Seventh Skandha · Chapter 12
Sourceएवं प्रबोधितः पित्रा त्रिशङ्कुः प्रणतो नृपः । तथेति पितरं प्राह प्रेमगद्गदया गिरा ॥ १ ॥ विप्रानाहूय मन्त्रज्ञान्वेदशास्त्रविशारदान् । अभिषेकाय सम्भारान् कारयामास सत्वरम् ॥ २ ॥ सलिलं सर्वतीर्थानां समानाय्य विशांपतिः । प्रकृतीश्च समाहूय सामन्तान्भूपतींस्तथा ॥ ३ ॥ पुण्येऽह्नि विधिवत्तस्मै ददावासनमुत्तमम् । अभिषिच्य सुतं राज्ये त्रिशङ्कुं विधिवत्पिता ॥ ४ ॥ तृतीयमाश्रमं पुण्यं जग्राह भार्यया युतः । वने त्रिपथगाकूले चचार दुश्चरं तपः ॥ ५ ॥ काले प्राप्ते ययौ स्वर्गं पूजितस्त्रिदशैरपि । इन्द्रासनसमीपस्थो रराज रविवत्सदा ॥ ६ ॥ राजोवाच पूर्वं भगवता प्रोक्तं कथायोगेन साम्प्रतम् । सत्यव्रतो वसिष्ठेन शप्तो दोग्ध्रीवधात्किल ॥ ७ ॥ कुपितेने पिशाचत्वं प्रापितो गुरुणा ततः । कथं मुक्तः पिशाचत्वादित्येतत्संशयः प्रभो ॥ ८ ॥ न सिंहासनयोग्यो हि भवेच्छापसमन्वितः । मुनिना मोचितः शापात्केनान्येन च कर्मणा ॥ ९ ॥ एतन्मे ब्रूहि विप्रर्षे शापमोक्षणकारणम् । आनीतस्तु कथं पित्रा स्वगृहे तादृशाकृतिः ॥ १० ॥ व्यास उवाच - वसिष्ठेन च शप्तोऽसौ सद्यः पैशाचतां गतः । दुर्वेषश्चातिदुर्धर्षः सर्वलोकभयङ्करः ॥ ११ ॥ यदैवोपासिता देवी भक्त्या सत्यव्रतेन ह । तया प्रसन्नया राजन् दिव्यदेहः कृतः क्षणात् ॥ १२ ॥ पिशाचत्वं गतं तस्य पापं चैव क्षयं गतम् । विपाप्मा चातितेजस्वी सम्भूतस्तत्कृपामृतात् ॥ १३ ॥ वसिष्ठोऽपि प्रसन्नात्मा जातः शक्तिप्रसादतः । पितापि च बभूवास्य प्रेमयुक्तस्त्वनुग्रहात् ॥ १४ ॥ राज्यं शशास धर्मात्मा मृते पितरि पार्थिवः । ईजे च विविधैर्यज्ञैर्देवदेवीं सनातनीम् ॥ १५ ॥ तस्य पुत्रो बभूवाथ हरिश्चन्द्रः सुशोभनः । लक्षणैः शास्त्रनिर्दिष्टैः संयुतश्चातिसुन्दरः ॥ १६ ॥ युवराजं सुतं कृत्वा त्रिशङ्कुः पृथिवीपतिः । मानुषेण शरीरेण स्वर्गं भोक्तुं मनो दधे ॥ १७ ॥ वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं गत्वा प्रणम्य विधिवन्नृपः । उवाच वचनं प्रीतः कृताञ्जलिपुटस्तदा ॥ १८ ॥ राजोवाच - ब्रह्मपुत्र महाभाग सर्वमन्त्रविशारद । विज्ञप्तिं मे सुमनसा श्रोतुमर्हसि तापस ॥ १९ ॥ इच्छा मेऽद्य समुत्पन्ना स्वर्गलोकसुखाय च । अनेनैव शरीरेण भोगान्भोक्तुममानुषान् ॥ २० ॥ अप्सरोभिश्च संवासः क्रीडितुं नन्दने वने । देवगन्धर्वगानं च श्रोतव्यं मधुरं किल ॥ २१ ॥ याजय त्वं मखेनाशु तादृशेन महामुने । यथानेन शरीरेण वसे लोकं त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ २२ ॥ समर्थोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुरु कार्यं ममाधुना । प्रापयाशु मखं कृत्वा देवलोकं दुरासदम् ॥ २३ ॥ वसिष्ठ उवाच - राजन् मानुषदेहेन स्वर्गे वासः सुदुर्लभः । मृतस्य हि ध्रुवं स्वर्गः कथितः पुण्यकर्मणा ॥ २४ ॥ तस्माद् बिभेमि सर्वज्ञ दुर्लभाच्च मनोरथात् । अप्सरोभिश्च संवासो जीवमानस्य दुर्लभः ॥ २५ ॥ कुरु यज्ञान्महाभाग मृतः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यसि । व्यास उवाच - इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य राजा परमदुर्मनाः ॥ २६ ॥ उवाच वचनं भूयो वसिष्ठं पूर्वरोषितम् । न त्वं याजयसे ब्रह्मन् गर्वावेशाच्च मां यदि ॥ २७ ॥ अन्यं पुरोहितं कृत्वा यक्ष्येऽहं किल साम्प्रतम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य वसिष्ठः कोपसंयुतः ॥ २८ ॥ शशाप भूपतिं चेति चाण्डालो भव दुर्मते । अनेन त्वं शरीरेण श्वपचो भव सत्वरम् ॥ २९ ॥ स्वर्गकृन्तन पापिष्ठ सुरभीवधदूषित । ब्रह्मपत्नीहरोच्छिन्न धर्ममार्गविदूषक ॥ ३० ॥ न ते स्वर्गगतिः पाप मृतस्यापि कथञ्चन । व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तो गुरुणा राजंस्त्रिशङ्कुस्तत्क्षणादपि ॥ ३१ ॥ तत्र तेन शरीरेण बभूव श्वपचाकृतिः । कुण्डलेऽश्ममये वापि जाते तस्य च तत्क्षणात् ॥ ३२ ॥ देहे चन्दनगन्धश्च विगन्धो ह्यभवत्तदा । नीलवर्णेऽथ सञ्जाते दिव्ये पीताम्बरे तनौ ॥ ३३ ॥ राजवर्णोऽभवद्देहः शापात्तस्य महात्मनः । शक्त्युपासकरोषेण फलमेतदभून्नृप ॥ ३४ ॥ तस्माच्छ्रीशक्तिभक्तो हि नावमान्यः कदाचन । गायत्रीजपनिष्ठो हि वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः ॥ ३५ ॥ दृष्ट्वा निन्द्यं निजं देहं राजा दुःखमवाप्तवान् । न जगाम गृहे दीनो वनमेवाभितो ययौ ॥ ३६ ॥ चिन्तयामास दुःखार्तास्त्रिशङ्कुः शोकविह्वलः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि देहो मेऽतीव निन्दितः ॥ ३७ ॥ कर्तव्यं नैव पश्यामि येन मे दुःखसंक्षयः । गृहे गच्छामि चेत्पुत्रः पीडितोऽद्य भविष्यति ॥ ३८ ॥ भार्यापि श्वपचं दृष्ट्वा नाङ्गीकारं करिष्यति । सचिवा नादरिष्यन्ति वीक्ष्य मामीदृशं पुनः ॥ ३९ ॥ ज्ञातयो बन्धुवर्गश्च सङ्गतो न भजिष्यति । सर्वैस्तक्तस्य मे नूनं जीवितान्मरणं वरम् ॥ ४० ॥ विषं वा भक्षयित्वाद्य पतित्वा वा जलाशये । कृत्वा वा कण्ठपाशं च देहत्यागं करोम्यहम् ॥ ४१ ॥ अग्नौ वा ज्वलिते देहं जुहोमि विधिवद् बलात् । कृत्वा वानशनं प्राणांस्त्यजामि दूषितान्भृशम् ॥ ४२ ॥ आत्महत्या भवेन्नूनं पुनर्जन्मनि जन्मनि । श्वपचत्वं च शापश्च हत्यादोषाद्भवेदपि ॥ ४३ ॥ पुनर्विचार्य भूपालश्चेतसा समचिन्तयत् । आत्महत्या न कर्तव्या सर्वथैव मयाधुना ॥ ४४ ॥ भोक्तव्यं स्वकृतं कर्म देहेनानेन कानने । भोगेनास्य विपाकस्य भविता सर्वथा क्षयः ॥ ४५ ॥ प्रारब्धकर्मणां भोगादन्यथा न क्षयो भवेत् । तस्मान्मयात्र भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् ॥ ४६ ॥ कुर्वन्पुण्याश्रमाभ्याशे तीर्थानां सेवनं तथा । स्मरणं चाम्बिकायास्तु साधूनां सेवनं तथा ॥ ४७ ॥ एवं कर्मक्षयं नूनं करिष्यामि वने वसन् । भाग्ययोगात्कदाचित्तु भवेत्साधुसमागमः ॥ ४८ ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा त्यक्त्वा स्वनगरं नृपः । गङ्गातीरे गतः कामं शोचंस्तत्रैव संस्थितः ॥ ४९ ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रस्तदा ज्ञात्वा पितुः शापस्य कारणम् । दुःखितः सचिवांस्तत्र प्रेषयामास पार्थिवः ॥ ५० ॥ सचिवास्तत्र गत्वाऽऽशु तमूचुः प्रश्रयान्विताः । प्रणम्य श्वपचाकारं निःश्वसन्तं मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ ५१ ॥ राजन् पुत्रेण ते नूनं प्रेषितान्समुपागतान् । अवेहि सचिवांस्त्वं नो हरिश्चन्द्राज्ञया स्थितान् ॥ ५२ ॥ युवराजसुतः प्राह यत्तच्छृणु नराधिप । आनयध्वं नृपं यूयं सम्मान्य पितरं मम ॥ ५३ ॥ तस्माद्राजन् समागच्छ राज्यं प्रति गतव्यथः । सेवां सर्वे करिष्यन्ति सचिवाश्च प्रजास्तथा ॥ ५४ ॥ गुरुं प्रसादयिष्यामः स यथा तु दयेत वै । प्रसन्नोऽसौ महातेजा दुःखस्यान्तं करिष्यति ॥ ५५ ॥ इति पुत्रेण ते राजन् कथितं बहुधा किल । तस्माद् गमनमेवाशु रोचतां निजसद्मनि ॥ ५६ ॥ व्यास उवाच - इति तेषां नृपः श्रुत्वा भाषितं श्वपचाकृतिः । स्वगृहं गमनायासौ न मतिं कृतवानतः ॥ ५७ ॥ तानुवाच तदा वाक्यं व्रजन्तु सचिवाः पुरम् । गत्वा पुरं महाभागा ब्रुवन्तु वचनाच्च मे ॥ ५८ ॥ नागमिष्याम्यहं पुत्र कुरु राज्यमतन्द्रितः । मानयन्ब्राह्मणान्देवान्यजन्यज्ञैरनेकशः ॥ ५९ ॥ नाहं श्वपचवेषेण गर्हितेन महात्मभिः । आगमिष्याम्ययोध्यायां सर्वे गच्छन्तु मा चिरम् ॥ ६० ॥ पुत्रं सिंहासने स्थाप्य हरिश्चन्द्रं महाबलम् । कुर्वन्तु राज्यकर्माणि यूयं तत्र ममाज्ञया ॥ ६१ ॥ इत्यादिष्टास्ततस्ते तु रुरुदुश्चातुरा भृशम् । सचिवा निर्ययुस्तूर्णं नत्वा तं च वनाश्रमात् ॥ ६२ ॥ अयोध्यायामुपागत्य पुण्येऽह्नि विधिपूर्वकम् । अभिषेकं तदा चक्रुर्हरिश्चन्द्रस्य मूर्ध्नि ते ॥ ६३ ॥ अभिषिक्तस्तु तेजस्वी सचिवैश्च नृपाज्ञया । राज्यं चकार धर्मिष्ठः पितरं चिन्तयन्भृशम् ॥ ६४ ॥
evaṃ prabodhitaḥ pitrā triśaṅkuḥ praṇato nṛpaḥ | tatheti pitaraṃ prāha premagadgadayā girā || 1 || viprānāhūya mantrajñānvedaśāstraviśāradān | abhiṣekāya sambhārān kārayāmāsa satvaram || 2 || salilaṃ sarvatīrthānāṃ samānāyya viśāṃpatiḥ | prakṛtīśca samāhūya sāmantānbhūpatīṃstathā || 3 || puṇye'hni vidhivattasmai dadāvāsanamuttamam | abhiṣicya sutaṃ rājye triśaṅkuṃ vidhivatpitā || 4 || tṛtīyamāśramaṃ puṇyaṃ jagrāha bhāryayā yutaḥ | vane tripathagākūle cacāra duścaraṃ tapaḥ || 5 || kāle prāpte yayau svargaṃ pūjitastridaśairapi | indrāsanasamīpastho rarāja ravivatsadā || 6 || rājovāca pūrvaṃ bhagavatā proktaṃ kathāyogena sāmpratam | satyavrato vasiṣṭhena śapto dogdhrīvadhātkila || 7 || kupitene piśācatvaṃ prāpito guruṇā tataḥ | kathaṃ muktaḥ piśācatvādityetatsaṃśayaḥ prabho || 8 || na siṃhāsanayogyo hi bhavecchāpasamanvitaḥ | muninā mocitaḥ śāpātkenānyena ca karmaṇā || 9 || etanme brūhi viprarṣe śāpamokṣaṇakāraṇam | ānītastu kathaṃ pitrā svagṛhe tādṛśākṛtiḥ || 10 || vyāsa uvāca - vasiṣṭhena ca śapto'sau sadyaḥ paiśācatāṃ gataḥ | durveṣaścātidurdharṣaḥ sarvalokabhayaṅkaraḥ || 11 || yadaivopāsitā devī bhaktyā satyavratena ha | tayā prasannayā rājan divyadehaḥ kṛtaḥ kṣaṇāt || 12 || piśācatvaṃ gataṃ tasya pāpaṃ caiva kṣayaṃ gatam | vipāpmā cātitejasvī sambhūtastatkṛpāmṛtāt || 13 || vasiṣṭho'pi prasannātmā jātaḥ śaktiprasādataḥ | pitāpi ca babhūvāsya premayuktastvanugrahāt || 14 || rājyaṃ śaśāsa dharmātmā mṛte pitari pārthivaḥ | īje ca vividhairyajñairdevadevīṃ sanātanīm || 15 || tasya putro babhūvātha hariścandraḥ suśobhanaḥ | lakṣaṇaiḥ śāstranirdiṣṭaiḥ saṃyutaścātisundaraḥ || 16 || yuvarājaṃ sutaṃ kṛtvā triśaṅkuḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | mānuṣeṇa śarīreṇa svargaṃ bhoktuṃ mano dadhe || 17 || vasiṣṭhasyāśramaṃ gatvā praṇamya vidhivannṛpaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ prītaḥ kṛtāñjalipuṭastadā || 18 || rājovāca - brahmaputra mahābhāga sarvamantraviśārada | vijñaptiṃ me sumanasā śrotumarhasi tāpasa || 19 || icchā me'dya samutpannā svargalokasukhāya ca | anenaiva śarīreṇa bhogānbhoktumamānuṣān || 20 || apsarobhiśca saṃvāsaḥ krīḍituṃ nandane vane | devagandharvagānaṃ ca śrotavyaṃ madhuraṃ kila || 21 || yājaya tvaṃ makhenāśu tādṛśena mahāmune | yathānena śarīreṇa vase lokaṃ triviṣṭapam || 22 || samartho'si muniśreṣṭha kuru kāryaṃ mamādhunā | prāpayāśu makhaṃ kṛtvā devalokaṃ durāsadam || 23 || vasiṣṭha uvāca - rājan mānuṣadehena svarge vāsaḥ sudurlabhaḥ | mṛtasya hi dhruvaṃ svargaḥ kathitaḥ puṇyakarmaṇā || 24 || tasmād bibhemi sarvajña durlabhācca manorathāt | apsarobhiśca saṃvāso jīvamānasya durlabhaḥ || 25 || kuru yajñānmahābhāga mṛtaḥ svargamavāpsyasi | vyāsa uvāca - ityākarṇya vacastasya rājā paramadurmanāḥ || 26 || uvāca vacanaṃ bhūyo vasiṣṭhaṃ pūrvaroṣitam | na tvaṃ yājayase brahman garvāveśācca māṃ yadi || 27 || anyaṃ purohitaṃ kṛtvā yakṣye'haṃ kila sāmpratam | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya vasiṣṭhaḥ kopasaṃyutaḥ || 28 || śaśāpa bhūpatiṃ ceti cāṇḍālo bhava durmate | anena tvaṃ śarīreṇa śvapaco bhava satvaram || 29 || svargakṛntana pāpiṣṭha surabhīvadhadūṣita | brahmapatnīharocchinna dharmamārgavidūṣaka || 30 || na te svargagatiḥ pāpa mṛtasyāpi kathañcana | vyāsa uvāca - ityukto guruṇā rājaṃstriśaṅkustatkṣaṇādapi || 31 || tatra tena śarīreṇa babhūva śvapacākṛtiḥ | kuṇḍale'śmamaye vāpi jāte tasya ca tatkṣaṇāt || 32 || dehe candanagandhaśca vigandho hyabhavattadā | nīlavarṇe'tha sañjāte divye pītāmbare tanau || 33 || rājavarṇo'bhavaddehaḥ śāpāttasya mahātmanaḥ | śaktyupāsakaroṣeṇa phalametadabhūnnṛpa || 34 || tasmācchrīśaktibhakto hi nāvamānyaḥ kadācana | gāyatrījapaniṣṭho hi vasiṣṭho munisattamaḥ || 35 || dṛṣṭvā nindyaṃ nijaṃ dehaṃ rājā duḥkhamavāptavān | na jagāma gṛhe dīno vanamevābhito yayau || 36 || cintayāmāsa duḥkhārtāstriśaṅkuḥ śokavihvalaḥ | kiṃ karomi kva gacchāmi deho me'tīva ninditaḥ || 37 || kartavyaṃ naiva paśyāmi yena me duḥkhasaṃkṣayaḥ | gṛhe gacchāmi cetputraḥ pīḍito'dya bhaviṣyati || 38 || bhāryāpi śvapacaṃ dṛṣṭvā nāṅgīkāraṃ kariṣyati | sacivā nādariṣyanti vīkṣya māmīdṛśaṃ punaḥ || 39 || jñātayo bandhuvargaśca saṅgato na bhajiṣyati | sarvaistaktasya me nūnaṃ jīvitānmaraṇaṃ varam || 40 || viṣaṃ vā bhakṣayitvādya patitvā vā jalāśaye | kṛtvā vā kaṇṭhapāśaṃ ca dehatyāgaṃ karomyaham || 41 || agnau vā jvalite dehaṃ juhomi vidhivad balāt | kṛtvā vānaśanaṃ prāṇāṃstyajāmi dūṣitānbhṛśam || 42 || ātmahatyā bhavennūnaṃ punarjanmani janmani | śvapacatvaṃ ca śāpaśca hatyādoṣādbhavedapi || 43 || punarvicārya bhūpālaścetasā samacintayat | ātmahatyā na kartavyā sarvathaiva mayādhunā || 44 || bhoktavyaṃ svakṛtaṃ karma dehenānena kānane | bhogenāsya vipākasya bhavitā sarvathā kṣayaḥ || 45 || prārabdhakarmaṇāṃ bhogādanyathā na kṣayo bhavet | tasmānmayātra bhoktavyaṃ kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham || 46 || kurvanpuṇyāśramābhyāśe tīrthānāṃ sevanaṃ tathā | smaraṇaṃ cāmbikāyāstu sādhūnāṃ sevanaṃ tathā || 47 || evaṃ karmakṣayaṃ nūnaṃ kariṣyāmi vane vasan | bhāgyayogātkadācittu bhavetsādhusamāgamaḥ || 48 || iti sañcintya manasā tyaktvā svanagaraṃ nṛpaḥ | gaṅgātīre gataḥ kāmaṃ śocaṃstatraiva saṃsthitaḥ || 49 || hariścandrastadā jñātvā pituḥ śāpasya kāraṇam | duḥkhitaḥ sacivāṃstatra preṣayāmāsa pārthivaḥ || 50 || sacivāstatra gatvā''śu tamūcuḥ praśrayānvitāḥ | praṇamya śvapacākāraṃ niḥśvasantaṃ muhurmuhuḥ || 51 || rājan putreṇa te nūnaṃ preṣitānsamupāgatān | avehi sacivāṃstvaṃ no hariścandrājñayā sthitān || 52 || yuvarājasutaḥ prāha yattacchṛṇu narādhipa | ānayadhvaṃ nṛpaṃ yūyaṃ sammānya pitaraṃ mama || 53 || tasmādrājan samāgaccha rājyaṃ prati gatavyathaḥ | sevāṃ sarve kariṣyanti sacivāśca prajāstathā || 54 || guruṃ prasādayiṣyāmaḥ sa yathā tu dayeta vai | prasanno'sau mahātejā duḥkhasyāntaṃ kariṣyati || 55 || iti putreṇa te rājan kathitaṃ bahudhā kila | tasmād gamanamevāśu rocatāṃ nijasadmani || 56 || vyāsa uvāca - iti teṣāṃ nṛpaḥ śrutvā bhāṣitaṃ śvapacākṛtiḥ | svagṛhaṃ gamanāyāsau na matiṃ kṛtavānataḥ || 57 || tānuvāca tadā vākyaṃ vrajantu sacivāḥ puram | gatvā puraṃ mahābhāgā bruvantu vacanācca me || 58 || nāgamiṣyāmyahaṃ putra kuru rājyamatandritaḥ | mānayanbrāhmaṇāndevānyajanyajñairanekaśaḥ || 59 || nāhaṃ śvapacaveṣeṇa garhitena mahātmabhiḥ | āgamiṣyāmyayodhyāyāṃ sarve gacchantu mā ciram || 60 || putraṃ siṃhāsane sthāpya hariścandraṃ mahābalam | kurvantu rājyakarmāṇi yūyaṃ tatra mamājñayā || 61 || ityādiṣṭāstataste tu ruruduścāturā bhṛśam | sacivā niryayustūrṇaṃ natvā taṃ ca vanāśramāt || 62 || ayodhyāyāmupāgatya puṇye'hni vidhipūrvakam | abhiṣekaṃ tadā cakrurhariścandrasya mūrdhni te || 63 || abhiṣiktastu tejasvī sacivaiśca nṛpājñayā | rājyaṃ cakāra dharmiṣṭhaḥ pitaraṃ cintayanbhṛśam || 64 ||
English translation
1-6. Vyasa 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 Brahmins, 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 Vanaprastha stage of life and practised a severe tapasya on the 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 Bhagavan! You spoke before in course of conversation that Satyavrata was cursed by Vas’istha on the killing of his cow to become a Pis’acha; 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’acha? O Viprarsi! Kindly narrate to me how the Muni was freed of his curse.”
11-18. Vyasa said Cursed by Vas’istha, Satyavrata became then and there transformed into a Pis’acha, very ugly, violent and terrible to all; but when he worshipped the Devi with devotion, immediately
the Devi gave him a beautiful divine body. By the grace of the Devi, his sins were all washed away and his Pis’acha 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 Yuvaraja (the Crown prince) and then in his that very body while living, enjoy the Heavens. The King went to the As’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 Brahma, 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 Apsaras 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 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 Apsaras.
Therefore, O Blessed One! Do the sacrifice first. Then, when you leave this body, you will go to the Heavens.”
27-31. Vyasa 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 Brahmana! 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 Chandala in this body. You have committed acts by which your path to the Heaven is obstructed. You have stolen a Brahmini’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. Vyasa said O King! Hearing these harsh words from the Guru, Tris’anku became immediately Chandala 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 Gayatri of the Devi. 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 Chandala 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 suicide; so again due to this sin I will be born a Chandala 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 As’rama, to wander in holy places of pilgrimage, to remember the Devi Ambika, 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 Chandala, 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. Vyasa said O King! That Chandala-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 Brahmins and perform various sacrifices and worship the Devas. I do not like in this blameable Chandala form to go to the city of Ayodhya with the high-souled ones; so you all go back to Ayodhya 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 the hermitage. On coming back to Ayodhya 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 Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25108, revision 76174 (2016-08-17T00:05:48Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk07ch12.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.