Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 7 • CHAPTER 21
Ch 21 Verse 1 Verse
Sanskrit Text
७.२१ एकविंशोऽध्यायः । हरिश्चन्द्रोपाख्यानवर्णनम् । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे प्राप्तो विश्वामित्रो महातपाः । अन्तकेन समः क्रुद्धो धनं स्वं याचितुं हृदा ॥ १ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O King! At this moment, the Muni Viśvāmitra, endowed with his power of tapas, came up there, very angry as if the God of Death, to ask of his wealth.
Ch 21 Verse 2-3 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तमालोक्य हरिश्चन्द्रः पपात भुवि मूर्च्छितः । स वारिणा तमभ्युक्ष्य राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ २ ॥ उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र स्वां ददस्वेष्टदक्षिणाम् । ऋणं धारयतां दुःखमहन्यहनि वर्धते ॥ ३ ॥
English Translation
Seeing him Hariścandra fallen thus senseless on the ground, Viśvāmitra, 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 Dakṣiṇā.
Ch 21 Verse 4-5 Verse
Sanskrit Text
आप्यायमानः स तदा हिमशीतेन वारिणा । अवाप्य चेतनां राजा विश्वामित्रमवेक्ष्य च ॥ ४ ॥ पुनर्मोहं समापेदे ह्यथ क्रोधं ययौ मुनिः समाश्वास्य च राजानं वाक्यमाह द्विजोत्तमः ॥ ५ ॥
English Translation
The King, thus sprinkled with water, cold as snow, regained his consciousness; but, seeing Viśvāmitra, he fainted again. At this, the Dvīja Viśvāmitra consoled him and angrily spoke to him thus :--
Ch 21 Verse 6 Verse
Sanskrit Text
विश्वामित्र उवाच - दीयतां दक्षिणा सा मे यदि धैर्यमवेक्षसे । सत्येनार्कः प्रतपति सत्ये तिष्ठति मेदिनी ॥ ६ ॥
English Translation
O King! If you want to maintain your steadiness, give, then my Dakṣiṇā. 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.
Ch 21 Verse 7-8 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सत्ये प्रोक्तः परो धर्मः स्वर्गः सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः । अश्वमेधसहस्रं तु सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् ॥ ७ ॥ अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेकं विशिष्यते । अथवा किं ममैतेन प्रोक्तेनास्ति प्रयोजनम् ॥ ८ ॥
English Translation
If the fruit of the thousand Aśvamedhas 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!
Ch 21 Verse 9-10 Verse
Sanskrit Text
मदीयां दक्षिणां राजन्न दास्यति भवान्यदि । अस्ताचलगते ह्यर्के शप्स्यामि त्वामतो ध्रुवम् ॥ ९ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा स ययौ विप्रो राजा चासीद्भयातुरः । दुःखीभूतोऽवनौ निःस्वो नृशंसमुनिनार्दितः ॥ १० ॥
English Translation
O King! If you fail to give my Dakṣiṇā before the Sunset, I will, no doubt, curse you. Saying this, Viśvāmitra 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.
Ch 21 Verse 11-13 Verse
Sanskrit Text
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 ॥
English Translation
Sūta said :-- O Ṛṣis! At this time, a Brāhmin, skilled in the Vedas, with many other Brāhmins, started out of his house, at that very place. The queen, then seeing the Brāhmin ascetic close by, addressed the King in words reasonable and in accordance with the Dharma, O Lord! A Brāhmin is considered the father of the other three Varṇas (i.e., Kṣattriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras) and a son can certainly take the father’s things; so it is my intention that you beg your wealth from this Brāhmin.
Ch 21 Verse 14-15 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्मादयं प्रार्थनीयो धनार्थमिति मे मतिः । राजोवाच - नाहं प्रतिग्रहं काङ्क्षे क्षत्रियोऽहं सुमध्यमे ॥ १४ ॥ याचनं खलु विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां न विद्यते । गुरुर्हि विप्रो वर्णानां पूजनीयोऽस्ति सर्वदा ॥ १५ ॥
English Translation
The King said :-- “O One of thin waist! To beg suits the Brāhmaṇas; it is prohibited to the Kṣattriyas; I being a Kṣattriya do not wish to take anything as gift. The Brāhmins are the Gurus of all the Varṇas. So they are always to be respected. It is not proper to beg from a Brāhmin; especially the Kṣattriyas never ask anything from the Brāhmins; it is totally prohibited.
Ch 21 Verse 16-18 Verse
Sanskrit Text
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 ॥
English Translation
Offering oblations, study, gift and the governing of subjects and protecting those that take refuge is the Dharma of the Kṣattriyas but they would never, never, ask any other man ‘Give, give,’ and utter these words indicative of humility O Devī! 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.”
Ch 21 Verse 19-20 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पत्न्युवाच - कालः समविषमकरः परिभवसम्मानमानदः कालः । कालः करोति पुरुषं दातारं याचितारं च ॥ १९ ॥ विप्रेण विदुषा राजा क्रुद्धेनातिबलीयसा । राज्यान्निरस्तः सौख्याच्च पश्य कालस्य चेष्टितम् ॥ २० ॥
English Translation
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 Ṛṣi Viśvāmitra, 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.”
Ch 21 Verse 21-22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
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 ॥
English Translation
The King said :-- “I would rather out off my tongue into two pieces by a sharp sword than I would quit my Kṣattriya pride; and I would never be able to utter the words ‘Give, give.’ O Fortunate One! I am a Kṣattriya; 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.”
Ch 21 Verse 23-24 Verse
Sanskrit Text
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 सङ्गृहीत्वाथ गुर्वर्थं सम्प्रदीयताम् ॥ २४ ॥
English Translation
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 Dakṣiṇā.”
Ch 21 Verse 25 Verse
Sanskrit Text
एतद्वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य हरिश्चन्द्रो महीपतिः । कष्टं कष्टमिति प्रोच्य विललापातिदुःखितः ॥ २५ ॥
English Translation
The King Hariścandra 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 Brāhmin and thus lowered very much? So keep my word now.
Ch 21 Verse 26-28 Verse
Sanskrit Text
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 ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमस्कन्धे हरिश्चन्द्रोपाख्यानवर्णनं नाम एकविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ ७.२१॥
English Translation
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 iñcurred 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 Hariścandra in the Mahā Purāṇam, Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.