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.'
यदिच्छसि महाभाग तत्ते दास्यामि साम्प्रतम् । गावो भूमिर्हिरण्यं च गजाश्वरथवाहनम्
O greatly fortunate one, whatever you desire, I will now give to you—cows, land, gold, elephants, horses, chariots, or vehicles.
नादेयं मे किमप्यस्ति कृतमेतद्व्रतं पुरा । राजसूये मखश्रेष्ठे मुनीनां सन्निधावपि
There is nothing that I would withhold from you; I have long ago performed this vow, even at the great Rājasūya sacrifice in the presence of sages.
तस्मात्त्वमिह सम्प्ताप्तस्तीर्थेऽस्मिन्प्रवरे मुने । यत्तेऽस्ति वाञ्छितं ब्रूहि ददामि अव वाञ्छितम्
Therefore, O sage, you have come here to this most excellent holy place; speak whatever you desire, and I will grant it, whether it is wished for or not.
विश्वामित्र उवाच - मया पूर्वं श्रुता राजन् कीर्तिस्ते विपुला भुवि । वसिष्ठेन च सम्प्रोक्ता दाता नास्ति महीतले
Viśvāmitra said: O King, I have previously heard of your widespread fame on earth; Vasiṣṭha also declared that there is no greater giver upon the earth.
हरिश्चन्द्रो नृपश्रेष्ठः सूर्यवंशे महीपतिः । तादृशो नृपतिर्दाता न भूतो न भविष्यति
Hariścandra, the best of kings, lord of the Solar dynasty, such a generous king has never existed, nor will there ever be one.
पृथिव्यां परमोदारस्त्रिशङ्कुतनयो यथा । अतस्त्वां प्रार्थयाम्यद्य विवाहो मेऽस्ति पार्थिवः
On earth, none is more magnanimous than Triśaṅku’s son; therefore, O King, I request you today—my son’s marriage is at hand.
पुत्रस्य च महाभाग तदर्थं देहि मे धनम् । राजोवाच - विवाहं कुरु विप्रेन्द्र ददामि प्रार्थितं तव
O greatly fortunate one, for that purpose, grant me wealth for my son; The King said: Perform the marriage, O foremost of Brahmins, I will give what you request.
यदिच्छसि धनं कामं दाता तस्यामि निश्चितम् । व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तः कौशिकस्तेन वञ्चनातत्परो मुनिः
Whatever wealth you desire, I will certainly give; Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by him, the sage Kauśika, intent on deception—
उद्भाव्य मायां गान्धर्वीं पार्थिवायाप्यदर्शयत् । कुमारः सुकामारश्च कन्या च दशवार्षिकी
Conjured a magical illusion and showed it to the king: a boy, a handsome youth, and a maiden of ten years.
एतयोः कार्यमप्यद्य कर्तव्यं नृपसत्तम । राजसूयाधिकं पुण्यं गृहस्थस्य विवाहतः
O best of kings, today the marriage of these two must be performed; for a householder, marriage brings merit greater than the Rājasūya sacrifice.