Datta Maata 223: Follow the truth

We have discussed about the story of Vishwamitra and Harischandra. The sage asked the king for charity in order to do yagna. That yagna needs money which is equivalent to the height travelled by a nut which is thrown by standing on top of an elephant. Harsichandra said, "I have given away everything I have. I have given my kingdom itself. What else do I have? " But, Vishwamitra said that this calculation is something different. It is like asking the milkman for extra milk even after taking a litre of it thinking as though both are different. The milk men know this. Hence, they add water to it beforehand. So, Vishwamitra keeps a condition for his yagna regarding charity. Harsichandra then asked for some time. Saying so, he left. The sage waited for a month and came directly to the kingdom one day. It is actually to give trouble to the king. This is happening as part of Ganapati's miracles. Let us discuss this again.

The sage said to the king, "O King! You have violated the promise. You did not adhere to truth. (The story of Vasista and Vishwamitra is something different. We shall discuss that later) Since you have broken the promise, you must leave the kingdom along with your wife and children. Come on! Leave this moment." He kicked the king out of the throne. He sent away the king's family by holding a stick in his hand as if they were animals. He sent them away. The Pancavasūs who were oserving all this with their subtlest forms felt, "Alas! How can Vishwamitra become so stone hearted? He does so much of penance. Those who engage in penance possess the virtue of forgiveness. But, this sage does not have it at all. These words fell in the ears of Vishwamitra who was capable of listening to even subtlest sounds also. He roared, "Who is blaming my actions?" He observed with his subtle vision and immediately cursed the Vasūs thus, "May you be born as the sons of Draupadi. May you roam the whole life without marriage, children or pleasures and die thereafter and get back your present position." Those Vasūs are none other than the Pandaveyas. In their early childhood itself, Ashwatthama killed them while they were deep asleep.

As you have observed, it is so dangerous to poke one's nose into elders' matters without any knowledge. Vishwamitra sent away Harischandra along with his wife and children, out of the kingdom because he did not give money for his yagna. Later, Harischandra went to Kashi city and thought so, "Naisha manushya bhogyē tē shūlapāne parigrahah - This is not the place of enjoyments for humans. This is the place of Shiva. No one is the king here. Hence, I can live here." Thinking thus, he resided in the city of Kashi. Vishwamitra came there and asked, "O King! You have asked me a month's deadline. It is over now. So, give me money that I need for my Rajasūya ritual. Then Harischandra said, "A half day is still left for that deadline to be finished. Hence, I will give your money" The sage said, "That is fine. I will come tomorrow and if you fail to give me my money then I will curse you. So, be careful!"

Harischandra on the other hand was thinking how to give the money to keep up his promise. He was worrying that he would have to take birth as a worm if he cannot give the money of a brahmin. Looking at the pitiful state of the husband, Chandramathi said, "O King! Do not worry. Follow truth. Elders say that those who speak untruth must be abandoned like a graveyard."