुदारुणम् । लोकपीडाकरं घोरं तपः केनापि कर्हिचित्
In my domain, O all-knowing one, no one should ever perform such harsh austerity—never anything dreadful that brings suffering to the people.
इत्थं निषिध्य तं राजा विश्वामित्रं गृहं ययौ । मनसा क्रोधमाधाय गतोऽसौ कौशिको मुनिः
Thus forbidding him, the king returned home, while the sage Kauśika departed, harboring anger in his mind.
स गत्वा चिन्तयामास नृपकृत्यमसाम्प्रतम् । वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं तपसः प्रतिषेधनम्
Having gone, he began to ponder the king’s improper actions and the conversation with Vasiṣṭha regarding the prohibition of austerities.
कोपाविष्टेन मनसा प्रतीकारमथाकरोत् । विचिन्त्य बहुधा चित्ते दानवं घोरविग्रहम्
Filled with wrath in his mind, he devised retaliation, considering in many ways a fierce demon-form.