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.
निर्गत्य नगरात्तस्माद्विश्वामित्रः क्षितीश्वरम् । गच्छन्तं तमुवाचेदं समेत्य निष्ठुरं वचः
Viśvāmitra, having left the city, approached the king as he was departing, and spoke these harsh words.
दक्षिणायाः सुवर्णं मे दत्त्वा गच्छ नराधिप । नाहं दास्यामि वा ब्रूहि मया त्यक्तं सुवर्णकम्
Give me the gold for the fee and then depart, O king; or say, 'I will not give it,' for I have renounced the gold.
राज्यं गृहाण वा सर्वं लोभश्चेद्धृति वर्तते । दत्तं चेन्मन्यसे राजन् देहि यत्तत्प्रतिश्रुतम्
Take the entire kingdom if greed persists; if you consider it given, O king, then give what you have promised.
एवं ब्रुवन्तं गाधेयं हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । प्रणिपत्य सुदीनात्मा कृताञ्जलिपुटोऽब्रवीत्
To Gādheya, who was speaking thus, Hariścandra, the king, bowed, his heart deeply afflicted, and with folded hands spoke.
हरिश्चन्द्रोपाख्यानवर्णनम् हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - अदत्त्वा ते हिरण्यं वै न करिष्यामि भोजनम् । प्रतिज्ञा मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ विषादं त्यज सुव्रत
Hariścandra said: Without giving you the gold, I will not eat, O best of sages. This is my vow, O steadfast one; cast away your sorrow.
सूर्यवंशसमुद्भूतः क्षत्रियोऽहं महीपतिः । राजसूयस्य यज्ञस्य कर्ता वाञ्छितदो नृषु
I am a Kshatriya, a king born of the Solar dynasty, the performer of the Rājasūya sacrifice, and one desired by people.
कथं करोमि नाकारं स्वामिन्दत्त्वा यदृच्छया । अवश्यमेव दातव्यमृणं ते द्विजसत्तम
How could I, having accepted from you, fail to act? By all means, your debt must be repaid, O best of twice-born.
स्वस्थो भव प्रदास्यामि सुवर्णं मनसेप्सितम् । कञ्चित्कालं प्रतीक्षस्व यावत्प्राप्स्याम्यहं धनम्
Be at ease; I will give you the gold you desire. Wait for a while until I obtain the wealth.
विश्वामित्र उवाच - कुतस्ते भविता राजन् धनप्राप्तिरतः परम् । गतं राज्यं तथा कोशो बलं चैवार्थसाधनम्
Viśvāmitra said: From where, O king, will you now obtain wealth? Your kingdom is lost, as are your treasury and your means of acquiring riches.
वृथाशा ते महीपाल धनार्थे किं करोम्यहम् । निर्धनं त्वां च लोभेन पीडयामि कथं नृप
Your hope for wealth is in vain, O ruler. What can I do? How can I torment you, who are destitute, out of greed?