Continuing from the last post:
‘I have nothing left with me; I have given all that I have to you Guruji’ – Harishchandra
‘Are you even a King of Words? I have heard so much on Suryavanshi Kings and their promises? I need the gifts you gave me during Yagna. Only then, you can go’ – Vishwamitra
Vishwamitra wants more. This time he is right, he is asking for what he was promised. But Harishchandra is in no position to fulfil. Still, his unbending respect for ‘Dharma’ wouldn’t let him quit. Vishwamitra feels that he is a step closer to victory.
Vishwamitra says you are a learned person; you know what to do. I will give you 48 days; you utilise this time and pay me. Otherwise, accept that you are not a ‘Man of words’ also, I’ll send my man Nakshatrakha to accompany you, you can send the wealth with him.
Harishchandra’s struggle to keep up the promises!
Harishchandra along with wife and kid move out of Ayodhya. They know they shouldn’t make money in Ayodhya as it will be considered adharma. He travels 200km south to Varanasi. The Biggest ancient city ‘Varanasi’. It takes 7 days to reach. The moment they reach, they search for a job. Even after checking all the Ghats, no luck, no job.
His wife Taramati is aggrieved, she can’t see Husband in a helpless condition. She says you have to sell us and make money. Harishchandra argues but he gets convinced as he has nothing else to do. After all, these are the people who believe ‘Dharma is above all and everything’.
A heartbroken Harishchandra starts auctioning. After a long wait, an old Brahmin agrees to buy his wife and kid. But the old person has only half the money that Harishchandra needs. With no better idea in sight, they get sold to Brahmin. He is now planning to sell himself to make the other half.
He roams on the streets of Kashi and auctions himself by narrating his story. People don’t believe in him, instead, they humiliate. Fate playing a hard game on Harishchandra.
Just think, He lost his Kingdom, his wife and son. Still, this man is thinking of fulfilling his ‘promise’. Why so much determination? Remember ‘Dharma’!
From a Celebrated & Respected King of Ayodhya to a man cremating dead bodies!
A drunk & awkward person named Veerabahu approaches Harishchandra. I will buy you and you need to work for me in Cremating dead bodies. Will you? No second thoughts: Sir, I will work but I have a fixed price. So, please give me that money. Veerabahu agrees and employs Harishchandra. Look at the duties of Harishchandra as Veerabahu’s assistant:
- Burning Dead Bodies
- Cleaning the Crematorium
- Collecting Taxes for cremation
- Hanging People
Harishchandra lost everything, he loses his identity also by accepting to sell himself. He takes the money and gives it to ‘Nakshatrakha’. Though Nakshatrakha feels bad, he has to follow his ‘Dharma’. Harishchandra fulfils his promise and is now a relieved man with no guilt.
“Victory to Harishchandra, Wealth to Vishwamitra”.
Nakshatrakha returns with money, seeing this Vishwamitra is livid. Without wasting time, he sends his people to Brahmin and badmouths Taramati. Hearing this, the old brahmin starts ill-treating Taramati and her son. One day the boy is asked to get wood from the forest. While cutting, he is bitten by a snake and falls unconscious. When the boy doesn’t return till afternoon Brahmin is furious and threatens Taramati to kill him if doesn’t return. He thinks the son had run away. Mother is worried about Son.
She is in unbearable pain. She runs towards the forest and finds her son lying on the ground. It’s getting dark, nobody is around and her son is motionless. ‘Son is Dead’. Heart-wrenching moment. Still, she knows her duty, she is emotional and alone. She has to cremate her body before sunset. She picks him up and takes him to the Cremation ground.
Who’s who? Only God knows!
Taramati reaches Cremation ground. It’s almost dark and she can’t see anything. So, she doesn’t see Harishchandra who was there, she wants cremation to be done soon. But she has no money. Harishchandra refuses cremation saying she has to pay for it and as her to come back with money. Till then he promises to safeguard the body. Taramati runs into the city. She begs for money but nobody is giving her.
Vishwamitra sees this and wants to make it worse. Vishwamitra scripts a story and sends his dacoits to Kashi. Dacoits kidnap Kashi King’s Son and beat soldiers. Taramati, who was passing by hears the cries of the boy and runs towards him. As soon as she reaches, they leave the unconscious boy and run away. Right then, King’s soldiers reach the place and feel she is also part of the dacoit gang.
They drag her to King and somehow prove she is the criminal. King convicts her to death.
A reunion that was never expected…
Harishchandra is handed the task of hanging. He takes her to the place where her son’s body is lying. Seeing her son’s discoloured body she starts weeping. Harishchandra asks why would you Kidnap somebody for money? She cries, ‘No it is a misunderstanding’. ‘Whether it is understood or misunderstood you’ll be hanged’. You can now invoke someone as your last wish before death.
Taramati says ‘Raj guru Vasishtha’ and ‘Harishchandra’. Listening to this, Harishchandra is in agonizing pain. I am Harishchandra he says. She is happy for a moment, but they know their son is dead and she is about to get hanged to death.
As the events are getting unfolded, everyone is proud of Harishchandra. Vishwamitra is feeling the defeat. Then Vishwamitra arrives and stops Harishchandra.
‘This is all my creation. I planned all this to test you. I will bring you out of these troubles, but for that, you have to marry this two kanyas’. Harishchandra is in disbelief. He says I can do anything but ‘adharma’. I will hang my wife, cremate my son and live the same life. Rejecting Vishwamitra’s proposal, he gets ready to pull rope, that’s when ‘Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar’ appear.
‘Dear Harishchandra, you got tortured, rattled, heartbroken and yet you always followed Dharma. You are for us the biggest protector of dharma’ Hearing all this, Vishwamitra falls on their feet and accepts his defeat. He pleads for forgiveness.
‘I accept my defeat. I have tested the purest soul on this land. I am proven wrong. I will thus transfer my half of knowledge to Harishchandra’ saying this Vishwamitra accepts his defeat.
Thus, he suffers one more defeat in the hands of Vasishtha. But the story of their rivalry doesn’t end there. Vishwamitra vows to come back this time harder and stronger…
