युधिष्ठिर उवाच प्रायशो राजलोकस्ते कथितो वदतां वर। वैवस्वतसभायां तु यथा वदसि मे प्रभो॥
Yudhishthira said O best of eloquent men, O lord, from your descriptions it appears that all the monarchs (of the earth) are in the Sabha of the son of Vaivasvata (Yama).
वरुणस्य सभायां तु नागास्ते कथिता विभो। दैत्येन्द्राश्चापि भूयिष्ठाः सरितः सागरास्तथा॥
O lord, you have said that in the Varuna's Sabha are the Nagas, the chief Daityas, the rivers, and the oceans,
तथा धनपतेर्यक्षा गुह्यका राक्षसास्तथा। गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव भगवांश्च वृषध्वजः॥
And in that of the lord of wealth (Kubera) the Yakshas, Guhyakas, Guhyakas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, and the exalted Vishvadeva (Shiva).
पितामहसभायां तु कथितास्ते महर्षयः। सर्वे देवनिकायाश्च सर्वशास्त्राणि चैव ह॥
You have said that in the Sabha of the Grandsire are the great Rishis, all the celestials, and all the Shastras.
शक्रस्य तु सभायां तु देवाः संकीर्तिता मुने। उद्देशतश्च गन्धर्वा विविधाश्च महर्षयः॥
O Rishi, you have said that in the Sabha of Shakra (Indra) are the celestials, the Gandharvas and the various great Rishis.
एक एव तु राजर्षिर्हरिश्चन्द्रो महामुने। कथितस्ते सभायां वै देवेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः॥
O great Rishi, you have said that one king namely the royal sage Harishchandra, is in the Sabha of the illustrious lord of the celestials.
किं कर्म तेनाचरितं तपो वा नियतव्रतः। येनासौ सह शक्रेण स्पर्द्धते सुमहायशाः॥
What act, what asceticism, what steady vows were performed by that greatly famous (king) that he has alone become equal to Indra? are
पितृलोकगतश्चैव त्वया विप्र पिता मम। दृष्टः पाण्डुर्महाभागः कथं वापि समागतः॥
O Brahmana, how did you meet with my father, the illustrious Pandu, now living in the region of the Pitris?
किमुक्तवांश्च भगवंस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व सुव्रतः। त्वत्तः श्रोतुं सर्वमिदं परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥
O exalted one, O Rishi of excellent vows, what did he tell you? Tell me all. I am filled with great curiosity to hear all this.
नारद उवाच यन्मां पृच्छसि राजेन्द्र हरिश्चन्द्रं प्रति प्रभो। तत् तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं तस्य धीमतः॥
Narada said O king of kings, O lord, I shall tell you all about the greatness of the greatly intelligent Harishchandra which you ask me to narrate.
(इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातस्त्रिशङ्कुर्नाम पार्थिवः। अयोध्याधिपतिर्वीरो विश्वामित्रेण संस्थितः।। तस्य सत्यवती नाम पत्नी केकयवंशजा। तस्यां गर्भः समभवद् धर्मेण कुरुनन्दन॥ सा च काले महाभागा जन्ममासं प्रविश्य वै। कुमारं जनयामास हरिश्चन्द्रमकल्मषम्॥ वै राजा हरिश्चन्द्रस्त्रैशङ्कव इति स्मृतः।) स राजा बलवानासीत् सम्राट् सर्वमहीक्षिताम्। तस्य सर्वे महीपालाः शासनावनताः स्थिताः॥
That king (Harishchandra) was very powerful and an Emperor over all the monarchs of the earth. All the kings of the world were under his sway.
तेनैकं रथमास्थाय जैत्रं हेमविभूषितम्। शस्त्रप्रतापेन जिता द्वीपाः सप्त जनेश्वर॥
O king of men, riding alone on his car adorned with gold, he conquered all the seven islands (of the world) by the prowess of his weapons.
स निर्जित्यमहीं कृत्स्ना सशैलवनकाननाम्। आजहार महाराज राजसूयं महाक्रतुम्॥
O great king, having conquered the whole of the earth with her mountains, forests and woods, he made preparation to perform a great Rajasuya sacrifice.
तस्य सर्वे महीपाला धनान्याजह्वराज्ञया। द्विजानां परिवेष्टारस्तस्मिन् यज्ञे च तेऽभवन्॥
All the monarchs at his command brought wealth to that sacrifice. They became the distributors of food to the Brahmanas in that sacrifice.
प्रादाच्च द्रविणं प्रीत्या याचकानां नरेश्वरः। यथोक्तवन्तस्ते तस्मिंस्ततः पञ्चगुणाधिकम्॥
The king (Harishchandra) in that sacrifice cheerfully gave away to the sacrificial Brahmanas wealth five times more than what each asked.
अतर्पयच्च विविधैर्वसुभिर्ब्राह्मणांस्तदा। प्रसर्पकाले सम्प्राप्ते नानादिग्भ्यः समागतान्॥
At the conclusion of the sacrifice, the king gratified the Brahmanas that assembled there from various quarters with large presents of various kinds of wealth.
भक्ष्यभोज्यैश्च विविधैर्यथाकामपुरस्कृतैः। रत्नौघतर्पितैस्तुष्टैर्द्विजैश्च समुदाहृतम्। तेजस्वी च यशस्वी च नृपेभ्योऽभ्यधिकोऽभवत्॥
Having been gratified by various kinds of food and enjoyable things given to them to their fill and by the heaps of jewels distributed amongst them, the Brahmanas said: “The king Harishchandra has became superior to all the kings in energy and in renown".
एतस्मात् कारणाद् राजन् हरिश्चन्द्रो विराजते। तेभ्यो राजसहस्रेभ्यस्तद् विद्धि भरतर्षभा॥
O king, O best of the Bharata race, know that for this reason, Harishchandra has shone more brightly than thousands of other kings.
समाप्य च हरिश्चन्द्रो महायज्ञं प्रतापवान्। अभिषिक्तश्च शुशुभे साम्राज्येन नराधिप॥
O king, having concluded his great sacrifice, the mighty Harishchandra, being installed in his Empire, looked resplendent.
ये चान्ये च महीपाला राजसूयं महाक्रतुम्। यजन्ते ते सहेन्द्रेण मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ।॥
O best of the Bharata race, all the kings that perform the great Rajasuya sacrifices pass their time in bliss in company with Indra.
ये चापि निधनं प्राप्ताः संग्रामेष्वपलायिनः। ते तत् सदनमासाद्य मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ॥ ते
O best of the Bharata race, those kings, that give their lives on the field of battle without turning their backs, go to the abode (of Indra) and pass their time in felicity.
तपसा ये च तीव्रण त्यजन्तीह कलेवरम्। तत् स्थानं समासाद्य श्रीमन्तो भान्ति नित्यशः॥२२
Those also that give up their lives after undergoing severe ascetic penances go to the same region and shine brightly there for ages.
पिता च त्वाऽऽह कौन्तेय पाण्डुः कौरवनन्दन। हरिश्चन्द्रे श्रियं दृष्ट्वा नृपतौ जातविस्मयः॥
O son of Kunti, O descendant of Kuru, seeing the good fortune of Harishchandra and being much astonished at it, your father Pandu has told you something (through me).
विज्ञाय मानुषं लोकमायान्तं मां नराधिप। प्रोवाच प्रणतो भूत्वा वदेथास्त्वं युधिष्ठिरम्॥
O king of men, knowing that I was coming to the world of men, he bowed to me and said, "Tell this to Yudhishthira,
समर्थोऽसि महीं जेतुं भ्रातरस्ते स्थिता वशे। राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठमाहरस्वेति भारत॥
That he can subjugate the whole earth as his brothers are obedient to him". O descendant of Bharata, he said, “Let him perform the great Rajasuya sacrifice.
त्वयीष्टवति पुत्रेऽहं हरिश्चन्द्रवदाशु वै। मोदिष्ये बहुलाः शश्वत् समाः शक्रस्य संसदि॥
He is my son, if he performs that sacrifice, I can go like Harishchandra to the region of Indra and pass my time there in everlasting bliss in company with Indra in his Sabha."
एवं भवतु वक्ष्येऽहं तव पुत्रं नराधिपम्। भूलोकं यदि गच्छेयमिति पाण्डुमथाब्रवम्॥
O king, I told him thus (in reply), “If I go to the world of men, I shall speak to your son." I have told you what Pandu told me.
पुरुषव्याघ्र संकल्पं कुरु पाण्डव। गन्तासि त्वं महेन्द्रस्य पूर्वैः सह सलोकताम्॥
O best of men, O son of Pandu, accomplish then the intentions of your father. If you do this, you will go with your ancestors to the region of Indra.
तस्य त्वं बहुविघ्नश्च नृपते क्रतुरेष स्मृतो महान्। छिद्राण्यस्य तु वाञ्छन्ति यज्ञना ब्रह्मराक्षसाः॥
O king, it is said that this sacrifice is full of many obstacles. The Brahma Rakshasas who always harm sacrifices search for holes when this sacrifice is begun.
युद्धं च क्षत्रशमनं पृथिवीक्षयकारणम्। किंचिदेव निमित्तं च भवत्यत्र क्षयावहम्॥
On the commencement of such a sacrifice a war may break out which may destroy the Kshatriyas, and which may be the cause of the total destruction of the whole world. A slight obstacle (to it) may cause the ruin of the whole earth.
एतत् संचिन्त्य राजेन्द्र यत् क्षेमं तत् समाचर। अप्रमत्तोत्थितो नित्यं चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षणे॥
O king of kings, reflecting on all this, do what is beneficial to you. Be always watchful in protecting the four orders (of your subjects).
भव एधस्व मोदस्व धनैस्तर्पय च द्विजान्। एतत् ते विस्तरेणोक्तं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। आपृच्छे त्वां गमिष्यामि दाशार्हनगरी प्रति॥
Grow in prosperity, enjoy felicity gratify the Brahmans with wealth. I have thus answered in detail all that you have asked me. With your permission, I shall now go towards the city of the Dasharahas (Dwarka).
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमाख्याय पार्थेभ्यो नारदो जनमेजय। जगाम तैर्वृतो राजनृषिभिर्यैः समागतः॥
Vaishampayana said O Janamejaya, O king, having said this to the son of Pritha, Narada went away with those Rishis with whom he had come.
गते तु नारदे पार्थो भ्रातृभिः सह कौरवः। राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठं चिन्तयामास पार्थिवः॥
O descendants of Kuru, on the departure of Narada, the King (Yudhishthira), the son of Pritha, began to think with his brothers (how to perform) that best of sacrifice Rajasuya.