Harishchandra's Vow to Fast Until the Debt Is Paid

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.7.20.1)

हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच । अदत्त्वा ते हिरण्यं वै न करिष्यामि भोजनम् । प्रतिज्ञा मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ विषादं त्यज सुव्रत

hariścandra uvāca adattvā te hiraṇyaṁ vai na kariṣyāmi bhojanam pratijñā me muniśreṣṭha viṣādaṁ tyaja suvrata

Harishchandra said: Until I have given you the gold, I shall not take food; this is my vow, O best of sages, O keeper of good vows — abandon your despair.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.7.20.2)

सूर्यवंशसमुद्भूतः क्षत्रियोऽहं महीपतिः । राजसूयस्य यज्ञस्य कर्ता वाञ्छितदो नृषु

sūryavaṁśasamudbhūtaḥ kṣatriyo'haṁ mahīpatiḥ rājasūyasya yajñasya kartā vāñchitado nṛṣu

I am a king born of the Solar dynasty, a kshatriya, performer of the Rajasuya sacrifice, one who grants to men whatever they desire.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.7.20.3)

कथं करोमि नाकारं स्वामिन्दत्त्वा यदृच्छया । अवश्यमेव दातव्यमृणं ते द्विजसत्तम

kathaṁ karomi nākāraṁ svāmindattvā yadṛcchayā avaśyameva dātavyamṛṇaṁ te dvijasattama

How, O lord, having given a gift of my own will, could I fail to fulfill it? O best of the twice-born, this debt must without fail be paid by me.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.7.20.4)

स्वस्थो भव प्रदास्यामि सुवर्णं मनसेप्सितम् । कञ्चित्कालं प्रतीक्षस्व यावत्प्राप्स्याम्यहं धनम्

svastho bhava pradāsyāmi suvarṇaṁ manasepsitam kañcitkālaṁ pratīkṣasva yāvatprāpsyāmyahaṁ dhanam

Be at ease — I shall certainly give the gold you desire; only wait a little while, until I am able to obtain the wealth.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.7.20.5)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । कुतस्ते भविता राजन् धनप्राप्तिरतः परम् । गतं राज्यं तथा कोशो बलं चैवार्थसाधनम्

viśvāmitra uvāca kutaste bhavitā rājan dhanaprāptirataḥ param gataṁ rājyaṁ tathā kośo balaṁ caivārthasādhanam

Vishvamitra said: O king, from where now will wealth come to you? Your kingdom is gone, your treasury is gone, and your army too, which was the very means of gaining wealth.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.7.20.6)

वृथाशा ते महीपाल धनार्थे किं करोम्यहम् । निर्धनं त्वां च लोभेन पीडयामि कथं नृप

vṛthāśā te mahīpāla dhanārthe kiṁ karomyaham nirdhanaṁ tvāṁ ca lobhena pīḍayāmi kathaṁ nṛpa

O lord of the earth, this hope of yours is vain — what should I do for the sake of wealth? Why, O king, should I torment you, now that you are penniless, merely out of my own greed?

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.7.20.7)

तस्मात्कथय भूपाल न दास्यामीति साम्प्रतम् । त्यक्त्वाऽऽशां महतीं कामं गच्छाम्यहमतः परम्

tasmātkathaya bhūpāla na dāsyāmīti sāmpratam tyaktvā''śāṁ mahatīṁ kāmaṁ gacchāmyahamataḥ param

Therefore, O lord of the earth, I now declare that I shall not take it — abandoning this great hope entirely, I now depart from here.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.7.20.8)

यथेष्टं व्रज राजेन्द्र भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः । सुवर्णं नास्ति किं तुभ्यं ददामीति वदाधुना

yatheṣṭaṁ vraja rājendra bhāryāputrasamanvitaḥ suvarṇaṁ nāsti kiṁ tubhyaṁ dadāmīti vadādhunā

O foremost of kings, go wherever you please with your wife and son — 'you have no gold, so what would you give me?' — say this to me now.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.7.20.9)

गच्छन्वाक्यमिदं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणस्य च भूपतिः । प्रत्युवाच मुनिं ब्रह्मन् धैर्यं कुरु ददाम्यहम्

gacchanvākyamidaṁ śrutvā brāhmaṇasya ca bhūpatiḥ pratyuvāca muniṁ brahman dhairyaṁ kuru dadāmyaham

Hearing the brahmin's words, the king, as he was departing, replied to that brahmin: O brahmin, be patient — I shall give it to you.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.7.20.10)

मम देहोऽस्ति भार्यायाः पुरस्य च ह्यनामयः । क्रीत्वा देहं तु तं नूनमृणं दास्यामि ते द्विज

mama deho'sti bhāryāyāḥ purasya ca hyanāmayaḥ krītvā dehaṁ tu taṁ nūnamṛṇaṁ dāsyāmi te dvija

I have my own body, and my wife has hers, all sound and untainted, here in this city; by selling this very body I shall surely pay off this debt of yours, O twice-born one.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.7.20.11)

ग्राहकं पश्य विप्रेन्द्र वाराणस्यां पुरि प्रभो । दासभावं गमिष्यामि सदारोऽहं सपुत्रकः

grāhakaṁ paśya viprendra vārāṇasyāṁ puri prabho dāsabhāvaṁ gamiṣyāmi sadāro'haṁ saputrakaḥ

O lord of brahmins, O lord, seek out a buyer in the city of Varanasi — I shall become a slave, together with my wife and my son.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.7.20.12)

गृहाण काञ्चनं पूर्णं सार्धं भारद्वयं मुने । मौल्येन दत्त्वा सर्वान्नः सन्तुष्टो भव भूधर

gṛhāṇa kāñcanaṁ pūrṇaṁ sārdhaṁ bhāradvayaṁ mune maulyena dattvā sarvānnaḥ santuṣṭo bhava bhūdhara

O sage, take the full two-and-a-half loads of gold in this way; by selling us all for that price, O bearer of the earth's burden, be satisfied.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.7.20.13)

इति ब्रुवञ्जगामाथ सह पत्न्या सुतान्वितः । उमया कान्तया सार्धं यत्रास्ते शङ्करः स्वयम्

iti bruvañjagāmātha saha patnyā sutānvitaḥ umayā kāntayā sārdhaṁ yatrāste śaṅkaraḥ svayam

Saying this, he set out with his wife and son toward that city where Shankara himself dwells, together with his beloved Uma.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.7.20.14)

तां दृष्ट्वा च पुरीं रम्यां मनसो ह्लादकारिणीम् । उवाच स कृतार्थोऽस्मि पुरीं पश्यन्सुवर्चसम्

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā ca purīṁ ramyāṁ manaso hlādakāriṇīm uvāca sa kṛtārtho'smi purīṁ paśyansuvarcasam

Beholding that beautiful city, so delightful to the mind, and gazing upon its splendor, he said: I am now truly blessed.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.7.20.15)

ततो भागीरथीं प्राप्य स्नात्वा देवादितर्पणम् । देवार्चनं च निर्वर्त्य कृतवान् दिग्विलोकनम्

tato bhāgīrathīṁ prāpya snātvā devāditarpaṇam devārcanaṁ ca nirvartya kṛtavān digvilokanam

Then, having reached the Bhagirathi (Ganga), having bathed, offered libations to the gods and ancestors, and completed the worship of the gods, he surveyed the directions all around.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.7.20.16)

प्रविश्य वसुधापालो दिव्यां वाराणसीं पुरीम् । नैषा मनुष्यभुक्तेति शूलपाणेः परिग्रहः

praviśya vasudhāpālo divyāṁ vārāṇasīṁ purīm naiṣā manuṣyabhukteti śūlapāṇeḥ parigrahaḥ

That lord of the earth entered the divine city of Varanasi, which no mortal may claim as his own — it is the domain of Shulapani (Shiva) alone.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.7.20.17)

जगाम पद्भ्यां दुःखार्तः सह पत्न्या समाकुलः । पुरीं प्रविश्य स नृपो विश्वासमकरोत्तदा

jagāma padbhyāṁ duḥkhārtaḥ saha patnyā samākulaḥ purīṁ praviśya sa nṛpo viśvāsamakarottadā

Grief-stricken, greatly distressed, together with his wife, he arrived there on foot; and, entering the city, the king took heart within himself.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.7.20.18)

ददृशेऽथ मुनिश्रेष्ठं ब्राह्मणं दक्षिणार्थिनम् । तं दृष्ट्वा समनुप्राप्तं विनयावनतोऽभवत्

dadṛśe'tha muniśreṣṭhaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ dakṣiṇārthinam taṁ dṛṣṭvā samanuprāptaṁ vinayāvanato'bhavat

Just then he saw that best of sages, the brahmin, come seeking his sacrificial fee; seeing him arrived close behind, he bowed low in humility.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.7.20.19)

प्राह चैवाञ्जलिं कृत्वा हरिश्चन्द्रो महामुनिम् । इमे प्राणाः सुतश्चायं प्रिया पत्नी मुने मम

prāha caivāñjaliṁ kṛtvā hariścandro mahāmunim ime prāṇāḥ sutaścāyaṁ priyā patnī mune mama

With joined palms, Harishchandra said to the great sage: O sage, here are my very life-breaths, this is my son, this is my beloved wife —

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.7.20.20)

येन ते कृत्यमस्त्याशु गृहाणाद्य द्विजोत्तम । यच्चान्यत्कार्यमस्माभिस्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि

yena te kṛtyamastyāśu gṛhāṇādya dvijottama yaccānyatkāryamasmābhistanmamākhyātumarhasi

whichever of us will most swiftly accomplish your purpose, O best of the twice-born, take that one today; and whatever else remains our duty, be so kind as to tell me.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.7.20.21)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । पूर्णः स मासो भद्रं ते दीयतां मम दक्षिणा । पूर्वं तस्य निमित्तं हि स्मर्यते स्ववचो यदि

viśvāmitra uvāca pūrṇaḥ sa māso bhadraṁ te dīyatāṁ mama dakṣiṇā pūrvaṁ tasya nimittaṁ hi smaryate svavaco yadi

Vishvamitra said: May all be well with you — that month has now come to its full term; give me now my sacrificial fee, if you still recall the promise you made before.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.7.20.22)

राजोवाच । ब्रह्मन्नाद्यापि सम्पूर्णो मासो ज्ञानतपोबल । तिष्ठत्येकदिनार्धं यत्तप्रतीक्षस्व नापरम्

rājovāca brahmannādyāpi sampūrṇo māso jñānatapobala tiṣṭhatyekadinārdhaṁ yattapratīkṣasva nāparam

The king said: O brahmin, O you strong in knowledge and austerity, that month has not yet fully come to its end; half a day still remains — wait only that much, no more.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.7.20.23)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । एवमस्तु महाराज आगमिष्याम्यहं पुनः । शापं तव प्रदास्यामि न चेदद्य प्रयच्छसि

viśvāmitra uvāca evamastu mahārāja āgamiṣyāmyahaṁ punaḥ śāpaṁ tava pradāsyāmi na cedadya prayacchasi

Vishvamitra said: O great king, so be it — I shall come again; but if you do not give it to me today, I shall lay a curse upon you.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.7.20.24)

इत्युक्त्वाथ ययौ विप्रो राजा चाचिन्तयत्तदा । कथमस्मै प्रयच्छामि दक्षिणा या प्रतिश्रुता

ityuktvātha yayau vipro rājā cācintayattadā kathamasmai prayacchāmi dakṣiṇā yā pratiśrutā

So saying, the brahmin departed, and the king then fell to pondering how he might give this man the sacrificial fee he had promised.

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.7.20.25)

कुतः पुष्टानि मित्राणि कुत्रार्थः साम्प्रतं मम । प्रतिग्रहः प्रदुष्टो मे तत्र याञ्चा कथं भवेत्

kutaḥ puṣṭāni mitrāṇi kutrārthaḥ sāmprataṁ mama pratigrahaḥ praduṣṭo me tatra yāñcā kathaṁ bhavet

Where now are my prosperous friends, where is any resource left to me? Even to accept anything from anyone is now forbidden to me — how then could I even beg?

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.7.20.26)

राज्ञां वृत्तित्रयं प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चितम् । यदि प्राणान्विमुञ्चामि ह्यप्रदाय च दक्षिणाम्

rājñāṁ vṛttitrayaṁ proktaṁ dharmaśāstreṣu niścitam yadi prāṇānvimuñcāmi hyapradāya ca dakṣiṇām

In the scriptures of dharma, three courses of conduct are declared, without doubt, to be proper for kings; if I should give up my life without having given the sacrificial fee,

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.7.20.27)

ब्रह्मस्वहा कृमिः पापो भविष्याम्यधमाधमः । अथवा प्रेततां यास्ये वर एवात्मविक्रयः

brahmasvahā kṛmiḥ pāpo bhaviṣyāmyadhamādhamaḥ athavā pretatāṁ yāsye vara evātmavikrayaḥ

then I shall become a thief of what belongs to a brahmin, a sinful worm, the lowest of the low; or else I shall pass into the state of a wandering ghost — better by far, then, to sell myself.

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.7.20.28)

सूत उवाच । राजानं व्याकुलं दीनं चिन्तयानमधोमुखम् । प्रत्युवाच तदा पत्नी बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा

sūta uvāca rājānaṁ vyākulaṁ dīnaṁ cintayānamadhomukham pratyuvāca tadā patnī bāṣpagadgadayā girā

Suta said: Seeing the king distressed, wretched, and sunk in thought, his head bowed, his wife answered him, her voice choked with tears.

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.7.20.29)

त्यज चिन्तां महाराज स्वधर्ममनुपालय । प्रेतवद्वर्जनीयो हि नरः सत्यबहिष्कृतः

tyaja cintāṁ mahārāja svadharmamanupālaya pretavadvarjanīyo hi naraḥ satyabahiṣkṛtaḥ

O great king, abandon your worry and uphold your own dharma; a man who falls away from truth becomes as one to be shunned, like a departed spirit.

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.7.20.30)

नातः परतरं धर्मं वदन्ति पुरुषस्य च । यादृशं पुरुषव्याघ्र स्वसत्यस्यानुपालनम्

nātaḥ parataraṁ dharmaṁ vadanti puruṣasya ca yādṛśaṁ puruṣavyāghra svasatyasyānupālanam

O tiger among men, no dharma is declared greater for a man than this — the upholding of his own truth.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.7.20.31)

अग्निहोत्रमधीतं च दानाद्याः सकलाः क्रियाः । भवन्ति तस्य वैफल्यं वाक्यं यस्यानृतं भवेत्

agnihotramadhītaṁ ca dānādyāḥ sakalāḥ kriyāḥ bhavanti tasya vaiphalyaṁ vākyaṁ yasyānṛtaṁ bhavet

The study of the fire-sacrifice, gifts, and all other rites — for that man whose word becomes false, all of these become fruitless.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.7.20.32)

सत्यमत्यन्तमुदितं धर्मशास्त्रेषु धीमताम् । तारणायानृतं तद्वत्पातनायाकृतात्मनाम्

satyamatyantamuditaṁ dharmaśāstreṣu dhīmatām tāraṇāyānṛtaṁ tadvatpātanāyākṛtātmanām

In the scriptures of dharma, truth is proclaimed as the very highest thing for the wise, the very means of crossing over; just as falsehood, likewise, leads to ruin those whose minds are undisciplined.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.7.20.33)

शताश्वमेधानादृत्य राजसूयं च पार्थिवः । कृत्वा राजा सकृत्स्वर्गादसत्यवचनाच्च्युतः

śatāśvamedhānādṛtya rājasūyaṁ ca pārthivaḥ kṛtvā rājā sakṛtsvargādasatyavacanāccyutaḥ

Even having disdained a hundred horse-sacrifices, and having performed instead the Rajasuya, a certain king once fell from heaven at a single stroke, on account of a single false word.

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.7.20.34)

राजोवाच । वंशवृद्धिकरश्चायं पुत्रस्तिष्ठति बालकः । उच्यतां वक्तुकामासि यद्वाक्यं गजगामिनि

rājovāca vaṁśavṛddhikaraścāyaṁ putrastiṣṭhati bālakaḥ ucyatāṁ vaktukāmāsi yadvākyaṁ gajagāmini

The king said: This son, this child, who is meant to increase our lineage, is right here; O you of the gait of an elephant, speak whatever it is you wish to say.

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.7.20.35)

पत्न्युवाच । राजन् माभूदसत्यं ते पुंसां पुत्रफलाः स्त्रियः । तन्मां प्रदाय वित्तेन देहि विप्राय दक्षिणाम्

patnyuvāca rājan mābhūdasatyaṁ te puṁsāṁ putraphalāḥ striyaḥ tanmāṁ pradāya vittena dehi viprāya dakṣiṇām

The wife said: O king, let not your word become false — for men, wives themselves bear the fruit that a son bears; therefore give me in exchange for wealth, and give the brahmin his sacrificial fee.

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.7.20.36)

व्यास उवाच । एतद्वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य ययौ मोहं महीपतिः । प्रतिलभ्य च संज्ञां वै विललापातिदुःखितः

vyāsa uvāca etadvākyamupaśrutya yayau mohaṁ mahīpatiḥ pratilabhya ca saṁjñāṁ vai vilalāpātiduḥkhitaḥ

Vyasa said: Hearing this speech, the king fell into a swoon; and, on regaining his senses, he began to lament, overwhelmed with grief.

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.7.20.37)

महद्दुखःमिदं भद्रे यत्त्वमेवं ब्रवीषि मे । किं तव स्मितसंल्लापा मम पापस्य विस्मृताः

mahaddukhaḥmidaṁ bhadre yattvamevaṁ bravīṣi me kiṁ tava smitasaṁllāpā mama pāpasya vismṛtāḥ

O gentle one, this is the greatest sorrow to me, that you should say such a thing to me; have your smiling, sweet words been forgotten because of this sin of mine?

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.7.20.38)

हा हा त्वया कथं योग्यं वक्तुमेतच्छुचिस्मिते । दुर्वाच्यमेतद्वचनं कथं वदसि भामिनि

hā hā tvayā kathaṁ yogyaṁ vaktumetacchucismite durvācyametadvacanaṁ kathaṁ vadasi bhāmini

Alas, alas! O you of the pure smile, how has it come to this, that you should speak such a word? O gentle lady, how can you utter this improper speech?

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.7.20.39)

इत्युक्त्वा नृपतिश्रेष्ठो न धीरो दारविक्रये । निपपात महीपृष्ठे मूर्च्छयातिपरिप्लुतः

ityuktvā nṛpatiśreṣṭho na dhīro dāravikraye nipapāta mahīpṛṣṭhe mūrcchayātipariplutaḥ

Saying this, that best of kings, unable to bear the thought of selling his wife, lost all composure, and, utterly overcome by a swoon, fell to the ground.

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.7.20.40)

शयानं भुवि तं दृष्ट्वा मूर्च्छयापि महीपतिम् । उवाचेदं सुकरुणं राजपुत्री सुदुःखिता

śayānaṁ bhuvi taṁ dṛṣṭvā mūrcchayāpi mahīpatim uvācedaṁ sukaruṇaṁ rājaputrī suduḥkhitā

Seeing the king lying in a swoon upon the ground, the princess, in the deepest sorrow, spoke these most piteous words.

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.7.20.41)

हा महाराज कस्येदमपध्यानादुपागतम् । यस्त्वं निपतितो भूमौ रङ्कवच्छरणोचितः

hā mahārāja kasyedamapadhyānādupāgatam yastvaṁ nipatito bhūmau raṅkavaccharaṇocitaḥ

Alas, great king, whose evil fate has brought this about? You, who were fit to be the refuge of the wretched and the sorrowful, now lie fallen upon the earth like a pauper.

Verse 42 (devibhagavatam.7.20.42)

येनैव कोटिशो वित्तं विप्राणामपवर्जितम् । स एव पृथिवीनाथो भुवि स्वपिति मे पतिः

yenaiva koṭiśo vittaṁ viprāṇāmapavarjitam sa eva pṛthivīnātho bhuvi svapiti me patiḥ

The very one who gave away wealth in the crores to brahmins — that same lord of the earth, my own husband, now lies sleeping upon the bare ground.

Verse 43 (devibhagavatam.7.20.43)

हा कष्टं किं तवानेन कृतं दैव महीक्षिता । यदिन्द्रोपेन्द्रतुल्योऽयं नीतः पापामिमां दशाम्

hā kaṣṭaṁ kiṁ tavānena kṛtaṁ daiva mahīkṣitā yadindropendratulyo'yaṁ nītaḥ pāpāmimāṁ daśām

Alas, what suffering! O fate, what wrong did this lord of the earth ever do you, that one equal to Indra and Upendra should be brought down to this sinful plight?

Verse 44 (devibhagavatam.7.20.44)

इत्युक्त्वा सापि सुश्रोणी मूर्च्छिता निपपात ह । भर्तुर्दुःखमहाभारेणासह्येनातिपीडिता

ityuktvā sāpi suśroṇī mūrcchitā nipapāta ha bharturduḥkhamahābhāreṇāsahyenātipīḍitā

Saying this, that queen of graceful form, overwhelmed by the unbearable weight of her husband's sorrow, also fell down in a swoon.

Verse 45 (devibhagavatam.7.20.45)

शिशुर्दृष्ट्वा क्षुधाविष्टः प्राह वाक्यं सुदुःखितः । तात तात प्रदेह्यन्नं मातर्मे देहि भोजनम्

śiśurdṛṣṭvā kṣudhāviṣṭaḥ prāha vākyaṁ suduḥkhitaḥ tāta tāta pradehyannaṁ mātarme dehi bhojanam

The child, tormented by hunger, seeing them thus, cried out in great distress: Father, father, give me food! Mother, give me something to eat!

Verse 46 (devibhagavatam.7.20.46)

क्षुन्मे बलवती जाता जिह्वाग्रे मेऽतिशुष्यति

kṣunme balavatī jātā jihvāgre me'tiśuṣyati

My hunger has grown very fierce, and the very tip of my tongue is parched with thirst.