ततो रात्रौ समासाद्य स्वं पुरं जनवर्जितम्। द्वारे स्थित्वा समाहूय पुत्रं मंत्रिभिरन्वितम्॥६.३.
Then, reaching his own city at night, deserted by people, he stood at the gate and summoned his son, accompanied by counselors.
कथयामास वृत्तांतं सर्वं शापसमुद्भवम्। दूरे स्थितः स पुत्राणां वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः॥६.३.
Standing at a distance from his sons, the great-souled Vasiṣṭha recounted the entire story, how the curse had arisen.
वज्रपातोपमं वाक्यं तेऽपि तस्य निशम्य तत्। बाष्पपर्याकुलैरास्यै रुरुदुः शोकसंयुताः॥६.३.
Hearing those words, like a thunderbolt's strike, their faces overwhelmed with tears, they wept, overcome by grief.
हा नाथ हा महाराज हा नित्यं धर्मवत्सल। त्वया हीना भविष्यामः कथमद्य सुदुःखिताः॥६.३.
'Alas, lord! Alas, great king! Alas, ever devoted to righteousness! Bereft of you, how shall we, so afflicted, live today?'
किमेतद्युज्यते तेषां वासिष्ठानां दुरात्मनाम्। शापं ददुः स्वयाज्यस्य विशेषाद्विनतस्य च॥६.३.
What is this that those wicked Vasiṣṭhas have done? They pronounced a curse, especially upon the one who offered sacrifices himself and upon Vinata.
ते वयं राजशार्दूल परित्यज्य गृहादिकम्। अन्त्यजत्वं गमिष्यामस्त्वया सार्धमसंशयम्॥६.३.
O tiger among kings, we shall abandon our homes and possessions, and without doubt, together with you, we will take up the status of outcasts.
त्रिशंकुरुवाच। भक्तिश्चेदस्ति युष्माकं ममोपरि निरर्गल। तन्मे पुत्रस्य मंत्रित्वं सर्वे कुरुत सांप्रतम्॥६.३.
Triśaṃku said: If you have unimpeded devotion towards me, then all of you, right now, appoint my son as the officiant of the sacrifice.
हरिश्चंद्रः सुपुत्रोयं मम ज्येष्ठः सुवल्लभः। नियोजयध्वमव्यग्राः पदव्यां मम सत्वरम्॥६.३.
Hariścandra is my excellent son, my eldest and most beloved; appoint him, without hesitation, swiftly to my position.
अहं पुनः करिष्यामि यन्मे मनसि संस्थितम्। मृत्युं वा संप्रयास्यामि सदेहो वा सुरालयम्॥६.३.
I, for my part, will do whatever is settled in my mind; either I will go to death, or, with this body, I will reach the abode of the gods.
एवमुक्त्वा परित्यज्य सर्वांस्तान्स महीपतिः। जगामारण्यमाश्रित्य पद्भ्यामेव शनैः शनैः॥६.३.
Having spoken thus and leaving them all behind, that king departed, seeking the forest, proceeding slowly on foot.
तेपि सन्मंत्रिणस्तूर्णं पुत्रं तस्य सुसम्मतम्। राज्ये नियोजयासमासुर्नादवादित्रनिःस्वनैः॥६.३.
Those noble ministers quickly installed his well-approved son in the kingdom, accompanied by the sounds of drums and musical instruments.
सूत उवाच। त्रिशंकुरिति संचिन्त्य विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्। मनसा सुचिरं कालं ततश्चक्रे विनिश्चयम्॥६.४.
Sūta said: Thinking of Triśaṃku, the great sage Viśvāmitra, for a long time, made up his mind in his heart.
विश्वामित्रं परित्यज्य नान्योस्ति भुवनत्रये। यः कुर्यान्मे परित्राणं दुःखादस्मात्सुदारुणात्॥६.४.
Apart from Viśvāmitra, there is no one in the three worlds who can rescue me from this extremely terrible suffering.
कुरुक्षेत्रं समुद्दिश्य प्रतस्थे स ततः परम्। सुश्रांतः क्षुत्पिपासार्तो मार्गपृच्छापरायणः॥६.४.
Setting out towards Kurukṣetra, he proceeded further, exhausted, afflicted by hunger and thirst, constantly asking for directions.
ततः कालेन संप्राप्य कुरुक्षेत्रं स पार्थिवः। यत्नेनान्वेषयामास विश्वामित्राश्रमं ततः॥६.४.
Then, after some time, that king reached Kurukṣetra and, with effort, began to search for Viśvāmitra's hermitage.
एवं चान्वेषमाणेन तेन भूमिभृता तदा। सुदूरादेव संदृष्टं नीलद्रुमकदम्बकम्॥६.४.
As he searched, that ruler of the earth saw, from afar, a cluster of dark trees.
उपरिष्टाद्बकैर्हंसैर्भ्रममाणैः समंततः। आटिभिर्मद्गुभिश्चैव समन्ताज्जलपक्षिभिः॥६.४.
Above, cranes and swans wandered all around, together with herons and mallards, and other water birds on every side.
स मत्वा सलिलं तत्र पिपासार्तो महीपतिः। प्रतस्थे सत्वरो हृष्टो जलवातहृतक्लमः॥६.४.
Thinking there was water there, the thirsty king hurried forward, delighted, his fatigue swept away by the wind and the prospect of water.
अथापश्यन्मनोहारि सौम्यसत्त्वनिषेवितम्। आश्रमं नदितीरस्थं मनःशोकविनाशनम्॥६.४.
Then he saw a charming hermitage, inhabited by gentle beings, situated on the riverbank, a place that dispels sorrow from the mind.
पुष्पितैः फलितैर्वृक्षैः समंतात्परिवारितम्। विविधैर्मधुरारावैर्नादितं विहगोत्तमैः॥६.४.
Surrounded on all sides by trees in bloom and bearing fruit, resounding with the sweet calls of various excellent birds.
क्रीडंति नकुलाः सर्पैरूलूका यत्र वायसैः। मूषकैर्वृषदंशाश्च द्वीपिनो विविधैर्मृगैः॥६.४.
There, mongooses play with snakes, owls with crows, rats with wild oxen, and leopards with various other animals.
अथापश्यन्नदीतीरे स तपस्विगणावृतम्। स्वाध्यायनिरतं दांतं विश्वामित्रं तपोनिधिनम्॥६.४.
Then, on the riverbank, he saw Viśvāmitra, the treasury of austerity, surrounded by groups of ascetics, engaged in study and self-restraint.
तेजसा तपसातीव दीप्यमानमिवानलम्। चीरवल्कलसंवीतं शालवृक्षं समाश्रितम्॥६.४.
He saw one blazing with the fire of asceticism, shining like a flame, clad in bark garments, taking shelter beneath a śāla tree.
अथ गत्वा स राजेन्द्रो दूरस्थोऽपि प्रणम्य तम्। अष्टांगेन प्रणामेन स्वनाम परिकीर्तयन्॥६.४.
Then that king approached, though still at a distance, bowed down to him with eightfold prostration, and announced his own name.
तथान्यानपि तच्छिष्यान्कृताञ्जलिपुटः स्थितः। यथाक्रमं यथाज्येष्ठं श्रद्धया परया युतः॥६.४.
Standing with hands joined in reverence, he likewise greeted the other disciples there, according to their order and seniority, filled with utmost respect.
धूलिधूसरितांगं तं ते तु दृष्ट्वा महीपतिम्। चंडाल इति मन्वानाश्चिह्नैर्गात्रसमुद्भवैः॥६.४.
But when they saw that king, his body covered in dust and dirt, they took him for a caṇḍāla, judging by the marks that appeared on his limbs.
भर्त्सयामासुरेवाथ वचनैः परुषाक्षरैः। धिक्छब्दैश्च तथैवान्ये याहियाहीति चासकृत्॥६.४.
At once, they rebuked him with harsh words, and others too cried out 'shame!' and repeatedly told him, 'Go away, go away!'
कस्त्वं पापेह संप्राप्तो मुनीनामाश्रमोत्तमे। वेदध्वनिसमाकीर्णे साधूनामपि दुर्लभे॥६.४.
Who are you, sinner, who has come here to the most excellent hermitage of the sages, filled with the sound of the Vedas, a place even the virtuous rarely attain?
तस्माद्गच्छ द्रुतं यावन्न कश्चित्तापसस्तव। दत्त्वा शापं करोत्याशु प्राणानामपि संक्षयम्॥६.४.
Therefore, leave at once, before any ascetic here utters a curse upon you, which could swiftly bring about even the destruction of your life.
त्रिशंकुरुवाच। त्रिशंकुर्नाम भूपोऽहं सूर्यवंशसमुद्भवः। शप्तो वसिष्ठपुत्रैश्च चंडालत्वे नियोजितः॥६.४.
Triśaṃku said: I am the king named Triśaṃku, born of the Solar dynasty, cursed by the sons of Vasiṣṭha and consigned to the state of a caṇḍāla.