सूत उवाच - एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः । ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सार्धं निर्ययौ स्वगृहाद् बहिः
The charioteer said: Meanwhile, there, a brahmin learned in the Vedas came out of his house, accompanied by many other brahmins.
ततो राज्ञी तु तं दृष्ट्वा आयान्तं तापसं स्थितम् । उवाच वाक्यं राजानं धर्मार्थसहितं तदा
Then, seeing that ascetic approaching and standing there, the queen spoke to the king words joined with righteousness and purpose.
त्रयाणामपि वर्णानां पिता ब्राह्मण उच्यते । पितृद्रव्यं हि पुत्रेण ग्रहीतव्यं न संशयः
The brahmin is called the father of all three classes; indeed, a son must accept his father's property—of this there is no doubt.
तस्मादयं प्रार्थनीयो धनार्थमिति मे मतिः । राजोवाच - नाहं प्रतिग्रहं काङ्क्षे क्षत्रियोऽहं सुमध्यमे
Therefore, in my view, he should be requested for wealth. The king said: O slender-waisted one, I do not desire to accept gifts; I am a kshatriya.
याचनं खलु विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां न विद्यते । गुरुर्हि विप्रो वर्णानां पूजनीयोऽस्ति सर्वदा
For begging is not proper for brahmins or kshatriyas; the brahmin is always to be honored by all the classes.
तस्माद् गुरुर्न याच्यः स्यात्क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः । यजनाध्ययनं दानं क्षत्रियस्य विधीयते
Therefore, the guru should not be asked for anything, especially by kshatriyas; sacrifice, study, and giving are prescribed for the kshatriya.
शरणागतानामभयं प्रजानां प्रतिपालनम् । न चाप्येवं तु वक्तव्यं देहीति कृपणं वचः
Granting safety to those who seek refuge and protecting the people—these are his duties; nor should one speak pitiably, saying, 'Give, give.'
ददामीत्येव मे देवि हृदये निहितं वचः । अर्जितं कुत्रचिद् द्रव्यं ब्राह्मणाय ददाम्यहम्
O goddess, the words 'I will give' are fixed in my heart; whatever wealth I acquire somewhere, I will give to the brahmin.
पत्न्युवाच - कालः समविषमकरः परिभवसम्मानमानदः कालः । कालः करोति पुरुषं दातारं याचितारं च
The wife said: Time brings both adversity and prosperity, honor and dishonor; time makes a man both a giver and a beggar.
विप्रेण विदुषा राजा क्रुद्धेनातिबलीयसा । राज्यान्निरस्तः सौख्याच्च पश्य कालस्य चेष्टितम्
By a learned and exceedingly powerful brahmin, the king was cast out from his kingdom and happiness—see the workings of time.
राजोवाच - असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण वरं जिह्वा द्विधा कृता । न तु मानं परित्यज्य देहि देहीति भाषितम्
The king said: It is better that my tongue be cut in two by a sharp-edged sword than to speak the humiliating words, 'Give, give.'
क्षत्रियोऽहं महाभागे न याचे किञ्चिदप्यहम् । ददामि वाहं नित्यं हि भुजवीर्यार्जितं धनम्
O noble lady, I am a kshatriya and I do not beg for anything; whatever wealth I have earned by the strength of my arms, that I always give.
पत्न्युवाच - यदि ते हि महाराज याचितुं न क्षमं मनः । अहं तु न्यायतो दत्ता देवैरपि सवासवैः
The wife said: If, O great king, your mind is not fit to beg, then I, who have been lawfully given to you even by the gods with Indra, will do so.
अहं शास्या च पत्या च रक्ष्या चैव महाद्युते । मन्मौल्यं संगृहीत्वाथ गुर्वर्थं सम्प्रदीयताम्
O illustrious one, I am to be instructed and protected by my husband; therefore, taking my head-jewel, let it be given for the sake of the guru.
एतद्वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । कष्टं कष्टमिति प्रोच्य विललापातिदुःखितः
Hearing these words, King Harishchandra, crying out 'Alas, alas!' in great distress, lamented exceedingly.
भार्या च भूयः प्राहेदं क्रियतां वचनं मम । विप्रशापाग्निदग्धत्वान्नीचत्वमुपयास्यसि
And again his wife said: Do as I have spoken; if you are burned by the fire of a brahmin's curse, you will fall into degradation.
न द्युतहेतोर्न च मद्यहेतो- र्न राज्यहेतोर्न च भोगहेतोः । ददस्व गुर्वर्थमतो मया त्वं सत्यव्रतत्वं सफलं कुरुष्व
Do not give for the sake of gambling, nor for the sake of liquor, nor for the sake of a kingdom, nor for the sake of enjoyment; therefore, give for the sake of the teacher, and thus make my vow of truthfulness fruitful.
हरिश्चन्द्रस्य पत्नीपुत्रविक्रयवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - स तया नोद्यमानस्तु राजा पत्न्या पुनः पुनः । प्राह भद्रे करोम्येष विक्रयं ते सुनिर्घृणः
The selling of Harishchandra's wife and son. Vyasa said: The king, though repeatedly urged by his wife, did not act, but then said, 'O gentle one, I will do this heartless sale of you.'
नृशंसैरपि यत्कर्तुं न शक्यं तत्करोम्यहम् । यदि ते भ्राजते वाणी वक्तुमीदृक्सुनिष्ठुरम्
I am doing that which even the cruel cannot bring themselves to do, if your words shine forth to utter such harshness.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजा गत्वा नगरमातुरः । अवतार्य तदा रङ्गे तां भार्यां नृपसत्तमः । बाष्पगद्गदकण्ठस्तु ततो वचनमब्रवीत् । भो भो नागरिकाः सर्वे शृणुध्वं वचनं मम
Having spoken thus, the king, distressed, went to the city; then, bringing his wife to the marketplace, the best of kings, with a throat choked by tears, spoke these words: 'O all citizens, hear my words.'
कस्यचिद्यदि कार्यं स्याद्दास्या प्राणेष्टया मम । स ब्रवीतु त्वरायुक्तो यावत्स्वं धारयाम्यहम्
'If anyone has need of a maidservant, one dearer to me than life, let him speak quickly, while I still have the strength to endure.'
तेऽब्रुवन्पण्डिताः कस्त्वं पत्नीं विक्रेतुमागतः । राजोवाच - किं मां पृच्छथ कस्त्वं भो नृशंसोऽहममानुषः
They, the learned, said: 'Who are you, who have come to sell your wife?' The king said: 'Why do you ask who I am? O, I am cruel, inhuman.'
राक्षसो वास्मि कठिनस्ततः पापं करोम्यहम् । व्यास उवाच - तं शब्दं सहसा श्रुत्वा कौशिको विप्ररूपधृक्
'I am a demon, I am hard-hearted, and therefore I do this sinful act.' Vyasa said: Hearing those words suddenly, Kaushika, taking the form of a Brahmin—
वृद्धरूपं समास्थाय हरिश्चन्द्रमभाषत । समर्पयस्व मे दासीमहं क्रेता धनप्रदः
Assuming the form of an old man, he spoke to Harishchandra: 'Hand her over to me as a maidservant; I am the buyer and will give wealth.'
अस्ति मे वित्तमतुलं सुकुमारी च मे प्रिया । गृहकर्म न शक्नोति कर्तुमस्मात्प्रयच्छ मे
'I have incomparable wealth, and my beloved is delicate; she cannot perform household work, therefore give her to me.'
अहं गृह्णामि दासीं तु कति दास्यामि ते धनम् । एवमुक्ते तु विप्रेण हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः
'I will take her as a maidservant; how much wealth shall I give you?' When the Brahmin had spoken thus to King Harishchandra—
विदीर्णं तु मनो दुःखान्न चैनं किञ्चिदब्रवीत् । विप्र उवाच - कर्मणश्च वयोरूपशीलानां तव योषितः
His mind was torn with grief, and he said nothing to him. The Brahmin said: 'According to the work, age, appearance, and character of your wife—'
अनुरूपमिदं वित्तं गृहाणार्पय मेऽबलाम् । धर्मशास्त्रेषु यद् दृष्टं स्त्रियो मौल्यं नरस्य च
'This is the appropriate price; accept it and hand over the woman to me. As is seen in the scriptures, the price for women and for men—'
द्वात्रिंशल्लक्षणोपेता दक्षा शीलगुणान्विता । कोटिमौल्यं सुवर्णस्य स्त्रियः पुंसस्तथार्बुदम्
'A woman endowed with thirty-two marks, skilled and possessing virtues, is valued at a crore of gold; for a man, it is ten million.'
इत्याकर्ण वचस्तस्य हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । दुःखेन महताऽऽविष्टो न चैनं किञ्चिदब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, King Harishchandra, overwhelmed with great sorrow, said nothing to him.