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.
हरिश्चन्द्रस्य निकटे प्रोवाच विबुधाधिपः । आगच्छन्तु जनाः शीघ्रं स्वर्गलोकं सुदुर्लभम्
Near Harishchandra, the lord of the gods proclaimed: 'Let the people quickly come to the heavenly world, so difficult to attain.'
धर्मप्रसादात्सम्प्राप्तं सर्वैर्युष्माभिरेव तु । हरिश्चन्द्रोऽपि तान्सर्वाञ्जनान्नगरवासिनः
'It has been attained by all of you alone, through the grace of Dharma.' Harishchandra also addressed all the city-dwellers:
प्राह राजा धर्मपरो दिवमारुह्यतामिति । सूत उवाच - तदिन्द्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रीतास्तस्य च भूपतेः
The king devoted to righteousness said, 'Ascend to heaven.' Suta said: Hearing those words of Indra, and of that king—
ये संसारेषु निर्विण्णास्ते धुरं स्वसुतेषु वै । कृत्वा प्रहृष्टमनसो दिवमारुरुहुर्जनाः
Those who were disillusioned with worldly existence, having placed their burdens upon their sons, ascended to heaven with joyful hearts.
विमानवरमारूढाः सर्वे भास्वरविग्रहाः । तदा सम्भूतहर्षास्ते हरिश्चन्द्रश्च पार्थिवः
All, having mounted splendid aerial chariots, their forms shining, then, filled with joy, together with King Harishchandra—
राज्येऽभिषिच्य तनयं रोहिताख्यं महामनाः । अयोध्याख्ये पुरे रम्ये हृष्टपुष्टजनान्विते
That great-souled king installed his son named Rohita in the kingdom, in the delightful city called Ayodhya, filled with happy and prosperous people.
तनयं सुहृदश्चापि प्रतिपूज्याभिनन्द्य च । पुण्येन लभ्यां विपुलां देवादीनां सुदुर्लभाम्
Having honored and blessed his son and friends, he attained, through merit, the vast and incomparable fame, so difficult even for the gods to obtain.
सम्प्राप्य कीर्तिमतुलां विमाने स महीपतिः । आसाञ्चक्रे कामगमे क्षुद्रघण्टाविराजिते
That renowned king, having attained unparalleled glory in the celestial chariot, dwelt there as he wished, amidst the ringing of small bells.
ततस्तर्हि समालोक्य श्लोकमन्त्रं तदा जगौ । दैत्याचार्यो महाभागः सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्ववित्
Then, beholding this, the great and fortunate preceptor of the Daityas, master of all the meanings and truths of the scriptures, recited a verse.
शुक्र उवाच - अहो तितिक्षामाहात्म्यमहो दानफलं महत् । यदागतो हरिश्चन्द्रो महेन्द्रस्य सलोकताम्
Shukra said: 'Oh, the greatness of forbearance! Oh, the great fruit of generosity, by which Harishchandra has attained the same world as Mahendra!'