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.
आजन्मतस्ततो यत्नं न कुर्यां स्त्रीवधे तव । चाण्डाल उवाच - स्वामिकार्यं विना दुष्ट किं कार्यं विद्यतेऽपरम्
From birth, I have made every effort not to kill a woman of yours. The Chāṇḍāla said: Apart from the master's command, what other duty is there, O wicked one?
गृहीत्वा वेतनं मेऽद्य कस्मात्कार्यं विलुम्पसि । यः स्वामिवेतनं गृह्य स्वामिकार्यं विलुम्पति
Having accepted my wage today, why do you neglect the task? Whoever, having taken the master's wage, neglects the master's work—
नरकान्निष्कृतिस्तस्य नास्ति कल्पायुतैरपि । राजोवाच - चाण्डालनाथ मे देहि प्राप्यमन्यत्सुदारुणम्
There is no release from hell for him, even in tens of thousands of aeons. The king said: O lord of the Chāṇḍālas, give me some other, even more terrible, task to accomplish.
स्वशत्रुं ब्रूहि तं क्षिप्रं घातयिष्याम्यसंशयम् । घातयित्वा तु तं शत्रुं तव दास्यामि मेदिनीम्
Quickly name your enemy—I will surely slay him; after killing your enemy, I will give you the earth.
देव देवोरगैः सिद्धैर्गन्धर्वैरपि संयुतम् । देवेन्द्रमपि जेष्यामि निहत्य निशितैः शरैः
I will defeat even the lord of the gods, along with gods, serpents, siddhas, and gandharvas, by striking him down with sharp arrows.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः । चाण्डालः कुपितः प्राह वेपमानं महीपतिम्
Hearing these words of King Hariścandra, the Chāṇḍāla, enraged, spoke to the trembling king.
चाण्डाल उवाच - (नैतद्वाक्यं सुघटितं यद्वाक्यं दासकीर्तितम्) चाण्डालदासतां कृत्वा सुराणां भाषसे वचः । दास किं बहुना नूनं शृणु मे गदतो वचः
The Chāṇḍāla said: (These words are not fitting, spoken as they are by a slave.) Having become a slave of the Chāṇḍāla, you speak the words of the gods. Slave, why say more? Surely, listen to what I say.
निर्लज्ज तव चेदस्ति किञ्चित्पापभयं हृदि । किमर्थं दासतां यातश्चाण्डालस्य तु वेश्मनि
If you have even a trace of shame or fear of sin in your heart, why have you entered into slavery in the house of a Chāṇḍāla?
गृहाणैनं ततः खड्गमस्याश्छिन्धि शिरोऽम्बुजम् । एवमुक्त्वाथ चाण्डालो राज्ञे खड्गं न्यवेदयत्
Take this sword, then, and cut off her lotus-like head; having said this, the Chāṇḍāla presented the sword to the king.
हरिश्चन्द्रोपाख्याने राज्ञो हुताशनप्रवेशोद्योगवर्णनम् सूत उवाच - ततोऽथ भूपतिः प्राह राज्ञीं स्थित्वा ह्यधोमुखः । अत्रोपविश्यतां बाले पापस्य पुरतो मम
In the story of Hariścandra: Description of the king's resolve to enter the fire. Sūta said: Then the king, lowering his head, spoke to the queen: 'Sit here, child, before me, the sinner.'