On the story of Tris’anku [ p. 629 ] 1. Janamejaya said :— “O Intelligent One! Did the prince Tris’anku free himself afterwards of the curse inflicted on him by the Muni Vas’istha.”
2-8. Vyâsa said :— O King! Satyavrata, cursed by Vas’istha, was transformed into a demoniacal state (Pis’âchatva); but he became a great devotee of the Devî and passed away his time in that Âs’rama. One day he repeating slowly the nine-lettered Mantram of the Bhagavatî, wished to perform the Puras’charana ceremony (repeating the name of a deity attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.) of the said Mantra, came to the Brâhmins, bowed down to them with great devotion and purity and said :— “O venerable gods of the earth! Kindly hear me;
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I with my head bowed down pray to you, that you all be my priests (Ritt-vigs). You are all versed in the Vedas; so kindly do for me duly the Homa ceremony equal to one-tenth part of Japam, for my success. O Brâhmanas! My name is Satyavrata; I am a prince; you ought to do this work for me for my welfare.” Thus hearing the prince’s words the Brâhmanas said :— “O Prince! You are cursed by your Guru and you are now turned into a demoniacal state. You have now no right to the Vedas; especially you are now in the Pis’âcha state; it is blamed by all the persons; so now you are not fit to be initiated into the ceremony.”
9-14. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing them, the prince got very sad and dejected and thought “Fie on my life! What shall I do now in living even in the forest. My father has forsaken me; I am banished from the kingdom; again, by the Guru’s curse, I have got this Pis’âcha state; I therefore can’t decide what to do.” The prince, then, collecting fuel, prepared the funeral pile for himself, remembered the Chandikâ Devî and repeating Her Mantram, resolved to jump into the fire. Lighting the pyre in front, the prince bathed and standing, with clasped palms, began to chant the hymns to Mahâ Mâyâ before entering into the fire. At this moment, the Devî Bhagavatî, knowing that the prince was ready to burn himself, came instantly to the spot on the back of the lion, by the aerial route. She manifested Henself before him and spoke in a voice deep like a rain-cloud.
15-17. “O Virtuous One What is all this? What have you settled all these? Never throw yourself in fire; be patient. O Fortunate One! Your father is now aged; he will give you his kingdom and will go to the forest for tapasyâ; therefore, O Hero! Do leave your depression of spirits. O King! Tomorrow the ministers of your father will came to you to take you there. By My Grace, your father will install you on the throne and, in due time, he will conquer his desires and will go undoubtedly to the Brahmâ loka.”
18-32. Vyâsa said :— O Fortunate One! Thus saying, the Devî vanished at that spot; the prince, too, desisted from his purpose of entering into the fire. In the meanwhile, the highsouled Nârada went to Ayodhyâ and at once informed everything to the King. The King became very sad and began to repent very much, hearing the son’s resolve to burn himself. The virtuous King, grieved at heart, for his son, said to his ministers :— “You all are aware of the turning out of my son. I have forsaken my intelligent son Satyavrata; though he was very spiritual and worthy to get the kingdom; yet, at my command, he [ p. 631 ] instantaneously went away to the forest. Void of wealth, he, practising forgiveness, passed his time in study, particularly in spiritual knowledge; but Vas’istha Deva, cursed him and made him like a Pis’âcha. Very much distressed by pain and sorow, he was ready to burn himself but the Mahâ Devî preventing him, he desisted from this purpose. So go hurriedly and, consoling my powerful eldest son, bring him at once to me. I am now calm and quiet and of a retiring disposition; so I am determined to practise tapasyâ. My son is now capable to govern the subjects; I will now install my son on the throne and retire to the forest.” So he gladly sent his ministers to his son. The ministers, too, gladly went there and consoled the prince and, with respect, brought him to the Ayodhyâ city. Seeing Satyavrata with matted hair on his head, with dirty clothes, and thin and worn out with cares, the King began to think within himself “Oh! What a cruel act have I done, though I know everything about religion, in banishing my intelligent son, quite fit to govern my kingdom.” Thus thinking, he embraced his son by his arms and consoling him, made him sit by his throne. The King, versed in politics, then began to speak gladly with suffocated feelings of love to his son sitting by the side of him.
33-53. O Son! Your highest duty is to keep your mind always on religion and to respect the Brâhmins. Never speak falsely anywhere nor follow any bad course in any way. Rather the words of the spiritual good persons ought to be fully observed; the ascetics ought to be worshipped. Senses must be controlled and the wicked cruel robbers are certainly to be slain. O Son! For one’s success, one should consult with one’s ministers and keep that as secret by all means. Any enemy howsoever insignificant he may be, a clever King should never overlook him. The ministers, if they be attached to other masters and if they come round afterwards, don’t trust them. Spies should be kept to watch friends and foes alike. Show your living regards to the religion always, and make charitable gifts. One ought not to argue in vain and always avoid the company of the wicked. O Son! You should worship the Maharsis and perform various sacrifices. Never trust women, those who are inordinately addicted to women, and the gamblers. Never is it advisable to be addicted too much to hunting. Always shew your back to gambling, drinking, music and to the prostitutes and try to make your subjects follow the same. Early in the morning at the Brahmâ Muhûrta everyday you should get up from your bed and bathe and perform other analogous duties. O Son! Be initiated by the Guru in the Devî Mantra, and worship with devotion the Supreme Force, the Bhagavatî. Human birth is crowned with success by worshipping Her Lotus Feet, O Son!
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He who performs once the great Pûjâ of the Mahâ Devî and drinks the Charanâmrita water (water with which Her feet are worshipped) has never to enter again in the womb of his mother; know this as certain. That Mahâ Devî is all that is seen and She Herself is again the Seer and Witness, of the nature of Intelligence. Filled with these ideas, rest fearless like the Universal Soul. Do your daily Naimittik (occasional) duties, go to the Brâhmin’s assembly and calling on them ask the conclusions of the Dharma S’âstras. The Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas and Vedantas, are objects of venerations and must be worshipped. Give, then, them always according to merits, cows, lands, gold, etc. Don’t worship any Brâhmin who is illiterate. Don’t give to illiterates more than their belliful wants. O Child! Never trespass Dharma, out of covetousness, and remember always not to insult ever afterwards any Brâhmanas. The Brâhmins are the cause of the Ksattriyas, the more so they are the terrestrial gods; honour them with all your care! In this never flinch from your duties. Fire comes out of water; the Ksattriyas come out of the Brâhmanas; iron comes out of stones. The powers of these flow everywhere. But if there be any clash between one thing and its source, then that clash dies away in the source. Know this as quite certain. The King who wants his own welfare and improvement must by gift and humility shew his respect especially to the Brâhmins. Follow the maxims of morality as dictated in the Dharma S’âstras. Amass wealth according to rules of justice and fill the treasury.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Seventh Book about the story of Tris’anku in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the description of Vas’istha’s curse on Tris’anku [ p. 632 ] 1-6. Vyâsa said :— O King! Thus giving the advice to his son, the King Tris’anku was excited with feelings of love and, in a choked voice, said to his father that he would fulfil what he had been ordered. The King then called the Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas and Mantrams, and had all the materials for installation collected quickly. He brought the waters from all the sacred places of prigrimages; he then called together with great respect all the kings. On a sacred day, the father installed his son on the throne and gave him, in accordance with due rites and ceremonies, the royal throne. The King then adopted with his wife the third Vânaprastha stage of life and practised a severe tapasyâ on the [ p. 633 ] banks of the Ganges. Then in due course of time the King went to the Heavens. There he began to shine like a second Sun by the side of Indra, respected by all the gods.
7-10. Janamejaya said :— “O Bhagavân! You spoke before in course of conversation that Satyavrata was cursed by Vas’istha on the killing of his cow to become a Pis’âcha; how then he got himself freed of this curse. There is a doubt on this point. Kindly clear it and oblige. Satyavrata was cursed; hence pronounced unfit to succeed to the throne. How was the Muni, by what actions, was he freed of the curse? How could the father bring back to his home his son of the form of a Pis’âcha? O Viprarsi! Kindly narrate to me how the Muni was freed of his curse.”
11-18. Vyâsa said :— Cursed by Vas’istha, Satyavrata became then and there transformed into a Pis’âcha, very ugly, violent and terrible to all; but when he worshipped the Devî with devotion, immediately the Devî gave him a beautiful divine body. By the grace of the Devî, his sins were all washed away and his Pis’âcha form vanished. Satyavrata, then, freed from his sins became very much vigorous and energetic. Vas’istha also became pleased with him, blessed thus by the Supreme Force and so was his father, too. When his father died, the virtuous Satyavrata became King, governed his subjects and performed various sacrifices and worshipped, too, the Eternal Mother of the Gods. O King! Tris’anku had a very beautiful son born to him, named Haris’chandra, endowed in all his limbs with auspicious signs. The King Tris’anku wanted to make his son Yuvarâja (the Crown prince) and then in his that very body while living, enjoy the Heavens. The King went to the Âs’rama of Vas’istha and gladly asked him, with folded palms, bowing down before him duly.
19-23. O Ascetic! You are the son of Brahmâ , versed in all the Vaidik Mantrams; so you are exceedingly fortunate; now I beg to inform you one thing; hear it gladly. I now desire to enjoy the happiness of the Heavens and all the enjoyments of the Devas, while I am in this body. To enjoy in the Nandana Garden, to live with the Apsarâs and to hear the sweet music of the Devas and the Gandharbas, these ideas now have taken a strong hold of my heart. Therefore, O Great Muni! Engage me in such a sacrifice as will enable me, in this very body to live in the Svarloka. O Muni! You are fully competent to do this; therefore be ready for this. Have the sacrifice done and let me have quickly the Devaloka, so difficult to be obtained!
24-26. Vas’istha said :— “O King! It is exceedingly hard to live in the Heavens while in this mortal body. The departed only live in the [ p. 634 ] Heavens by their merits, this is a known fact. Therefore, O Omniscient One! Your desire is hard to be attained. I am afraid of this. O King! The living men can hardly enjoy the Apsarâs. Therefore, O Blessed One! Do the sacrifice first. Then, when you leave this body, you will go to the Heavens.”
27-31. Vyâsa said :— O King! The Maharsi Vas’istha was already angry with the King; therefore when he spoke these words, the King heard and became absent-minded. He again spoke to the Maharsi :— O Brâhmana! If you do not allow me to do the sacrifice, on account of your haughtiness, I will have the sacrifice performed now by another priest. Vas’istha became very angry at the words of the King and cursed him :— “O evilminded One! Be as soon as possible a Chândâla in this body. You have committed acts by which your path to the Heaven is obstructed. You have stolen a Brâhmini’s wife, and defiled the path of religion; you have killed the Surabhi Cow and you are a libertine. Therefore, O Sinner! Never you will go to the Heavens, even after your death.”
32-56. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these harsh words from the Guru, Tris’anku became immediately Chândâla in that very body. His golden earrings became turned into iron; the sweet sandal smell over his body smelled like faeces; his beautiful yellow clothings became blue, the colour of his body became like that of an elephant, due to his curse. O King! Those who are the worshippers of the Supreme Force can produce such things when they are angry; there is not the slightest doubt in this. Therefore one ought never to insult any devotee of the Supreme Force. The Muni Vas’istha is always engaged in repeating silently the Gâyatrî of the Devî. So what wonder is there that the body of the King will be reduced to such a wretched state by his rage. The King Tris’anku became very sorry to see his ugly body; he did not go home; rather he remained in the forest in that form and poor dress. He began to think, distressed with sorrow and over-powered with misery :— “My body is now blameable to the extreme, so what to do and where to go in this wretched state! I find no remedy to exhaust all my sufferings. If I go home, my son will be, no doubt, very much pained with sorrow. My wife, when she will see my Chândâla appearance, she won’t accept me; my ministers will not regard me as they used to do before. My friends and relations, when they will come to me, will not serve me with the former care. So it is far better to die than to live, thus despised. I will drink poison or drown myself in waters or hang myself. Or I will burn myself in the funeral pyre duly or I will quit this blameable life by starvation. But, Alas! I will be guilty of [ p. 635 ] suicide; so again due to this sin I will be born a Chândâla and I will be again cursed.” Thus thinking, the King again thought that at present he ought not to commit suicide by any means. “I will have to suffer for my Karma; and, after due suffering, this Karma will be exhausted. So I will suffer in this forest for my Karma in this my body. Without the enjoyment of the fruits, the past actions can never die out; therefore all actions done by me, auspicious or inauspicious, I will enjoy or suffer in this place. Always to remain close to a holy Âs’rama, to wander in holy places of pilgrimage, to remember the Devî Ambikâ, and to serve the saints will now be my duties. Thus I will no doubt exhaust all my actions, residing in this forest; then, if chance permits, and if I meet with a saintly person, all my intentions will be crowned with success.” Thus thinking, the King quitting his city went to the banks of the Ganges and repenting very much, remained there on the Ganges. The King Haris’chandra came to know the cause of his father’s curse and with a sorrowful heart sent ministers to him. Like a Chândâla, the King was respiring frequently; at this time the ministers went to him and bowing humbly, said : — O King! Your son has ordered us to come here; we have come at his command; we are the ministers of the King Haris’chandra. Know this verily, O King! Kindly hear what the Crown Prince has said :— “Go and bring my Father here without any delay.” Therefore, O King! Cast aside your mental agonies and come to the city. The ministers, the subjects all will be always at your service. We will all try our best to please Vas’istha, so that he may favour you. And that greatly illustrious Muni being pleased will certainly remove your sorrows quickly. O King! Thus your son has spoken to us many words; so now be pleased to go to your own abode.
57-64. Vyâsa said :— O King! That Chândâla-like King, hearing even their words thus, did not consent to go back to his house. Rather he told them :— “Ministers, go back, all of you to the city; and at my word, tell my son that I won’t go back to my house. Better leaving off all idleness, you better govern the Kingdom carefully. Shew your respect specially to the Brâhmins and perform various sacrifices and worship the Devas. I do not like in this blameable Chândâla form to go to the city of Ayodhyâ with the high-souled ones; so you all go back to Ayodhyâ without any further delay. Install, at my order, my powerful son Haris’chandra on the throne and do all these stately duties.” When the ministers heard thus the King ordering them, they began to cry very much, and, bowing down, they went away early out of [ p. 636 ] the hermitage. On coming back to Ayodhyâ they regularly installed on a sacred day the King Haris’chandra with Abhiseka water, purified with Mantrams. Thus the powerful virtuous Haris’chandra, on being installed on the royal throne by the command of the King, remembered always his father and began to govern his Kingdom with his ministers according to the dictates of Dharma.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the description of Vas’istha’s curse on Tris’anku in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the coming of Vis**’vâmitra to Tris’anku** [ p. 636 ] 1-3. Janamejaya said :— “O Muni! I see that at the command of the King, the ministers installed Haris’chandra on the royal throne; but how Tris’anku got rid of his Chândâla body, kindly say. Was it that he bathed in the holy waters of the Ganges and lived in the forest and when he died he was freed of the curse; or was it that the Guru Vas’istha favoured him by his grace and freed him of the curse? O best of Risis! I am extremely eager to hear the life of the King; therefore kindly describe to me in detail his wonderful career.”
4-16. Vyâsa said :— O King! The King became gladdened in his heart to install his son on the throne and began to pass his days in that forest in the meditation of Bhagavatî Bhavânî. Thus some time passed when Vis’vâmitra, the son of Kaus’ika, completing his course of Tapasyâ with an intent mind returned to his home to see his wife and sons. On coming back to his house, the intelligent Muni found his sons and other members of the family happy and well conditioned, became very glad and when his wife came to him for his service, asked her :— O Fair-eyed One! How did you spend your time in days of famine? There was nothing whatsoever of the stock of rice, etc., in the house; how then did you nourish these boys? Please speak to me. O Fair One! I was very busy with my austerities, I could not therefore come to you and see my boys; how then, O Beloved, and what measures did you resort to for their maintenance? O good and auspicious One! When I heard of the dire famine, I thought then “I have no wealth; so what shall I do if I go there?” Thus thinking I did not come then. O Beautiful One! At that time, one day I was very hungry and being very much [ p. 637 ] tired I entered into the house of a Chândâla, with the object of stealing. On entering the house I found the Chândâla sleeping; then being extremely distressed with hunger, I entered into his kitchen if I could find anything there. When the dishes were sought and turned, and when I was going to take cooked dog’s flesh I immediately fell into the sight of that Chândâla. He asked me very affectionately “Who are you? Why have you entered here at this hour of night? Why are your looking after the dishes? Speak what you want.” O Beautiful One! When the Chândâla asked me these questions, I was very much pressed by hunger and I spoke out my wants in a tremulous voice :— O Fortunate One! I am an ascetic Brâhmin very much pained by hunger; I have entered your house stealthily and am looking out for some eatables from your cooking pots. O Intelligent One! I am now your guest in the form of a thief; I am now specially very hungry; so I will now eat your cooked meat; kindly permit me. Hearing these words, the Chândâla spoke to me in words authorised by the S’âstras :— O One of the Superior Varna! Know this to be the house of a Chândâla; so never eat that flesh.
17-28. The human birth is very rare in this world; then again to be born a Dvîja is more difficult; and to get Brâhmanhood again in the Dvîjas is exceedingly difficult. Are you not aware of this? They ought never to eat the defiled food who desire to attain to the Heavens; owing to Karma, the Maharsi Manu has denominated the seventh caste as Antyaja and has discarded them altogether. So, O Brâhmin! I am now by my actions turned into a Chândâla and so forsaken by all; there is no doubt in this. I am forbidding you so that this fault of Varna S’ankara may not suddenly attack you. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O Knower of Dharma! What you are speaking is quite true; though a Chândâla, your intelligence is very clear; hear, I will now speak to you the subtleties of the Dharma in times of danger. O Giver of respect! Always and by all means it is advisable to keep up the body if sin be thereby incurred, one ought to perform Prâyas’chitta (penance) for its purification when the time of danger is over. But if one commits sin when the time is not one of danger, one gets degraded; not so in the time of danger. The man that dies out of hunger, goes to hell, no doubt. Therefore every man seeking for his welfare must satisfy his hunger. Therefore I intend to steal for preserving my body. O Chândâla See! The sin, incurred in stealing during famine, which the Pundits have declared, goes to the God of rains until he does not pour forth rain.” O Beloved! Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to pour forth rain. O Beloved! Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to pour forth rain so desired by all, like that coming out of the elephant’s trunk. When [ p. 638 ] the clouds thus poured forth rains with the glitterings of the lightnings, I felt very glad and left the house of the Chândâla. O Beautiful One! Now speak out to me, how did you behave in that famine time, so terrible to all the beings.
29-48. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing the above words of the husband, the sweet speaking lady spoke :— Hear, how I passed my time in times of famine. O Muni! After you had gone to practise Tapasyâ, the dire famine raged; and my sons, exhausted of hunger, became very anxious for food. I became very anxious to see the sons hungry; I then went out to the forest in quest of wild rice; and I got some fruits. Thus I spent some months by collecting the rice growing wildly in the forest; then in times these also could not be got and I became again anxious. The Nibâra rice, too, is now not available and nothing is obtained also by begging; there are no fruits on the trees and no roots are found under the earth. The sons are crying in agony of hunger. What to do? And where to go? What am I to say now to the hungry boys? Oh God! Thus thinking on various ways, I at last came to this conclusion that I would sell one of my sons to a rich man and whatever price I can fetch, with that I will preserve the lives of the other sons. O Dear! Thus thinking, I became ready and went out. O Fortunate One! Then this boy began to cry aloud and became very distressed; yet I was so shameless that I took the crying boy and got out of my Âs’rama. At this time one Râjarsi Satyavrata seeing me very distressed, asked me “O One of good vows! Why is this boy weeping?” O Muni! I spoke to him “Today I am going to sell this boy.” The King’s heart became overfilled with pity, and spoke to me :— “Take back to your Âs’rama this boy. Daily I will supply you with meat for the food of your boys until the Muni returns home.” O Muni! The King from that time used to bring, with great pity, daily the flesh of deer and boar killed by him in the forest and he used to tie that on this tree. O Beloved! Thus I could protect my sons in that fearful ocean of crisis; but that King was cursed by Vas’istha only for my sake. One day that King did not get any meat in the forest; so he slaughtered the Kâma Dhenu (the cow giving all desires) of Vas’istha and the Muni became therefore very angry with him. The high-souled Muni, angry on account of the killing of his cow, called the King by the name of Tris’anku and made him a Chândâla. O Kaus’ika! The prince turned into a Chândâla because he came forward to do good to me, so I am very sorry for his sake. So it is your urgent duty to save the King from his terrible position by any means or by the influence of your powerful Tapasyâ. [ p. 639 ] 49. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words from his wife the Muni Kaus’ika consoled her and said :—
50-55. O Lotus-eyed One! I will free the King of his curse, who saved you at that critical moment; what more than this that I promise to you that I will remove his sufferings whether it be by my learning or it be by my Tapas. Thus consoling his wife at that moment, Kaus’ika, the Knower of the Highest Reality, began to think how he could destroy the pains and miseries of the King. Thus thinking, the Muni went to the King Tris’anku, who was staying at that time very humbly in a village of the Chândâlas, in the garb of a Chândâla. Seeing the Muni coming, the King was greatly astonished and instantly threw himself before his feet like a piece of stick. Kaus’ika raised the fallen King and consoling him said :— O King! You are cursed, on my account, by the Muni Vas’istha. I will, therefore, fulfil your desires. Now speak what I am to do.
56-62. The King said :— With a view to perform a sacrifice I prayed to Vas’istha that I would perform a sacrifice, kindly do this for me. O Muni! Do that sacrifice, by which I can go to the Heavens in this my present body.” Vas’istha became angry and said :— “O Villain! How can you go and live in the Heavens in this your human body?” I was very anxious to go to the Svarga (Heaven)
so I again spoke to him :— “O Sinless One! I will then have the excellent sacrifice done by another priest.” Hearing this, Vas’istha Deva cursed me, saying “Be a Chândâla.” O Muni! Thus I have described to you all about my curse. You are the one quite able to remove now my grievances. Distressed in pain and agony, the King informed him and became quiet. Vis’vâmitra, too, thought how he could free him of his curse.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the coming of Vis’vâmitra to Tris’anku in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the going to Heavens of Tris’anku and the commencement of Haris’chandra’s narrative [ p. 639 ] 1-8. Vyâsa said :— O King! Settling in his mind what to do, the great ascetic Vis’vâmitra collected all the materials necessary for the sacrifice and invited all the Munis. Thus invited by Vis’vâmitra, the Munis became informed all about the Sacrifice; but, owing to the [ p. 640 ] fact that the Muni Vas’istha prevented them, none of them went to the sacrifice. When Vis’vâmitra, the son of Gâdhi, came to know this, he became very anxious and very sad and came to the King Tris’anku and sat. The Maharsi Kaus’ika then became angry and said :— “O King! Vas’istha preventing the Brâhmins have all refused to come to the sacrifice. But, O King! See my power of tapasyâ; I will immediately fulfil your desires; I will instantly send you to the Heavens, the abode of the Gods.” Thus saying, that Muni took water in his hand and repeated the Gâyatrî Mantram. He gave to the King all the Punyams (merits) that he collected for himself up to then. Giving him thus all the Punyams, he spoke to the King :— “O King! Throw away all idleness and go to the abode of the Gods you wanted to go. O King of Kings! Gladly go to the Heavens by the power of all the merits collected by me for a long time and let you fare well there.”
9-20. Vyâsa spoke :— O King! When the King of the Vipras, Vis’vâmitra, spoke thus, the King Tris’anku, by virtue of the Muni’s Tapas, got high up in the air without any delay like a quick flying bird. Thus getting up and up, when the King reached the abode of Indra, the Devas, seeing the terrible Chândâla-like appearance of Tris’anku, spoke out to Indra :— “Who is this person coming like a Deva with a violent speed in the air? Why does he look like a Chândâla and is so fierce-looking?” Hearing thus, Indra got up at once and saw that one, the meanest of the human beings and knowing him to be Tris’anku, reproachingly said to him :— You are a Chândâla, quite unfit for the Devaloka; so where are you going? You ought not to remain here; so go immediately back to the earth. O Destroyer of the enemies! Indra speaking thus, the King dropped from the Heavens and, like a Deva whose merits had been exhausted, fell down immediately. Tris’anku then cried out frequently “O Vis’vâmitra! O Vis’vâmitra! Being displaced from the Heavens I am now falling very violently; so save me from this trouble.” O King! Hearing his cry and seeing him getting down, Vis’vâmitra said :— “Wait, wait.” Though displaced from Heaven, the King by virtue of the Muni’s Tapas, remained stationed at that place in the middle of the air. Vis’vâmitra then began to do Âchaman (sip water) and commenced his great Sacrifice to create another new creation and a second Svargaloka (Heaven). Seeing his resolve, the Lord of S’achî became very anxious and eagerly came to the son of Gâdhi without the least delay and said :— “O Brâhmana! What are you going to do? O Saint! Why are you so very angry? O Muni!
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There is no necessity to create another new creation. Order now what I am to do.”
21. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O Lord of the Devas! The King Tris’anku has become very miserable to have a fall from the Heavens. Therefore this is now my intention that you gladly take him to your own abode.”
22-31. Vyâsa said :— O King! Indra was thoroughly aware of his determined resolve and very powerful asceticism; so he accepted to do according to his word, out of terror. The Lord Indra then gave the King a bright and divine body and made him take his seat in an excellent car and taking leave of Kaus’ika went with the King to his own abode. Vis’vâmitra became glad to see Tris’anku go to the Heavens with Indra and remained happy in his own Âs’rama. The King Haris’chandra now hearing that his father has gone to Heaven by virtue of his Tapas, began to govern his kingdom with a gladdened heart. The King of Ayodhyâ began then to live constantly with his clever wife full of youth and beauty. Thus time passed away; but the beautiful wife did not become pregnant. The King became very sorry and thoughtful. He then went to the holy hermitage of Vas’istha and bowing down informed him of his mental agony due to his getting no son. O Knower of Dharma! You are skilled in the Science of Mantrams. Especially you know everything of Daiva (Fate). So, O Giver of honour! Do for me so that I get a son. O Best of Brâhmins! There is no salvation for one who has not got any son; you are well aware of this. Then why do you overlook my case when you can remove my sorrow. Even these sparrows are blessed who nourish their offsprings. And I am so very unfortunate that, day and night, I am immersed in cares and anxieties, due to my not having any son.
32. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these pitiful utterances of the King, Vas’istha thought over in his mind and spoke to him everything in particular.
33-41. Vas’istha said :— “O King! True you have spoken that in this world there is no other sorrow more painsgiving than the state of not having any issue. Therefore, O King! you worship with great care the water-god Varuna. He will crown your efforts with success. There is no other god than Varuna to grant sons. So, O Virtuous One! Worship Him and you will get success. Both Fate and Self-exertion are to be respected by men; how can success come unless efforts are made. O King! Men who realise the Highest Truth should make efforts, guided by just rules; success comes to those who work; else never one is to [ p. 642 ] expect success.” Hearing these words of the Guru, of unbounded energy, the King made a fixed resolve and bowing himself down, went away to practise tapasyâ. On the banks of the Ganges, in a sacred place, seated on Padmâsan, the King became merged in the meditation of the God Varuna with noose in his hand and thus practised severe asceticism. O King! When he was doing this, the god Varuna took pity on him and gladly came before his sight. Varuna, then, spoke to the King Haris’chandra :— “O Knower of Dharma! I am glad at your tapasyâ. So ask boons from me.”
42-43. The King said :— “O God! I am without any son; give me a son, who will give me happiness and will free me from the three debts that I owe to the Devas, the Pitris and the Risis. Know that with that object I am doing this Tapasyâ.” Then the God Varuna, hearing these humble words of the sorrowful King, smiled and said.
44-45. O King! If you get your desired well-qualified son, what will you do for me to my satisfaction? O King! If you perform a sacrifice in honour of me and fearlessly sacrifice your son there like an animal, I will then grant you your desired boon.
46-47. The King :— “O Deva! Free me from this state of sonless-ness; O Water God! When my son will be born, I will do your sacrifice with my son as an animal in that. This I speak truly to you. O Giver of honour! There is no suffering more unbearable than this one, not to have any son; so grant me a good son so that all my sorrows be vanished.”
48. Varuna said :— “O King! You will get a son as you desire; go home; but see what you have spoken before be fulfilled and turned true.”
49-55. Vyâsa said :— Hearing these words from Varuna, Haris’chandra went back and told everything about his getting the boon to his wife. The King had one hundred exquisitely beautiful wives of whom, S’aivyâ was the lawful wife and queen and was very chaste. After some time, that wife became pregnant and the King became very glad to hear this and her longings in that state. The King performed all her purificatory ceremonies, and when ten months were completed, and on an auspicious Naksatra and on an auspicious day, she gave birth to a son, like that of a Deva son. On the birth of his son, the King, surrounded by the Brâhmins, performed his ablutions and first of all performed the natal ceremonies and distributed innumerable jewels and much [ p. 643 ] wealth; and the King’s joy knew no bounds at that time. The liberal King gave away, in special charities, wealth, grains, and various jewels and lands and had the performance of music, dancing and other things.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the going to Heavens of Tris’anku and the commencement of Haris’chandra’s narrative in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the story of the King Haris’chandra [ p. 643 ] 1-7. Vyâsa said :— O King! When there was going on in the King’s palace, the grand festivities for the son’s birth ceremonies, Varuna Deva came there in the holy Brâhmin form. “Let welfare be on you.” Saying this, Varuna began to say :— “O King! Know me to he Varuna. Now hear what I say. O King! Your son is now born; therefore perform sacrifices in honor to me with your son. O King! Your defect of not having a son is now removed; so fulfil what you promised before.” Hearing these words, the King began to think “Oh! Only one lotus-faced son is born to me; how can I kill it. On the other hand, the powerful Regent (Lokapâla) of one quarter is present in Brâhmana form; and it never behoves one to show disrespect to a Deva or to a man who wishes welfare to us. Again it is very difficult to root out the affection for a son; so what am I to do now? How shall I preserve my happiness due to the birth of my son.” The King, then, with patience bowed down to him and worshipped him duly and humbly spoke to him in beautiful words, pregnant with reason.
8-10. O Deva of the Devas! I will obey your order no doubt and I will perform your sacrifice according to the Vedic rites and with profuse Daksinâs (remuneration to priests, etc.) But, when in a sacrifice human beings are immolated as victims, both the husband and wife are entitled to the ceremony. Father becomes purified on the tenth day and mother on the expiration of one month after the son’s birth; so how can I perform the sacrifice until one month expires! You are omniscient and the master of all the beings; and you know what is Nitya Dharma. So, O Varuna Deva! I want one month time; and show mercy thus on me.
11-19. Vyâsa said :— O King! The King Haris’chandra saying thus, Varuna Deva spoke to the King :— “O King! Welfare be unto [ p. 644 ] you! Do your duties; I am now going back to my place. O King! I will come again after one month. Better finish the natal ceremonies and the Nâmakarana ceremony regularly and then perform my sacrifice.” O King! When Varuna Deva turned his back, the King began to feel happiness. Then the King gave as gifts millions of cows, yielding plenty of milk and ornamented with gold, and mountains of Til, sesamums to the Brâhmins versed in the Vedas and kept his name, with formal ceremonies as Rohitâs’va. When one month became complete, Varuna Deva came again in a Brâhmin form and frequently said :— “O King! Start the sacrifice just now!” The King, on seeing the God of Waters, at once fell into an ocean of anxieties and sorrows; he then bowed down and worshipping him as a guest, spoke to him with folded palms :— “O Deva! It is to my great fortune that you have landed your feet at my place; O Lord! My house has been sanctified to day. O Deva! I will do, no doubt, your desired sacrifice according to the rites and ceremonies. But see, the victims that have not their teeth come as yet are not fit for a sacrifice; so the versed Pundits say; so I have settled I would perform your great sacrifice, as desired by you, when the teeth will come out of my son.”
20-41. Vyâsa said :— O Lord of men! Hearing thus, Varuna spoke “Let it be so” and went away. The King Haris’chandra became glad and passed his days in enjoyments in his household. When the teeth of the child got out, Varuna knew it and came again in a Brâhmin garb in the palace and spoke “O King! Now commence my sacrifice.” Seeing the Brâhmin Varuna there, the King, too, bowed down and gave him a seat and shewing all respects to him, worshipped him. He sang hymns to him and very humbly said with his head bent low :— “O Deva! I will perform your desired sacrifice with plenty of Daks’inâs according to rites and ceremonies. But the child’s Chûdâkarana (the ceremony of tonsure) is not yet done; so the hairs that were at the birth time are still there and the child cannot be fit for sacrifice as long as those hairs exist. So I have heard from the elderly persons. O Lord of Waters! You know the S’âstric rules; kindly wait till the Chûdâkarana is over. When the child will have his head shaven, I will certainly perform your sacrifice; there is no doubt in this.” Hearing these words, Varuna spoke to him again :— “O King! Why are you deceiving me like this so often? O King! Now you have all the materials ready for the sacrifice; only for your filial affection you are deceiving me. However, if, after the ceremony of tonsure, you do not perform my sacrifice, I will be angry and I will curse you. O King! I am going for the present; but see do not tell lies, being born in the family of Iksâku.” Instantly Varuna [ p. 645 ] disappeared; the King, too, felt himself happy in his household. When the ceremony of tonsure was commenced and grand festivities were held, on the occasion Varuna soon came again to the King’s palace. The queen was then sitting before the King with the child in her lap when Varuna came up there. The Brâhmin Varuna then appeared like a Flaming Fire and spoke to the King in a clear voice :— “O King! Start the sacrifice.” Seeing him, the King was confused with terror and with folded palms, quickly bowed down to him. After worshipping him duly, he very humbly said :— “O Lord! Today I will perform your sacrifice. But kindly hear with attention my saying and then do what is advisable. O Lord! If you approve of this as reasonable, I then open my heart to you. The three Varnas Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas, and Vais’yas become Dvîjas (twice-born) only when they are duly purified according to proper rules and ceremonies; without any such purifications they are certainly S’ûdras. So the Pundits versed in the Vedas declare. My child is now an infant only; so it is like a S’ûdra. When his thread ceremony (Upanayan) will be performed, he will then be fit for the sacrifice; this the Veda S’âstras declare. The Ksatttriyas are so purified in their eleventh year; the Brâhmanas in their eighth year and the Vais’yas in their twelfth year. So, O Lord of the Devas! If you feel pity for your this humble servant, then wait till the Upanayana ceremony is over, when I will perform your grand sacrifice with my son. O Bibhu! You are the Lokapâla; specially you are conversant with all the S’âstric rules and have acquired the knowledge of Dharma. If you think my saying as true, then go to your home.”
42-51. Vyâsa said :— Hearing these words, Varuna’s heart was filled with pity and so he went away instantly, saying “Let it be so.” Varuna going away, the King felt very glad and the queen, knowing the welfare of the son became glad too. Then the King gladly performed his state duties. After some time, the child grew ten years old. Consulting with the peaceful Brâhmanas as well as his ministers, he collected materials for the Upanayana ceremony befitting his position. When the eleventh year was completed by his son, the King arranged everything for the thread ceremony but when his thoughts turned to Varuna’s sacrifice, he became very sad and anxious. When the thread ceremony began to be performed, the Brâhmin Varuna came there. Seeing him, the King instantly bowed down and standing before him with clasped palms, gladly spoke to him :— O Deva! My son’s Upanayana being over, now my son is fit for the victim in the sacrifice; and by your grace, my sorrow that was within me as not having a son, has vanished. I speak truly before [ p. 646 ] you that, O Knower of Virtue! after some mere time I have desired to perform your sacrifice with plenty of Daksinâs. In fact, when the Samâvartan ceremony will be over, I will do as you like. Kindly wait till then.
52-62. Varuna said :— O Intelligent One! You are very much attached to your son now and so by various reasonable plays of intellect, you are repeatedly deceiving me. However, I am going home today at your request but know certain that I will come again at the time of the Samâvartan ceremony. (N. B.:— Samâvartan means the return home especially of a pupil from his tutor’s house after finishing his course of study there.) O King! Thus saying, Varuna went away and the King became glad and began to perform duly his various duties. The prince was very intelligent; and as he used to see Varuna coming, now and then, at the time of the ceremonies, he became very anxious. He then made enquiries outside hither and thither and came to know of his own being about to be killed and he desired to quit the house instantly. He then consulted with the minister’s sons and came to a final conclusion and went out of the city to the forest. When the son had gone to the forest, the King became very much afflicted with sorrow and sent messengers in quest of him. When some time passed away, Varuna came to his house and spoke to the distressed King :— “O King! Now perform your desired Sacrifice.” The King bowed down to him and said :— “O Deva! What shall I do now? My son has become afraid and has gone away. I do not know where he has gone. O Deva! My messengers have searched for him in difficult places in mountains, in the hermitages of the Munis, in fact, in all the places; but they have not been able to find him out anywhere. My son has left his home; order now what I can do. O Deva! You know everything; so judge I have got no fault in this matter. It is certainly luck and nothing else.”
63-66. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words of the King, Varuna became very much angry and when he saw that he was deceived so many times by the King, he then cursed, saying :— “O King! As you have cheated me by your deceitful words, so you be attacked by dropsy and be severely pained by it.” Thus cursed by Varuna, the King was attacked with that disease and began to suffer much. Cursing thus, Varuna went back to his own place and the King was much afflicted with that terrible disease.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the story of the King Haris’chandra in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the story of S’unahs’epha [ p. 647 ] 1-4. Vyâsa said :— O King! When Varuna went away, the King was very much laid down with that dropsy and daily his pains began to increase and he began to suffer extreme pains. O King! The prince, on the other hand, heard, in the forest, of the illness of his father and filled with affection, wanted to go to his father. A year had passed away and the prince desired very gladly to go to his father and see him. Knowing this, Indra came there. He came instantly in the form of a Brâhmin and with favourable arguments desisted the prince, who was about to go to his father.
5-31. Indra said :— “O Prince! It seems you are silly; you know nothing of the difficult state policies. Therefore it is that you are ready to go, out of sheer ignorance, to your father. O Fortunate One! If you go there, your father will get his sacrifice, where a human victim is to be offered, performed by the Vedic Brâhmanas and your flesh will be offered are oblations to the blazing Fire. O Child! The souls of all the beings are very dear; it is for that reason, for the sake of soul, that sons, wife, wealth and jewels are all dear. Therefore, though you are his dear son, like his son, yet he will certainly have you killed and get Homas offered, to free himself from the disease. O Prince! You ought not to go home now; rather when your father dies, you would certainly go there and inherit your Kingdom.” O King! Thus hindered by Vâsava, the prince remained in that forest for one year more. But when the prince again heard of the severe illness of his father, he wanted again to go to his father, resolved to court the death of his ownself. Indra also came there in the form of a Brâhman and, with reasonable words, repeatedly advised him not to go there. Here, on the other hand, the King Haris’chandra became very much distressed and troubled by the disease and asked his family priest Vas’istha Deva :— “O Brâhmana! What is the sure remedy for the cure of the disease?” Vas’istha, the Brahmâ’s son, said :— “O King! Purchase one son by giving his value; then perform the sacrifice with that purchased son and you will be free from the curse. O King! The Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas, say that sons are of ten kinds, of whom the son, purchased by paying its proper value, is one of them. So buy one son. There will very probably be within your kingdom a Brâhmin who might sell out of avarice, his son. In that case Varuna Deva will certainly be [ p. 648 ] pleased and grant your happiness.” Hearing these words of the high-souled Vas’istha, the King became glad and ordered his minister to look after such a son. There lived in that King’s dominion one Brâhmin, named Ajigarta, very poor; he had three sons. The minister spoke to him to purchase his son :— “I will give you one hundred cows; give one son of yours for the sacrifice. You have three sons named respectively S’unahpuchcha, S’unahs’epha and S’unolangula. Give me out of them one son and I will give you one hundred cows as his value.” Ajigarta was very much distressed for want of food; so when he heard the proposal, he expressed his desire to sell his son. He thought that his eldest son was the rightful person to perform funeral obsequies and offer Pinda and he therefore did not spare him. The youngest son, too, he did not spare also, as he considered that his own. At last, he sold his second son for the price of one hundred cows. The King then bought him and made him the victim for the sacrifice. When that boy was fastened to the sacrificial post, he began to tremble and very much distressed with sorrow began to cry. Seeing this, the Munis cried out in a very pitiful tone. When the King gave permission for the immolation of that boy, the slaughterer did not take weapons to slaughter him. He told that he would never be able to kill the boy, since he is crying in a very pitiful tone. When he thus withdrew himself from his work, the King then asked his councillors :— O Devas! What ought to be done now? S’unahs’epha then began to cry in a very pitiful voice; the people present there began to discuss and there arose a great noise on the affair. Then Ajigarta stood up in the midst of the assembly and spoke :— “O King! Be patient; I will fulfil your desire. I am desirous of wealth and if you give me double the amount, I will slay immediately the victim; and you can complete early your sacrifice.” O King! He who is hankering after money, can always entertain
feelings of enmity even towards his own son. There is no doubt in this.
32-35. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing those words of Ajigarta, Haris’chandra gladly spoke to him :— “I will immediately give you another hundred excellent cows.” Hearing thus, the son’s father, avaricious of wealth, immediately resolved and became ready to slay his son. All the councillors seeing the father ready to slay his son, were struck with sorrow and began to lament exclaiming “Alas! This wretch, a disgrace to his family, is now ready to kill his own son. Oh! We never saw before such a cruel vicious person. This Brâhmin must be a Demon in a Brâhmin body! [ p. 649 ] 36-38. Fie on you! O Chândâla! What a vicious work are you now going to do? What happiness do you derive by slaying the son, the jewel of jewels, only to get some wealth? O Sinner! It is stated in the Vedas that the soul takes its birth from one’s body; so how are you going to slay your soul!” When the hue and cry arose in the assembly, Vis’vâmitra, the son of Kaus’ika, went to the King and, out of pity, said :—
39-56. O King! S’unahs’epha is very piteously crying; so let him be free; and then your sacrifice will be complete and you will be free of your disease. There is no virtue like mercy and there is no vice like killing (Himsâ). What is written about killing animals in the sacrifice, is only meant for the persons inclined to sensual objects and to give them a stimulus in that direction. O King! He who wants his own welfare and who wants to preserve his own body ought not to cut another’s body. He who pities equally all the beings, gets contended with a trivial gain and subdues all his senses; God is soon pleased with him. O King! You should treat all the Jîvas like yourself and thus always spend your life, so dear to all. You desire to preserve your body by taking away the life of this boy; similarly why would he not try to preserve his own body, the receptacle of happiness and pleasures. O King! You have desired to kill this innocent Brâhmin boy; but he will never overlook this enmity of yours done in previous lives. If anybody kills another willingly, though he has got no enmity with him, then the one that is killed will certainly kill afterwards the slayer. His father, out of greed for money, is deprived of intellect and so has sold away his son. The Brâhmin is certainly very cruel and sinful. There is no doubt in this. When one goes to Gayâ or one performs an As’vamedha sacrifice or when one offers a blue bull (Nila Vrisabha), one does so on the consideration that one would desire to have many sons. Moreover the King has to suffer for one-sixth of the sins committed by anyone in his Kingdom. There is no doubt in this. Therefore the King ought certainly to prohibit any man when he wants to do a sinful act. Why then did you not prevent this man when he desired to sell his son? O King! You are the son of Tris’anku; especially you are born in the Solar line of Kings. So how have you desired, being born an Âryâ, to do an act becoming an An-Âryâ (non-aryan). If you take my word and quickly free this Brâhmin boy, you will certainly derive virtue in your body. Your father was converted into a Chândâla by a curse but I sent him in his very body to the Heavens. And you are well acquainted with this fact. Therefore, O King! Keep my word out of your love for that. This boy is very pitifully crying; so free him. I pray this from you in this your Râjasûya sacrifice and if you do not keep my word, you will incur the [ p. 650 ] sin of not keeping my word. Do you not realise this? O King! You will have to give anything that a man wants from you in this sacrifice; but if you do otherwise, sin will attack you, no doubt.
57-59. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words of Kaus’ika, the King Haris’chandra spoke thus :— O son of Gâdhi! I am suffering very much from the dropsy; I will not be able therefore to free him. You can pray for some other thing. You ought not to throw obstacles in this my sacrifice. Vis’vâmitra became very angry at this, and seeing the Brâhmin boy very distressed, became sorrowful and mourned very much.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the story of S’unahs’epha in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the freeing of S’unahs’epha and the curing of Haris’chandra [ p. 650 ] 1-6. Vyâsa said :— O King! When Vis’vâmitra saw that the boy was crying very pitifully, he went to him with a merciful heart and said :— “O Child! I am giving you the Varuna Mantra; recollect this within your mind and if you go on repeating that Mantra silently, you will certainly fare well.” The sorrowful S’unahs’epha, hearing thus from Vis’vâmitra, began to repeat silently in his mind the above Mantra, clearly pronouncing each letter. O King! No sooner S’unahs’epha repeated that Mantra than the kind-hearted Varuna came suddenly before the boy, greatly pleased with him. Everyone in the assembly became thoroughly surprised to see Varuna Deva come there and they all became glad and chanted hymns in honour of him. The diseased Haris’chandra was also thoroughly surprised, fell to his feet, and with folded palms began to sing hymns to Varuna, standing before him.
7-14. Haris’chandra said :— “O Deva of the Devas! I am very vicious; my intellect is much defiled; I am a sinner before you; O Merciful One! Now show your mercy and sanctify this humble self. I was very much troubled on not having a son; so I had disregarded your words; now show your mercy on me; what offence can cling to him whose intellect is already out of order? A beggar does not see his own faults; I am also in want of a son; so I could not see my defects. O Lord! Being afraid of the terrors of hell, I have deceived [ p. 651 ] you. Those, who are sonless, cannot find rest anywhere. Especially he is barred from the Heavens. Being terrified by this dictate of S’âstra, I have shown disregard to your words. O Lord! You are wise and I am ignorant; especially I am extremely afflicted by this terrible disease; I am also deprived of my son; so you ought not to take any notice of my faults. O Lord! I do not know where my son has gone; O merciful One! Perhaps he, being afraid of his life, has fled away to some forest. For your satisfaction, I have now commenced your sacrifice with this purchased boy; I gave an equivalent value and I have purchased this boy. O Deva of the Devas! Your sight only has taken away my infinite troubles; now if you be pleased, I can be free of my this disease dropsy and my troubles will all be over.” Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing thus the words of that diseased King, Varuna, the Deva of the Devas, took pity on him and thus spoke.
15-22. Varuna said :— “O King! S’unahs’epha is uttering hymns of praise to me; he has become very distressed; so quit him. Your sacrifice, too, is now completed; now let you be free from your present disease.” Thus saying, Varuna freed the King of his disease in the presence of all his councillors; the King became possessed of a beautiful body and got himself completely cured and shone bright before the assembly. Shouts of victory arose from the midst of the sacrificial ground when the Brâhmin boy was freed of his bonds of rope, by the mercy of the high-souled Deva Varuna. The King became very glad on his being recovered immediately from his disease and S’unahs’epha, too, became free from his anxiety and pacified when he got himself liberated from his being immolated on the sacrificial post. Then the King Haris’chandra completed his sacrifice with great modesty. Afterwards S’unahs’epha addressed the councillors with folded palms and said :— O Councillors! You know well the Dharma; O Speakers of truth! Kindly specify according to the dictates of the Vedas. O Omniscient ones! Whose son am I now? Who is my most respectful father? Please deliver your judgment and I will take his refuge.
23-34. When S’unahs’epha spoke thus, the members of the assembly began to speak to each other, “The boy must be of Ajigarta; whose else can he be? This boy is born of the limbs of Ajigarta; and he has nursed him according to his might. So he must be his son; whose else can he be?” Vâma Deva then told the people of the assembly, “The father of the boy sold his son for money; the King purchased him. So he can be said as the son of the King; or he may be called the son of Varuna, in as much as he freed him from his rope bondage. For, he [ p. 652 ] who nourishes another with food, who saves one from one’s fear, who protects one by giving money, who bestows learning to anybody and he who gives birth to any of the above five classes of persons can be called his father.” O King! Thus some one turned out to be in favour of Ajigarta, some other in favour of the King; but nobody came to any definite conclusion. When matters stood in this doubtful condition, the omniscient all-respected Vas’istha Deva addressed the disputing members thus :— “O high-souled Ones! Kindly hear what the S’rutis say on this point. When the father has cut off his filial attachment and has sold his son, his fatherly connection has ceased then. No doubt this boy was purchased by the King Haris’chandra. But when the King fastened him to the sacrificial post, he cannot be called as the father. Again when this boy singing hymns in honour of Varuna, he being glad freed him of his bondage, so Varuna cannot be called his father. For whoever praises a god by the great Mantra, that Deva becomes pleased with him and gives him wealth, life, cattle, kingdom and even final emancipation. Rather Vis’vâmitra saved the boy by giving him in his critical moment the powerful great Mantra of Varuna; hence the boy can be called as the son of Vis’vâmitra and of none else.”
35-40. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing the words of Vas’istha, all the members of the assembly gave their unanimous consent and Vis’vâmitra with his heart filled with love, exclaimed, “O Son! Come to my house.” And caught hold of his right hand. S’unahs’epha, too, accompanied him and went away. Varuna also went to his own abode with a gladdened heart. The councillors, too, departed. Freed from his disease, the King gladly began to govern his subjects. At this time his son Rohitâ heard all about Varuna and became very glad and leaving the impassable forest passes and mountains, returned home. The messengers informed the King of the arrival of the prince; the King heard and his heart overflowed with love and he gladly came there with no delay.
41-48. Seeing the father coming, Rohitâs’va became filled with love and overpowered with sorrow for long separation began to shed tears and fell prostrate at his feet. The King raised him up and embraced him gladly and smelling his head enquired of his welfare. When the King was thus asking his son, taking him on his lap, the hot tears of joy flowed from his eyes and fell on the head of the prince. The King and the prince then began to govern together his kingdom. The King described in detail all the events of the sacrifice where human victims are immolated. He started next the Râjasûya sacrifice, the best of all sacrifices, and duly worshipping the Muni Vas’istha, made him the [ p. 653 ] Hotâ in that sacrifice. When this grand sacrifice was finished, the King respected the Muni Vas’istha with abundant wealth. Once, on a time, the Muni Vas’istha went gladly to the romantic Heaven of Indra; and Vis’vâmitra, too, went there also and both the Munis then met with each other. The two Maharsis took their seats in that Heaven. But Vis’vâmitra was astonished to see Vas’istha greatly respected in Indra’s hall of assembly and asked him, thus :—
49. “O Muni! Where have you received this great honour and worship? O Highly Fortunate One! Who has worshipped you thus? Speak out truly.”
50-53. Vas’istha said :— “O Muni! There is a King named Haris’chandra; he is very powerful and my client; that King performed the great Râjasûya sacrifice with abundant Daksinâs. There is no other King truthful like him; he is virtuous, charitable, and ever ready in governing his subjects. O Son of Kaus’ika! I have got my worship and honour in his sacrifice. O best of Dvîjas! Are you telling me to speak truly? Again I speak truly to you that there never was a King truthful, heroic, charitable, and very religious like him nor there will be such a one.”
54. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing such words, the Vis’vâmitra, of a very angry temper, spoke to him with his reddened eyes :—
55-59. “O Vas’istha! Haris’chandra obtained a boon from Varuna when he made a certain promise; then he cheated Varuna with deceitful words. So he is a liar and cheat. Why are you praising then that King? O Intelligent One! Let us now stake all our virtues that we have earned since our birth by our asceticism and studies. You have praised exceedingly that King who is a great cheat; but if I cannot prove him to be a liar of the first order, I will lose all my virtues from my birth; but if it be otherwise, then all your virtues will be destroyed.” Thus the two Munis quarrelled with each other and making this stake, departed from the Heavens and went to their respective Âs’ramas.
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the freeing of S’unahs’epha and the curing of Haris’chandra in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the origin of the quarrel between Haris’chandra and Vis**’vâmitra** [ p. 654 ] 1-6. Vyâsa said :— O King! Once on a time Haris’chandra went out to the forest on an hunting excursion; and, while roaming to and fro, he saw that a very beautiful lady was crying. The King, seeing this, took pity on her and asked :— “O Fair One! Why are you in this forest crying alone? O Large eyed One! Has someone pained you? What is the cause of your sorrow? Express this quickly before me. Why have you come here in this dreadful lonely forest? What are the names of your husband and your father? O Beautiful One! In My kingdom, no demon can give any trouble to another’s lady; I will immediately kill him who has given you this trouble. O thin-bellied One! Be comfortable; do not weep; tell me why you are in this sorrowful state; know that no sinner can remain within my territory.” Hearing the words of the King, the lady wiped out her tears by her hand and began to say :—
7-8. O King! I am Siddharupinî, of the nature of success; to get me, Vis’vâmitra is practising terrible austerities. So these troubles have arisen from him, the son of Kaus’ika. O King! For this reason I am sorry in Your kingdom. O One of good vows! I am a gentle lovely Lady; still that Muni is giving me so much trouble.
9-16. The King said :— “O Large-eyed One! No longer you will have to suffer any more pains. Be patient. I will go and make the Muni desist from his tapasyâ.” Thus comforting the lady, the King went hurriedly to the Muni Vis’vâmitra and, bowing down to him said with clasped palms :— O Maharsi! Why are you ailing your body by this terrible severe austerity! O Highly intelligent One! For what great noble cause are you practising this hard tapasyâ; speak truly to me. O Son of Gâdhi! I will fulfil your desires; there is no need of your practising this severe penance; please get out of it immediately. O Maharsi! You know everything; so what shall I say anything further? See! It ought not anyone to practise this extremely dreadful tapasyâ, causing troubles to the people within my territory. Thus prohibited by the King Haris’chandra, the Muni became very angry at his heart and went towards his own hermitage. The King, too, went back to his palace. The Muni on his arrival at his hermitage, began to cogitate in his mind, “Why has the King unjustly desisted me from [ p. 655 ] my tapasyâ” and also the discussions that took place between him and Vas’istha. Vis’vâmitra became very angry at his heart and ready to take the vengeance of this. He thought over on many points and created a terrible demon of a dreadful appearance in the form of a boar and sent it to the territory of the King Haris’chandra.
17-28. That terrible boar, of huge body, entered into the kingdom, raising a dreadful sound. The guards became afraid at his terrible noise. Entering into the forest, that boar began to whirl round and round and destroy the Mâlati forest, at another place the Kadamba forest, and at others the Yûthikâ forest. At other places he began to dig up the earth by his tusks and root out the Champaka, Ketakî, Mallikâ and various other trees. At other places again, he rooted out nice gentle Us’îra, Karavîra, Muchukunda, As’oka, Vakula, Tilaka and other trees and so massacred the nice gardens and forests. The forest guards, then, taking their weapons, rushed forward on that boar. Those that were making garlands and the florists became very distressed and uttered uproars of consternation. That boar, as if an incarnate of Death, though routed out with flights of arrows, could not be terrified; rather when he began to harass the guards very much, they became very much afraid and being very distressed took the refuge of the King and, trembling, said :— “O King! Protect us. Protect us.” And they cried piteously. Seeing the guards terrified and distressed, the King asked them :— Whom do you fear so much and why you are so distressed? Speak truly before me. O Guards! I do not fear the Deva nor the Demons; so tell me who has created this panic amongst you. I, no doubt, will send that vicious cheat unto the door of Death by this arrow, who has come against me in this world. What sort of enemy is that? What is his form? What is his power and where is he residing now; speak this quickly to me. Be that enemy a Deva or a Dânava, I will slay him immediately by the multitude of arrows.
29-31. The Mâlâkâras said :— The enemy is not a Deva, nor a Dânava, Yaksa nor a Kinnara; it is a boar of a huge body that has entered into the forest. Very powerful, he is uprooting by his teeth all the beautiful flower trees; in fact, he is ruining all the gardens and forests. O King! We shot arrows on him, struck him with cudgels and hurled stones at him so much; yet he did not get a bit afraid; rather he turned back to kill us.
32-51. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words, the King’s fury knew no bounds and, immediately getting on horseback, he went towards the garden and forest. Then the horsemen, elephant drivers, charioteers and infantry, all followed him. When the King went there, [ p. 656 ] he saw the terrible boar, of a huge body, whirling round and round and making the peculiar sound in the forest; and he witnessed also the destroyed condition of the forest and became very angry. He then drew his bow and arrows and fell down on him to take away his life. Seeing the King coming angrily towards him with bow and arrows in his hands, the boar began to sound more terribly and ran forward before him. The King saw the boar coming towards him with his mouth wide opened and began to shower arrows upon him to kill him. The boar immediately made those arrows useless, and very violently and quickly jumped and passed away, over the King. When the boar passed away, the King angrily drew his bow with great care and shot sharpened arrows at him. One moment the boar came in the King’s sight; and at another moment he vanished away; thus the boar began to flee, uttering all sorts of sounds. The King Haris’chandra then became very angry and drawing his bow pursued him, mounting on a horse, swift like the wind. The soldiers then entered the forest and scattered hither and thither; the King alone pursued the boar. The sun entered unto the meridian; and the King came to be alone in a lonely forest. His horse was fatigued, and he, too, was tired of hunger and thirst. The boar went away out of sight. The King also missed his way in that dense jungle and became greatly absorbed with intense cares and anxieties. He then began to think, “Where shall I now go? There is none to help me in this dense jungle. Especially I don’t know the right path.” While he was thus thinking, he saw, all on a sudden, a river with clear water in that lonely forest. He became much delighted to see the flowing river and, alighting from horseback, he drank that water and made the horse also drink it. He became much relieved by drinking; and though he was much bewildered not to find the right track, he wanted now to go to his own city. At this moment Vis’vâmitra came up there in an old Brâhmin form; the King also looking at him bowed down to the Brâhmin garbed Vis’vâmitra, who then spoke to the King :— “O King! Welfare be unto you! What for have you come here? O King! What object have you got in view in this lonely forest? Be calm and quiet and speak everything before me.”
52-58. The King said :— “O Brâhmin! One powerful boar of a huge body entered into my garden and spoilt altogether all the gentle flower trees there. To desist that boar, I pursued him with bow in hand and went out of the city. That powerful boar, very swift and, as it were, a magician, has escaped my sight and gone away where I do not know. I pursued him and have come now to this place and I do not know where my soldiers have gone. O Muni! Now I am deprived of my men,
[ p. 657 ]
I am hungry and thirsty. I do not know which is the road to my city; nor do I know where my soldiers have gone. O Dear Lord! It is to my great fortune that you have come in this lonely forest. Now I want to return to my home; kindly shew me the way. I have completed my Râjasûya sacrifice. I always give everyone whatever he wants. This is known to everybody. O Dvîja! If you want money for your sacrifice, then come with me to Ayodhyâ and I will give you abundance of wealth. I am Haris’chandra, the famous King of Ayodhyâ.”
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the origin of the quarrel between Haris’chandra and Vis’vâmitra in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the taking away of Haris’chandra’s Kingdom [ p. 657 ] 1-12. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing thus the words of the King Haris’chandra, the Maharsi Kaus’ika smilingly said :— “O King! This Tîrath is very sacred; if one bathes here, one is cleansed of one’s sins and virtue springs up. So, highly fortunate One! Bathe in this and do peace-offerings (tarpanam) to your fathers. O King! This time is very auspicious and highly meritorious; so take a bath in this sacred Punya Tîrtha and make charities as far as it lies in your power. Svâyambhuva Manu says :— He, who arriving at a tîrtha capable to give high merits (Punya), does not bathe and make charities, deceives himself; so he is the slayer of his soul, no doubt. So, O King! Do meritorious acts as best as you can in this excellent tîrtha. Then I will shew you the way and you will go to Ayodhyâ. O Kâkutstha! Today I will be pleased with your gifts and I will accompany you to show you the way; this I have decided.” Hearing the deceitful words of the Maharsi, the King took off his upper garments and tying the horse on to a tree, went towards the river to bathe according to due rites. O King! The accidental combination, that was to have been so (sure to come), so enchanted the King by the Muni’s words, that he got himself entirely under the control of the Muni. He duly completed his bath and offered peace offerings to the Devas and the Pitris and then spoke to Vis’vâmitra. “O Lord! I am now making gifts to you. O Fortunate One! Cows, lands, jewels, elephants, horses, chariots or horses, etc., anything that you like I will give you just now. There is nothing that I cannot give. When I performed previously the Râjasûya [ p. 658 ] sacrifice, I took, then, before all the Munis, this vow. So, O Muni! You are also present at this principal Tîrtha (place of pilgrimage); so express what you desire; I will give you your desired object.”
13-15. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O King! Your glory is spread far and wide in this world; especially I have already heard that there is no second man charitable like you. The Muni Vas’istha has said :— The
King of the solar dynasty, the Tris’anku’s son, Haris’chandra is foremost and first amongst the kings in this world and there is no one so liberal-minded as he is; such a king there never was nor ever there will be. So, O King! Now the marriage time of my son has arrived; so I pray before you today, that you give me wealth to celebrate this marriage.”
16. The King said :— “O Brâhmin! Yes! Celebrate the marriage ceremony; I will give you your desired wealth. What more can be said than this that whatever wealth you would want, I will give that abundantly. There is no doubt in this.”
17-22. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words of the King, the Muni Kaus’ika became ready to deceive him and originating the Gândharbî Mâyâ, created a beautiful youth and one daughter aged ten years and showing them to the King, said, “The marriage of these two is to be celebrated today. O King! To marry the boys and the girls in the house-hold is to earn more merits than the Râjasûya sacrifice. So today you will get that desired fruit if you make charities for the marriage of this Brâhmin Youth.” The King was much enchanted by his Mâyâ; so no sooner he heard those words, he immediately promised :— “That will be done,” he did not raise any objection whatsoever. Vis’vâmitra then showed the way and the King went to his city. Vis’vâmitra, too, thus deceiving the King, went back to his Âs’rama. When the King was staying in Agnis’âlâ (cook-room), Vis’vâmitra Muni went to him and said :— “O King! The marriage rites have been finished; so today give me what I desire in this sacrificial hall.”
23-24. The King said :— “O Brâhmin! Speak out what you want; now I like to get fame. So if there be anything in the world, that is not to be given by me, if you want, I will give that even to you, no doubt. The mortal, possessing all wealth, if he does not earn good name and fame, capable to give happiness to him in his next world, passes his life in vain.”
25. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O King! Give to this bridegroom, while within this sacred sacrificial altar, your entire kingdom with the royal umbrella and Châmara for fanning the king and elephants, horses, chariots, infantry and all the gems and jewels.” [ p. 659 ] 26-33. Vyâsa said :— O King! The King Haris’chandra was deluded by his Mâyâ; so no sooner he heard the Muni’s words, he willingly said without the slightest consideration :— “O Muni! I give as you pray, my this vast dominion to you.” The very cruel Vis’vâmitra then said :— “O King! I have accepted your offer; but O Intelligent One! Give now the requisite Daksinâ to complete your gift. Manu says gift without Daksinâ is fruitless; so to get the fruit of your gift give Daksinâ as duly fixed.” The King was exceedingly surprised to hear this and said :— “O Lord! Kindly say what amount of wealth am I to give to you as Daksinâ. O Saint! Say the value of your Daksinâ. O Ascetic! Don’t be impatient; I will give you the Daksinâ to that amount, no doubt.” Hearing this, Vis’vâmitra told to the King :— “At present give me two and a half loads of gold as Daksinâ.” The King Haris’chandra became greatly amazed and promised :— “I will give you that,” he then anxiously mounted on his horseback and became ready to go quickly. At this time, his soldiers who lost their road in quest of their king, came to him. They were very glad to see him; but, seeing him anxious, they began to praise him in great haste.
34-47. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing their words, the King did not say anything, good or bad; but thinking on his own doing entered into the zenana. Oh! What have I promised to give? I have made a gift of all that I have; I am cheated in this matter by the Muni like one robbed by a thief in a wilderness. My whole dominion including my dress I have promised to give to him. Moreover I will have to pay besides two and a half loads of gold. My brain seems to have been completely destroyed. What to do now? I did not know the cunningness of the Muni. Therefore I am cheated by this deceitful Brâhmin. It is next to impossible to understand the work of Daiva. Oh! My Fate! What will happen to me now? Very much bewildered the King entered in the interior of the palace. The queen seeing her husband immersed in cares, enquired into the cause, thus :— “O Lord Why have you become so absent-minded? Kindly say what you are thinking now? O King! The son has come back from the forest before you completed your Râjasûya sacrifice; why then are you in grief now? Kindly speak out the cause of your sorrow. Nowhere is your enemy, strong or weak; only Varuna was angry with you; now he is also very satisfied. So there is nothing further for you to do to think. O King! Owing to cares, this body gets weaker and weaker day by day. So nothing is like cares to lead one to death.” When his dear wife said so, the King expressed to her somewhat the cause of his [ p. 660 ] cares, good or bad. But the King was much absorbed with his cares so that he could not eat nor sleep though his bedding was perfectly white and clear. Early in the next morning, when, getting up from his bed, he was doing anxiously his morning duties, Vis’vâmitra came up there. When the sentinel informed the King of the arrival of Vis’vâmitra, he gave order for him to enter. Vis’vâmitra, the Looter of his all and everything, came before him and told the King who repeatedly bowed down to him :— “O King! Now leave your kingdom and give me the gold that you promised as Daksinâ and prove that you are truthful.”
48-63. Haris’chandra said :— “O Lord! I have given you this vast dominion of mine; so my Kingdom has now become yours; I am leaving this Kingdom and going to somewhere else. O Kaus’ika! You need not think a bit for this. O Brâhmana! You have taken my all according to the technical rule; so now I am unable to give you Daksinâ. If, in time, wealth comes to me, I will at once give you your Daksinâ.” Saying him thus, the King told his wife S’aivyâ, and his son Rohita, “In this Agnihotra room I say that I have given my vast dominion to the Muni Vis’vâmitra. Elephants, horses, chariots, gold and jewels all I have given to him along with my kingdom. What more than this that save us three, everything else I have given to him. O Maharsi! Take fully this prosperous dominion; we are going somewhere else to a forest or a mountain cave.” The exceedingly virtuous Haris’chandra spoke thus to his wife and son, and, paying respects to the Muni, went out from his house. Seeing the King going thus away, his wife and son, afflicted with cares, followed him with their sad faces. Seeing thus, all the inhabitants of Ayodhyâ cried aloud, and great consternation and uproar arose in the city. O King! What is this act that you have done? How has this suffering come to you! O King! The great Fate, without any consideration, has certainly deceived you. The Brâhmanas, Ks’attriyas, Vais’yas and S’ûdras, all the four Varnas gave vent to their sorrows, when they saw the King going away with his wife and son. The Brâhmins and the other inhabitants of the city, all were afflicted with sorrows and began to abuse the vicious Brâhmana saying that “He is a cheat, etc.” O King! Give the gold for Daksinâ and then go; or say that you will not be able to give and I will then not take the Daksinâ. Or if you entertain within yourself any greed, then take back all your Kingdom. O King! If you think that you have really made this gift, then give what you have promised. The son of Gâdhi was saying so, when the King Haris’chandra very humbly bowed down to him with folded palms and said to him.
[ p. 661 ]
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the taking away of Haris’chandra’s Kingdom in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
On the earnestness of Haris’chandra to pay off the Daksinâ [ p. 661 ] 1-4. Haris’chandra said :— “O Muni! I will not take my food until I pay you your Daksinâ in gold; know this to be my resolve; therefore O One of good vows! Discard all your anxieties for Daksinâ. I am the King of the Solar dynasty; especially since the time I have completed my Râjasûya Sacrifice, I give to everyman whatever he desires. So, O Lord! How can it be possible that I will not give what I have voluntarily promised myself? O Best of Dvîjas! I will certainly pay off your debt. I must give you the gold as you desire; be calm and patient; but you will have to wait one month; and on getting the money I will pay it off to you.”
5-8. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O King! Kingdom, treasury and strength are the three sources of income; but you are now deprived of all these. Whence, now, do you expect to get gold? O King! Vain are your hopes to get money; what am I to do now? You are now wealthless and how can I, out of greed, give you trouble? O King! Better say ‘I will not be able to give you Daksinâ,’ and I will then quit my strong expectation and go away as I like. And you, too, can think that you have no gold, so how can you give money and so you can go wherever you like with your wife and son.”
9-20. Vyâsa said :— O King! Hearing these words of the Muni, at his time of departure, the King said :— “O Brâhmana! Be patient and I will certainly give you your Daksinâ. O Dvîja! My wife, son and I myself are all healthy; so selling these, I will give you the money; there is no doubt in this. O Lord! Kindly enquire whether there is anyone who can purchase us and I will agree to become the slave with my wife and son. O Muni! You can sell all of us and the price you get, you can take two and a half loads of gold out of that and be pleased.” Thus saying, the King went to Benares where S’ankara was staying with his dear consort Umâ. The King saw the beautiful city, the sight of which makes one’s heart dance with more joy and he said that he had become blessed. Then he went to the banks of the Bhâgirathî and bathed [ p. 662 ] in the Ganges and offered peace-offerings (Tarpan) to the Devas and the Pitris and completing the worship of his Ista Deva (his own Deity) looked around where he would go. The King entering into the beautiful city of Benares began to think that no human being is protecting this city but S’iva Himself is protecting it. So if he lives there, he would not be living in a city which has been given away by him to Vis’vâmitra. The King, then, distressed much with pain and trouble and being very much bewildered, began to journey on foot with his wife and son and entered into the city and placed his confidence. At this moment he saw the Muni Vis’vâmitra, wanting Daksinâ and humbly bowed down and spoke with folded palms :— “O Muni! My dear wife, my son and I myself are living here; you can take any of us and have your work done; or say what other work we will have to do for you.”
21. Vis’vâmitra said :— “You promised that you would pay Daksinâ at the end of one month; and today that one month is completed; if you remember, then give me the Daksinâ.”
22. The King said :— “O Brâhmana! You are wise and are endowed with the power of tapas (asceticism); as yet one month is not complete; still half a day is remaining; wait till then; and no longer.”
23-27. Vis’vâmitra said :— “O King! Let it be. I will come again and if you do not give me then, I will curse you. Thus saying Vis’vâmitra went away. The King then thought within himself how be would pay him back what he had promised. There is no influential friend of mine in this Benares city who can help me with money; where then can I get the requisite money. I am a Ksattriya. Pratigraha (begging or accepting any gift) is forbidden to me and how can I beg or accept any gift! According to the code of Dharma, the offering of sacrifices (on one’s own behalf), studying, and giving are the three duties ordained to a King. And if I die not paying a Brâhmin’s Daksinâ, I will be polluted with the sin of stealing a Brâhmin’s property and I will then be born a worm or will became a Preta. So to sell myself (and pay off the debts) is better than this.”
28-33. Sûta said :— O Risis! When the King was thus thinking humbly with his face bent downwards, and in a distracted state of mind, his wife spoke to him with tears in her eyes and in a voice, choked with feelings :— “O King! Discard all cares and keep your own Dharma, Truth. He who is divorced from Truth is forsaken like a Preta. O Best of all men! To keep one’s Truth is one’s Dharma; there is no other Dharma superior to it; so the sages declare. He whose [ p. 663 ] words turn out false, his Agnihotra, study, and gifts and all action, become fruitless. Truth is very much praised in the Dharma S’âstra and this Truth raises up and saves the virtuous souls. Similarly falsehood, no doubt, drags a vicious man to hell. The King Yayâti performed the Horse sacrifice, and the Râjasûya sacrifice and went to Heavens but once he spoke falsely and so he was dislodged from the Heavens.”
34. The King said :— “O Thou, going like an elephant! I have my son who will multiply my line; speak out what Thou wishest to say.”
35. The Queen said :— “O King! The wives are meant for sons (your having me has been fulfilled as there is your son). So sell me for the money value and give the Daksinâ to the Brâhmin. Let you not deviate from the Truth.”
36-45. Vyâsa spoke :— Hearing this, the King fainted. Afterward regaining consciousness, he wept with a grievous heart. O gentle One! What you have uttered just now has caused me much pain; am I such a Sinner as to forget entirely all your conversations and your sweet smiles! Alas! O Sweet-smiling One! You ought not to speak such words. O Fair One! How have you been able to utter these harsh words not fit to be spoken! Speaking thus, the King became impatient at the idea of selling his wife and fainted and fell to the ground. Seeing him fainted and lying flat on the ground, the Queen became grievously hurt and spoke with great compassion. O King! Whose evil have you done that you have fallen into this calamity? Alas! He who is accustomed to sleep in a room adorned with carpets is today like a humble man, sleeping on the ground! The King who gave crores and crores of golden mohurs to the Brâhmins, that same King, my husband is lying now on the ground! Alas! What a painful thing! O Fate! What has this King done to you that You have thrown this Indra and Upendra like King in this dire calamity! Thus saying, the beautiful queen (of good hips) very much grieved by the sight of her husband’s pain fell down unconscious on the ground. Then the boy prince, seeing father and mother both senseless, lying on the ground, became very much troubled, and, becoming hungry, cried, “O Father! O Father! I am very hungry; give me food to eat; O Mother! O Mother! My tongue is being parched; give me food to eat,” and the boy began to weep repeatedly.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the earnestness of Haris’chandra to pay off the Daksinâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.