Markandeya Purana

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.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा शक्रस्त्रिभुवनेश्वरः । प्रसन्नचेता धर्मश्च विश्वामित्रश्च गाधिजः॥८.

The birds said: Having spoken, 'So it shall be,' the lord of the three worlds, Indra, together with Dharma and Viśvāmitra, son of Gādhi, became pleased in heart.

विमानकोटिसम्बद्धं स्वर्गलोकान्महीतलम् । गत्वायोध्याजनं प्राह दिवमारुह्यतामिति॥८.

Then, going from the earth to the heavenly realms, bound to the peaks of aerial chariots, they addressed the people of Ayodhyā, saying, 'Ascend to heaven.'

तदिन्द्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रीत्या तस्य च भूपतेः । आनीय रोहिताश्चञ्च विश्वामित्रो महातपाः॥८.

Hearing Indra’s words, and with joy, Viśvāmitra, the great ascetic, brought Rohitāśva to the king.

अयोध्याख्ये पुरे रम्ये सोऽभ्यसिञ्चन्नृपात्मजम् । देवैश्च मुनिभिः सिद्धैरभिषिच्य नराधिपम्॥८.

In the beautiful city called Ayodhyā, he anointed the prince as king, together with the gods, sages, and perfected beings, installing him as lord of men.

राज्ञा सह तदा सर्वे हृष्टपुष्टसुहृज्जनाः । सपुत्रभृत्यदारास्ते दिवमारुरुहुर्जनाः॥८.

Then, together with the king, all the people—joyful, prosperous, and with their friends, sons, servants, and wives—ascended to heaven.

पदे पदे विमानात् ते विमानमगमन् नराः । तदा सम्भूतहर्षोऽसौ हरिश्चन्द्रश्च पार्थिवः॥८.

At every step, from one aerial chariot to another, the people ascended; then arose great joy, and Hariścandra, the king, as well.

सम्प्राप्य भूतिमतुलां विमानैः स महीपतिः । आसाञ्चक्रे पुराकारे वप्रप्राकारसंवृते॥८.

Having attained incomparable prosperity by means of the aerial chariots, that king established dwellings within the city, enclosed by ramparts and walls.

ततस्तस्यर्धिमालोक्य श्लोकं तत्रोशना जगौ । दैत्याचार्यो महाभागः सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्ववित्॥८.

Then, seeing his prosperity, Uśanas, the great and blessed preceptor of the Daityas, knower of all the meanings and truths of the scriptures, spoke this verse.

; शुक्र उवाच हरिश्चन्द्रसमो राजा न भूतो न भविष्यति । यः शृणोति स्वदुः खार्तः स सुखं महदाप्नुयात्॥८.

Śukra said: There has never been, nor will there be, a king equal to Hariścandra. Whoever hears this, afflicted by their own sorrow, will obtain great happiness.

स्वर्गार्थोप्राप्नुयात् स्वर्गं पुत्रार्थो पुत्रमाप्नुयात् । भार्यार्थो प्राप्नुयाद्भार्यां राज्यार्थो राज्यमाप्नुयात्॥८.

One desiring heaven will attain heaven; one desiring a son will obtain a son; one desiring a wife will gain a wife; one desiring a kingdom will obtain a kingdom.

अहो तितिक्षामाहात्म्यमहो दानफलं महत् । यदागतो हरिश्चन्द्रः पुरीञ्चेन्द्रत्वमाप्तवान्॥८.

Oh, the greatness of forbearance! Oh, the great fruit of giving! By which Hariścandra, having come here, attained the kingship of the city of Indra.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं हरिश्चन्द्रविचेष्टितम् । अतः परं कथाशेषः श्रूयतां मुनिसत्तम॥८.

The birds said: All this, the deeds of Hariścandra, have been told to you. Now, O best of sages, listen to the remainder of the tale.

विपाको राजसूयस्य पृथिवीक्षयकारणम् । तद्विपाकनिमित्तञ्च युद्धमाडिबकं महत्॥८.

The result of the rājasūya sacrifice, the cause of the destruction of the earth, and the great war called the battle of the Āḍibakas—these are the results to be heard.

पक्षिण ऊचुः राज्यच्युते हरिश्चन्द्रे गते च त्रिदशालयम् । निश्चक्राम महातेजा जलवासात् पुरोहितः॥९.

The birds said: When Hariścandra was deprived of his kingdom and had gone to the abode of the gods, the illustrious priest emerged from his watery dwelling.

वशिष्ठो द्वादशाब्दान्ते गङ्गापर्युषितो मुनिः । शुश्राव च समस्तन्तु विश्वामित्रविचेष्टितम्॥९.

Vasiṣṭha, the sage, having dwelt by the Ganges for twelve years, heard all that Viśvāmitra had done.

हरिश्चन्द्रस्य नाशञ्च राज्ञश्चोदारकर्मणः । चण्डालसम्प्रयोगञ्च भार्यातनयविक्रयम्॥९.

He heard of the destruction of Hariścandra, the generous king, his association with outcastes, and the sale of his wife and son.

स श्रुत्वा सुमाहभागः प्रीतिमानवनीपतौ । चकार कोपं तेजस्वी विश्वामित्रमृषिं प्रति॥९.

Hearing this, the exceedingly fortunate king became pleased, but the radiant sage grew angry toward Vishvamitra.

वशिष्ठ उवाच मम पुत्रशतं तेन विश्वामित्रेण घातितम् । तत्रापि नाभवत् क्रोधस्तादृशो यादृशोऽद्य मे॥९.

Vashishtha said: My hundred sons were slain by Vishvamitra, yet even then my anger was not as fierce as it is today.

श्रुत्वा नराधिपमिमं स्वराज्यादवरोपितम् । महात्मानं महाभागं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम्॥९.

Upon hearing that this noble king, great-souled and devoted to the worship of gods and Brahmins, had been deprived of his sovereignty,

यस्मात् स सत्यवाक् शान्तः शत्रावपि विमत्सरः । अनागाश्चैव धर्मात्मा अप्रमत्तो मदाश्रयः॥९.

Because he was truthful, peaceful, free from envy even toward enemies, sinless, righteous, vigilant, and self-controlled,