भूमौ निपतितं बालं दृष्ट्वाशीविषपीडितम् । नरेन्द्रलक्षणोपेतमचिन्तयदसौ नृपः
Seeing the boy fallen on the ground, afflicted by snake venom, and bearing the marks of royalty, the king pondered.
अस्य पूर्णेन्दुवद्वक्त्रं शुभमुन्नसमव्रणम् । दर्पणप्रतिमोत्तुङ्गकपोलयुगशोभितम्
His face was like the full moon, beautiful, raised and unblemished, adorned by prominent cheeks shining like a mirror.
नीलान्केशान्कुञ्चिताग्रान् सान्द्रान्दीर्घांस्तरङ्गिणः । राजीवसदृशे नेत्रे ओष्ठौ बिम्बफलोपमौ
His hair was dark, with curled tips, thick and long like waves; his eyes were like lotuses, his lips like ripe bimba fruit.
विशालवक्षा दीर्घाक्षो दीर्घबाहून्नतांसकः । विशालपादो गम्भीरःसूक्ष्माङ्गुल्यवनीधरः
He had a broad chest, long eyes, long arms, elevated shoulders, broad feet, deep voice, and slender fingers like mountain ridges.
मृणालपादो गम्भीरनाभिरुद्धतकन्धरः । अहो कष्टं नरेन्द्रस्य कस्याप्येष कुले शिशुः
His feet were like lotus stalks, his navel deep, his neck raised; alas, what misfortune! In whose royal family was this child born?
जातो नीतः कृतान्तेन कालपाशाद्दुरात्मना । सूत उवाच - एवं दृष्ट्वाथ तं बालं मातुरङ्के प्रसारितम्
Born and then taken away by Death, ensnared by the cruel noose of Time. The Sūta spoke: Thus, seeing the boy laid out on his mother's lap—
स्मृतिमभ्यागतो राजा हाहेत्यश्रूण्यपातयत् । सोऽप्युवाच च वत्सो मे दशामेतामुपागतः
The king regained his memory, crying 'Alas!' and shed tears; he also said, 'My son has come to this condition.'
नीतो यदि च घोरेण कृतान्तेनात्मनो वशम् । विचारयित्वा राजासौ हरिश्चन्द्रस्तथा स्थितः
If he has been taken by the dreadful Death, subject to his own fate, the king Hariścandra, reflecting thus, remained steadfast.
ततो राज्ञी महादुःखावेशादिदमभाषत । राज्ञ्युवाच - हा वत्स कस्य पापस्य त्वपध्यानादिदं महत्
Then the queen, overwhelmed by great sorrow, spoke these words: The queen said: 'O dear one, by whose sin has this great misfortune—'
दुःखमापतितं घोरं तद्रूपं नोपलभ्यते । हा नाथ राजन् भवता मामपास्य सुदुःखिताम्
This terrible suffering befallen us? Its cause cannot be found. O lord, O king, do not abandon me, so afflicted by grief.
कस्मिन्संस्थीयते स्थाने विश्रब्धं केन हेतुना । राज्यनाशं सुहृत्त्यागो भार्यातनयविक्रयः
In what place, and for what reason, can one calmly endure the loss of a kingdom, the abandonment of friends, and the sale of wife and son?
हरिश्चन्द्रस्य राजर्षेः किं विधातः कृतं त्वया । इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा राजा स्थानच्युतस्तदा
O Creator, what have you done to the royal sage Harishchandra? Hearing her words, the king then lost his composure.
प्रत्यभिज्ञाय देवीं तां पुत्रं च निधनं गतम् । कष्टं ममैव पत्नीयं बालकश्चापि मे सुतः
Recognizing that woman as his queen and seeing his son dead, he thought, 'Alas, it is my own wife and my own young son.'
ज्ञात्वा पपात सन्तप्तो मूर्च्छामतिजगाम ह । सा च तं प्रत्यभिज्ञाय तामवस्थामुपागतम्
Realizing this, he fell down, tormented, and was overcome by fainting; and she, recognizing him and his condition,
मूर्च्छिता निपपातार्ता निश्चेष्टा धरणीतले । चेतनां प्राप्य राजेन्द्रो राजपत्नी च तौ समम्
also fell to the ground, stricken and motionless in her grief. Regaining consciousness, the king and queen both,
विलेपतुः सुसन्तप्तौ शोकभारेण पीडितौ । राजोवाच - हा वत्स सुकुमारं ते वदनं कुञ्चितालकम्
wept bitterly, overwhelmed by the weight of sorrow. The king said: 'Alas, my child, your delicate face with curling locks—
पश्यतो मे मुखं दीनं हृदयं किं न दीर्यते । तात तातेति मधुरं ब्रुवाणं स्वयमागतम्
as I look upon your distressed face, why does my heart not break? Sweetly calling out ‘Father, Father,’ you would come to me.
उपगुह्य कदा वक्ष्ये वत्सवत्सेति सौहृदात् । कस्य जानुप्रणीतेन पिङ्गेन क्षितिरेणुना
When will I, out of affection, embrace you and say, ‘My dear child’? Whose dust-stained knees and tawny limbs,
ममोत्तरीयमुत्सङ्गं तथाङ्गं मलमेष्यति । न वालं मम सम्भूतं मनो हृदयनन्दन
will soil my upper garment and body? Not a single hair of mine, O joy of my heart, was produced by you.
(मयासि पितृमान्पित्रा विक्रीतो येन वस्तुवत् ।) गतं राज्यमशेषं मे सबान्धवधनं महत् । (हीनदैवान्नृशंसेन दृष्टो मे तनयस्ततः ।) अहं महाहिदष्टस्य पुत्रस्याननपङ्कजम्
(You have a father in me, yet I sold you as if you were a mere object.) My entire kingdom, along with my great wealth and relatives, is gone. (Because of cruel fate, my son was seen by me in such a state.) Now I behold the lotus face of my son, bitten by a great serpent.
निरीक्षन्नद्य घोरेण विषेणाधिकृतोऽधुना । एवमुक्त्वा तमादाय बालकं बाष्पगद्गदः
Today I gaze upon him, overtaken by the dreadful poison. Having spoken thus, he took the boy in his arms, his voice choked with tears.
परिष्वज्य च निश्चेष्टो मूर्च्छया निपपात ह । ततस्तं पतितं दृष्ट्वा शैव्या चैवमचिन्तयत्
Embracing him, he became motionless and fell unconscious. Seeing him fallen, Shaivya thought thus:
अयं स पुरुषव्याघ्रः स्वरेणैवोपलक्ष्यते । विद्वज्जनमनश्चन्द्रो हरिश्चन्द्रो न संशयः
'This is indeed that tiger among men, recognized by his voice—Harishchandra, the moon among the wise, without doubt.'
तथास्य नासिका तुङ्गा तिलपुष्पोपमा शुभा । दन्ताश्च मुकुलप्रख्याः ख्यातकीर्तेर्महात्मनः
His nose is high and beautiful, like a sesame flower; his teeth are like buds—these are the marks of that great-souled, renowned one.
श्मशानमागतः कस्माद्यद्येवं स नरेश्वरः । विहाय पुत्रशोकं सा पश्यन्ती पतितं पतिम्
Why has that lord of men come to the cremation ground in this way? Setting aside her grief for her son, she saw her husband fallen.
प्रहृष्टा विस्मिता दीना भर्तृपुत्रार्तिपीडिता । वीक्षती सा तदापतन्मूर्च्छया धरणीतले
She was at once delighted, astonished, and distressed, afflicted by the suffering of her husband and son. Seeing this, she too fell to the ground in a faint.
प्राप्य चेतश्च शनकैः सा गद्गदमभाषत । धिक्त्वां दैव ह्यकरुण निर्मर्याद जुगुप्सित
Regaining her senses gradually, she spoke in a choked voice: 'Shame on you, O fate—cruel, lawless, and despicable!'
येनायममरप्रख्यो नीतो राजा श्वपाकताम् । राज्यनाशं सुहृत्त्यागं भार्यातनयविक्रयम्
'By whom this king, equal to the immortals, has been brought to the state of a dog-eater—loss of kingdom, abandonment of friends, and the sale of wife and son.'
प्रापयित्वापि येनाद्य चाण्डालोऽयं कृतो नृपः । नाद्य पश्यामि ते छत्रं सिंहासनमथापि वा
Even after bringing him here, by whom today this king has become an outcaste, I do not see your royal umbrella, nor your throne.
चामरव्यजने वापि कोऽयं विधिविपर्ययः । यस्यास्य व्रजतः पूर्वं राजानो भृत्यतां गताः
Nor do I see the royal fans; what is this reversal of fate, by which those kings who once walked before you have now become servants?