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Seventh Skandha · Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Unit 167 of 318Seventh Skandha · Chapter 14Seventh Skandha · Chapter 141 source entries

Seventh Skandha · Chapter 14

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व्यास उवाच - विचिन्त्य मनसा कृत्यं गाधिसूनुर्महातपाः । प्रकल्प्य यज्ञसम्भारान्मुनीनामन्त्रयत्तदा ॥ १ ॥ मुनयस्तं मखं ज्ञात्वा विश्वामित्रनिमन्त्रिताः । नागताः सर्व एवैते वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः ॥ २ ॥ गाधिसूनुस्तदाज्ञाय विमनाश्चातिदुःखितः । आजगामाश्रमं तत्र यत्रासौ नृपतिः स्थितः ॥ ३ ॥ तमाह कौशिकः क्रुद्धो वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः । नागताः ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे यज्ञार्थं नृपसत्तम ॥ ४ ॥ पश्य मे तपसः सिद्धिं यथा त्वां सुरसद्मनि । प्रापयामि महाराज वाञ्छितं ते करोम्यहम् ॥ ५ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा जलमादाय हस्तेन मुनिसत्तमः । ददौ पुण्यं तदा तस्मै गायत्रीजपसम्भवम् ॥ ६ ॥ दत्त्वाथ सुकृतं राज्ञे तमुवाच महीपतिम् । यथेष्टं गच्छ राजर्षे त्रिविष्टपमतन्द्रितः ॥ ७ ॥ पुण्येन मम राजेन्द्र बहुकालार्जितेन च । याहि शक्रपुरीं प्रीतः स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु सुरालये ॥ ८ ॥ व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तवति विप्रेन्द्रे त्रिशङ्कुस्तरसा ततः । उत्पपात यथा पक्षी वेगवांस्तपसो बलात् ॥ ९ ॥ उत्पत्य गगने राजा गतः शक्रपुरीं यदा । दृष्टो देवगणैस्तत्र क्रूरश्चाण्डालवेषभाक् ॥ १० ॥ कथितोऽसौ सुरेन्द्राय कोऽयमायाति सत्वरः । गगने देववद्वा यो दुर्दर्शः श्वपचाकृतिः ॥ ११ ॥ सहसोत्थाय शक्रस्तमपश्यत्पुरुषाधमम् । ज्ञात्वा त्रिशङ्कुमपि स निर्भर्त्स्य तरसाब्रवीत् ॥ १२ ॥ श्वपच क्व समायासि देवलोके जुगुप्सितः । याहि शीघ्रं ततो भूमौ नात्र स्थातुं त्वयोचितम् ॥ १३ ॥ इत्युक्तः स्खलितः स्वर्गाच्छक्रेणामित्रकर्शन । निपपात तदा राजा क्षीणपुण्यो यथामरः ॥ १४ ॥ पुनश्चुक्रोश भूपालो विश्वामित्रेति चासकृत् । पतामि रक्ष दुःखार्तं स्वर्गाच्चलितमाशुगम् ॥ १५ ॥ तस्य तत्क्रन्दितं राजन् पतितः कौशिको मुनिः । श्रुत्वा तिष्ठेति होवाच पतन्तं वीक्ष्य भूपतिम् ॥ १६ ॥ वचनात्तस्य तत्रैव स्थितोऽसौ गगने नृपः । मुनेस्तपःप्रभावेण चलितोऽपि सुरालयात् ॥ १७ ॥ विश्वामित्रोऽप्यपः स्पृष्ट्वा चकारेष्टिं सुविस्तराम् । विधातुं नूतनां सृष्टिं स्वर्गलोकं द्वितीयकम् ॥ १८ ॥ तस्योद्यमं तथा ज्ञात्वा त्वरितस्तु शचीपतिः । तत्राजगाम सहसा मुनिं प्रति तु गाधिजम् ॥ १९ ॥ किं ब्रह्मन् क्रियते साधो कस्मात्कोपसमाकुलः । अलं सृष्ट्या मुनिश्रेष्ठ ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते ॥ २० ॥ विश्वामित्र उवाच - स्वं निवासं महीपालं च्युतं त्वद्‌भुवनाद्‌ विभो । नयस्व प्रीतियोगेन त्रिशङ्कुं चातिदुःखितम् ॥ २१ ॥ व्यास उवाच - तस्य तं निश्चयं ज्ञात्वा तुराषाडतिशङ्‌कितः । तपोबलं विदित्वोग्रमोमित्योवाच वासवः ॥ २२ ॥ दिव्यदेहं नृपं कृत्वा विमानवरसंस्थितम् । आपृच्छ्य कौशिकं शक्रोऽगमन्निजपुरीं तदा ॥ २३ ॥ गते शक्रे तु वै स्वर्गं त्रिशङ्कुसहिते ततः । विश्वामित्रः सुखं प्राप्य स्वाश्रमे सुस्थिरोऽभवत् ॥ २४ ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रोऽथ तच्छ्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोपकारकम् । पितुः स्वर्गमनं कामं मुदितो राज्यमन्वशात् ॥ २५ ॥ अयोध्याधिपतिः क्रीडां चकार सह भार्यया । रूपयौवनचातुर्ययुक्तया प्रीतिसंयुतः ॥ २६ ॥ अतीतकाले युवती न सा गर्भवती ह्यभूत् । तदा चिन्तातुरो राजा बभूवातीव दुःखितः ॥ २७ ॥ वसिष्टस्याश्रमं गत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् । अनपत्यत्वजां चिन्तां गुरवे समवेदयत् ॥ २८ ॥ दैवज्ञोऽसि भवान्कामं मन्त्रविद्याविशारदः । उपायं कुरु धर्मज्ञ सन्ततेर्मम मानद ॥ २९ ॥ अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति जानासि द्विजसत्तम । कस्मादुपेक्षसे जानन् दुःखं मम च शक्तिमान् ॥ ३० ॥ कलविंकास्त्विमे धन्या ये शिशुं लालयन्ति हि । मन्दभाग्योऽहमनिशं चिन्तयामि दिवानिशम् ॥ ३१ ॥ व्यास उवाच - इत्याकर्ण्य मुनिस्तस्य निर्वेदमिश्रितं वचः । सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा सम्यक् तमुवाच विधेः सुतः ॥ ३२ ॥ वसिष्ठ उवाच - सत्यं ब्रूहि महाराज संसारेऽस्मिन्न विद्यते । अनपत्यत्वजं दुःखं यत्तथा दुःखमद्‌भुतम् ॥ ३३ ॥ तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र वरुणं यादसां पतिम् । समाराधय यत्‍नेन स ते कार्यं करिष्यति ॥ ३४ ॥ वरुणादधिको नास्ति देवः सन्तानदायकः । तमाराधय धर्मिष्ठ कार्यसिद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥ ३५ ॥ दैवं पुरुषकारश्च माननीयाविमौ नृभिः । उद्यमेन विना कार्यसिद्धिः सञ्जायते कथम् ॥ ३६ ॥ न्यायतस्तु नरैः कार्य उद्यमस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । कृते तस्मिन्भवेत्सिद्धिर्नान्यथा नृपसत्तम ॥ ३७ ॥ इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा गुरोरमिततेजसः । प्रणम्य निर्ययौ राजा तपसे कृतनिश्चयः ॥ ३८ ॥ गङ्गातीरे शुभे स्थाने कृतपद्मासनो नृपः । ध्यायन्पाशधरं चित्ते चचार दुश्चरं तपः ॥ ३९ ॥ एवं तपस्यतस्तस्य प्रचेता दृष्टिगोचरः । कृपयाभून्महाराज प्रसन्नमुखपङ्कजः ॥ ४० ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रमुवाचेदं वचनं यादसां पतिः । वरं वरय धर्मज्ञ तुष्टोऽस्मि तपसा तव ॥ ४१ ॥ राजोवाच - अनपत्योऽस्मि देवेश पुत्रं देहि सुखप्रदम् । ऋणत्रयापहारार्थमुद्यमोऽयं मया कृतः ॥ ४२ ॥ नृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रगल्भं दुःखितस्य च । स्मितपूर्वं ततः पाशी तमाह पुराः स्थितम् ॥ ४३ ॥ वरुण उवाच - पुत्रो यदि भवेद्‌राजन् गुणी मनसि वाञ्छितः । सिद्धे कार्ये ततः पश्चात्किं करिष्यसि मे प्रियम् ॥ ४४ ॥ यदि त्वं तेन पुत्रेण मां यजेथा विशङ्‌कितः । पशुबन्धेन तेनैव ददामि नृपते वरम् ॥ ४५ ॥ राजोवाच - देव मे मास्तु वन्ध्यत्वं यजिष्येऽहं जलाधिप । पशुं कृत्वा सुतं पुत्रं सत्यमेतद्‌ब्रवीमि ते ॥ ४६ ॥ वन्ध्यत्वे परमं दुःखमसह्यं भुवि मानद । शोकाग्निशमनं नॄणां तस्माद्देहि सुतं शुभम् ॥ ४७ ॥ वरुण उवाच - भविष्यति सुतः कामं राजन् गच्छ गृहाय वै । सत्यं तद्वचनं कार्यं यद्‌ब्रवीषि ममाग्रतः ॥ ४८ ॥ व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तो वरुणेनासौ हरिश्चन्द्रो गृहं ययौ । भार्यायै कथयामास वृत्तान्तं वरदानजम् ॥ ४९ ॥ तस्य भार्याशतं पूर्णं बभूवातिमनोहरम् । पट्टराज्ञी शुभा शैव्या धर्मपत्‍नी पतिव्रता ॥ ५० ॥ काले गतेऽथ सा गर्भं दधार वरवर्णिनी । बभूव मुदितो राजा श्रुत्वा दोहदचेष्टितम् ॥ ५१ ॥ कारयामास विधिवत्संस्कारान्नृपतिस्तदा । मासेऽथ दशमे पूर्णे सुषुवे सा शुभे दिने ॥ ५२ ॥ ताराग्रहबलोपेते पुत्रं देवसुतोपमम् । पुत्रे जाते नृपः स्नात्वा ब्राह्मणैः परिवेष्टितः ॥ ५३ ॥ चकार जातकर्मादौ ददौ दानानि भूरिशः । राज्ञश्चातिप्रमोदोऽभूत्पुत्रजन्मसमुद्‌भवः ॥ ५४ ॥ बभूव परमोदारो धनधान्यसमन्वितः । विशेषदानसंयुक्तो गीतवादित्रसंकुलः ॥ ५५ ॥

vyāsa uvāca - vicintya manasā kṛtyaṃ gādhisūnurmahātapāḥ | prakalpya yajñasambhārānmunīnāmantrayattadā || 1 || munayastaṃ makhaṃ jñātvā viśvāmitranimantritāḥ | nāgatāḥ sarva evaite vasiṣṭhena nivāritāḥ || 2 || gādhisūnustadājñāya vimanāścātiduḥkhitaḥ | ājagāmāśramaṃ tatra yatrāsau nṛpatiḥ sthitaḥ || 3 || tamāha kauśikaḥ kruddho vasiṣṭhena nivāritāḥ | nāgatāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ sarve yajñārthaṃ nṛpasattama || 4 || paśya me tapasaḥ siddhiṃ yathā tvāṃ surasadmani | prāpayāmi mahārāja vāñchitaṃ te karomyaham || 5 || ityuktvā jalamādāya hastena munisattamaḥ | dadau puṇyaṃ tadā tasmai gāyatrījapasambhavam || 6 || dattvātha sukṛtaṃ rājñe tamuvāca mahīpatim | yatheṣṭaṃ gaccha rājarṣe triviṣṭapamatandritaḥ || 7 || puṇyena mama rājendra bahukālārjitena ca | yāhi śakrapurīṃ prītaḥ svasti te'stu surālaye || 8 || vyāsa uvāca - ityuktavati viprendre triśaṅkustarasā tataḥ | utpapāta yathā pakṣī vegavāṃstapaso balāt || 9 || utpatya gagane rājā gataḥ śakrapurīṃ yadā | dṛṣṭo devagaṇaistatra krūraścāṇḍālaveṣabhāk || 10 || kathito'sau surendrāya ko'yamāyāti satvaraḥ | gagane devavadvā yo durdarśaḥ śvapacākṛtiḥ || 11 || sahasotthāya śakrastamapaśyatpuruṣādhamam | jñātvā triśaṅkumapi sa nirbhartsya tarasābravīt || 12 || śvapaca kva samāyāsi devaloke jugupsitaḥ | yāhi śīghraṃ tato bhūmau nātra sthātuṃ tvayocitam || 13 || ityuktaḥ skhalitaḥ svargācchakreṇāmitrakarśana | nipapāta tadā rājā kṣīṇapuṇyo yathāmaraḥ || 14 || punaścukrośa bhūpālo viśvāmitreti cāsakṛt | patāmi rakṣa duḥkhārtaṃ svargāccalitamāśugam || 15 || tasya tatkranditaṃ rājan patitaḥ kauśiko muniḥ | śrutvā tiṣṭheti hovāca patantaṃ vīkṣya bhūpatim || 16 || vacanāttasya tatraiva sthito'sau gagane nṛpaḥ | munestapaḥprabhāveṇa calito'pi surālayāt || 17 || viśvāmitro'pyapaḥ spṛṣṭvā cakāreṣṭiṃ suvistarām | vidhātuṃ nūtanāṃ sṛṣṭiṃ svargalokaṃ dvitīyakam || 18 || tasyodyamaṃ tathā jñātvā tvaritastu śacīpatiḥ | tatrājagāma sahasā muniṃ prati tu gādhijam || 19 || kiṃ brahman kriyate sādho kasmātkopasamākulaḥ | alaṃ sṛṣṭyā muniśreṣṭha brūhi kiṃ karavāṇi te || 20 || viśvāmitra uvāca - svaṃ nivāsaṃ mahīpālaṃ cyutaṃ tvad‌bhuvanād‌ vibho | nayasva prītiyogena triśaṅkuṃ cātiduḥkhitam || 21 || vyāsa uvāca - tasya taṃ niścayaṃ jñātvā turāṣāḍatiśaṅ‌kitaḥ | tapobalaṃ viditvogramomityovāca vāsavaḥ || 22 || divyadehaṃ nṛpaṃ kṛtvā vimānavarasaṃsthitam | āpṛcchya kauśikaṃ śakro'gamannijapurīṃ tadā || 23 || gate śakre tu vai svargaṃ triśaṅkusahite tataḥ | viśvāmitraḥ sukhaṃ prāpya svāśrame susthiro'bhavat || 24 || hariścandro'tha tacchrutvā viśvāmitropakārakam | pituḥ svargamanaṃ kāmaṃ mudito rājyamanvaśāt || 25 || ayodhyādhipatiḥ krīḍāṃ cakāra saha bhāryayā | rūpayauvanacāturyayuktayā prītisaṃyutaḥ || 26 || atītakāle yuvatī na sā garbhavatī hyabhūt | tadā cintāturo rājā babhūvātīva duḥkhitaḥ || 27 || vasiṣṭasyāśramaṃ gatvā praṇamya śirasā munim | anapatyatvajāṃ cintāṃ gurave samavedayat || 28 || daivajño'si bhavānkāmaṃ mantravidyāviśāradaḥ | upāyaṃ kuru dharmajña santatermama mānada || 29 || aputrasya gatirnāsti jānāsi dvijasattama | kasmādupekṣase jānan duḥkhaṃ mama ca śaktimān || 30 || kalaviṃkāstvime dhanyā ye śiśuṃ lālayanti hi | mandabhāgyo'hamaniśaṃ cintayāmi divāniśam || 31 || vyāsa uvāca - ityākarṇya munistasya nirvedamiśritaṃ vacaḥ | sañcintya manasā samyak tamuvāca vidheḥ sutaḥ || 32 || vasiṣṭha uvāca - satyaṃ brūhi mahārāja saṃsāre'sminna vidyate | anapatyatvajaṃ duḥkhaṃ yattathā duḥkhamad‌bhutam || 33 || tasmāttvamapi rājendra varuṇaṃ yādasāṃ patim | samārādhaya yat‍nena sa te kāryaṃ kariṣyati || 34 || varuṇādadhiko nāsti devaḥ santānadāyakaḥ | tamārādhaya dharmiṣṭha kāryasiddhirbhaviṣyati || 35 || daivaṃ puruṣakāraśca mānanīyāvimau nṛbhiḥ | udyamena vinā kāryasiddhiḥ sañjāyate katham || 36 || nyāyatastu naraiḥ kārya udyamastattvadarśibhiḥ | kṛte tasminbhavetsiddhirnānyathā nṛpasattama || 37 || iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā guroramitatejasaḥ | praṇamya niryayau rājā tapase kṛtaniścayaḥ || 38 || gaṅgātīre śubhe sthāne kṛtapadmāsano nṛpaḥ | dhyāyanpāśadharaṃ citte cacāra duścaraṃ tapaḥ || 39 || evaṃ tapasyatastasya pracetā dṛṣṭigocaraḥ | kṛpayābhūnmahārāja prasannamukhapaṅkajaḥ || 40 || hariścandramuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ yādasāṃ patiḥ | varaṃ varaya dharmajña tuṣṭo'smi tapasā tava || 41 || rājovāca - anapatyo'smi deveśa putraṃ dehi sukhapradam | ṛṇatrayāpahārārthamudyamo'yaṃ mayā kṛtaḥ || 42 || nṛpasya vacanaṃ śrutvā pragalbhaṃ duḥkhitasya ca | smitapūrvaṃ tataḥ pāśī tamāha purāḥ sthitam || 43 || varuṇa uvāca - putro yadi bhaved‌rājan guṇī manasi vāñchitaḥ | siddhe kārye tataḥ paścātkiṃ kariṣyasi me priyam || 44 || yadi tvaṃ tena putreṇa māṃ yajethā viśaṅ‌kitaḥ | paśubandhena tenaiva dadāmi nṛpate varam || 45 || rājovāca - deva me māstu vandhyatvaṃ yajiṣye'haṃ jalādhipa | paśuṃ kṛtvā sutaṃ putraṃ satyametad‌bravīmi te || 46 || vandhyatve paramaṃ duḥkhamasahyaṃ bhuvi mānada | śokāgniśamanaṃ nṝṇāṃ tasmāddehi sutaṃ śubham || 47 || varuṇa uvāca - bhaviṣyati sutaḥ kāmaṃ rājan gaccha gṛhāya vai | satyaṃ tadvacanaṃ kāryaṃ yad‌bravīṣi mamāgrataḥ || 48 || vyāsa uvāca - ityukto varuṇenāsau hariścandro gṛhaṃ yayau | bhāryāyai kathayāmāsa vṛttāntaṃ varadānajam || 49 || tasya bhāryāśataṃ pūrṇaṃ babhūvātimanoharam | paṭṭarājñī śubhā śaivyā dharmapat‍nī pativratā || 50 || kāle gate'tha sā garbhaṃ dadhāra varavarṇinī | babhūva mudito rājā śrutvā dohadaceṣṭitam || 51 || kārayāmāsa vidhivatsaṃskārānnṛpatistadā | māse'tha daśame pūrṇe suṣuve sā śubhe dine || 52 || tārāgrahabalopete putraṃ devasutopamam | putre jāte nṛpaḥ snātvā brāhmaṇaiḥ pariveṣṭitaḥ || 53 || cakāra jātakarmādau dadau dānāni bhūriśaḥ | rājñaścātipramodo'bhūtputrajanmasamud‌bhavaḥ || 54 || babhūva paramodāro dhanadhānyasamanvitaḥ | viśeṣadānasaṃyukto gītavāditrasaṃkulaḥ || 55 ||

English translation

1-8. Vyasa said O King! Settling in his mind what to do, the great ascetic VisVamitra collected all the materials necessary for the sacrifice and invited all the Munis. Thus invited by VisVamitra, the Munis became informed all about the Sacrifice; but, owing to the fact that the Muni Vas’istha prevented them, none of them went to the sacrifice. When VisVamitra, the son of Gadhi, 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 Brahmins have all refused to come to the sacrifice. But, O King! See my power of tapasya; 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 Gayatri 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. Vyasa spoke O King! When the King of the Vipras, Vis’vamitra, 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 Chandala-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 Chandala 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 Chandala, 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’vamitra! O Vis’vamitra! 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’vamitra 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’vamitra then began to do Achaman (sip water) and commenced his great Sacrifice to create another new creation and a second Svargaloka (Heaven). Seeing his resolve, the Lord of S’achi became very anxious and eagerly came to the son of Gadhi without the least delay and said “O Brahmana! What are you going to do? O Saint! Why are you so very angry? O Muni!

There is no necessity to create another new creation. Order now what I am to do.”

21. Vis’vamitra 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. Vyasa 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’vamitra became glad to see Tris’anku go to the Heavens with Indra and remained happy in his own As’rama. The King Haris’chandra now hearing that his father has gone to Heaven

by virtue of his Tapes, began to govern his kingdom with a gladdened heart. The King of Ayodhya 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 Brahmins! 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. Vyasa 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 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 tapasya. On the banks of the Ganges, in a sacred place, seated on Padmasan, 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 tapasya. 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 Tapasya.” 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. Vyasa 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’aivya 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 Brahmins, performed his ablutions and first of all performed the natal ceremonies and distributed innumerable jewels and much 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 Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25110, revision 76176 (2016-08-17T00:20:30Z). 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/bk07ch14.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.