हा कान्त हा नृपागच्छ पश्येमं स्वसुतं प्रियम् । येन ते रिङ्गता वक्षः कुंकुमेनावलेपितम्
'Alas, beloved! O king, come and see your dear son, whose chest you once embraced, anointed with saffron.'
स्वशरीररजःपङ्कैर्विशालं मलिनीकृतम् । येन ते बालभावेन मृगनाभिविलेपितः
'Now his broad body is soiled with the dust and dirt of his own limbs, and in his childhood, he was smeared with musk.'
भ्रंशितो भालतिलकस्तवाङ्कस्थेन भूपते । यस्य वक्त्रं मृदा लिप्तं स्नेहाद्वै चुम्बितं मया
'The tilaka on his forehead has fallen, O king, as he lay in your lap; his face, once anointed with clay, was kissed by me out of affection.'
तन्मुखं मक्षिकालिङ्ग्यं पश्ये कीटैर्विदूषितम् । हा राजन् पश्य तं पुत्रं भुविस्थं रङ्कवन्मृतम्
'Now that face is covered with flies and bees, defiled by insects. Alas, king, see your son lying dead on the ground like a pauper.'
हा देव किं मया कृत्यं कृतं पूर्वभवान्तरे । तस्य कर्मफलस्येह न पारमुपलक्षये
'Alas, Lord! What deed did I commit in a former life? I do not see the end of the fruit of that karma here.'
हा पुत्र हा शिशो वत्स का कुमारक सुन्दर । एवं तस्या विलापं ते श्रुत्वा नगरपालकाः
'Alas, son! Alas, child! O dear, beautiful boy!' Hearing her lamentation in this way, the city-guards...
जागृतास्त्वरितास्तस्याः पार्श्वमीयुः सुविस्मिताः । जना ऊचुः - का त्वं बालस्य कस्यायं पतिस्ते कुत्र तिष्ठति
Awakened, they quickly went to her side, greatly astonished. The people said: 'Who are you? Whose child is this? Who is your husband? Where does he live?'
एकैव निर्भया रात्रौ कस्मात्त्वमिह रोदिषि । एवमुक्ताथ सा तन्वी न किञ्चिद्वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'Why are you, alone and unafraid, weeping here at night?' Thus addressed, that slender woman said nothing in reply.
भूयोऽपि पृष्टा सा तूष्णीं स्तब्धीभूता बभूव ह । विललापातिदुःखार्ता शोकाश्रुप्लुतलोचना
Though questioned again, she remained silent, unmoving; overwhelmed by intense sorrow, she wept, her eyes filled with tears of grief.
अथ ते शङ्कितास्तस्यां रोमाञ्चिततनूरुहाः । संत्रस्ताः प्राहुरन्योन्यमुद्धृतायुधपाणयः
Then, becoming suspicious of her, their hair standing on end, they grew fearful, and spoke among themselves, weapons drawn in their hands.
नूनं स्त्री न भवत्येषा यतः किञ्चिन्न भाषते । तस्माद्वध्या भवेदेषा यत्नतो बालघातिनी
'Surely, this is not a woman, since she says nothing at all; therefore, she must be put to death—she is certainly a child-killer.'
शुभा चेत्तर्हि किं ह्यत्र निशार्धे तिष्ठते बहिः । भक्षार्थमनया नूनमानीतः कस्यचिच्छिशुः
'If she is virtuous, why is she outside at midnight? Surely, she has brought someone's child here to eat.'
इत्युक्त्वा तैर्गृहिता सा गाढं केशेषु सत्वरम् । भुजयोरपरैश्चैव कैश्चापि गलके तथा
Saying this, they quickly seized her tightly by the hair, and others grasped her arms and some also held her by the throat.
खेचरी यास्यतीत्युक्तं बहुभिः शस्त्रपाणिभिः । आकृष्य पक्कणे नीता चाण्डालाय समर्पिता
'She is about to fly away,' said many, weapons in hand; dragging her by the hair, they took her and handed her over to the outcaste.
हे चाण्डाल बहिर्दृष्टा ह्यस्माभिर्बालघातिनी । वध्यतां वध्यतामेष शीघ्रं नीत्वा बहिःस्थले
'Hey outcaste! We have seen this child-killer outside. Let her be executed, let her be executed—quickly take her outside and kill her.'
चाण्डालः प्राह तां दृष्ट्वा ज्ञातेयं लोकविश्रुता । न दृष्टपूर्वा केनापि लोकडिम्भान्यनेकधा
The outcaste, seeing her, said: 'She is known, renowned in the world; no one has seen her before—she has devoured many children in many places.'
भक्षितान्यनया भूरि भवद्भिः पुण्यमार्जितम् । ख्यातिर्वः शाश्वती लोके गच्छध्वं च यथासुखम्
'She has eaten many children; by you, much merit has been gained. Your fame will be eternal in the world—go now as you please.'
द्विजस्त्रीबालगोघाती स्वर्णस्तेयी च यो नरः । अग्निदो वर्त्मघाती च मद्यपो गुरुतल्पगः
'A twice-born killer, a woman or child killer, a cow killer, a gold thief, an arsonist, a highwayman, a drunkard, or one who violates the teacher's bed—'
महाजनविरोधी च तस्य पुण्यप्रदो वधः । द्विजस्यापि स्त्रियो वापि न दोषो विद्यते वधे
'—and one who opposes the great public: killing such a person brings merit. There is no fault in killing even a twice-born or a woman in such cases.'
अस्या वधश्च मे योग्य इत्युक्त्वा गाडबन्धनैः । बद्ध्वा केशेष्वथाकृष्य रज्जुभिस्तामताडयत्
Saying, 'Her execution is proper for me,' he bound her tightly with strong cords, pulled her by the hair, and struck her with ropes.
हरिश्चन्द्रमथोवाच वाचा परुषया तदा । रे दास वध्यतामेषा दुष्टात्मा मा विचारय
Then Harishchandra spoke harshly: 'Hey slave! Execute this wicked woman at once—do not hesitate.'
तद्वाक्यं भूपतिः श्रुत्वा वज्रपातोपमं तदा । वेपमानोऽथ चाण्डालं प्राह स्त्रीवधशङ्कितः
Hearing those words, which struck like a thunderbolt, the king trembled and, fearing the killing of a woman, said to the outcaste:
न शक्तोऽहमिदं कर्तुं प्रेष्यं देहि ममापरम् । असाध्यमपि यत्कर्म तत्करिष्ये त्वयोदितम्
'I am not able to do this—give me another task. Whatever else, however difficult, you command, I will do.'
श्रुत्वा तदुक्तं वचनं श्वपचो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । मा भैषीस्त्वं गृहाणासिं वधोऽस्याः पुण्यदो मतः
Hearing this, the outcaste said: 'Do not be afraid—take the sword. The killing of this woman is considered meritorious.'
बालानामेव भयदा नेयं रक्ष्या कदाचन । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्
This one is only a source of fear for children and should never be protected; hearing these words, the king spoke as follows.
स्त्रियो रक्ष्याः प्रयत्नेन न हन्तव्याः कदाचन । स्त्रीवधे कीर्तितः पापं मुनिभिर्धर्मतत्परैः
Women must be protected with great care and never killed under any circumstance; the sin of killing a woman has been declared by sages devoted to righteousness.
पुरुषो यः स्त्रियं हन्याज्ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतोऽपि वा । नरके पच्यते सोऽथ महारौरवपूर्वके
A man who kills a woman, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is cooked in hell, first in the great Raurava hell.
चाण्डाल उवाच - मा वदासिं गृहाणैनं तीक्ष्णं विद्युत्समप्रभम् । यत्रैकस्मिन्वधं नीते बहूनां तु सुखं भवेत्
The Chāṇḍāla said: Do not speak further—take this sharp, lightning-bright sword; by killing one, many will find happiness.
तस्य हिंसा कृतं नूनं बहुपुण्यप्रदा भवेत् । भक्षितान्यनया भूरि लोके डिम्भानि दुष्टया
Indeed, the act of killing her will surely bring great merit; this wicked one has devoured countless children in the world.
तत्क्षिप्रं वध्यतामेषा लोकः स्वस्थो भविष्यति । राजोवाच - चाण्डालाधिपते तीव्रं व्रतं स्त्रीवधवर्जनम्
Therefore, let her be killed at once—then the world will be at peace. The king said: O lord of the Chāṇḍālas, there is a strict vow to avoid killing women.