जगाम पद्भ्यां दुःखार्तः सह पत्न्या समाकुलः । पुरीं प्रविश्य स नृपो विश्वासमकरोत्तदा
Afflicted by sorrow, he went on foot with his troubled wife. Entering the city, the king then found reassurance.
ददृशेऽथ मुनिश्रेष्ठं ब्राह्मणं दक्षिणार्थिनम् । तं दृष्ट्वा समनुप्राप्तं विनयावनतोऽभवत्
There he saw the best of sages, a Brahmin seeking payment. Seeing him approach, Hariścandra became humble and respectful.
प्राह चैवाञ्जलिं कृत्वा हरिश्चन्द्रो महामुनिम् । इमे प्राणाः सुतश्चायं प्रिया पत्नी मुने मम
Harishchandra, with joined palms, spoke to the great sage: 'Here are my very life, this son, and my beloved wife, O sage.'
येन ते कृत्यमस्त्याशु गृहाणाद्य द्विजोत्तम । यच्चान्यत्कार्यमस्माभिस्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
'Whatever you require, O best of twice-born, please accept it today without delay. And if there is anything else to be done by us, you should tell me that as well.'
विश्वामित्र उवाच - पूर्णः स मासो भद्रं ते दीयतां मम दक्षिणा । पूर्वं तस्य निमित्तं हि स्मर्यते स्ववचो यदि
Vishvamitra said: 'The month is now complete; may all be well with you. Give me my due reward. For this was agreed upon before, if you remember your own words.'
राजोवाच - ब्रह्मन्नाद्यापि सम्पूर्णो मासो ज्ञानतपोबल । तिष्ठत्येकदिनार्धं यत्तप्रतीक्षस्व नापरम्
The king said: 'O Brahmin, by the power of knowledge and austerity, the month is not yet fully complete; only a day and a half remain. Please wait for that, nothing more.'
विश्वामित्र उवाच - एवमस्तु महाराज आगमिष्याम्यहं पुनः । शापं तव प्रदास्यामि न चेदद्य प्रयच्छसि
Vishvamitra said: 'So be it, great king. I will come again. But if you do not give it today, I will lay a curse upon you.'
इत्युक्त्वाथ ययौ विप्रो राजा चाचिन्तयत्तदा । कथमस्मै प्रयच्छामि दक्षिणा या प्रतिश्रुता
Having said this, the sage departed, and the king then thought, 'How shall I give the promised reward to him?'
कुतः पुष्टानि मित्राणि कुत्रार्थः साम्प्रतं मम । प्रतिग्रहः प्रदुष्टो मे तत्र याञ्चा कथं भवेत्
'Where are my wealthy friends now? Where is my wealth at this time? Receiving gifts is forbidden to me; so how can I ask for anything?'
राज्ञां वृत्तित्रयं प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चितम् । यदि प्राणान्विमुञ्चामि ह्यप्रदाय च दक्षिणाम्
'Three means of livelihood are prescribed for kings, as determined in the scriptures. If I abandon my life without giving the promised reward—'
ब्रह्मस्वहा कृमिः पापो भविष्याम्यधमाधमः । अथवा प्रेततां यास्ये वर एवात्मविक्रयः
'I will become a sinful worm, the lowest of the low, for neglecting the Brahmin's due. Or I will become a ghost; better by far is to sell myself.'
सूत उवाच - राजानं व्याकुलं दीनं चिन्तयानमधोमुखम् । प्रत्युवाच तदा पत्नी बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा
Suta said: Seeing the king distressed, dejected, his face cast down in worry, his wife then addressed him with words choked by tears.
त्यज चिन्तां महाराज स्वधर्ममनुपालय । प्रेतवद्वर्जनीयो हि नरः सत्यबहिष्कृतः
'Abandon your anxiety, great king; uphold your own duty. A man who forsakes truth is to be shunned as one already dead.'
नातः परतरं धर्मं वदन्ति पुरुषस्य च । यादृशं पुरुषव्याघ्र स्वसत्यस्यानुपालनम्
'No greater duty is spoken of for a person, O tiger among men, than the keeping of one's own truth.'
अग्निहोत्रमधीतं च दानाद्याः सकलाः क्रियाः । भवन्ति तस्य वैफल्यं वाक्यं यस्यानृतं भवेत्
'Agnihotra, study, and all acts of charity become fruitless for one whose word is false.'
सत्यमत्यन्तमुदितं धर्मशास्त्रेषु धीमताम् । तारणायानृतं तद्वत्पातनायाकृतात्मनाम्
'Truth is praised above all in the scriptures of the wise; for the truthful it is a means of crossing over, but for the unprincipled it leads to downfall.'
शताश्वमेधानादृत्य राजसूयं च पार्थिवः । कृत्वा राजा सकृत्स्वर्गादसत्यवचनाच्च्युतः
'A king who performs a hundred Ashvamedha sacrifices and a Rajasuya, even if he attains heaven once, falls from it by uttering falsehood.'
राजोवाच - वंशवृद्धिकरश्चायं पुत्रस्तिष्ठति बालकः । उच्यतां वक्तुकामासि यद्वाक्यं गजगामिनि
The king said: 'This boy, my son, is the one who will continue our lineage. Speak, O elephant-gaited one, whatever you wish to say.'
पत्न्युवाच - राजन् माभूदसत्यं ते पुंसां पुत्रफलाः स्त्रियः । तन्मां प्रदाय वित्तेन देहि विप्राय दक्षिणाम्
The queen said: 'O king, may you never speak falsehood. For women, sons are their fruit. Therefore, giving me, provide the reward to the Brahmin with wealth.'
व्यास उवाच - एतद्वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य ययौ मोहं महीपतिः । प्रतिलभ्य च संज्ञां वै विललापातिदुःखितः
Vyasa said: Hearing these words, the king fell into delusion; regaining his senses, he lamented in great sorrow.
महद्दुखःमिदं भद्रे यत्त्वमेवं ब्रवीषि मे । किं तव स्मितसंल्लापा मम पापस्य विस्मृताः
O gentle one, this is a great sorrow for me, that you speak to me in this way; have you forgotten your smiling words and conversations with me, who am so sinful?
हा हा त्वया कथं योग्यं वक्तुमेतच्छुचिस्मिते । दुर्वाच्यमेतद्वचनं कथं वदसि भामिनि
Alas, how is it fitting for you, O pure-smiling one, to say such a thing? How can you, O beautiful lady, utter these words, which are so hard to speak?
इत्युक्त्वा नृपतिश्रेष्ठो न धीरो दारविक्रये । निपपात महीपृष्ठे मूर्च्छयातिपरिप्लुतः
Having spoken thus, the foremost of kings, not steadfast in the sale of his wife, fell to the ground, overwhelmed by intense faintness.
शयानं भुवि तं दृष्ट्वा मूर्च्छयापि महीपतिम् । उवाचेदं सुकरुणं राजपुत्री सुदुःखिता
Seeing the king lying on the ground, unconscious from fainting, the princess, deeply distressed, spoke these most sorrowful words:
हा महाराज कस्येदमपध्यानादुपागतम् । यस्त्वं निपतितो भूमौ रङ्कवच्छरणोचितः
Alas, O great king, by whose misfortune has this come to pass, that you have fallen to the ground, like a beggar accustomed to seeking shelter?
येनैव कोटिशो वित्तं विप्राणामपवर्जितम् । स एव पृथिवीनाथो भुवि स्वपिति मे पतिः
He who gave away wealth by the millions to the Brahmins, that very lord of the earth, my husband, now lies upon the ground.
हा कष्टं किं तवानेन कृतं दैव महीक्षिता । यदिन्द्रोपेन्द्रतुल्योऽयं नीतः पापामिमां दशाम्
Alas, what hardship has been done to you by fate, O king, that one equal to Indra and Upendra has been brought to this sinful state?
इत्युक्त्वा सापि सुश्रोणी मूर्च्छिता निपपात ह । भर्तुर्दुःखमहाभारेणासह्येनातिपीडिता
Having spoken thus, that beautiful-hipped lady too fell unconscious, overwhelmed by the unbearable weight of her husband's great suffering.
शिशुर्दृष्ट्वा क्षुधाविष्टः प्राह वाक्यं सुदुःखितः । तात तात प्रदेह्यन्नं मातर्मे देहि भोजनम्
Seeing this, the child, afflicted by hunger, spoke these words in great distress: 'Father, father, give me food; mother, give me something to eat.'
क्षुन्मे बलवती जाता जिह्वाग्रे मेऽतिशुष्यति
My hunger has become very strong; my tongue is extremely parched.