त्वया सह मम श्रेयो गमनं नान्यथा भवेत् । सह स्वर्गं च नरकं त्वया भोक्ष्यामि मानद । श्रुत्वा राजा तदोवाच एवमस्तु पतिव्रते
For me, there is no greater good than to go with you; with you, O giver of honor, I will enjoy both heaven and hell. Hearing this, the king replied: 'So be it, O faithful wife.'
हरिश्चन्द्राख्यानश्रवणफलवर्णनम् सूत उवाच - ततः कृत्वा चितां राजा आरोप्य तनयं स्वकम् । भार्यया सहितो राजा बद्धाञ्जलिपुटस्तदा
The Fruit of Hearing the Story of Harishchandra. Suta said: Then, having prepared the funeral pyre, the king placed his son upon it; together with his wife, the king stood with hands joined in reverence.
चिन्तयन्परमेशानीं शताक्षीं जगदीश्वरीम् । पञ्चकोशान्तरगतां पुच्छब्रह्मस्वरूपिणीम्
Contemplating the supreme Lady, the thousand-eyed, the ruler of the universe, who dwells within the five sheaths, who is the essence of Brahman in the form of a tail.
रक्ताम्बरपरीधानां करुणारससागरम् । नानायुधधरामम्बां जगत्पालनतत्पराम्
Clad in red garments, an ocean of compassion, holding various weapons, the Mother devoted to the protection of the world.
तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । धर्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा समाजग्मुस्त्वरान्विताः
As he was reflecting, all the gods, along with their leaders, hastened and assembled, placing Dharma at the forefront.
आगत्य सर्वे प्रोचुस्ते राजञ्छ्रुणु महाप्रभो । अहं पितामहः साक्षाद्धर्मश्च भवगान्स्वयम्
Having arrived, all of them spoke: 'O King, listen, O great lord! I am Pitamaha himself, and Dharma and Bhava have come in person.'
साध्याः सविश्वे मरुतो लोकपालाः सचारणाः । नागाः सिद्धाः सगन्धर्वा रुद्राश्चैव तथाश्विनौ
The Sādhyas, Viśve Devas, Maruts, guardians of the worlds, and the Cāraṇas, Nāgas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Rudras, and the Aśvins as well,
एते चान्येऽथ बहवो विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च । विश्वत्रयेण यो मैत्रीं कर्तुमिच्छति धर्मतः
And many others, including Viśvāmitra, have also come; whoever wishes to form friendship in accordance with Dharma among the three worlds.
तितिक्षादमसत्त्वाद्यैस्त्वद्गुणैः परितोषितः । इन्द्र उवाच - हरिश्चन्द्र महाभाग प्राप्तः शक्रोऽस्मि तेऽन्तिकम्
Satisfied by your virtues such as forbearance, self-control, and truthfulness, Indra spoke: 'O Hariścandra, greatly fortunate, Śakra has come to you.'
त्वयाद्य भार्यापुत्रेण जिता लोकाः सनातनाः । आरोह त्रिदिवं राजन् भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः
By you, together with your wife and son, the eternal worlds have been conquered today. Ascend to heaven, O King, accompanied by your wife and son.
सुदुष्प्रापं नरैरन्यैर्जितमात्मीयकर्मभिः । सूत उवाच - ततोऽमृतमयं वर्षमपमृत्युविनाशनम्
That which is extremely difficult for other men to attain has been won by your own actions. Sūta said: Then a rain of nectar, destroying death, fell.
इन्द्रः प्रासृजदाकाशाच्चितामध्यगते शिशौ । पुष्पवृष्टिश्च महती दुन्दुभिस्वन एव च
Indra released it from the sky onto the child lying upon the funeral pyre; a great shower of flowers and the sound of drums also occurred.
समुत्तस्थौ मृतः पुत्रो राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः । सुकुमारतनुः स्वस्थः प्रसन्नः प्रीतमानसः
The son of that great-souled king arose from death, delicate in form, healthy, radiant, and with a joyful heart.
ततो राजा हरिश्चन्द्रः परिष्वज्य सुतं तदा । सभार्यः स्वश्रिया युक्तो दिव्यमालाम्बरावृतः
Then King Hariścandra, embracing his son, together with his wife, endowed with his own splendor, was adorned with divine garlands and garments.
बभूव तत्क्षणादिन्द्रो भूपं चैवमभाषत
At that moment, Indra became manifest, and spoke thus to the king.
सभार्यस्त्वं सपुत्रश्च स्वर्लोकं सद्गतिं पराम् । समारोह महाभाग निजानां कर्मणां फलम्
With your wife and son, ascend to the heavenly realm, to the highest good, O greatly fortunate one; reap the fruit of your own deeds.
हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - देवराजाननुज्ञातः स्वामिना श्वपचेन हि । अकृत्वा निष्कृतिं तस्य नारोक्ष्ये वै सुरालयम्
Hariścandra said: 'Though permitted by the lord of the gods, I have not yet made amends to the Śvapaca; without doing so, I will not ascend to the abode of the gods.'
धर्म उवाच - तवैवं भाविनं क्लेशमवगम्यात्ममायया । आत्मा श्वपचतां नीतो दर्शितं तच्च पक्कणम्
Dharma said: 'Understanding your suffering, which was destined, through my own power, I myself assumed the form of the Śvapaca and showed you that trial.'
इन्द्र उवाच - प्रार्थ्यते यत्परं स्थानं समस्तैर्मनुजैर्भुवि । तदारोह हरिश्चन्द्र स्थानं पुण्यकृतां नृणाम्
Indra said: 'The supreme place, which is desired by all humans on earth, ascend to that, O Hariścandra, the place of those who have performed virtuous deeds.'
हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - देवराज नमस्तुभ्यं वाक्यं चेदं निबोध मे । मच्छोकमग्नमनसः कौसले नगरे नराः
Hariścandra said: 'O king of the gods, salutations to you! Hear these words of mine: The people of the city of Kausala, whose minds are afflicted by my sorrow,'
तिष्ठन्ति तानपास्यैवं कथं यास्याम्यहं दिवम् । ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं गोवधः स्त्रीवधस्तथा
'Remain there, abandoned thus; how then can I go to heaven? Killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor, killing a cow, and killing a woman,'
तुल्यमेभिर्महत्पापं भक्तत्यागादुदाहृतम् । भजन्तं भक्तमत्याज्यं त्यजतः स्यात्कथं सुखम्
'Are declared to be great sins equal to forsaking a devotee. How can happiness arise for one who abandons a devotee who is devoted?'
तैर्विना न प्रयास्यामि तस्माच्छक्र दिवं व्रज । यदि ते सहिताः स्वर्गं मया यान्ति सुरेश्वर
Without them, I will not depart; therefore, O wielder of the discus, go to heaven. If they may go to heaven together with me, O Lord of the gods—
ततोऽहमपि यास्यामि नरकं वापि तैः सह । इन्द्र उवाच - बहूनि पुण्यपापानि तेषां भिन्नानि वै नृप
Then I too shall go, even to hell, together with them. Indra said: Their merits and demerits, O king, are indeed diverse.
कथं सङ्घातभोज्यं त्वं भूप स्वर्गमभीप्ससि । हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - भुङ्क्ते शक्र नृपो राज्यं प्रभावात्प्रकृतेध्रुवम्
How do you, who have eaten in common with them, O king, desire to attain heaven? Harishchandra said: O Shakra, a king enjoys his realm by the power of his people, certainly.
यजते च महायज्ञैः कर्म पूर्तं करोति च । तच्च तेषां प्रभावेण मया सर्वमनुष्ठितम्
He performs great sacrifices and accomplishes works of merit; and all this has been performed by me through their power.
उपदादान्न संत्यक्ष्ये तानहं स्वर्गलिप्सया । तस्माद्यन्मम देवेश किञ्चिदस्ति सुचेष्टितम्
For the sake of attaining heaven, I will not abandon them whom I have nourished. Therefore, O Lord of the gods, whatever good deeds I have performed—
दत्तमिष्टमथो जप्तं सामान्यं तैस्तदस्तु नः । बहुकालोपभोज्यं च फलं यन्मम कर्मगम्
Whatever has been given, offered, or recited by me, let that be shared with them; and whatever fruit of my actions has been enjoyed over many years—
तदस्तु दिनमप्येकं तैः समं त्वप्रसादतः । सूत उवाच - एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा शक्रस्त्रिभुवनेश्वरः
Let that, by your grace, be granted for even a single day together with them.
प्रसन्नचेता धर्मश्च विश्वामित्रश्च गाधिजः । गत्वा तु नगरं सर्वे चातुर्वर्ण्यसमाकुलम्
Suta said: Having declared, 'So it shall be,' the lord of the three worlds, Shakra, with a pleased mind, together with Dharma and Vishvamitra, son of Gadhi, all went to the city filled with the four orders.