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Seventh Skandha · Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Unit 174 of 318Seventh Skandha · Chapter 21Seventh Skandha · Chapter 211 source entries

Seventh Skandha · Chapter 21

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एतस्मिन्नन्तरे प्राप्तो विश्वामित्रो महातपाः । अन्तकेन समः क्रुद्धो धनं स्वं याचितुं हृदा ॥ १ ॥ तमालोक्य हरिश्चन्द्रः पपात भुवि मूर्च्छितः । स वारिणा तमभ्युक्ष्य राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ २ ॥ उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र स्वां ददस्वेष्टदक्षिणाम् । ऋणं धारयतां दुःखमहन्यहनि वर्धते ॥ ३ ॥ आप्यायमानः स तदा हिमशीतेन वारिणा । अवाप्य चेतनां राजा विश्वामित्रमवेक्ष्य च ॥ ४ ॥ पुनर्मोहं समापेदे ह्यथ क्रोधं ययौ मुनिः समाश्वास्य च राजानं वाक्यमाह द्विजोत्तमः ॥ ५ ॥ विश्वामित्र उवाच - दीयतां दक्षिणा सा मे यदि धैर्यमवेक्षसे । सत्येनार्कः प्रतपति सत्ये तिष्ठति मेदिनी ॥ ६ ॥ सत्ये प्रोक्तः परो धर्मः स्वर्गः सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः । अश्वमेधसहस्रं तु सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् ॥ ७ ॥ अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेकं विशिष्यते । अथवा किं ममैतेन प्रोक्तेनास्ति प्रयोजनम् ॥ ८ ॥ मदीयां दक्षिणां राजन्न दास्यति भवान्यदि । अस्ताचलगते ह्यर्के शप्स्यामि त्वामतो ध्रुवम् ॥ ९ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा स ययौ विप्रो राजा चासीद्‌भयातुरः । दुःखीभूतोऽवनौ निःस्वो नृशंसमुनिनार्दितः ॥ १० ॥ सूत उवाच - एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः । ब्राह्मणैर्बहुभिः सार्धं निर्ययौ स्वगृहाद्‌ बहिः ॥ ११ ॥ ततो राज्ञी तु तं दृष्ट्वा आयान्तं तापसं स्थितम् । उवाच वाक्यं राजानं धर्मार्थसहितं तदा ॥ १२ ॥ त्रयाणामपि वर्णानां पिता ब्राह्मण उच्यते । पितृद्रव्यं हि पुत्रेण ग्रहीतव्यं न संशयः ॥ १३ ॥ तस्मादयं प्रार्थनीयो धनार्थमिति मे मतिः । राजोवाच - नाहं प्रतिग्रहं काङ्क्षे क्षत्रियोऽहं सुमध्यमे ॥ १४ ॥ याचनं खलु विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां न विद्यते । गुरुर्हि विप्रो वर्णानां पूजनीयोऽस्ति सर्वदा ॥ १५ ॥ तस्माद्‌ गुरुर्न याच्यः स्यात्क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः । यजनाध्ययनं दानं क्षत्रियस्य विधीयते ॥ १६ ॥ शरणागतानामभयं प्रजानां प्रतिपालनम् । न चाप्येवं तु वक्तव्यं देहीति कृपणं वचः ॥ १७ ॥ ददामीत्येव मे देवि हृदये निहितं वचः । अर्जितं कुत्रचिद्‌ द्रव्यं ब्राह्मणाय ददाम्यहम् ॥ १८ ॥ पत्‍न्युवाच - कालः समविषमकरः परिभवसम्मानमानदः कालः । कालः करोति पुरुषं दातारं याचितारं च ॥ १९ ॥ विप्रेण विदुषा राजा क्रुद्धेनातिबलीयसा । राज्यान्निरस्तः सौख्याच्च पश्य कालस्य चेष्टितम् ॥ २० ॥ राजोवाच - असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण वरं जिह्वा द्विधा कृता । न तु मानं परित्यज्य देहि देहीति भाषितम् ॥ २१ ॥ क्षत्रियोऽहं महाभागे न याचे किञ्चिदप्यहम् । ददामि वाहं नित्यं हि भुजवीर्यार्जितं धनम् ॥ २२ ॥ पत्‍न्युवाच - यदि ते हि महाराज याचितुं न क्षमं मनः । अहं तु न्यायतो दत्ता देवैरपि सवासवैः ॥ २३ ॥ अहं शास्या च पत्या च रक्ष्या चैव महाद्युते । मन्मौल्यं संगृहीत्वाथ गुर्वर्थं सम्प्रदीयताम् ॥ २४ ॥ एतद्वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । कष्टं कष्टमिति प्रोच्य विललापातिदुःखितः ॥ २५ ॥ भार्या च भूयः प्राहेदं क्रियतां वचनं मम । विप्रशापाग्निदग्धत्वान्नीचत्वमुपयास्यसि ॥ २६ ॥ न द्युतहेतोर्न च मद्यहेतो- र्न राज्यहेतोर्न च भोगहेतोः । ददस्व गुर्वर्थमतो मया त्वं सत्यव्रतत्वं सफलं कुरुष्व ॥ २७ ॥

etasminnantare prāpto viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ | antakena samaḥ kruddho dhanaṃ svaṃ yācituṃ hṛdā || 1 || tamālokya hariścandraḥ papāta bhuvi mūrcchitaḥ | sa vāriṇā tamabhyukṣya rājānamidamabravīt || 2 || uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha rājendra svāṃ dadasveṣṭadakṣiṇām | ṛṇaṃ dhārayatāṃ duḥkhamahanyahani vardhate || 3 || āpyāyamānaḥ sa tadā himaśītena vāriṇā | avāpya cetanāṃ rājā viśvāmitramavekṣya ca || 4 || punarmohaṃ samāpede hyatha krodhaṃ yayau muniḥ samāśvāsya ca rājānaṃ vākyamāha dvijottamaḥ || 5 || viśvāmitra uvāca - dīyatāṃ dakṣiṇā sā me yadi dhairyamavekṣase | satyenārkaḥ pratapati satye tiṣṭhati medinī || 6 || satye proktaḥ paro dharmaḥ svargaḥ satye pratiṣṭhitaḥ | aśvamedhasahasraṃ tu satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam || 7 || aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyamekaṃ viśiṣyate | athavā kiṃ mamaitena proktenāsti prayojanam || 8 || madīyāṃ dakṣiṇāṃ rājanna dāsyati bhavānyadi | astācalagate hyarke śapsyāmi tvāmato dhruvam || 9 || ityuktvā sa yayau vipro rājā cāsīd‌bhayāturaḥ | duḥkhībhūto'vanau niḥsvo nṛśaṃsamuninārditaḥ || 10 || sūta uvāca - etasminnantare tatra brāhmaṇo vedapāragaḥ | brāhmaṇairbahubhiḥ sārdhaṃ niryayau svagṛhād‌ bahiḥ || 11 || tato rājñī tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā āyāntaṃ tāpasaṃ sthitam | uvāca vākyaṃ rājānaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ tadā || 12 || trayāṇāmapi varṇānāṃ pitā brāhmaṇa ucyate | pitṛdravyaṃ hi putreṇa grahītavyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ || 13 || tasmādayaṃ prārthanīyo dhanārthamiti me matiḥ | rājovāca - nāhaṃ pratigrahaṃ kāṅkṣe kṣatriyo'haṃ sumadhyame || 14 || yācanaṃ khalu viprāṇāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ na vidyate | gururhi vipro varṇānāṃ pūjanīyo'sti sarvadā || 15 || tasmād‌ gururna yācyaḥ syātkṣatriyāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ | yajanādhyayanaṃ dānaṃ kṣatriyasya vidhīyate || 16 || śaraṇāgatānāmabhayaṃ prajānāṃ pratipālanam | na cāpyevaṃ tu vaktavyaṃ dehīti kṛpaṇaṃ vacaḥ || 17 || dadāmītyeva me devi hṛdaye nihitaṃ vacaḥ | arjitaṃ kutracid‌ dravyaṃ brāhmaṇāya dadāmyaham || 18 || pat‍nyuvāca - kālaḥ samaviṣamakaraḥ paribhavasammānamānadaḥ kālaḥ | kālaḥ karoti puruṣaṃ dātāraṃ yācitāraṃ ca || 19 || vipreṇa viduṣā rājā kruddhenātibalīyasā | rājyānnirastaḥ saukhyācca paśya kālasya ceṣṭitam || 20 || rājovāca - asinā tīkṣṇadhāreṇa varaṃ jihvā dvidhā kṛtā | na tu mānaṃ parityajya dehi dehīti bhāṣitam || 21 || kṣatriyo'haṃ mahābhāge na yāce kiñcidapyaham | dadāmi vāhaṃ nityaṃ hi bhujavīryārjitaṃ dhanam || 22 || pat‍nyuvāca - yadi te hi mahārāja yācituṃ na kṣamaṃ manaḥ | ahaṃ tu nyāyato dattā devairapi savāsavaiḥ || 23 || ahaṃ śāsyā ca patyā ca rakṣyā caiva mahādyute | manmaulyaṃ saṃgṛhītvātha gurvarthaṃ sampradīyatām || 24 || etadvākyamupaśrutya hariścandro mahīpatiḥ | kaṣṭaṃ kaṣṭamiti procya vilalāpātiduḥkhitaḥ || 25 || bhāryā ca bhūyaḥ prāhedaṃ kriyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama | vipraśāpāgnidagdhatvānnīcatvamupayāsyasi || 26 || na dyutahetorna ca madyaheto- rna rājyahetorna ca bhogahetoḥ | dadasva gurvarthamato mayā tvaṃ satyavratatvaṃ saphalaṃ kuruṣva || 27 ||

English translation

1-5. Vyasa said O King! At this moment, the Muni VisVamitra, endowed with his power of tapas, came up there, very angry as if the God of Death, to ask of his wealth. Seeing him Haris’chandra fallen thus senseless on the ground, VisVamitra, then, began to sprinkle water on his body. O King! The man who is involved in a debt his troubles increase day by day. So get up and pay your promised Daksina. The King, thus sprinkled with water, cold as snow, regained his consciousness; but, seeing VisVamitra, he fainted again. At this, the Dvija VisVamitra consoled him and angrily spoke to him thus

6-10. O King! If you want to maintain your steadiness, give, then my Daksina. Look! It is Truth that makes the Sun shine; It is the Truth that has stationed this Earth in its position; what to speak more, even the Svarga is established on Truth; so the greatest Dharma lies in Truth. If the fruit of the thousand AsVamedhas be held in one pan and Truth be held on the other pan of the balance, then Truth outweighs the thousand horse sacrifices or what need I to speak all about this! O King! If you fail to give my Daksina before the Sunset, I will, no doubt, curse you. Saying this, VisVamitra went away. The King also became very terrified. The wealthless King was pained by the words of the Muni; but he was more troubled with the thought how he would pay him and keep to Truth.

11-13. Suta said O Risis! At this time, a Brahmin, skilled in the Vedas, with many other Brahmins, started out of his house, at that very place. The queen, then seeing the Brahmin ascetic close by, addressed the King in words reasonable and in accordance with the Dharma, O Lord! A Brahmin is considered the father of the other

three Varnas (i.e., Ksattriyas, Vais’yas, and S’udras) and a son can certainly take the father’s things; so it is my intention that you beg your wealth from this Brahmin.

14-18. The King said “O One of thin waist! To beg suits the Brahmanas; it is prohibited to the Ksattriyas; I being a Ksattriya do not wish to take anything as gift. The Brahmins are the Gurus of all the Varnas. So they are always to be respected. It is not proper to beg from a Brahmin; especially the Ksattriyas never ask anything from the Brahmins; it is totally prohibited. Offering oblations, study, gift and the governing of subjects and protecting those that take refuge is the Dharma of the Ksattriyas but they would never, never, ask any other man ‘Give, give,’ and utter these words indicative of humility O Devi! The words ‘I am giving you’ are impressed within my heart; so I will earn money from some other source and give that to the Muni.”

19-20. The Queen said “O King! Time keeps some men in one and the same state; again it throws others into troubles; Time it is that gives respect to one and again it is Time that gives disrespect to others. Time it is that makes one a donor and it is the same Time that makes another a beggar. So even the Risi Vis’vamitra, learned and endowed with the strength of Tapas, becoming angry has deprived you of your kingdom and happiness and has thus done quite an irreligious act in the shape of tormenting others. You can now judge in this the wonderful workings of Time.”

21-22. The King said:-- “I would rather out off my tongue into two pieces by a sharp sword than I would quit my Ksattriya pride; and I would never be able to utter the words ‘Give, give.’ O Fortunate One! I am a Ksattriya; so I never ask anything of anyone. I always say

that, by the strength of my arms, I will earn money and pay off my debt.”

23-27. The Queen said “O King! Indra and the other Devas have given me over duly to your hands. So I am your religious (legal) wife; especially I have got education and I ought to be protected. Therefore O Luminous One! If you do not like to beg then you can sell me and pay off your Daksina.” The King Haris’chandra became grieved very much to hear these words and lamented, saying, “O What a painful thing is this! What a painful thing is this!” His wife again spoke “O King! Will we, afterwards, be burnt by the fire of curse from a Brahmin and thus lowered very much? So keep my word now. You are selling me, not because that you are infatuated with desire for gambling nor you are deprived of all knowledge by enjoyments in worldly things nor you are selling me owing to avert the danger of your kingdom. It is that you are selling me to pay off the debt to your Guru. So nothing sinful a fault will be incurred by you. So sell me and keep to Truth and the fruits thereof.”

Here ends the Twenty-First Chapter of the Seventh Book on the description of the sorrows of Haris’chandra in the Maha Puranam, S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25161, revision 76307 (2016-08-19T05:13:47Z). 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/bk07ch21.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.