तमायान्तं समालोक्य वराहं विकृताननम् । मुमोच विशिखं तस्मिन्हन्तुकामो महीपतिः
Observing the approaching boar with a deformed face, the king, desiring to slay it, released an arrow at it.
गच्छन्तं तं समालोक्य राजा कोपसमन्वितः । मुमोच विशिखांस्तीक्ष्णांश्चापमाकृष्य यत्नतः
Seeing it moving away, the king, filled with rage, carefully drew his bow and released sharp arrows.
क्षणं दृष्टिपथं राज्ञः क्षणं चादर्शनं गतः । कुर्वन्बहुविधारावं सूकरं समुपाद्रवत्
For a moment within the king's sight, and then vanishing from view, the boar, making many kinds of loud noises, rushed onward.
हरिश्चन्द्रोऽतिकुपितो मृगस्यानुजगाम ह । अश्वेन वायुवेगेन विकृष्य च शरासनम्
Harishchandra, greatly enraged, pursued the animal on horseback with the speed of the wind, drawing his bow.
इतस्ततस्तः सैन्यमगमच्च वनान्तरम् । एकाकी नृपतिः कोलं व्रजन्तं समुपाद्रवत्
Here and there the army entered the depths of the forest, but the king, now alone, pursued the boar as it went.
मध्याह्नसमये राजा सम्प्राप्तो विजने वने । तृषितः क्षुधितोऽत्यर्थं बभूव श्रान्तवाहनः
At midday, the king arrived in a deserted part of the forest, extremely thirsty, hungry, and with his mount exhausted.
सूकरोऽदर्शनं प्राप्तो राजा चिन्तातुरोऽभवत् । मार्गभ्रष्टोऽतिविपिने दारुणे दीनवत्स्थितः
The boar disappeared from sight, and the king, troubled with anxiety, stood lost in that dreadful, pathless wilderness.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि न सहायोऽस्ति मे वने । अज्ञातस्वपथः कुत्र व्रजामीति व्यचिन्तयत्
He thought, 'What shall I do? Where shall I go? I have no companion in this forest. Not knowing my way, where should I proceed?'
एवं विन्तयतस्तत्र विपिने जनवर्जिते । राज्ञा चिन्तातुरोऽपश्यन्नदीं सुविमलोदकाम्
As the king, anxious, pondered thus in that deserted forest, he saw a river with very pure water.
वीक्ष्य तां मुदितो राजा पाययित्वा तुरङ्गकम् । अश्वादुत्तेर्य विमलं पपौ पानीयमुत्तमम्
Seeing it, the delighted king let his horse drink, then dismounted and drank the excellent, clear water himself.
जलं पीत्वा नृपस्तत्र सुखमाप महीपतिः । इत्येष नगरं गन्तुं दिग्भ्रमेणातिमोहितः
Having drunk the water, the king felt comfort there, but, thoroughly bewildered, he wandered aimlessly, unable to find his way back to the city.
विश्वामित्रस्तु सम्प्राप्तो वृद्धब्राह्मणरूपधृक् । ननाम वीक्ष्य राजा तं प्रीतिपूर्वं द्विजोत्तमम्
Then Vishvamitra arrived, taking the form of an aged Brahmin; seeing him, the king respectfully greeted that best of twice-born.
तमुवाच गाधिराजः प्रणमन्तं नृपोत्तमम् । स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाराज किमर्थमिह चागतः
King Gadhi addressed the noble king, who was bowing before him: 'May all be well with you, great king. For what purpose have you come here?'
एकाकी विजने राजन् किं चिकीर्षितमत्र ते । ब्रूहि सर्वं स्थिरो भूत्वा कारणं नृपसत्तम
'Alone in this desolate place, O king, what is it that you intend to do here? Tell me everything, remaining steady, O best of kings, and state your reason.'
राजोवाच - सूकरोऽतिमहाकायो बलवान्पुष्पकाननम् । समुपेत्य ममर्दाशु कोमलान्पुष्पपादपान्
The king said: 'A boar of immense size and great strength entered the flower garden and quickly destroyed the tender flowering trees.'
तं निवारयितुं दुष्टं करे कृत्वा च कार्मुकम् । ससैन्योऽहं स्वनगरान्निर्गतो मुनिसत्तम
'To drive away that wicked beast, taking my bow in hand, I set out from my city with my army, O best of sages.'
गतोऽसौ दृक्पथात्पापो मायावी क्वापि वेगवान् । पृष्ठतोऽहमपि प्राप्तः सैन्यं क्वापि गतं मम
'That sinful, deceitful, and swift creature vanished from my sight; I followed behind, but my army went somewhere else.'
क्षुधितस्तृषितश्चाहं सैन्यभ्रष्टस्त्विहागतः । न जाने पुरमार्गं च तहा सैन्यगतिं मुने
'Hungry and thirsty, separated from my army, I have come here; I do not know the way to the city, nor where my army has gone, O sage.'
पन्थानं दर्शय विभो व्रजामि नगरं प्रति । ममात्र भाग्ययोगेन प्राप्तस्त्वं विजने वने
'Show me the path, O lord, so that I may proceed to the city; by fortune, I have met you here in this lonely forest.'
अयोध्यादिपतिश्चाहं हरिश्चन्द्रोऽतिविश्रुतः । राजसूयस्य कर्ता च वाञ्छितार्थप्रदः सदा
'I am the ruler of Ayodhya and renowned as Harishchandra, performer of the Rajasuya sacrifice and always the fulfiller of desires.'
धनेच्छा यदि ते ब्रह्मन् यज्ञार्थं द्विजसत्तम । आगन्तव्यमयोध्यायां दास्यामि विपुलं धनम्
'If you desire wealth, O brahmin, for the sake of sacrifice, O best of twice-born, come to Ayodhya and I will give you abundant riches.'
कौशिकाय सर्वस्वसमर्पणं तद्दक्षिणादानवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भूपतेः कौशिको मुनिः । प्रहस्य प्रत्युवाचेदं हरिश्चन्द्रं तथा नृप
Vyasa said: Having heard the words of the king, the sage Kaushika smiled and replied thus to Harishchandra, the king.
राजंस्तीर्थमिदं पुण्यं पावनं पापनाशनम् । स्नानं कुरु महाभाग पितॄणां तर्पणं तथा
'O king, this is a sacred and purifying holy place, a destroyer of sins; bathe here, O highly fortunate one, and offer libations to the ancestors as well.'
कालः शुभतमोऽस्तीह तीर्थे स्नात्वा विशांपते । दानं ददस्व शक्त्यात्र पुण्यतीर्थेऽतिपावने
'Now is a most auspicious time; after bathing at this holy place, O lord of men, give charity here according to your ability at this supremely pure sacred site.'
प्राप्य तीर्थं महापुण्यमस्नात्वा यस्तु गच्छति । स भवेदात्महा भूय इति स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत्
'One who, having reached this most holy place, departs without bathing, becomes his own enemy—so has Svayambhu declared.'
तस्मात्तीर्थवरे राजन् कुरु पुण्यं स्वशक्तितः । दर्शयिष्यामि मार्गं ते गन्तासि नगरं ततः
'Therefore, O king, at this excellent holy place, perform meritorious acts according to your ability; I will show you the path, and then you will go to the city.'
आगमिष्यामहं मार्गदर्सनार्थं तवानघ । त्वया सहाद्य काकुत्स्थ तव दानेन तोषितः
'I will come to show you the way, O sinless one; today, O descendant of Kakutstha, I will be pleased by your charity, together with you.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा मुनेः कपटमण्डितम् । वासांस्युत्तार्य विधिवत्स्नातुमभ्याययौ नदीम्
Hearing the sage's words, which were adorned with deception, the king removed his garments and approached the river to bathe according to the prescribed rites.
बन्धयित्वा हयं वृक्षे मुनिवाक्येन मोहितः । अवश्यंभावियोगेन तद्वशस्तु तदाभवत्
Tying his horse to a tree, deluded by the sage's words, he became subject to the inevitable fate that was to befall him.
राजा स्नानविधिं कृत्वा सन्तर्प्य पितृदेवताः । विश्वामित्रमुवाचेदं स्वामिन् दानं ददामि ते
The king, having performed the bathing rites and satisfied the ancestors and deities, spoke to Vishvamitra: 'Master, I will give you the charity.'