Markandeya Purana

; पक्षिण ऊचुः ततः कृत्वा चितां राजा आरोप्य तनयं स्वकम् । भार्यया सहितश्चासौ बद्धाञ्जलिपुटस्तदा॥८.

The birds said: Then, having prepared the funeral pyre, the king placed his son upon it; together with his wife, he stood there with hands joined in reverence.

चिन्तयन् परमात्मानमीशं नारायणं हरिम् । हृत्कोटरगुहासीनं वासुदेवं सुरेश्वरम् । अनादिनिधनं ब्रह्म कृष्णं पीताम्बरं शुभम्॥८.

Contemplating the Supreme Self, the Lord Narayana, Hari, who dwells in the cave of the heart, Vasudeva, Lord of the gods, the beginningless and endless Brahman, Krishna, clad in yellow robes, the auspicious one—

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । धर्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा समाजग्मुस्त्वरान्विताः॥८.

As he was meditating, all the gods, along with Indra, came swiftly, placing Dharma at their head.

आगत्य सर्वे प्रोचुस्ते भो भो राजन् ! शृणु प्रभो । अयं पितामहः साक्षाद्धर्मश्च भगवान् स्वयम्॥८.

Having arrived, they all said: 'O king, listen, lord! Here is the Grandfather himself, and Dharma, the Blessed One, in person.'

साध्याश्च विश्वे मरुतो लोकपालाः सवाहनाः । नागाः सिद्धाः सगन्धर्वा रुद्राश्चैव तथाश्विनौ॥८.

The Sadhyas, the Visvedevas, the Maruts, the guardians of the worlds with their vehicles, the Nagas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Rudras, and the Ashvins as well—

एते चान्ये च बहवो विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च । विश्वत्रयेण यो मित्रं कर्तुं न शकितः पुरा॥८.

And many others also, including Vishvamitra, who once was unable to make friendship with the threefold universe—

विश्वामित्रस्तु ते मैत्रीमिष्टञ्चाहर्तुमिच्छति । आरुरोह ततः प्राप्तो धर्मः शक्रोऽथ गाधिजः॥८.

Now Vishvamitra wishes to establish friendship with you; then Dharma, Indra, and the son of Gadhi ascended and arrived.

; धर्मि उवाच मा राजन् ! साहसं कार्षोर्धर्मोऽहं त्वामुपागतः । तितिक्षा-दम-सत्याद्यैः स्वगुणैः परितोषितः॥८.

Dharma said: 'Do not act rashly, O king! I, Dharma, have come to you, pleased by your virtues of forbearance, self-control, truth, and others.'

; इन्द्र उवाच हरिश्चन्द्र माहभाग ! प्राप्तः शक्रोऽस्मितेऽन्तिकम् । त्वया सभार्यपुत्रेण जिता लोकाः सनातनाः॥८.

Indra said: 'O Harishchandra, greatly fortunate one! I, Shakra, have come to you; with your wife and son, you have conquered the eternal worlds.'

आरोह त्रिदिवं राजन् ! भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः । सुदुष्प्राप्तं नरैरन्यैर्जितमात्मीयकर्मभिः॥८.

Ascend to heaven, O King, together with your wife and son—by your own deeds you have attained that which is exceedingly difficult for others to reach.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः ततोऽमृतमयं वर्षमपमृत्युविनाशनम् । इन्द्रः प्रासृजदाकाशाच्चितास्थानगतः प्रभुः॥८.

Then Indra, the Lord, seated in the assembly of the gods, released from the sky a rain of nectar that destroyed death.

पुष्पवर्षञ्च सुमहद्देवदुन्दुभिनिस्वनम् । ततस्ततो वर्तमाने समाजे देवसंकुले॥८.

There was a great shower of flowers and the sound of divine drums, as the gathering of gods continued in that assembly.

समुत्तस्थौ ततः पुत्रो राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः । सुकुमारतनुः सुस्थः प्रसन्नेन्द्रियमानसः॥८.

Then, the son of that great-souled king arose—his body delicate, in perfect health, his senses and mind clear and serene.

ततो राजा हरिश्चन्द्रः परिष्वज्य सुतं क्षणात् । सभार्यः स श्रिया युक्तो दिव्यमाल्याम्बरान्वितः॥८.

Thereupon King Harishchandra, adorned with celestial garlands and garments, embraced his son at once, together with his wife, radiant with splendor.

सुस्थः सम्पूर्णहृदयो मुदा परमया युतः । बभूव तत्क्षणादिन्द्रो भूयश्चैनमभाषत॥८.

Healthy, his heart completely fulfilled and filled with supreme joy, he became so in that very moment; then Indra spoke to him again.

सभार्यस्त्वं सपुत्रश्च प्राप्स्यसे सद्गतिं पराम् । समारोह माहभाग निजानां कर्मणां फलैः॥८.

With your wife and son, you shall attain the highest blessed state; ascend, O greatly fortunate one, by the fruits of your own deeds.

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच देवराजाननुज्ञातः स्वामिना श्वपचेन वै । अगत्वा निष्कृतिं तस्य नारोक्ष्येऽहं सुरालयम्॥८.

Harishchandra said: "Though permitted by you, O Lord of the gods, I will not ascend to the abode of the gods without first fulfilling my obligation to my master, the outcaste."

; धर्म उवाच तवैनं भाविनं क्लेशमवगम्यात्ममायया । आत्मा श्वपाकतां नीतो दर्शितं तच्च चापलम्॥८.

Dharma said: "Understanding your future hardship by my own power, I myself led you to the state of an outcaste and revealed that fickleness to you."

; इन्द्र उवाच प्रार्थ्यते यत् परं स्थानं समस्तैर्मनुजैर्भुवि । तदारोह हरिश्चन्द्र स्थानं पुण्यकृतां नृणाम्॥८.

Indra said: "Ascend, O Harishchandra, to that supreme place which is sought by all men on earth—the realm attained by the righteous."

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच देवाराज ! नमस्तुभ्यं वाक्यञ्चैतन्निबोध मे । प्रसादसुमुखं यत् त्वां ब्रवीमि प्रश्रयान्वितः॥८.

Harishchandra said: "O King of the gods, I bow to you! Hear these words of mine, spoken with humility and a face bright with your grace."

मच्छोकमग्नमनसः कोशलानगरे जनाः । तिष्ठन्ति तानपोह्याद्य कथं यास्याम्यहं दिवम्॥८.

The people of the city of Kosala, their minds sunk in grief because of me, remain there—how can I go to heaven, abandoning them today?

ब्रह्महत्या गुरोर्घातो गोवधः स्त्रीवधस्तथा । तुल्यमेभिर्महापापं भक्तत्यागेऽप्युदाहृतम्॥८.

Killing a Brahmin, slaying a teacher, killing a cow, or a woman—abandoning a devotee is declared to be a sin equal to these great crimes.

भजन्तं भक्तमत्याज्यमदुष्टं त्यजतः सुखम् । नेह नामुत्र पश्यामि तस्माच्छक्र ! दिवं व्रज॥८.

To abandon an innocent devotee who serves with devotion may bring ease, but I see no good in this world or the next; therefore, O Indra, go to heaven without me.

यदि ते सहिताः स्वर्गं मया यान्ति सुरेश्वर । ततोऽहमपि यास्यामि नरकं वापि तैः सह॥८.

If they may go to heaven with me, O Lord of the gods, then I too will go; otherwise, I will go even to hell together with them.

; इन्द्र उवाच बहूनि पुण्यपापानि तेषां भिन्नानि वै पृथक् । कथं सङ्घातभोग्यं त्वं भूयः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यसि॥८.

Indra said: "Their many merits and sins are distinct and separate; how can you, as a group, again attain heaven?"

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच शक्र भुङ्क्ते नृपो राज्यं प्रभावेण कुटुम्बिनाम् । यजते च महायज्ञैः कर्म पौर्तं करोति च॥८.

Harishchandra said: "O Shakra, a king enjoys his kingdom through the power of his subjects, performs great sacrifices, and carries out works of charity."

तच्च तेषां प्रभावेण मया सर्वमनुष्ठितम् । उपकर्तॄन् न सन्त्यक्ष्ये तानहं स्वर्गलिप्सया॥८.

All this I have accomplished through their power; I will not abandon my benefactors out of desire for heaven.

तस्माद्यन्मम देवेश किञ्चिदस्ति सुचेष्टितम् । दत्तमिष्टमथो जप्तं सामान्यं तैस्तदस्तु नः॥८.

Therefore, O Lord of the gods, whatever good deeds I have performed—whether giving, sacrificing, or reciting, or any other ordinary act—may all that be with us.

बहुकालोपभोग्यं हि फलं यन्मम कर्मणः । तदस्तु दिनमप्येकं तैः समं त्वत्प्रसादतः॥८.

The fruit of my actions, which is to be enjoyed over many ages—may that, by your grace, be attained by us in a single day.