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.
उपोषितस्ततः कृत्वा स्नानं कृष्णतिलैः सह । स्थापयेदव्रणं कुंभं पंचरत्नसमन्वितम्
After fasting, one should bathe with black sesame seeds, and place a flawless pot adorned with five gems.
वज्रमौक्तिकवैडूर्य पुष्परागेंद्रनीलकम् । पंचरत्नं प्रशस्तं तु इति कात्यायनोऽब्रवीत्
Diamond, pearl, cat's eye, topaz, and sapphire—these are the five excellent gems, so said Katyayana.
तस्योपरि न्यसेत्पात्रं सौवर्णं लक्षणान्वितम् । सौवर्णां विन्यसेत्तत्र यशोदां नंदगेहिनीम्
Upon that, one should place a golden vessel, properly marked, and there install a golden image of Yashoda, the wife of Nanda.
ददमानां तु पुत्रस्य स्तनं वै विस्मिताननाम् । पिबमानं स्तनं मातुरपरं पाणिना स्पृशत्
She is depicted as offering her breast to her son, with a face full of wonder, while he drinks her milk and touches her other breast with his hand.
आलोक्य मातरं प्रेम्णा सुखयंतं मुहुर्मुहुः । सौवर्णं कारयेद्देवं यावच्छक्तिश्च विद्यते
Looking lovingly at his mother, delighting her again and again, one should make the golden image of the deity as best as one's ability allows.
द्वि निष्कमात्रं कर्तव्यं यदि शक्तिश्च विद्यते । त्रिलोहेनैव कर्तव्यं सौवर्णेनाथवा पुनः
It should be made with the weight of two nishkas, if possible; otherwise, it may be made of three metals, or again of gold.
thumb|अङ्गुलिविन्यासः2 thumb|अङ्गुलिविन्यासः4 thumb|अङ्गुलिविन्यास5 thumb|अङ्गुलिविन्यास6 तद्वच्च रोहिणीं कुर्यात्सौवर्णी राजतः शशी । अंगुष्ठमात्रस्तु शशी रोहिणी चतुरंगुला
Likewise, one should make Rohini of gold, and the Moon of silver; the Moon should be the size of a thumb, and Rohini four fingers in length.
कर्णयोः कुंडले दद्यात्कंठाभरणकं गले । एवं कृत्वा तु गोविंदं मात्रासार्द्धं जगत्पतिम्
One should give earrings for the ears and a necklace for the neck; having done so, worship Govinda, the Lord of the world, together with his mother.
क्षीरादिस्नपनं कृत्वा चंदनेनानुलेपयेत् । श्वेतवस्त्रयुगच्छत्रं पुष्पमालोपशोभितम्
After bathing the deity with milk and other substances, anoint with sandalwood, and adorn with a pair of white garments, a white umbrella, and a garland of flowers.
नैवेद्यैर्विविधैर्भक्षैः फलैर्नानाविधैरपि । दीपं च कारयेत्तत्र पुष्पमंडपशोभितम्
One should offer various foods, sweets, and many kinds of fruits as offerings, and arrange a lamp there, adorned with a pavilion of flowers.