स पालयन्शुभं राज्यं परं विस्मयमागतः । न तादृशमभूत्पूर्वं राज्यं कस्य हि कर्हिचित्
Ruling his auspicious kingdom, he was filled with great wonder; never before had there been such a kingdom for anyone at any time.
न चेदृशं नरैरन्यैर्विमानमधिरोहितम् । कस्येह कर्मणो व्यष्टिर्येनाहं सुरराडिव
Nor had any other men ascended such a celestial chariot; for whose action is this result, by which I am like the king of the gods?
इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा विमानवरमास्थितः । ददर्श पार्थिववरो मेरुं शिखरिणां वरम्
Thus absorbed in thought, seated in his excellent chariot, the best of kings beheld Meru, the foremost of mountains.
तत्रास्ते च महात्मासौ द्वितीय इव भास्करः । आसीनं पर्वतवरे शैलपट्टे हिरण्मये
There, that great soul dwells, like a second sun, seated on the golden plateau of the best of mountains.
सनत्कुमारं ब्रह्मर्षिं ज्ञानयोगपरायणम् । दृष्ट्वा ह्यवातरद्राजा प्रष्टुकामोऽथ विस्मयम्
Seeing Sanatkumara, the brahmarshi devoted to the path of knowledge and yoga, the king descended, wishing to ask him, and was filled with wonder.
ववंदे चरणौ हृष्टस्तेनापि स च नंदितः । सुखोपविष्टस्तु नृपः पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवम्
Joyfully, he bowed at his feet, and Sanatkumara was pleased by this; then, the king sat comfortably and questioned the foremost of sages.
भगवन्दुर्ल्लभा लोके संपच्चेयं यथा मम । कर्मणा केन लभ्येत कश्चाहं पूर्वजन्मनि
O revered one, such prosperity as this is rare in the world; by what action is it obtained, and who was I in a previous birth?
तत्त्वं कथय मे सर्वमनुग्राह्योऽस्मि ते यदि । सनत्कुमार उवाच-। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि पूर्ववृत्तस्य कारणम्
Tell me the whole truth, for I am worthy of your favor, if you so choose. Sanatkumara said: Hear, O king, I will tell you the cause of your previous story.
येन कृत्वा विशेषेण तव चानुग्रहोऽभवत् । त्वमासीः पूर्वजनुषि सुवैश्यः सत्यवाक्शुचिः
By what special deed your favor has arisen, I will explain: In a former birth, you were a virtuous and truthful merchant.
स्वं कर्म ते परित्यक्तं ततस्त्यक्तस्तु बांधवैः । सत्वं वृत्तिपरिक्षीणो भार्ययानुगतस्तथा
You abandoned your own occupation, and thus were forsaken by your relatives; your means of livelihood diminished, and you were followed only by your wife.
निर्गतः स्वजनांस्त्यक्त्वा परप्रेषणलिप्सया । न च प्रेषणदो ह्यासीत्काले दुर्भिक्षपीडितः
Leaving your people behind, you departed, desiring to serve others; yet you found no employment, for the time was afflicted by famine.
ततः कदाचिद्गहने सरश्चोत्फुल्लपंकजम् । दृष्ट्वा तत्र कृतो भावो गृह्णीवः पंकजानि वै
Then, once in a forest, you saw a lake with blooming lotuses; seeing them, you felt inspired and gathered those lotuses.
एतावदुक्त्वा पुष्पाणि तान्यादाय पदे पदे । आस्थितौ नगरीं पुण्यां नाम्ना वाराणसीं शुभाम्
Having said this, you took those flowers step by step and reached the holy city named Varanasi, auspicious and renowned.
ततो विक्रयतः कश्चिनैव गृह्णाति पंकजम् । तन्मठान्निर्गतः कश्चित्तत्रैव प्रांगणे स्थितः
But when you tried to sell them, no one would buy the lotuses; leaving the marketplace, you stood there in the courtyard.
तत्र स्थाने प्रविशता श्रुतो वादित्रनिस्वनः । कस्मिंश्च श्रूयते ह्येष वादित्रस्य च निस्वनः
There, as you entered that place, you heard the sound of musical instruments; in some direction, the sound of those instruments was heard.
इति पृष्टे तदा तूर्ये तेनोक्ते प्रस्थितोंतरम् । काशिराजस्तु विख्यात इंद्रद्युम्नस्तु पार्थिवः
When you inquired about the music, someone told you, and you set out in that direction; the famous king of Kashi, Indradyumna, was there.
तस्यास्ति दुहिता ख्याता नाम्ना चंद्रावती सती । उपोषिता महाभागा जयंतीमष्टमीं शुभाम्
He had a renowned daughter named Candravati, a virtuous woman, who was observing the auspicious Jayanti Ashtami fast.
तत्रागतोऽसौ वैश्यस्तु यत्र तिष्ठति सा शुभा । संतुष्टचित्तः स तदा हर्षस्तत्रागतो महान्
There, the merchant arrived where that auspicious lady was staying; his mind was content, and great joy arose there.
तत्र स्थाने त्वया दृष्टो देव वैतानिको विधिः । आदित्यसहितो यत्र पूज्यते भगवान्हरिः
At that place, you saw the Vaitanik ritual for the gods, where Lord Hari is worshipped together with the Sun.
तद्भक्त्या च त्वया पत्न्या सह पुष्पार्चनं कृतम् । शेषैस्तु प्रकरस्तत्र कृतः पुष्पमयस्तथा
With devotion, you and your wife performed a flower offering there; with the remaining flowers, a garland was made as well.
तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिता साह केनेहाभ्यर्चनं कृतम् । ज्ञात्वा तत्कर्मतत्सर्वं कृतं संरक्षणं तथा
Seeing this, she was amazed and wondered who had performed this worship here; learning of all that was done, she ensured it was preserved.
ततस्तुष्टा तु सा तुभ्यं ददौ वित्तं बहुस्वयम् । त्वया वित्तं नो गृहीतं भोजनायानुमंत्रितः
Then, pleased, she herself gave you much wealth; but you did not accept the wealth, being invited instead to partake of food.
न गृहीतं भोजनं च न च वित्तं त्वया तदा । आदित्यो विष्णुसंयुक्तः पूजितोऽसौ यथाविधि
At that time, you neither took food nor wealth; the Sun, united with Vishnu, was worshipped by you according to the proper method.
ततः प्रभातसमये रक्षमाणस्तया सदा । विश्रंभयित्वा तान्सर्वान्निर्गतोऽसि यथेच्छया
Then, at daybreak, always protected by her, you reassured all those people and departed as you wished.
तदेतदन्यजनुषि सुकृतं चार्जितं त्वया । पंचत्वं च त्वया प्राप्तं स्वीयकर्मानुयोगतः
This good deed was earned by you in another birth, and you attained death due to the force of your own actions.
तेन पुण्येन महता विमानमागमत्तदा । तत्फलं भुज्यते भूप पूर्वजन्मकृतं च यत्
By that great merit, a celestial vehicle then arrived; O king, one enjoys the fruit of what was done in a previous life.
हरिश्चंद्र उवाच- केनैव च विधानेन कस्मिन्मासे च सा तिथिः । कर्त्तव्या तन्ममाचक्ष्व अनुग्राह्योऽस्मि ते यदि
Harishchandra said: By what method, and in which month and on what lunar day should this be performed? Please tell me that, if you wish to favor me.
सनत्कुमार उवाच- शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्कथ्यमानं मया तव । श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य कृष्णाष्टम्यां नराधिप
Sanatkumara said: Listen attentively, O king, as I explain to you: it is to be performed on the Krishna Ashtami of the month of Shravana, O lord of men.
रोहिणी यदि लभ्येत जयंती नाम सा तिथिः । भूयोभूयो महाराज भवेज्जन्मनि कारणम्
If Rohini is obtained on that day, it is called Jayanti; again and again, O great king, it becomes the cause of birth.
विधानमस्या वक्ष्यामि यथोक्तं ब्रह्मणा मम । यत्कृत्वा मुक्तपापस्तु विष्णुलोकं प्रगच्छति
I will describe the procedure for this, as spoken by Brahma to me; by performing it, one freed from sin attains the world of Vishnu.