ब्रूहि कियद्धनं तुभ्यं देयं स्वामिन् मयाधुना । दक्षिणानिष्क्रयं साधो वद तावत्प्रमाणकम्
Tell me, master, how much wealth should I now give you; O virtuous one, state the proper measure for the reward, which is not to be bargained.
दानपूर्त्यै प्रदास्यामि स्वस्थो ब् हव तपोधन । विश्वामित्रस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा तमाह मेदिनीपतिम्
For the completion of the donation, I will give; be at ease, O ascetic, remain tranquil; then Viśvāmitra, hearing this, spoke to the king.
हेमभारद्वयं सार्धं दक्षिणां देहि साम्प्रतम् । दास्यामीति प्रतिश्रुत्य तस्मै राजातिविस्मितः
Give now as reward one and a half loads of gold; the king, greatly astonished, promised to give this to him.
तदैव सैनिकास्तस्य वीक्षमाणाः समागताः । दृष्ट्वा महीपतिं व्यग्रं तुष्टुवुस्ते मुदान्विताः
At that moment, his soldiers, watching, gathered together; seeing the king busy, they joyfully praised him.
व्यास उवाच - श्रुत्वा तेषां वचो राजा नोक्त्वा किञ्चिच्छुभाशुभम् । चिन्तयन्स्वकृतं कर्म ययावन्तःपुरे ततः
Vyāsa said: Hearing their words, the king spoke nothing, neither auspicious nor inauspicious; reflecting on his own actions, he then went into the inner palace.
किं मया स्वीकृतं दानं सर्वस्वं यत्समर्पितम् । वञ्चितोऽहं द्विजेनात्र वने पाटच्चरैरिव
What donation have I accepted, all that I have offered; I have been deceived here by the twice-born, like by robbers in the forest.
राज्यं सोपस्करं तस्मै मया सर्वं रतिश्रुतम् । भारद्वयं सुवर्णस्य सार्धं च दक्षिणा पुनः
I have promised him my entire kingdom with its possessions; and again, as reward, one and a half loads of gold.
किं करोमि मतिर्भ्रष्टा न ज्ञातं कपटं मुनेः । प्रतारितोऽहं सहसा ब्राह्मणेन तपस्विना
What shall I do? My mind is confused; I did not recognize the sage's deception; I have been suddenly tricked by the ascetic brāhmaṇa.
न जाने दैवकार्यं वै हा दैव किं भविष्यति । इति चिन्तापरो राजा गृहं प्राप्तोऽतिविह्वलः
I do not know what fate will bring; alas, what will happen by destiny? Thus, full of anxiety, the king reached his home, greatly distressed.
पतिं चिन्तापरं दृष्त्वा राज्ञी पप्रच्छ कारणम् । किं प्रभो विमना भासि का चिन्ता ब्रूहि साम्प्रतम्
Seeing her husband overwhelmed by worry, the queen asked the reason: 'Why, lord, do you appear troubled? What is the concern? Tell me now.'
वनात्पुत्रः समायातो राजसूयः कृतः पुरा । कस्माच्छोचसि राजेन्द्र शोकस्य कारणं वद
Your son has returned from the forest; the rājasūya was performed before; why do you grieve, O King? Tell me the cause of your sorrow.
नारातिर्विद्यते क्वापि बलवान्दुर्बलोऽपि वा । वरुणोऽपि सुसन्तुष्टः कृतकृत्योऽसि भूतले
There is no enemy anywhere, whether strong or weak; even Varuṇa is well pleased; you have accomplished your duties on earth.
विन्तया क्षीयते देहो नास्ति चिन्तासमा मृतिः । त्यज्यतां नृपशार्दूल स्वस्थो भव विचक्षण
By worry, the body is worn away; there is no death equal to anxiety; abandon it, O tiger among kings, be at ease and wise.
तन्निशम्य प्रियावाक्यं प्रीतिपूर्वं नराधिपः । प्रोवाच किञ्चिच्चिन्तायाः कारणं च शुभाशुभम्
Hearing his beloved's words, the king, with affection, spoke a little about the cause of his worry, both auspicious and inauspicious.
भोजनं न चकाराऽसौ चिन्ताविष्टस्तथा नृपः । सुप्त्वापि शयने शुभ्रे लेभे निद्रां न भूमिपः
The king, absorbed in worry, did not eat; even lying on a clean bed, he did not obtain sleep.
प्रातरुत्थाय चिन्तार्तो यावत्सन्ध्यादिकाः क्रियाः । करोति नृपतिस्तावद्विश्वामित्रः समागतः
Rising early, afflicted by worry, as long as the king performed the morning and other rites, Viśvāmitra arrived.
क्षत्रा निवेदितो राज्ञे मुनिः सर्वस्वहारकः । आगत्योवाच राजानं प्रणमन्तं पुनः पुनः
The sage, who had surrendered all his possessions to the king, approached and spoke to the king, bowing repeatedly.
विश्वामित्र उवाच - राजंस्त्यज स्वराज्यं मे देहि वाचा प्रतिश्रुतम् । सुवर्णं स्पृश राजेन्द्र सत्यवाग्भव साम्प्रतम्
Viśvāmitra said: O king, renounce your sovereignty and grant me your promise in words. Touch the gold, O king, and become truthful at this moment.
हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - स्वामिन् राज्यं तवेदं मे मया दत्तं किलाधुना । त्यक्त्वान्यत्र गमिष्यामि मा चिन्ता कुरु कौशिक
Hariścandra said: Master, this kingdom is yours; I have now given it to you. Having relinquished it, I will go elsewhere; do not worry, O Kauśika.
सर्वस्वं मम ते ब्रह्मन् गृहीतं विधिवद्विभो । सुवर्णदक्षिणां दातुमशक्तोऽस्म्यधुना द्विज
All my possessions have been taken by you, O Brahman, according to proper procedure, O lord. I am now unable to give the golden fee, O twice-born.
दानं ददामि ते तावद्यावन्मे स्याद्धनागमः । पुनश्चेत्कालयोगेन तदा दास्यामि दक्षिणाम्
I will give you the donation as soon as I obtain wealth; if, by the arrangement of time, I acquire it again, then I will give the fee.
इत्युक्त्वा नृपतिः प्राह पुत्रं भार्यां च माधवीम् । राज्यमस्मै प्रदत्तं वै मया वेद्यां सुविस्तरम्
Having spoken thus, the king addressed his son and his wife Mādhavī: The kingdom has been given to him by me; let this be known in detail.
हस्त्यश्वरथसंयुक्तं रत्नहेमसमन्वितम् । त्यक्त्वा त्रीणि शरीराणि सर्वं चास्मै समर्पितम्
Having abandoned everything—elephants, horses, chariots, adorned with jewels and gold, and even three bodies—he offered all to him.
त्यक्त्वायोध्यां गमिष्यामि कुत्रचिद्वनगह्वरे गृह्णात्विदं मुनिः सम्यग्राज्यं सर्वसमृद्धिमत्
Having left Ayodhyā, I will go somewhere into a forest thicket; the sage rightly receives this kingdom, full of all prosperity.
इत्याभाष्य सुतं भार्यां हरिश्चन्द्रः स्वमन्दिरात् । विनिर्गतः सुधर्मात्मा मानयंस्तं द्विजोत्तमम्
Having spoken thus to his son and wife, Hariścandra, righteous in nature, departed from his own palace, honoring that foremost Brahman.
व्रजन्तं भूपतिं वीक्ष्य भार्यापुत्रावुभावपि । चिन्तातुरौ सुदीनास्यौ जग्मतुः पृष्ठतस्तदा
Seeing the king departing, both his wife and son, distressed and with sorrowful faces, followed behind him.
हाहाकारो महानासीन्नगरे वीक्ष्य तांस्तथा । चुक्रुशुः प्राणिनः सर्वे साकेतपुरवासिनः
A great cry arose in the city upon seeing them thus; all the inhabitants of Sāketa city lamented.
हा राजन् किं कृतं कर्म कुतः क्लेशः समागतः । वञ्चितोऽसि महाराज विधिनापण्डितेन ह
Alas, O king, what deed has been done? From where has this suffering come? You have been deceived, O great king, by a learned one through fate.
सर्वे वर्णास्तदा दुःखमाप्नुयुस्तं महीपतिम् । विलोक्य भार्यया सार्धं पुत्रेण च महात्मना
All the castes then experienced sorrow upon seeing that great-souled king with his wife and son.
निनिन्दुर्ब्राह्मणं तं तु दुराचारं पुरौकसः । धूर्तोऽयमिति भाषन्तो दुःखार्ता ब्राह्मणादयः
The citizens condemned that Brahman as wicked in conduct, saying, 'He is a rogue,' distressed, Brahmans and others spoke thus.