कल्पान्तसदृशाकारं श्मशानं तत्सुदारुणम् । स राजा तत्र सम्प्राप्तो दुःखादेवमशोचत
That cremation ground, terrible as the end of an age, was exceedingly fearsome; there the king arrived and, overwhelmed by sorrow, lamented in this way.
हा भृत्या मन्त्रिणो यूयं क्व तद्राज्यं कुलोचितम् । हा प्रिय पुत्र मे बाल मां त्यक्त्वा मन्दभाग्यकम्
"Alas, my servants and ministers, where is that royal glory befitting our lineage? Alas, my dear child, you have abandoned your unfortunate father."
ब्राह्मणस्य च कोपेन गता यूयं क्व दूरतः । विना धर्मं मनुष्याणां जायते न शुभं क्वचित्
"Driven away by the anger of the brāhmaṇa, where have you all gone so far? Without righteousness, no good ever arises for mankind."
यत्नतो धारयेत्तस्मात्पुरुषो धर्ममेव हि । इत्येवं चिन्तयंस्तत्र चाण्डालोक्तं पुनः पुनः
"Therefore, a man must always uphold righteousness with effort." Thus reflecting there, he repeatedly recalled the words of the cāṇḍāla.
मलेन दिग्धसर्वाङ्गः शवानां दर्शने व्रजन् । लकुटाकारकल्पश्च धावंश्चापि ततस्ततः
Smeared all over with filth, approaching the sight of corpses, he wandered about, resembling a club-wielding outcaste, running here and there.
अस्मिञ्छव इदं मौल्यं शतं प्राप्स्यामि चाग्रतः । इदं मम इदं राज्ञ इदं चाण्डालकस्य च
"From this corpse I will get a hundred coins as my fee; this is mine, this is the king's, and this belongs to the cāṇḍāla as well."
इत्येवं चिन्तयन् राजा व्यवस्थां दुस्तरां गतः । जीर्णैकपटसुग्रन्थिकृतकन्थापरिग्रहः
Thus thinking, the king endured that unbearable condition, wearing a patched garment tied with a single knot.
चिताभस्मरजोलिप्तमुखबाहूदराङ्घ्रिकः । नानामेदोवसामज्जालिप्तपाण्यङ्गुलिः श्वसन्
His face, arms, belly, and feet were smeared with the ashes of the funeral pyre, and his hands and fingers were coated with various fats and marrow as he breathed.
नानाशवौदनकृतक्षुन्निवृत्तिपरायणः । तदीयमाल्यसंश्लेषकृतमस्तकमण्डलः
He lived on food taken from various corpses to satisfy his hunger, and his head was adorned with garlands taken from them.
न रात्रौ न दिवा शेते हाहेति प्रवदन्मुहुः । एवं द्वादश मासास्तु नीता वर्षशतोपमाः
He did not sleep by night or by day, constantly crying out in distress; thus twelve months passed, seeming like a hundred years.
चाण्डालाज्ञया हरिश्चन्द्रस्य खड्गग्रहणवर्णनम् सूत उवाच - एकदा तु गतो रन्तुं बालकैः सहितो बहिः । वाराणस्या नातिदूरे रोहिताख्यः कुमारकः
By the command of the cāṇḍāla: The taking up of the sword by Hariścandra.
क्रीडां कृत्वा ततो दर्भान् ग्रहीतुमुपचक्रमे । कोमलानल्पमूलांश्च साग्राञ्छक्त्यनुसारतः
After playing, he began to gather darbha grass, picking tender ones with small roots, as much as his strength allowed.
आर्यप्रीत्यर्थमित्युक्त्वा हस्तयुग्मेन यत्नतः । सलक्षणाश्च समिधो बर्हिरिध्मं सलक्षणम्
Saying, 'For the sake of honoring the noble,' he carefully took with both hands the proper kindling sticks, the sacred grass, and the prescribed firewood.
पलाशकाष्ठान्यादाय त्वग्निहोमार्थमादरात् । मस्तके भारकं कृत्वा खिद्यमानः पदे पदे
He respectfully gathered palāśa wood for the fire offering, and, placing the load on his head, struggled with each step.
उदकस्थानमासाद्य तदा बालस्तृषान्वितः । भुवि भारं विनिक्षिप्य जलस्थाने तदा शिशुः
Reaching the water's edge, the thirsty boy set down his burden on the ground at the water's place.
कामतः सलिलं पीत्वा विश्रम्य च मुहूर्तकम् । वल्मीकोपरि विन्यस्तभारो हर्तुं प्रचक्रमे
He drank water as he wished, rested for a moment, and then, after placing the load on top of an anthill, prepared to carry it again.
विश्वामित्राज्ञया तावत्कृष्णसर्पो भयावहः । महाविषो महाघोरो वल्मीकान्निर्गतस्तदा
Then, by Viśvāmitra's command, a terrifying black snake, deadly and fearsome, emerged from the anthill.
तेनासौ बालको दष्टस्तदैव च पपात ह । रोहिताख्यं मृतं दृष्ट्वा ययुर्बाला द्विजालयम्
That boy was bitten by it and immediately fell down; seeing Rohita dead, the other children went to the house of the twice-born.
त्वरिता भयसंविग्नाः प्रोचुस्तन्मातुरग्रतः । हे विप्रदासि ते पुत्रः क्रीडां कर्तुं बहिर्गतः
Frightened and in haste, they spoke before his mother: 'O Brahmin lady, your son went outside to play.'
अस्माभिः सहितस्तत्र सर्पदष्टो मृतस्ततः । इति सा तद्वचः श्रुत्वा वज्रपातोपमं तदा
'He was with us there, but was bitten by a snake and died.' Hearing these words, she was struck as if by a thunderbolt.
पपात मूर्च्छिता भूमौ छिन्नेव कदली यथा । अथ तां ब्राह्मणो रुष्टः पानीयेनाभ्यषिञ्चत
She collapsed unconscious to the ground, like a severed plantain tree; then the angry Brahmin sprinkled her with water.
मुहूर्ताच्चेतनां प्राप्ता ब्राह्मणस्तामथाब्रवीत् । ब्राह्मण उवाच - अलक्ष्मीकारकं निन्द्यं जानती त्वं निशामुखे
After a moment she regained consciousness, and the Brahmin said to her: 'You know that crying at night is blameworthy and brings misfortune.'
रोदनं कुरुषे दुष्टे लज्जा ते हृदये न किम् । ब्राह्मणेनैवमुक्ता सा न किञ्चिद्वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'Wicked woman, why do you weep? Is there no shame in your heart?' Thus addressed by the Brahmin, she said nothing.
रुरोद करुणं दीना पुत्रशोकेन पीडिता । अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना धूसरा मुक्तमूर्धजा
Afflicted by grief for her son, she wept bitterly, her face full of tears, wretched, her hair disheveled and dusty.
अथ तां कुपितो विप्रो राजपत्नीमभाषत । धिक्त्वां दुष्टे क्रयं गृह्य मम कार्यं विलुम्पसि
Then the angry Brahmin spoke to the queen: 'Shame on you, wicked woman! You have taken my wages but neglect my work.'
अशक्ता चेत्कथं तर्हि गृहीतं मम तद्धनम् । एवं निर्भर्त्सिता तेन क्रूरवाक्यैः पुनः पुनः
'If you are unable, then why did you accept my payment?' Thus, repeatedly rebuked by his harsh words,
रुदिता कारणं प्राह विप्रं गद्गदया गिरा । स्वामिन् मम सुतो बालः सर्पदष्टो मृतो बहिः
She, weeping, explained the reason to the Brahmin in a choked voice: 'Master, my young son was bitten by a snake and has died outside.'
अनुज्ञां मे प्रयच्छस्व द्रष्टुं यास्यामि बालकम् । दुर्लभं दर्शनं तेन सञ्जातं मम सुव्रत
'Please grant me permission to go see the boy; O virtuous one, it has become difficult for me to see him.'
इत्युक्त्वा करुणं बाला पुनरेव रुरोद ह । पुनस्तां कुपितो विप्रो राजपत्नीमभाषत
Saying this, the grieving woman wept again; once more, the angry Brahmin spoke to the queen.
ब्राह्मण उवाच - शठे दुष्टसमाचारे किं न जानासि पातकम् । यः स्वामिवेतनं गृह्य तस्य कार्यं विलुम्पति
The Brahmin said: 'Deceitful, wicked woman of evil conduct, do you not know the sin? Whoever takes the master's wages and neglects his work—'