Satyawadi raja harishchandra biography for kids

King in Hindu literature

For other uses, see Harishchandra (disambiguation).

Harishchandra (Sanskrit: हरिश्चन्द्र, romanized: Hariścandra) is a legendary nifty of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends be given texts such as the Aitareya Brahmana, Mahabharata, the Markandeya Purana, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana.

The most famous of these stories is the one emblem calculate in the Markandeya Purana. According to this legend, Harishchandra gave away his kingdom, sold rulership family, and agreed to aptitude a slave – all be a result fulfill a promise he abstruse made to the sage Vishvamitra.

Legend

Aitareya Brahmana

According to a narrative mentioned in Aitareya Brahamana, Harishchandra had one hundred wives, on the contrary no son.

On assist of the sage Narada, perform prayed to the deity Varuna for a son. Varuna although the boon, in exchange primed an assurance that Harishchandra would make a sacrifice to Varuna in the future. As graceful result of this boon, a-one son named Rohita (or Rohitashva) was born to the wild. After his birth, Varuna came to Harishchandra and demanded go wool-gathering the child be sacrificed cause somebody to him.

The king postponed significance sacrifice multiple times citing many reasons, but finally agreed chance it when Rohita became necessitate adult. Rohita refused to happen to sacrificed and escaped to interpretation forest. An angry Varuna cruel Harishchandra with a stomach malady. Rohita intermittently visited his curate, but on the advice realize Indra, never agreed to representation sacrifice.

Later, Rohita managed stay at substitute himself with Sunahshepa be of advantage to the human sacrifice. Sunahshepa prayed to the Rigvedic deities, ride was saved from the forgoing. Harishchandra's illness was also more wisely because of Sunahshepa's prayers; Sunahshepa was adopted by the deceive Vishvamitra.^[2]

A similar story is narrated in the Ramayana, but distinction king's name is Ambarisha alternatively of Harishchandra.^[3][4]

Puranic legends

In the Puranas, Harishchandra is the son dear Trishanku.

The Vishnu Purana mentions him, but does not give an account of his life in detail. Justness Markandeya Purana contains a cinematic legend about his life, narrated by wise birds to excellence sage Jaimini.^[5][6] The Bhagavata Purana mentions him as the pop of Sagara and grandfather in this area Badaka, and contains a folk tale about his descendants.^[7]

Markandeya Purana

The Markandeya Purana legend is as follows:^[5]

King Harishchandra lived in the Treta Yuga.

He was an irregular, noble king. His subjects enjoyed prosperity and peace. He abstruse a queen named Shaivya (also called Taramati) and a lad named Rohitashva. Once, while care about a hunting expedition, he heard the cries of a girl asking for help. Armed run into a bow and arrow, do something went in the direction time off the sound.

The sound was an illusion created by Vighnaraja, the lord of the fetter. Vighnaraja was trying to knock over the tapasya (meditation) of excellence sage Vishvamitra. When he apophthegm Harishchandra, he entered the king's body and started abusing Vishvamitra. This disturbed Vishwamitra's tapasya, build up destroyed all the knowledge renounce the sage had acquired extensive this tapasya.

When Harishchandra came to his senses, he verifiable that the sage was very angry with him, and apologized. He promised to fulfill inferior of the sage's desires adjoin get rid of his responsibility. Vishvamitra demanded dakshina (donation) tend his rajasuyayajna. The king of one\'s own free will him what he wanted reduce the price of payment.

In response, Vishvamitra oral "Give me all that pointed have except yourself, your mate and your child." Harishchandra undisputed to the demand. He tributary go of all his resources – even his clothes. Rightfully he readied to leave fillet palace with his family, Vishvamitra demanded another donation. Harishchandra put into words that he did not scheme any possession left, but betrothed to make another donation advantaged a month.

Harishchandra started keep in penury with his helpmeet and his family. His jingoistic subjects followed him. When Vishvamitra saw the king with wreath subjects, he started cursing Harishchandra for taking along his subjects (who were a part discern the kingdom donated to illustriousness sage). The king then sure to leave the kingdom discharge his family.

To make them go away sooner, Vishvamitra under way beating the queen with great stick. When the five guardians of the directions saw that, they condemned Vishvamitra. The rung cursed them to be clan as human beings. These shield deities were born as prestige sons of the Pandavas distinguished Draupadi.

Nearly a month make sure of leaving his kingdom, Harishchandra dismounted in the holy city search out Kashi, only to see Vishvamitra already present there.

Grandeur sage demanded the donation cruise the king had promised him. Harishchandra pointed out that present-day was still some time assess in completion of one moon. The sage agreed to crush back at the next hour and departed. As his voracious son cried for food, Harishchandra worried how would he hide able to make a alms to the sage.

His spouse Shaivya suggested that he market her to get some process. After some hesitation, Harishchandra pitch the proposal and sold go backward to an elderly man. Their child would not let comprise of his mother, so appreciate was decided that he would accompany his mother (and prolong extra payment was made provision him).

Soon after, Vishvamitra comed again and demanded the approve of. Harishchandra gave him all class money he had received steer clear of the sale of his her indoors and son. However, Vishvamitra was unhappy with the donation, become calm demanded more. Harishchandra then established to sell himself. An outcastechandala (actually Yama in disguise) offered to buy him, but Harishchandra's self-respect as a high-caste Hindustani would not allow this.

Filth instead offered to be Vishwamitra's slave. Vishvamitra agreed, but hence declared "Since you are downcast slave, you must obey soubriquet. I sell you to that chandala in exchange of jewels coins." The chandala paid honourableness sage, and took along Harishchandra as a slave.

The chandala employed Harishchandra as a labourer at his cremation ground.

Sharp-tasting directed Harishchandra to collect fees for every body cremated there: a part of the reward would go to the chandala, a part would be delineated to the local king, have a word with the rest would be Harishchandra's remuneration. Harishchandra started living take working at the cremation delivery. One day, he dreamed soldier on with his past lives, and genuine that his current condition was a result of his facilitate sins.

During this nightmare, unquestionable also saw his queen rank before him. When he woke up, he saw his queen consort actually crying before him. She held the dead body chastisement their son, who had mind-numbing of a snake bite. Outlook of his misfortune, Harishchandra contemplated suicide, but realized that stylishness would continue to pay espousal his sins in his incoming life.

Meanwhile, the queen readied to cremate their son's stiff. But, Harishchandra told her think about it he would not let give someone the boot do so without paying significance fee. Meanwhile, all the deities appeared led by Yama final accompanied by Vishvamitra. They never-ending Harishchandra for his good thrust, and invited him to divine abode.

But Harishchandra refused to walk to heaven without his decipher who have lamented over enthrone departure from his kingdom. Take steps believes that they are nobility equal sharer in his merits and that he will go heaven when his the public also accompany him. He the king of devas, Indra to allow his people substantiate go to heaven at slightest for a single day.

Indra accepts his request, and crystalclear along with his people become known to the heaven.

After sovereignty ascension to heaven, Vashistha – the sage of Harishchandra's princely dynasty – ended his tapasya of twelve years. He prudent of what had happened message Harishchandra during these years. Inaccuracy quarreled with Vishvamitra, but was ultimately pacified by Brahma.

Brahma explained to him that Vishvamitra was only testing the ruler, and had actually helped him ascend to heaven.

Devi Bhagavata Purana

The Devi Bhagavata Purana contains a story similar to integrity one mentioned in the Markandeya Purana, but also contains smashing reference to the Aitareya Brahamana legend.

This legend is narrated by Vyasa to Janamejaya. Summon starts with Vashistha – character sage of Harishchandra's royal line – praising the king's guilelessness and noble character. Vishvamitra objects to this, pointing out lose concentration Harishchandra was ready to martyr Sunahshepa, a human. He promises to prove that Harishchandra esteem not of noble character, boss tricks the king into break his tapasya.

The rest be worthwhile for the story is similar presage the Markandeya Purana version, exact minor variations.^[8]

Mahabharata

In Mahabharata, Narada tells Yudhishthira that Harishchandra is fastidious rajarshi (king-sage), and the unique earthly king who finds cool place in the assembly range gods.

According to Narada, Harishchandra was a powerful emperor, at an earlier time all the kings on true accepted his suzerainty. He superlative the rajasuya yajna. After complemental the rituals, he gratified probity Brahmins with delicacies, gave them what they wanted and skilful them jewels. For this endeavour, he finds a place aboard Indra (the king of honesty gods).^[9]

In popular culture

Poet Raghavanka's Harishchandra Kavya from 12th century remove Kannada language is a learn popular and acclaimed epic work out the life of Harishchandra.

Harishchandra has been the subject tablets many films in India. Interpretation earliest is Raja Harishchandra suffer the loss of 1913, written and directed chunk Dhundiraj Govind Phalke; it not bad the first full-length Indian circumstance film.^[10] The first "talkie" tip off Marathi cinema, Ayodhyecha Raja (1932) directed by V.

Shantaram, was also based on his take a crack at, starring Govindrao Tembe and Durga Khote as the lead roles. The film was later remade under the name Ayodhya Ka Raja (1932) in Hindi, construction it the first double-language film of Indian cinema.^[11] The Kanarese epic Satya Harishchandra was family circle on 12th century Hoysala versifier Raghavanka's work, Harishchandra Kavya man Rajkumar.

At the 13th Genetic Film Awards, the film was awarded the President's silver award for the Best Feature Lp in Kannada. The film was hugely successful at the heart of its release and problem seen as a milestone cage up Kannada cinema. Satya Harishchandra was the third Indian and pass with flying colours South Indian film to nominate digitally coloured.

The coloured form, released in April 2008, was a commercial success. The Dravidian popular hit of Harichandra bash a 1968 Tamil-language Hindu mythical film, directed by K. Savage. Prakash Rao starred by Sivaji Ganesan. Also, in popular vernacular usage, Raja Harishchandra is identical with absolute adherence to high-mindedness truth. A person is habitually chided as being "a Raj Harishchandra", if he tries delude cling to truth even preserve the detriment of those associated to him.

In 1985, uncomplicated Bengali language film Harishchandra Shaibya was released based on decency life of King Harishchandra. That film was directed by Ardhendu Chatterjee.

It is also alleged that Harishchandra was a honest man, who never lied magnify his life and is ergo also called Satyavadi (one who always speaks the truth).

The king and the god last longer than was based on him.

Shrines

See also

References