कृत्वा पलायनं वीरो गतोऽसौ गिरिगह्वरे । अगम्ये नृपतिस्थाने स्थितस्तत्र भयातुरः
Having resolved to flee, the courageous one went into the mountain caves; remaining in a place inaccessible to the king, he stayed there, afflicted by fear.
प्राप्ते कालेऽथ वरुणो यज्ञार्थी नृपतेर्गृहम् । गत्वा तमाह भूपालं कुरु यज्ञं विशांपते
Then, when the time came, Varuṇa, desiring the sacrifice, went to the king’s house; he spoke to the ruler, 'O lord of the people, perform the sacrifice.'
प्रम्लानवदनो राजा तमाह व्यथितेन्द्रियः । किं करोमि गतः क्वापि सुतो मे सुरसत्तम
With a downcast face, the king, his senses distressed, said to him, 'What can I do? Somewhere my son has gone, O best of the gods.'
श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं राज्ञः कुपितो यादसांपतिः । शशाप तं नृपं कोपादसत्यवादिनं भृशम्
Hearing the king’s words, the lord of the waters became angry; in wrath, he cursed the king, who had spoken falsely.
जलोदराभिधो व्याधिर्देहे भवतु ते नृप । यतः प्रतारितश्चाहं कृत्वा कपटपण्डित
Let the disease called 'water-belly' arise in your body, O king; for I have been deceived by you, who acted as a false scholar.
इति शप्त्वा ययौ धाम स्वकं पाशधरस्तदा । राजा चिन्तातुरस्तस्थौ भवने व्याधिपीडितः
Having thus cursed him, the noose-holder departed to his own abode; the king, tormented by disease, remained in his palace, troubled by anxiety.
यदातिव्याधितो राजा रोगेण शापजेन ह । तदा शुश्राव पुत्रोऽपि पितरं व्याधिपीडितम्
When the king was greatly afflicted by the disease caused by the curse, then his son heard that his father was suffering from illness.
पान्थिकः प्राह पुत्रं हि पिता ते भृशदुःखितः । जलोदरविकारेण शापजेन नृपात्मज
A traveler said to the son, 'Your father is greatly distressed, O prince, by the disease of water-belly brought on by the curse.'
विनष्टं जीवितं तेऽद्य वृथा जातस्य दुर्मते । यत्त्यक्त्वा पितरं दुःस्थं प्राप्तोऽसि गिरिगह्वरम्
Your life is lost today, uselessly born, O misguided one; for you abandoned your suffering father and came to the mountain cave.
किमनेन शरीरेण प्राप्तं ते जन्मनः फलम् । देहदं दुःखितं कृत्वा स्थितोऽस्यत्र सुताधम
What fruit has your birth brought you with this body? Having caused your father’s body to suffer, you remain here, O worst among sons.
प्राणास्त्याज्याः पितुः कार्ये सत्पुत्रेणेति निश्चयः । त्वदर्थे दुःखितो राजा क्रन्दति व्याधिपीडितः
It is determined that a good son must give up his life for his father’s sake; the king, suffering because of you, cries out, afflicted by disease.
व्यास उवाच तदाकर्ण्य वचस्तथ्यं पान्थिकाद्धर्मसंयुतम् । यदा चक्रे मनो गन्तुं द्रष्टुं तातं व्यथातुरम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing those truthful and righteous words from the traveler, he resolved in his mind to go and see his suffering father.
तदा विप्रवपुर्भूत्वा वासवस्तमुपागमत् । रहः प्राह हितं वाक्यं दयावानिव भारत
Then, having assumed the form of a Brāhmaṇa, Indra approached him; in private, he spoke words of advice, as if compassionately, O descendant of Bharata.
मूर्खोऽसि राजपुत्र त्वं गमनाय मतिं वृथा । करोषि पितरं त्वद्य न जानासि व्यथायुतम्
You are foolish, O prince, for you vainly resolve to go; today you do not understand that your father is afflicted with pain.
आडीबकयुद्ध वर्णनसहितं देवीमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् इन्द्र उवाच साहसं कृतवान् राजा पूर्वं यत्कथितो मखः । वरुणाय प्रतिज्ञातः पुत्रं कृत्वा पशुं प्रियम्
Indra said: The king once performed a bold act, as has been told before—the sacrifice—having promised Varuṇa to offer his beloved son as the sacrificial animal.
गते त्वयि पिता पुत्रं बद्ध्वा यूपेऽघृणः पुनः । पशुं कृत्वा महाबुद्धे वधिष्यति व्यथातुरः
When you had departed, his pitiless father bound his son to the sacrificial post again, and, making him the sacrificial animal, intended to kill him, tormented by anxiety.
इत्थं निषिद्धस्तत्पुत्रः शक्रेणामिततेजसा । स्थितस्तत्रैव मायेशीमायया मोहितो भृशम्
Thus, when the son was forbidden by Śakra, of immeasurable brilliance, he remained there, greatly deluded by the Māyā of the Goddess of Illusion.
यदा पुनः पुनः श्रुत्वा पितरं रोगपीडितम् । गमनाय मतिं चक्रे तदेन्द्रः प्रत्यषेधयत्
But when he repeatedly heard that his father was afflicted by disease, he resolved to go, but Indra restrained him.
हरिश्चन्द्रोऽतिदुःखार्तः पप्रच्छ गुरुमन्तिके । स्थितं वसिष्ठमेकान्ते सर्वज्ञं हिततत्परम्
Harishchandra, overwhelmed by intense sorrow, approached his guru, Vasiṣṭha, who was alone and all-knowing, intent on his welfare, and questioned him.
राजोवाच भगवन् कि करोम्यद्य कातरोऽस्मि व्यथाकुलः । त्राहि मां दुःखमनसं महाव्याधिभयातुरम्
The king said: O venerable one, what shall I do today? I am fearful and distressed; save me, whose mind is troubled, from this great fear of disease.
वसिष्ठ उवाच शृणु राजन्नुपायोऽस्ति रोगनाशं प्रति स्तुतः । त्रयोदशविधाः पुत्राः कथिता धर्मसंग्रहे
Vasiṣṭha said: Listen, O king, there is a praised means for the destruction of disease; thirteen kinds of sons are described in the compendium of dharma.
तस्मात्क्रीतं सुतं कृत्वा यजस्व मखमुत्तमम् । द्रव्यं दत्त्वा यथोद्दिष्टमानयस्व द्विजोत्तमम्
Therefore, having acquired a son, perform the excellent sacrifice; give the prescribed wealth and bring a foremost Brāhmaṇa.
एवं कृते मखे भूप रोगनाशो भविष्यति । वरुणोऽपि प्रसन्नात्मा भविष्यति यथासुखम्
O king, when the sacrifice is performed in this way, the destruction of disease will occur, and Varuṇa too will become pleased and content.
व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा प्रोवाच मन्त्रिणम् । अन्वेषय महाबुद्धे विषयेष्वतियत्नतः
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, the king spoke to his minister: 'O wise one, search diligently throughout the realm.'
कदाचित्कोऽपि लोभार्थी ददाति स्वसुतं पिता । समानय धनं दत्त्वा यावत्प्रार्थयतेऽप्यसौ
Sometimes, out of greed, a father may give his own son; bring him, giving wealth, as long as he desires it.
सर्वथैव समानेयो यज्ञार्थे द्विजबालकः । न कार्या कृपणा बुद्धिस्त्वया मत्कार्यहेतवे
By all means, a Brāhmaṇa boy must be brought for the sacrifice; do not let compassion sway your judgment in this matter for my sake.
प्रार्थनीयस्त्वया पुत्रः कस्यचिद्द्विजवादिनः । द्रव्येण देहि यज्ञार्थं कर्तव्योऽसौ पशुः किल
You must request the son of some Brāhmaṇa; give wealth for the purpose of the sacrifice—he is to be made the sacrificial animal.
इति सञ्चोदितस्तेन सचिवः कार्यहेतवे । अन्वेषयामास पुरे ग्रामे ग्रामे गृहे गृहे
Thus urged by him for the task, the minister began searching in the city, in every village, and in every house.
एवमन्वेषतस्तस्य विषये कश्चिदातुरः । निर्धनस्त्रिसुतश्चासीदजीगर्तेति नामतः
While searching in this way throughout the kingdom, he found a certain poor and ailing man named Ajīgarta, who had three sons.
तस्य पुत्रं शुनःशेपं मध्यमं मन्त्रिसत्तमः । आनयामास दत्त्वार्थं प्रार्थितं यद्धनं तदा
The excellent minister brought his middle son, Śunaḥśepa, giving the requested wealth as agreed.