Harishchandra Sells Himself to the Chandala

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.7.23.1)

व्यास उवाच । तमेवमुक्त्वा राजानं निर्घृणं निष्ठुरं वचः । तदादाय धनं पूर्णं कुपितः कौशिको ययौ

vyāsa uvāca tamevamuktvā rājānaṁ nirghṛṇaṁ niṣṭhuraṁ vacaḥ tadādāya dhanaṁ pūrṇaṁ kupitaḥ kauśiko yayau

Vyasa said: Having spoken such merciless and harsh words to the king, that enraged Kaushika took the wealth in full and departed.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.7.23.2)

विश्वामित्रे गते राजा ततः शोकमुपागतः । श्वासोच्छ्वासं मुहुः कृत्वा प्रोवाचोच्चैरधोमुखः

viśvāmitre gate rājā tataḥ śokamupāgataḥ śvāsocchvāsaṁ muhuḥ kṛtvā provācoccairadhomukhaḥ

When Vishvamitra had gone, the king sank into grief; sighing heavily again and again, his head bowed, he began to speak in a loud voice —

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.7.23.3)

वित्तक्रीतेन यस्यार्तिर्मया प्रेतेन गच्छति । स ब्रवीतु त्वरायुक्तो यामे तिष्ठति भास्करः

vittakrītena yasyārtirmayā pretena gacchati sa bravītu tvarāyukto yāme tiṣṭhati bhāskaraḥ

Whoever's own suffering now rests upon me, a purchased man, as good as dead already — let him come quickly and speak, while the sun still remains even one watch in the sky.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.7.23.4)

अथाजगाम त्वरितो धर्मश्चाण्डालरूपधृक् । दुर्गन्धो विकृतोरस्कः श्मश्रुलो दन्तुरोऽघृणी

athājagāma tvarito dharmaścāṇḍālarūpadhṛk durgandho vikṛtoraskaḥ śmaśrulo danturo'ghṛṇī

Just then Dharma himself, the god, came there swiftly, having taken on the form of a Chandala — foul-smelling, of misshapen chest, bearded, crooked-toothed, pitiless,

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.7.23.5)

कृष्णो लम्बोदरः स्निग्धः करालः पुरुषाधमः । हस्तजर्जरयष्टिश्च शवमाल्यैरलङ्कृतः

kṛṣṇo lambodaraḥ snigdhaḥ karālaḥ puruṣādhamaḥ hastajarjarayaṣṭiśca śavamālyairalaṅkṛtaḥ

dark of hue, hanging of belly, greasy, hideous of face, the lowest of men; a battered staff in his hand, adorned with garlands of corpses.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.7.23.6)

चाण्डाल उवाच । अहं गृह्णामि दासत्वे भृत्यार्थः सुमहान्मम । क्षिप्रमाचक्ष्व मौल्यं किमेतत्ते सम्प्रदीयते

cāṇḍāla uvāca ahaṁ gṛhṇāmi dāsatve bhṛtyārthaḥ sumahānmama kṣipramācakṣva maulyaṁ kimetatte sampradīyate

The Chandala said: I shall take you into slavery — I have great need of a servant; tell me quickly what your price is, and I shall pay it in full.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.7.23.7)

व्यास उवाच । तं तादृशमथालक्ष्य क्रूरदृष्टिं सुनिर्घृणम् । वदन्तमतिदुःशीलं कस्त्वमित्याह पार्थिवः

vyāsa uvāca taṁ tādṛśamathālakṣya krūradṛṣṭiṁ sunirghṛṇam vadantamatiduḥśīlaṁ kastvamityāha pārthivaḥ

Vyasa said: Beholding him thus, his gaze so cruel, so utterly pitiless, speaking in such a foul manner, the king asked: Who are you?

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.7.23.8)

चाण्डाल उवाच । चाण्डालोऽहमिह ख्यातः प्रवीरेति नृपोत्तम । शासने सर्वदा तिष्ठ मृतचैलापहारकः

cāṇḍāla uvāca cāṇḍālo'hamiha khyātaḥ pravīreti nṛpottama śāsane sarvadā tiṣṭha mṛtacailāpahārakaḥ

The Chandala said: O best of kings, I am known here as a Chandala, my name is Pravira; remain always under my authority — I am one who strips the garments of the dead.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.7.23.9)

एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् । ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वापि गृह्णात्विति मतिर्मम

evamuktastadā rājā vacanaṁ cedamabravīt brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyo vāpi gṛhṇātviti matirmama

When this was said, the king spoke thus: My own mind is that a brahmin or a kshatriya alone should take me into their possession.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.7.23.10)

उत्तमस्योत्तमो धर्मो मध्यमस्य च मध्यमः । अधमस्याधमश्चैव इति प्राहुर्मनीषिणः

uttamasyottamo dharmo madhyamasya ca madhyamaḥ adhamasyādhamaścaiva iti prāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ

For the highest, the highest dharma is proper; for the middling, the middling; and for the lowest, the lowest — so the wise have declared.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.7.23.11)

चाण्डाल उवाच । एवमेव त्वया धर्मः कथितो नृपसत्तम । अविचार्य त्वया राजन्नधुनोक्तं ममाग्रतः

cāṇḍāla uvāca evameva tvayā dharmaḥ kathito nṛpasattama avicārya tvayā rājannadhunoktaṁ mamāgrataḥ

The Chandala said: You, O best of kings, have thus spoken of dharma, but, O king, you have said this before me without proper reflection.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.7.23.12)

विचारयित्वा यो ब्रूते सोऽभीष्टं लभते नरः । सामान्यमेव तत्प्रोक्तमविचार्य त्वयानघ

vicārayitvā yo brūte so'bhīṣṭaṁ labhate naraḥ sāmānyameva tatproktamavicārya tvayānagha

It is the man who speaks after due deliberation who attains what he desires; what you have said, O sinless one, is but an unconsidered, common remark.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.7.23.13)

यदि सत्यं प्रमाणं ते गृहीतोऽसि न संशयः । हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच । असत्यान्नरके गच्छेत्सद्यः क्रूरे नराधमः

yadi satyaṁ pramāṇaṁ te gṛhīto'si na saṁśayaḥ hariścandra uvāca asatyānnarake gacchetsadyaḥ krūre narādhamaḥ

If truth is truly your standard, then, without doubt, you are already taken as mine. Harishchandra said: Through falsehood the lowest of men goes at once to a terrible hell,

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.7.23.14)

ततश्चाण्डालता साध्वी न वरा मे ह्यसत्यता । व्यास उवाच । तस्यैवं वदतः प्राप्तो विश्वामित्रस्तपोनिधिः

tataścāṇḍālatā sādhvī na varā me hyasatyatā vyāsa uvāca tasyaivaṁ vadataḥ prāpto viśvāmitrastaponidhiḥ

and so servitude to a Chandala is, to me, still preferable — falsehood, never. Vyasa said: Even as he spoke thus, there arrived Vishvamitra, that treasury of austerity,

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.7.23.15)

क्रोधामर्षविवृत्ताक्षः प्राह चेदं नराधिपम् । चाण्डालोऽयं मनस्थं ते दातुं वित्तमुपस्थितः

krodhāmarṣavivṛttākṣaḥ prāha cedaṁ narādhipam cāṇḍālo'yaṁ manasthaṁ te dātuṁ vittamupasthitaḥ

his eyes wide with anger and impatience, and he said to the king: This Chandala stands ready to give you the very wealth your heart desires.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.7.23.16)

कस्मान्न दीयते मह्यमशेषा यज्ञदक्षिणा । राजोवाच । भगवन्सूर्यवंशोत्थमात्मानं वेद्मि कौशिक

kasmānna dīyate mahyamaśeṣā yajñadakṣiṇā rājovāca bhagavansūryavaṁśotthamātmānaṁ vedmi kauśika

Why, then, is my entire sacrificial fee not being given to me? The king said: O lord, O Kaushika, I know myself to be born of the Solar dynasty,

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.7.23.17)

कथं चाण्डालदासत्वं गमिष्ये वित्तकामतः । विश्वामित्र उवाच । यदि चाण्डालवित्तं त्वमात्मविक्रयजं मम

kathaṁ cāṇḍāladāsatvaṁ gamiṣye vittakāmataḥ viśvāmitra uvāca yadi cāṇḍālavittaṁ tvamātmavikrayajaṁ mama

how could I, for the sake of wealth, accept servitude under a Chandala? Vishvamitra said: If this wealth of the Chandala, arising from the sale of your very self,

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.7.23.18)

न प्रदास्यसि चेत्तर्हि शप्स्यामि त्वामसंशयम् । चाण्डालादथवा विप्राद्देहि मे दक्षिणाधनम्

na pradāsyasi cettarhi śapsyāmi tvāmasaṁśayam cāṇḍālādathavā viprāddehi me dakṣiṇādhanam

you do not give me, then, without doubt, I shall curse you; whether it come from a Chandala or a brahmin, give me the wealth of my sacrificial fee.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.7.23.19)

विना चाण्डालमधुना नान्यः कश्चिद्धनप्रदः । धनेनाहं विना राजन्न यास्यामि न संशयः

vinā cāṇḍālamadhunā nānyaḥ kaściddhanapradaḥ dhanenāhaṁ vinā rājanna yāsyāmi na saṁśayaḥ

At this moment there is no one to give wealth save this Chandala; O king, I shall not depart from here without that wealth — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.7.23.20)

इदानीमेव मे वित्तं न प्रदास्यसि चेन्नृप । दिनेऽर्धघटिकाशेषे तत्त्वां शापाग्निना दहे

idānīmeva me vittaṁ na pradāsyasi cennṛpa dine'rdhaghaṭikāśeṣe tattvāṁ śāpāgninā dahe

If, this very moment, O king, you do not give me my wealth, then, while but half a ghatika of the day remains, I shall consume you in the fire of my curse.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.7.23.21)

व्यास उवाच । हरिश्चन्द्रस्ततो राजा मृत्ववच्छ्रितजीवितः । प्रसीदेति वदन्पादौ ऋषेर्जग्राह विह्वलः

vyāsa uvāca hariścandrastato rājā mṛtvavacchritajīvitaḥ prasīdeti vadanpādau ṛṣerjagrāha vihvalaḥ

Vyasa said: Then King Harishchandra, his very life as good as forfeited to death, in utter distress, crying, 'Be gracious,' clasped the sage's feet.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.7.23.22)

हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच । दासोऽस्म्यार्तोऽस्मि दीनोऽस्मि त्वद्भक्तश्च विशेषतः । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रर्षे कष्टश्चाण्डालसङ्करः

hariścandra uvāca dāso'smyārto'smi dīno'smi tvadbhaktaśca viśeṣataḥ prasādaṁ kuru viprarṣe kaṣṭaścāṇḍālasaṅkaraḥ

Harishchandra said: I am a slave, I am afflicted, I am wretched, and above all I am your own devotee; O brahmin sage, show mercy — this bond with a Chandala is a most grievous thing,

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.7.23.23)

भवेयं वित्तशेषेण तव कर्मकरो वशः । तवैव मुनिशार्दूल प्रेष्यश्चित्तानुवर्तकः

bhaveyaṁ vittaśeṣeṇa tava karmakaro vaśaḥ tavaiva muniśārdūla preṣyaścittānuvartakaḥ

yet for the remainder of the wealth I shall become subject to you alone, your own servant; O tiger among sages, I shall become your very own attendant, following your every wish.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.7.23.24)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । एवमस्तु महाराज ममैव भव किङ्करः । किन्तु मद्वचनं कार्यं सर्वदैव नराधिप

viśvāmitra uvāca evamastu mahārāja mamaiva bhava kiṅkaraḥ kintu madvacanaṁ kāryaṁ sarvadaiva narādhipa

Vishvamitra said: O great king, so be it — become my very own servant; but, O king, you must obey my word always, without fail.

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.7.23.25)

व्यास उवाच । एवमुक्तेऽथ वचने राजा हर्षसमन्वितः । अमन्यत पुनर्जातमात्मानं प्राह कौशिकम्

vyāsa uvāca evamukte'tha vacane rājā harṣasamanvitaḥ amanyata punarjātamātmānaṁ prāha kauśikam

Vyasa said: When these words were spoken, the king was filled with joy; he felt as though he had been born anew, and he said to Kaushika —

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.7.23.26)

तवादेशं करिष्यामि सदैवाहं न संशयः । आदेशय द्विजश्रेष्ठ किं करोमि तवानघ

tavādeśaṁ kariṣyāmi sadaivāhaṁ na saṁśayaḥ ādeśaya dvijaśreṣṭha kiṁ karomi tavānagha

I shall obey your command always, without fail, and without doubt; O best of the twice-born, O sinless one, command me — what shall I do for you?

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.7.23.27)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । चाण्डालागच्छ मद्दासमौल्यं किं मे प्रयच्छसि । गृहाण दासं मौल्येन मया दत्तं तवाधुना

viśvāmitra uvāca cāṇḍālāgaccha maddāsamaulyaṁ kiṁ me prayacchasi gṛhāṇa dāsaṁ maulyena mayā dattaṁ tavādhunā

Vishvamitra said: O Chandala, come — what price will you give me for this slave of mine? Take him for a price, this slave — today I have given him over to you.

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.7.23.28)

नास्ति दासेन मे कार्यं वित्ताशा वर्तते मम । व्यास उवाच । एवमुक्ते तदा तेन स्वपचो हृष्टमानसः

nāsti dāsena me kāryaṁ vittāśā vartate mama vyāsa uvāca evamukte tadā tena svapaco hṛṣṭamānasaḥ

I have no need of this slave — my hope is fixed only on wealth. Vyasa said: When this was said, that outcaste, his heart filled with delight,

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.7.23.29)

आगत्य सन्निधौ तूर्णं विश्वामित्रमभाषत । चाण्डाल उवाच । दशयोजनविस्तीर्णे प्रयागस्य च मण्डले

āgatya sannidhau tūrṇaṁ viśvāmitramabhāṣata cāṇḍāla uvāca daśayojanavistīrṇe prayāgasya ca maṇḍale

came quickly before him and said to Vishvamitra. The Chandala said: This entire region of Prayaga, spread across ten yojanas,

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.7.23.30)

भूमिं रत्नमयीं कृत्वा दास्ये तेऽहं द्विजोत्तम । अस्य विक्रयणेनेयमार्तिश्च प्रहता त्वया

bhūmiṁ ratnamayīṁ kṛtvā dāsye te'haṁ dvijottama asya vikrayaṇeneyamārtiśca prahatā tvayā

I shall fill with jewels and give it to you, O best of the twice-born; in exchange for this, through this very sale, let you yourself put an end to his suffering.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.7.23.31)

व्यास उवाच । ततो रत्नसहस्राणि सुवर्णमणिमौक्तिकैः । चाण्डालेन प्रदत्तानि जग्राह द्विजसत्तमः

vyāsa uvāca tato ratnasahasrāṇi suvarṇamaṇimauktikaiḥ cāṇḍālena pradattāni jagrāha dvijasattamaḥ

Vyasa said: Then that best of brahmins accepted the thousands of jewels, given by that Chandala, adorned with gold, gems, and pearls.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.7.23.32)

हरिश्चन्द्रस्तथा राजा निर्विकारमुखोऽभवत् । अमन्यत तथा धैर्याद्विश्वामित्रो हि मे पतिः

hariścandrastathā rājā nirvikāramukho'bhavat amanyata tathā dhairyādviśvāmitro hi me patiḥ

King Harishchandra's face, too, remained perfectly unmoved throughout; with patient resolve he thought to himself: Vishvamitra alone is now my master,

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.7.23.33)

तत्तदेव मया कार्यं यदयं कारयिष्यति । अथान्तरिक्षे सहसा वागुवाचाशरीरिणी

tattadeva mayā kāryaṁ yadayaṁ kārayiṣyati athāntarikṣe sahasā vāguvācāśarīriṇī

and whatever he causes to be done, that alone I must do. Just then, in the sky, a bodiless voice suddenly resounded —

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.7.23.34)

अनृणोऽसि महाभाग दत्ता सा दक्षिणा त्वया । ततो दिवः पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात नृपमूर्धनि

anṛṇo'si mahābhāga dattā sā dakṣiṇā tvayā tato divaḥ puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ papāta nṛpamūrdhani

O fortunate one, you are now free of debt — you have given that sacrificial fee. And thereupon a shower of flowers fell from heaven upon the king's head.

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.7.23.35)

साधु साध्विति तं देवाः प्रोचुः सेन्द्रा महौजसः । हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टो राजा कौशिकमब्रवीत्

sādhu sādhviti taṁ devāḥ procuḥ sendrā mahaujasaḥ harṣeṇa mahatā''viṣṭo rājā kauśikamabravīt

The gods, of great splendor, together with Indra, acclaimed him, crying 'Well done, well done!'; and the king, overcome with the greatest joy, said to Kaushika —

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.7.23.36)

राजोवाच । त्वं हि माता पिता चैव त्वं हि बन्धुर्महामते । यदर्थं मोचितोऽहं ते क्षणाच्चैवानृणीकृतः

rājovāca tvaṁ hi mātā pitā caiva tvaṁ hi bandhurmahāmate yadarthaṁ mocito'haṁ te kṣaṇāccaivānṛṇīkṛtaḥ

The king said: O great-minded one, you are my mother, you are my father, you are my kinsman — it is by you that I have been freed, and in a single instant made free of my debt.

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.7.23.37)

किं करोमि महाबाहो श्रेयो मे वचनं तव । एवमुक्ते तु वचने नृपं मुनिरभाषत

kiṁ karomi mahābāho śreyo me vacanaṁ tava evamukte tu vacane nṛpaṁ munirabhāṣata

O mighty-armed one, what should I do now — your word alone is my well-being. When this was said, the sage replied to the king —

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.7.23.38)

विश्वामित्र उवाच । चाण्डालवचनं कार्यमद्यप्रभृति ते नृप । स्वस्ति तेऽस्विति तं प्रोच्य तदादाय धनं ययौ

viśvāmitra uvāca cāṇḍālavacanaṁ kāryamadyaprabhṛti te nṛpa svasti te'sviti taṁ procya tadādāya dhanaṁ yayau

Vishvamitra said: O king, from this day forward, it is this Chandala's word that you must obey. Saying, 'May all be well with you,' he took the wealth and departed from there.