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?
तस्मात्कथय भूपाल न दास्यामीति साम्प्रतम् । त्यक्त्वाऽऽशां महतीं कामं गच्छाम्यहमतः परम्
Therefore, O king, say now that you will not give. Abandoning my great hope, I will go elsewhere.
यथेष्टं व्रज राजेन्द्र भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः । सुवर्णं नास्ति किं तुभ्यं ददामीति वदाधुना
Go as you wish, O king, with your wife and son. If you have no gold, then say so now.
गच्छन्वाक्यमिदं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणस्य च भूपतिः । प्रत्युवाच मुनिं ब्रह्मन् धैर्यं कुरु ददाम्यहम्
Hearing these words of the Brahmin as he departed, the king replied to the sage: 'Be patient, I will give.'
मम देहोऽस्ति भार्यायाः पुरस्य च ह्यनामयः । क्रीत्वा देहं तु तं नूनमृणं दास्यामि ते द्विज
I have my own body, my wife, and my son, all unharmed. By selling one of these, I will surely pay your debt, O Brahmin.
ग्राहकं पश्य विप्रेन्द्र वाराणस्यां पुरि प्रभो । दासभावं गमिष्यामि सदारोऽहं सपुत्रकः
See, O best of Brahmins, there is a buyer in the city of Vārāṇasī. I will go there with my wife and son and become a servant.
गृहाण काञ्चनं पूर्णं सार्धं भारद्वयं मुने । मौल्येन दत्त्वा सर्वान्नः सन्तुष्टो भव भूधर
Take the full measure of gold, together with the two loads, O sage. Having given all at its price, be satisfied, O mountain-like one.
इति ब्रुवञ्जगामाथ सह पत्न्या सुतान्वितः । उमया कान्तया सार्धं यत्रास्ते शङ्करः स्वयम्
Thus speaking, he went with his wife and son, together with his beloved Umā, to where Śaṅkara himself resides.
तां दृष्ट्वा च पुरीं रम्यां मनसो ह्लादकारिणीम् । उवाच स कृतार्थोऽस्मि पुरीं पश्यन्सुवर्चसम्
Seeing that beautiful city, delightful to the mind, he said, 'I am fulfilled, having seen this splendid city.'
ततो भागीरथीं प्राप्य स्नात्वा देवादितर्पणम् । देवार्चनं च निर्वर्त्य कृतवान् दिग्विलोकनम्
Then, reaching the Bhāgīrathī, he bathed and offered libations to the gods. Having worshipped the deities, he looked in all directions.
प्रविश्य वसुधापालो दिव्यां वाराणसीं पुरीम् । नैषा मनुष्यभुक्तेति शूलपाणेः परिग्रहः
Entering the divine city of Vārāṇasī, the lord of the earth thought, 'This is not enjoyed by mortals; it belongs to the Trident-bearer.'