by Bibek Debroy
‘Like a person who has again lost his memory, he started to fix prices for the corpses. He was dirty. His hair was matted. The king was dark, wielding a staff. He was bewildered. He no longer remembered his wife or son. Having lost his enterprise and having lost his kingdom, he resided in the cremation ground. At that time, the king’s lamenting wife arrived there, bringing his own dead son with her. The boy had been bitten by a snake. “O child! Alas! O son! Alas! O infant! Alas!” She repeatedly wailed in this way. She was lean and wan. She was distracted and her hair was covered with dust. The king’s wife said, “O king! Alas! Behold. Your son is lying down on the ground now. Earlier, you have seen him play. Bitten by a snake, he is dead now.” The lord of men heard the sounds of her lamenting. Thinking, “I will take the blanket from the corpse,” he quickly went there. The king did not recognize his wailing wife. Having lived away for a long time, he was tormented. It was as if he had been born again and did not recognize the lady. The princess did not recognize the king either. Earlier, the ends of his hair used to be beautiful. They were matted now. The king resembled a dried up tree. He saw the child lying down on a black garment, suffering from the snake’s venom. The lord of men saw the signs of royalty and started to think. “Alas! Which lord of men has suffered this grief? Whose lineage was this child born in? His face is like the lunar disc. His eyebrows are excellent. His nose is beautiful and high. His locks of hair are dark and curly. The strands are long and equal. His eyes are like lotuses. His lips are like bimba fruit. He possesses beautiful teeth and beautiful forearms. 192 His face is long. His arms are long. There are four marks on his palms—a fish, a corn of barley and a mountain. 193 The nerve behind his neck is deep and runs all the way down to his feet. His skin is thin and he has three lines on his navel. Bound, he has been brought here wilfully by the evil-souled Destroyer. Seeing this child lying down on his mother’s lap, I am reminded of the lotus-eyed child, Rohitashva. Unless the terrible Destroyer has brought him under his subjugation, my child would also have been of a similar age.” The king’s wife wailed, “Alas! O child! Whose great sin has taken you away? I am immersed in this grief and there is no end to it. O protector! Alas! Where are you now! I am miserable. Without comforting me, how can you remain there? O destiny! What have you done to the royal sage, Harishchandra? His kingdom has been destroyed. His well-wishers have left him. His wife and child have been sold.” Hearing her words, the king fell down from his spot. He recognized his beloved son and saw that he was dead. The king started to think. “What is her name and which household is she from? Perhaps she is my excellent wife. Who is this child who has died? What grief! This is Shaibya and this is my son.” Tormented by grief, he wept and lost his senses. She also recognized him and the state that he had been reduced to. Miserable, she fell down on the ground, senseless and immobile. Having regained their senses, the Indra among kings and the king’s wife started to lament together, miserable and suffering from that burden of grief. The king said, “Alas! O child! Your eyes, eyebrows, nose and locks are delicate. On seeing that face, why is my heart not getting shattered? ‘Father! Father!’ Uttering these sweet words, who will come to me on his own? Whom will I affectionately embrace and address as ‘Child! Child!’? Whose thighs will bring the yellow dust from the ground and stain my upper garment, my lap and my limbs? Your limbs were generated from my limbs and you were the one who enhanced the delight of my mind. O child! Alas! Since I sold you like an object, I am a wicked father. Cruel destiny has taken away my great kingdom, my relatives, my riches and everything from me. In the form of a snake, it has now bitten my son. Alas! I am looking at my child’s lotus face, bitten by destiny in the form of a snake. Because of the terrible poison, I have now become blind.” He said this, his voice choking with tears. He gathered up the child and embraced him. He lost his senses and fell down, motionless. The king’s wife said, “From his voice, it is evident that he is that tiger among men. There is no doubt that this is Harishchandra, who is like a moon to the minds of the learned. His mouth and peaked nose are like his. It is tall at the top and curves downwards. His teeth resemble buds, just like those of the great-souled one, famous for his deeds. But why has that lord of men come to this cremation ground now?” She forgot the grief on account of her son and looked at her fallen husband. Having seen him, she was surprised and distressed because of her husband and son. She looked and saw her husband’s reprehensible staff. “This is deserving of a shvapacha.” Her mind filled with confusion, the large-eyed one lost her senses. When she regained her senses, she spoke softly, in a quavering voice. “Shame on destiny. It is extremely cruel, dishonourable and hated. The king who was an equal of the immortals has been reduced to the state of a shvapacha. The kingdom was destroyed. The well-wishers left him. His wife and son were sold. Even then, the king was not released and has been made a chandala. O king! Alas! I am tormented. Why are you not raising me up from the ground now and placing me on a couch? Why don’t you say anything? Nor can I see your umbrella, auspicious marks, fan or whisk now. What is this perversion in fate? Earlier, when he advanced, all the kings advanced ahead of him, like servants, cleaning the dust from the ground with their upper garments. Suffering from misery, that Indra among kings now resides in a cremation ground. He is in constant touch with skulls and pots and vessels here. It is extremely terrible because garlands, threads and body hair from corpses is strewn around, smeared with fat and half-burnt dry wood on the ground. There is a loathsome mixture of ashes, coal, half-burnt bones and fat. The small birds have departed, suffering from the howls of vultures and jackals. The smoke that arises from funeral pyres has made the directions blue. Those who roam in the night are delighted at the prospect of devouring dead bodies. That is the place where he wanders around.” Having said this, the princess embraced the king’s neck. Her voice suffered from hundreds of different kinds of grief. The king’s wife lamented. “O king! Is this real, or do you think it is a dream? O immensely fortunate one! Tell me. My mind is confounded. O one who knows about dharma! If this is destiny, then there is no help for dharma. There is no point to worshipping gods, brahmanas and others on earth. Without dharma, what is the point of truth, uprightness and non-violence? You were supremely devoted to dharma, but have been deprived of your own kingdom.” Hearing her faltering words, he sighed and told her how he had been reduced to the state of a shvapacha. The timid one wept for a long time. She sighed and miserably told him how her son had died. Hearing those words, the king fell down on the ground. He started to lick his dead son’s mouth with his tongue. The king said, “We are miserable and hanker after our son. Let us beg Yama for him. Therefore, let us quickly go to the place where our beloved son has gone. O beloved! The idea of suffering for a long time does not appeal to me. O one delicate in limbs! But behold my misfortune. I am not even my own master. If I enter the fire without taking the chandala’s permission, in the next birth, I will again become the servant of another chandala. Or I will descend into hell and become an insect that feeds on worms. Or I will fall into the Vaitarani, 194 which is slippery with a great mass of pus, fat, sinews and entrails. Or I will reach asipatravana 195 and be severely cut. Or I will reach maha-rourava or rourava and be burnt. 196 I am immersed in this ocean of grief and the only way to cross over is by giving up my life. This child is the only son who could extend the lineage. However, he has also been submerged in the powerful force of the waters of my destiny. But how can I give up my life? I am under someone else’s control. Perhaps a man who is suffering and afflicted should not consider sin. How can the grief from birth as an inferior species, asipatravana or the Vaitarani be comparable to that from the loss of one’s son? O one who is slender in limbs! Therefore, I will fling myself into the fire that burns my son’s body. Please pardon anything wicked I have done. O one with the beautiful smiles! I grant you leave. Go to the brahmana’s house. O one who is slender in limbs! With a concentrated mind, listen to my words. If I have donated, if I have offered oblations and if I have satisfied my p
receptor, in the world hereafter, I will again be united with you and with my son. How can my wishes be satisfied in this world? O one with the sweet smiles! Or perhaps it is best for you to follow me, along the path taken by our son. I seek one thing. If I have said anything in jest or spoken something coarse in private, you should pardon all that. Because you are a king’s wife, you should not show disrespect towards the brahmana. O auspicious one! You should make every effort to satisfy him, like a husband or a divinity.” The king’s wife replied, “O royal sage! This burden of grief is impossible to bear. Today, along with you, I will also head towards the blazing fire here. Whether it is heaven or hell, we will enjoy it together.” Hearing the words of the one who was devoted to her husband, the king agreed.
‘After this, the king created a funeral pyre and with his wife and son, ascended it. He joined his hands in salutation and thought about Narayana Hari, the supreme paramatman. Vasudeva, the lord of the gods, without a beginning and without an end, resides within the heart. He thought about the auspicious Krishna, attired in the yellow garment, about Brahma and about all the gods, along with Vasava. All of them swiftly arrived there, with Dharma at the forefront. Having arrived, all of them said, “O king! O lord! Listen. The illustrious grandfather 197 is himself here. So are Dharma, the Sadhyas, the Vishvas, 198 the Maruts, the guardians of the worlds, the charanas, 199 the nagas, the Siddhas, the gandharvas, 200 the Rudras and the two Ashvins. There are many others here. Vishvamitra, with whom the three worlds could not contract a friendship earlier, is also here. 201 All of them, including Vishvamitra, are eager to have you as a friend.” Dharma, Shakra and Gadhi’s son 202 ascended and came before the king. Dharma said, “O king! Do not be rash. I am Dharma and I have come before you. I am satisfied with your fortitude, self-control, truthfulness and other qualities.” Indra said, “O Harishchandra! O immensely fortunate one! I am Shakra and I have come before you. With your wife and son, you have won the eternal worlds. With the king’s wife and her son, ascend up to heaven. This is extremely difficult for other men to obtain, but you have won it through your own deeds.” From the sky, the lord Indra showered down amrita, which destroyed death. There was a great shower of flowers and the drums of the gods were sounded. In that assembly of the gods, the son of the great-souled king arose. His delicate body was hale and his mind and senses were soothed. King Harishchandra immediately embraced his son. Along with his wife, he became full of beauty, attired in divine garlands and garments. Having completely obtained this pleasant state, his heart was filled with great delight. At that moment, Indra spoke again. “With your wife and son, you will attain the supreme destination meant for the virtuous. O immensely fortunate one! Ascend. These are the fruits of your own deeds.” Harishchandra replied, “O king of the gods! Without the permission of my master, the shvapacha, I am not free. Therefore, I cannot go to the abode of the gods.” Dharma said, “When I got to know about the state of hardship you were in, I used the powers of my own yoga and came before you in the form of a shvapacha, displaying my fickleness.” Indra said, “O Harishchandra! This is the supreme region desired by all men on earth. Ascend to the region meant for men who perform auspicious deeds.” Harishchandra replied, “O king of the gods! I bow down before you. But listen to the words I am about to speak to you. Since you have spoken to me in words that display your favours, I am assured that I can tell you this. As a result of grief over me, the people in the city of Kosala are submerged in misery. Leaving them there, how can I now ascend to heaven? It has been said that the sin of abandoning someone who is devoted is comparable to the sin from killing a brahmana, a preceptor, a cow or a woman. If I abandon the innocent ones who worship me and are devoted to me, I do not see any happiness in this world or in the next world. O Shakra! Therefore, go to heaven. O lord of the gods! I will go to heaven only if they can go there with me. Or I will go to hell with them.” Indra said, “There are many kinds of good deeds and sins and they are varied. How can you go to heaven if so many are to enjoy it?” Harishchandra replied, “O Shakra! A king enjoys his kingdom because of the powers of those who are dependent on him. I have performed great sacrifices and I have undertaken civic works. However, I have been able to undertake all these because of their powers. I do not desire heaven if I have to give up those who have done me favours. O lord of the gods! There may be a little bit of good merit I have acquired through donations, sacrifices and meditating. Let all of us generally 203 share that together. I may have enjoyed the fruits of my good deeds over a long period of time. Through your favours, let me enjoy those equally with them, even if it is for a single day.” Shakra, the lord of the three worlds, said that it would be that way.
‘With cheerful minds, he, Dharma and Vishvamitra, Gadhi’s son, and everyone else quickly went to the city. In Harishchandra’s presence, the lord of the gods told all those from the four varnas. “O people! Swiftly come to the world of heaven, which is so very difficult to obtain. Through dharma’s favours, 204 all of you have obtained this.” An array of crores of vimanas 205 came down to earth from the world of heaven. “O people of Ayodhya! Ascend these and rise up to heaven.” Hearing these words of Indra and pleased with the king, Vishvamitra, the great ascetic, brought Rohitashva. He instated the king’s son in the beautiful and famous city of Ayodhya. After the consecration, along with the gods, the sages, the Siddhas, the lord of men, together with all the healthy and cheerful people, and the sons, servants and wives of these people, ascended up to heaven. The people took steps and moved from one vimana to another. King Harishchandra was delighted. The lord of the earth obtain unmatched riches and vimanas. He lived in a city that was surrounded by walls and ramparts. 206 Beholding his prosperity, Ushanas, 207 the immensely fortunate preceptor of the daityas who knew the truth about all the sacred texts, chanted a shloka. Shukra said, “There has never been a king like Harishchandra, nor will there ever be. If a man listens to it devotedly, he does not suffer.” Controlling himself, if a person listens to this account, he obtains the fruits obtained through the Vedas, the Puranas and all the collections of mantras. The fruits are the same as those obtained by visiting tirthas like Pushkara, Prayaga, the confluence of the Sindhu with the ocean, Kurukshetra, Varanasi and specific temples of the gods. If a person controls himself and listens to it attentively, he obtains double the fruits obtained by chanting during an eclipse at the time of the vernal equinox. O Jaimini! Having heard this, if a person worships an excellent brahmana who knows about the Puranas, he obtains cattle, land, gold, garments and many other things that I am incapable of recounting. How wonderful was his fortitude. How wonderful was his greatness. How wonderful were the great fruits of his donations. Harishchandra obtained for himself the fruit of Indra’s city and went there. We have told you everything about what Harishchandra did. If a person listens to this, even if he is greatly afflicted, he obtains happiness and greatness. A person who desires heaven obtains heaven. A person who desires a son obtains a son. A person who desires a wife obtains a wife. A person who desires a kingdom obtains a kingdom. O excellent sage! After this hear about the rest of the account, about how the disturbance at the time of a rajasuya sacrifice was the cause of the destruction of the earth. That disturbance resulted from a great battle between an ati and a baka.’ 208