; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच भगवन् राज्यमेतत् ते दत्तं निहतकण्टकम् । अवशिष्टमिदं ब्रह्मन्नद्य देहत्रयं मम॥७.
Hariścandra said: O revered one, this kingdom has been given to you, cleared of all obstacles. Now, O Brahman, only these three bodies of mine remain.
; विश्वामित्र उवाच तथापि खलु दातव्या त्वया मे यज्ञदक्षिणा । विशेषतो ब्राह्मणानं हन्त्यदत्तं प्रतिश्रुतम्॥७.
Viśvāmitra said: Even so, you must give me the sacrificial gift. Especially, it is promised that the Brahmins are harmed if the gift is not given.
यावत् तोषो राजसूये ब्राह्मणानां तभवेन्नृप । तावदेव तु दातव्या दक्षिणा राजसूयिकी॥७.
As long as the Brahmins are satisfied in the Rājasūya, O king, so long must the royal sacrificial gift be given.
प्रतिश्रुत्य च दातव्यं योद्धव्यं चाततायिभिः । रक्षितव्यास्तथा चार्तास्त्वयैव प्राक् प्रतिश्रुतम्॥७.
Having promised, you must give; you must fight with aggressors; and you must protect the afflicted—this was previously promised by you.
; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच भगवन् साम्प्रतं नास्ति दास्ये कालक्रमेण ते । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रर्षे सद्भावमनुचिन्त्य च॥७.
Hariścandra said: O revered one, at present I have nothing; I will give to you in due course. Show your grace, O sage, considering my sincerity.
; विश्वामित्र उवाच किम्प्रमाणो मया कालः प्रतीक्ष्यस्ते जनाधिप । शीघ्रमाचक्ष्व शापाग्निरन्यथा त्वां प्रधक्ष्यति॥७.
Viśvāmitra said: What measure of time should I wait for you, O lord of men? Speak quickly, or the fire of my curse will consume you.
; हरिचन्द्र उवाच मासेन तव विप्रर्षे प्रदास्ये दक्षिणाधनम् । साम्प्रतं नास्ति मे वित्तमनुज्ञां दातुमर्हसि॥७.
Hariścandra said: O sage, I will give you the sacrificial wealth within a month. I have no riches now; you should permit me to give.
; विश्वामित्र उवाच गच्छ गच्छ नृपश्रेष्ठ स्वधर्ममनुपालय । शिवश्च तेऽध्वा भवतु मा सन्तु परिपन्थिनः॥७.
Viśvāmitra said: Go, go, O foremost of kings, uphold your own duty. May your path be auspicious, and may there be no obstacles.
; पक्षिण ऊचुः अनुज्ञातश्च गच्छेति जगाम वसुधाधिपः । पद्भ्यामनुचिता गन्तुमन्वगच्छत तं प्रिया॥७.
The birds said: Permitted to depart, the lord of the earth went; his beloved followed him, walking by foot, though it was not her custom.
तं सभार्यं नृपश्रेष्ठं निर्यान्तं ससुतं पुरात् । दृष्ट्वा प्रचुक्रुशुः पौरा राज्ञश्चैवानुयायिनः॥७.
Seeing the great king leaving the city with his wife and son, the citizens cried out, and the followers of the king also.
हानाथ किं जहास्यस्मान् नित्यार्तिपरिपीडितान् । त्वं धर्मतत्परो राजन् पौरानुग्रहकृत् तथा॥७.
Alas, why do you abandon us, always afflicted and suffering? You are devoted to righteousness, O king, and have shown favor to the citizens.
नयास्मानपि राजर्षे यदि धर्ममवेक्षसे । मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र भवतो मुखपङ्कजम्॥७.
Take us also, O royal sage, if you regard righteousness. Wait a moment, O king, so we may see your lotus-like face.
पिबामो नेत्रभ्रमरैः कदा द्रक्ष्यामहे पुनः । यस्य प्रयातस्य पुरो यान्ति पृष्ठे च पार्थिवाः॥७.
Let us drink with our bee-like eyes; when will we see you again? Those who go before and behind the departing king.
तस्यानुयाति भार्येयं गृहीत्वा बालकं सुतम् । यस्य भृत्याः प्रयातस्य यान्तयग्रे कुञ्जचरस्थिताः॥७.
His wife follows him, carrying their young son; his servants, as he departs, walk ahead, standing in the path like elephants.
स एष पद्भ्यां राजेन्द्रो हरिश्चन्द्रोऽद्य गच्छति । हा राजन् सुकुमारं ते सुभ्रु सुत्वचमुन्नसम्॥७.
This king Hariścandra now goes by foot; alas, O king, your tender-skinned, beautiful-browed son walks with you.
पथि पांशुपरिक्लिष्टं मुखं कीदृग्भविष्यति । तिष्ठ तिष्ठ नृपश्रेष्ठ स्वधर्ममनुपालय॥७.
What will his face become, covered with dust along the road? Stay, stay, O foremost of kings, uphold your own duty.
आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः । किं दारैः किं सुतैर्नाथ धनैर्धान्यैरथापि वा॥७.
Compassion is the highest duty, especially for Kṣatriyas. What are wives, what are sons, O lord, what are riches or grains?
सर्वमेतत् परित्यज्य छायाभूता वयं तव । हानाथ हा महाराज हा स्वामिन् किं जहासि नः॥७.
Having abandoned all this, we have become your shadow. Alas, O great king, alas, O master, why do you leave us?
यत्र त्वं तत्र हि वयं तत् सुखं यत्र वै भवान् । नगरं तद्भवान् यत्र स स्वर्गो यत्र नो नृपः॥७.
Wherever you are, there we are also; happiness is where you dwell. The city is where you reside, and heaven is wherever our king is.
इति पौरवचः श्रुत्वा राजा शोकपरिप्लुतः । अतिष्ठत् स तदा मार्गे तेषामेवानुकम्पया॥७.
Hearing these words of the townspeople, the king, overwhelmed by sorrow, remained on the path out of compassion for them.
विश्वामित्रोऽपि तं दृष्ट्वा पौरवाक्याकुलीकृतम् । रोषमर्षविवृत्ताक्षः समागम्य वचोऽब्रवीत्॥७.
Seeing him disturbed by the words of the townspeople, Viśvāmitra approached, his eyes wide with anger and indignation, and spoke.
धिक् त्वां दुष्टसमाचारमनृतं जिह्मभाषणम् । मम राज्यं च दत्वा यः पुनः प्राक्रष्टुमिच्छसि॥७.
Shame on you, wicked in conduct, speaking false and crooked words! Having given me my kingdom, why do you now wish to take it back?
इत्युक्तः परुषं तेन गच्छामीति सवेपथुः । ब्रुवन्नेवं ययौ शीघ्रमाकर्षन् दयितां करे॥७.
Addressed so harshly by him, trembling, he said, 'I will go,' and quickly departed, grasping his beloved by the hand.
कर्षतस्तां ततो भार्यां सुकुमारीं श्रमातुराम् । सहसा दण्डकाष्ठेन ताडयामास कौशिकः॥७.
As he dragged his delicate wife, weary from exhaustion, Kauśika suddenly struck her with a stick.
तां तथा ताडितां दृष्ट्वा हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । गच्छामीत्याह दुः खार्तो नान्यत् किञ्चिदुदाहरत्॥७.
Seeing her struck in this way, King Hariścandra, afflicted with grief, said, 'I will go,' and spoke nothing else.
अथ विश्वे तदा देवाः पञ्च प्राहुः कृपालवः । विश्वामित्रः सुपापोऽयं लोकान् कान् समवाप्स्यति॥७.
Then the five compassionate gods spoke: 'What worlds will Viśvāmitra, so sinful, attain?'
येनायां यज्वनां श्रेष्ठः स्वराज्यादवरोपितः । कस्य वा श्रद्धया पूतं सुतं सोमं महाध्वरे । पीत्वा वयं प्रयास्यामो मुदं मन्त्रपुरः सरम्॥७.
By whom the best of sacrificers has been cast down from his own kingdom—by whose faith will we drink the purified soma at the great sacrifice and depart joyfully, led by the mantras?
; पक्षिण ऊचुः इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा कौशिकोऽतिरुषान्वितः । शशाप तान् मनुष्यत्वं सर्वे यूयमवाप्स्यथ॥७.
Hearing their words, Kauśika, filled with great anger, cursed them: 'All of you shall attain human birth.'
प्रसादितश्च तैः प्राह पुनरेव महामुनिः. मानुषत्वेऽपि भवतां भवित्री नैव सन्ततिः॥७.
Appeased by them, the great sage spoke again: 'Even in your human birth, you shall have no offspring.'
न दारसंग्रहश्चैव भविता न च मत्सरः । कामक्रोधविनिर्मुक्ता भविष्यथ सुराः पुनः॥७.
There will be no taking of wives, nor envy; freed from desire and anger, you will become gods again.