Markandeya Purana: Structure and Main Sections Explained

 With the story the Adi and Baka, the first section of Markandeya Purana ends.

There is no fixed demarcation, but a logical one based on the contents.

Markandeya Purana can be roughly divided into five sections. These are

Section 1

Jaimini approached Markandeya to seek answers on four specific questions. Markandeya, in response, directed him to four Birds. These Birds were the offspring of Drona and the Apsara Vapu, the latter having been subjected to a transformation into a bird through a curse. Markandeya proceeded to recount the circumstances of the birth of the birds. He further told Jaimini that these Birds were, in a previous birth, four brahmins who had incurred a curse from their father for declining to offer themselves as food to a hungry bird. Jaimini consequently went to the Vindhya Mountains and consulted with the aforementioned Birds. They gave responses to his four questions. This prompted the Birds, at Jaimini's request, to provide a comprehensive account of King Harishchandra's tribulations. They further talked about the conflict that ensued thereafter between Vasishta and Vishvamitra, who fought in the form of gigantic birds.

Section 2

Jaimini proceeded to ask questions concerning the processes of conception, mortality and the ramifications of one's actions. The Birds answered this by talking about the teachings previously given by a brahmin named Sumati, also known as Jada, to his father. In accordance with Jada's discourse, the Birds described death, the states of existence subsequent to death, and accounts of various hells. Continuing, the Birds introduced the subject of yoga. They spoke about a brahmin, Mandavya, who was saved from a curse through the devotion of his wife. Anasuya, wife of Atri resolved the issue, when the devoted wife forbade the sun to rise. The gods blessed Anasuya, resulting in the births of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as her three sons: Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa.

This story then spoke about Alarka, which served as a vehicle for conveying instruction on political, religious, and social matters. There they talked about Ritadhvaja and his friendship with two Naga princes. These princes informed their father how Ritadhvaja had helped the brahmin Galava and married the Gandharva princess Madalasa. They told about how a demon caused Madalasa's death. King Asvatara restored Madalasa to life. Ritadhvaja had four sons naming the youngest Alarka. Then there is description of political, religious and social doctrine given by Madalasa to Alarka, who became the king. Alarka initially indulged in pleasures but sought help from Dattatreya. Dattatreya spoke on the nature of the soul and religious devotion (yoga).

Section 3

Jaimini asked questions, which the Birds answered by repeating the instructions Markandeya had previously given to Kraustuki. This continues until the end of the Purana. Markandeya began describing the process of creation. he then detailed the creation of the Earth and all its contents, gods, demons, ancestors (pitrs), and humanity, specifying the positions assigned to each. Markandeya then described the various Manus and their respective periods, known as Manvantaras. Markandeya provided a description of the Earth and its continents, focusing particularly on Jambudvipa and Mount Meru. Markandeya then talked about the birth and history of the subsequent Manus. Continuing the accounts of the Manvantaras, Markandeya said that the Sun married Sanjna, the daughter of Tvasta, and had two sons, Vaivasvata and Yama. Sanjna left the Sun, leaving her Shadow behind, due to his excessive radiance. Tvasta subsequently reduced the Sun's brightness. The Sun eventually regained Sanjna. By the Shadow, he had a son, Savarni.

Section 4

The mention of Savarni led to the introduction of the Devi-mahatmya. Markandeya told how King Suratha met a merchant who had been expelled by his family. Both men consulted a sage regarding their longing for their homes and attachments. The sage attributed these feelings to the influence of the goddess Mahamaya (the Great Illusion). He then related an early instance of her power, describing how she enabled Vishnu to vanquish the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. The sage then proceeded to narrate the goddess's major exploit. The first major account details the fight with the demon Mahisa. The demons, under Mahisa's leadership, had defeated the gods. In response, the goddess was formed as Chandika (also known as Ambika) from the combined energies of the gods. She destroyed the demon chiefs and ultimately Mahisa himself. When the gods were again defeated by the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha, they invoked the goddess, and she appeared. Sumbha desired to marry her, but she declined. He then dispatched an army, which she destroyed. He sent another force led by Chanda and Munda; the goddess Kali destroyed them, and Chandika gave upon her the name Chamunda. Sumbha then sent all his remaining forces. Chandika killed the powerful demon Raktavija, then killed Nisumbha ,  numerous other demons, and finally defeated Sumbha himself. With the demons defeated, the gods regained their supremacy. After hearing this account, King Suratha worshipped the goddess Chandika. Pleased with his devotion, she promised him that he would become the eighth Manu, Savarni.

Section 5

Markandeya's discourse continued by mentioning the remaining future Manus beyond Savarni. He then spoke about the fourteenth and final Manu, Bhautya. At Kraustuki's request, Markandeya then began to relate genealogies. Markandeya told the story of King Rajyavardhana. Markandeya continued the genealogies by mentioning Manu Vaivasvata's seven sons and their lineages.

Conclusion

The Birds concluded their lengthy recitation of Markandeya's instructions to Kraustuki with high praise for the Puranas in general and this specific Purana in particular. Jaimini expressed his gratitude to the Birds for their comprehensive teachings.

Vasishta & Vishvamitra's Bird Curse: A Markandeya Purana Tale

   

Table of Contents

   

     
• A Deep Dive into History
     
• Vasishta Learns the News
     
• Rivalry Explodes
     
• Transformed
     
• Epic Bird Fight
     
• Chaos on Earth, Concern in Heaven
     
• Brahma's Intervention
     
• Some More on This      
         
  • The Tale of Vasishta and Vishvamitra (From Skanda Purana)
         
  • Killing of Vasishta's Sons
         
  • Philosophical Aspects
         
  • The Fight Between Adi and Baka
       
     
   

 

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Jaimini was a bit surprised. What kind of a fight was this?

The birds began talking about the fight.

A Deep Dive into History

"After Rohitasva was crowned the king of Ayodhya, Harishchandra and Saivya left the earth for ever. Vishvamitra began the guardian for the young king. Sage Vasishta was the guru for the kings of the solar dynasty, the dynasty to which Harishchandra belonged. For twelve years, he had mastered his breath, endured the pressure of the water and had submerged himself in the river Ganga. he had settled in the bottom of the river, and there he had meditated undisturbed.

 

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Vasishta Learns the News

After the period of twelve years were over, he came out of the river. He was greeted by his disciples who told him what had happened in the last twelve years.

The sage was disturbed when he heard what Vishvamitra had done. He was shocked to hear that Harishchandra had been forced to become a chandala, and even sell his wife and son in the process.

 

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Rivalry Explodes

Vasishta was happy that Yama had come as a Chandala and had helped Harishchandra, else Vishvamitra would have cursed him surely.

Vasishta and Vishvamitra had never gotten along. Vishvamitra had caused the death of Vasishta's sons. To take him mind away from that grief, for that, Vasishta had performed many sacrifices, many penances. Hearing about Harishchandra, he remembered his old pain. "Harishchandra was innocent. He could not recognize Vishvamitra under the influence of an asura. For that he had to go through all this? If Vishvamitra wanted, he could have taken the kingdom and left the king. No, Vishvamitra crossed his limits. He needs to be taught a lesson. he is a great sage? He just acts like one. This is exactly like a crane does and the fish think, the crane is meditating. I curse him, let him turn into a crane."

Vishvamitra heard about this curse. He could not control his anger. "It was because of me that Harishchandra got his name. I acted as a catalyst bringing out the good in Harishchandra and for that Vasishta curses me? If so, I curse him, let him become a heron."

 

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Transformed

These were cursed of two powerful sages, and it took effect.

Both Vasishta and Vishvamitra died and took birth as birds, Vasishta becoming a heron and Vishvamitra a crane.

Though they were birds, they had been sages once. They had retained their spiritual powers. They also retained their memories.

 

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Epic Bird Fight

One day the two birds came to face with each other. It was in a paddy field. An Indian Pond heron was sitting near the field. A sarus crane was flying and seeing the spot landed there. The crane was none other than Vishvamitra. He recognized the heron as Vasishta. Seeing the crane, the heron began growing in size. The sarus also increased its size. Soon they were giant birds, their heads touching the skies. The crane led out a sharp cry and flapping its wings, it rose in the sky. The heron, though smaller in size, was not ready to yield. With s sharp cry, it also launched itself in the air.

 

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Chaos on Earth, Concern in Heaven

The flapping of the wings caused dust storms. Dark clouds formed in the sky. With every jump they took, the earth began to tremble. Mountains shook. The birds were not bothered; they kept trying to attack each other.

The chaos created was a burden on earth. It began shaking causing earth quakes everywhere. People began running around to save themselves. The gods saw this. They were not sure how to rectify this. The anger of the sages was causing the earth to fall down into Patala, the nether world. They all assembled in Indra's court, trying to find a solution. They then went to Brahma. Brahma with the other gods arrived where the birds were trying to attack each other with their beaks. Brahma asked the birds to stop. It is not that they had not heard Brahma, it is just that their rage was beyond control. They refused to stop.

 

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Brahma's Intervention

Seeing they were listening; Brahma changed their forms. From birds they stood there as sages, trying to attack each other. Brahma then asked them what they achieved by all this. "This was only the darkness in your minds that came out in this form. You are great sages. Control your selves. If you behave in this manner, then what will you expect from common people. Vishvamitra did not harm Harishchandra in any manner. What may have looked like a punishment was actually a way of providing liberation to Harishchandra." The sages felt ashamed at their conducts. They bowed down and forgave each other. With this, the sages returned home. With this we end the fight between the birds and also the story of Harishchandra. Is there anything you want us to tell you?

 

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Some More on This

The Tale of Vasishta and Vishvamitra (From Skanda Purana)

This story is there in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana.

What is narrated here is from Skanda Purana. The reason for that is, the story in Skanda Purana is more concise and to the point.

There is no difference in the core stories in the Puranas.

Interestingly both Vasishta and Vishvamitra are sages mentioned in Rigveda.

Vishvamitra was the king of the land. One day, Vishvamitra went hunting. He went into a forest full of wild animals and hunted and killed many there. Tired he was looking for shelter when he came across the ashrama sage Vasishta. The sage welcomed Vishvamitra and his soldiers. Vasishta the asked his holy cow to provide food for all, which the cow did. Vishvamitra asked Vasishta to give him the cow. Vasishta refused saying brahmans never gave away cows. Vishvamitra then tried to forcibly take the cow away. The cow called out to Vasishta for help. The sage said he had not given her away. Hearing this, the cow produced an army who defeated Vishvamitra's army. Vishvamitra then attacked the cow and was defeated. He then tried to attack Vasishta who showed him the power of spirituality by freezing him.

Vishvamitra went home, crowned his son as king and renounced everything to become a sage.

Initially Vishvamitra wanted to become a sage, gain powers and make an end of Vasishta, but much later he realized the power of spirituality and became a sage.

 

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Killing of Vasishta's Sons

The killing of Vasishta's sons is mentioned in Mahabharata in Adi Parva. This story is told to the Pandavas, just before they go the Swayam Vara, where Arjun marries Draupadi. This story is in a sub parva called Chaitrarathaparva.

This is a continuation of the initial story of Vasishta and Vishvamitra.

There was a king called Kalmashapada. One day, he went hunting. Hungry and thirsty he was looking for shelter. He stood in the forest, exhausted. The spot where he was standing was a path for the travellers. Shakti, son of Vasishta, was passing that way. He saw the king and asked him to step away and give way. The king refused saying as the king, he had the right of the way. Hearing this, Shakti said, a brahman should have that right. Angry, the king hit Shakti with his whip.

Angry at being hit, Shakti cursed the king to become a rakshasa and left. Vishvamitra had been around and had heard this. He saw how Shakti cursed the king. Vishvamitra saw this his opportunity. HE summoned a rakshasa called Kinkara (literally means servant) and asked him to possess the king. The king was possessed. He somehow reached home. A brahman was on the way who asked the king for food. The king asked him to wait saying he would get some meat and serve that.

He asked his cook to prepare meat, and as there was no meat, the king asked him to serve the brahman human flesh. The cook went to the royal executioners, got some human flesh and prepared that. The dish was served to the brahman. The brahman, realizing what he had been served, cursed the king to become a man-eating rakshasa.

One day, the king was in the forest when he came across Shakti. He remembered the curse and said it was because of him that he had to suffer. Saying this, he killed Shakti and ate him.

Vishvamitra then lured the king towards Vasishta and said his sons also needed to be killed. Following Vishvamitra's order, Kalmashapada killed the other sons of Vasishta.

 

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Philosophical Aspects

Dharma and Adharma are beyond Appearances. What seemed like a punishment (for Harishchandra) was in fact a path to liberation.

Despite being enlightened sages, both Vasishta and Vishvamitra fall into ego-driven conflict. Their identification with their pride and old grudges reflects the danger of spiritual arrogance.

Vasishta’s curse arises from personal grief and moral outrage. Vishvamitra retaliates from pride and wounded righteousness.

Vasishta’s 12-year meditation underwater signifies withdrawal from the world, but also detachment from time and space. Yet he is not free from anger.

Becoming birds symbolizes regression into primal instinct. Cranes and herons, often seen as calm and meditative birds, become agents of destruction.

Their battle shakes the earth. This signifies how personal conflicts can have societal consequences.

The crane and heron are birds associated with stillness and apparent meditation. The "crane meditating while catching fish" is a classic Indian metaphor for false spirituality. Ironically, both sages embody it in their bird forms, revealing their own hypocrisy.

Their expansion into giant forms reflects inflated egos.

The environmental turmoil is reflection of the inner turmoil.

 

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The Fight Between Adi and Baka

The Markandeya Purana mentions the birds as Adi and Baka. Adi (आडी)

There is an old metaphorical expression used in poetic traditions— “Adi, Baka yuddha”—which actually means "A massive battle with no outcome" or "A huge effort leading to nothing significant"

It is a mockery of pompous arguments or rivalries, something like “much ado about nothing.”

The sages resolve nothing through their battle.

• Crane signifies Reactive aggression; beware the false sage who appears serene.
• Heron signifies Long-held pride.
• The Battle between the two is a fight between inflated egos.

Harishchandra's Ultimate Test & Ascension (Markandeya Purana Pt 3)

   

Table of Contents

   

     
• At the Cremation Ground
     
• Recognition and Shared Grief
     
• Despair and the Decision
     
• Divine Intervention and Restoration
     
• Harishchandra's Selflessness for His Subjects
     
• Ascension to Heaven
     
• The Significance of Harishchandra's Story

Jaimini was listening to the birds. They continued with the story.

Links to the previous parts Part 1 and Part 2

At the cremation ground

"The woman who had come to the cremation ground was a picture of destitution. With no one to help her, she had come on her own, bringing her son with her. Her son had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Her face looked aged beyond her years. Years of servitude in the brahman's house had changed her looks. She was none other than Shaivya. She was distracted, her eyes vacant with shock and sorrow. She was continuously crying, calling out to her dead son. She saw Harishchandra there. Harishchandra also saw her. They could not recognize her. She looked at the chandala and said, "This is my son. He was his father's beloved. They used to play games together and today fate has taken the son away from his father. It has been a year since I have seen my husband. How do I inform the unfortunate father, that his son is no more?""

"Harishchandra saw the dead boy. All he could think of was his fee and the cloth that the body was covered with. It looked like a nice blanket. He thought of taking it and went near Shaivya. His matted hair, his ash-smeared stinking body, and the grief he had suffered had changed his appearance completely. He looked the body. It would be a young boy, seven eight years old. He was lying on a black cloth. His skin appeared discoloured. There were visible marks on his leg where the boy had been bitten."

"Harishchandra looked at the boy, lying on the ground and said, "It must be a very unfortunate person who has lost a son as good looking as this. What family does he belong to? Who is his father? Even in death he looks so handsome. He looks to be someone who was born in a noble family. Unless Vishvamitra cursed him or something happened, my own son would have been this old."."

"Shaivya did not hear what Harishchandra had said. She was crying, "What sin did I commit that I had to see this day? I had to bring my son's dead body, alone to the cremation ground? My husband, where are you? I am in pain, in misery and I am all alone. O Vishnu, why are you silent? Help me. What have you done to the great Harishchandra? He lost his kingdom, he lost his people, he lost his wife and son. ""

Recognition and Shared Grief

"Hearing his name being taken, Harishchandra sat on the ground. He struggled to fully grasp the identity of the grieving woman. He began looking closely at the body and recognized it as his son. "Who is this woman who is crying for the loss of her son? Is this my wife Shaivya? Is the boy on the ground, my son? "

He began crying, taking the name of Rohitasva and Shaivya. Hearing her name and her son's name being called, Shaivya saw the chandala, holding on to the corpse and crying away. She looked and recognized her husband. The moment she realized this, her grief and the shock made her lose her sense. She collapsed. Seeing her faint, Harishchandra also lost his senses. They lay there in the dust, amidst the burning pyres, near the body of Rohitasva."

Despair and the Decision

"It was some time before they both regained their senses. They looked around. Where was she? Shaivya wondered. She then saw a chandala sitting next to her. She was momentarily in shock and then realized. This was her husband. Harishchandra also understood the reality. His beloved son was no more, as Yama had said in the dream. He wanted to hug his son, but his role as a chandala was preventing him from touching the body. Even in his grief, Harishchandra was particular about dharma. He wanted to lift the boy in his arms and grieve but his duty was not letting him. Sitting there, he cried, "My son. You look as you are sleeping. Get up. This is not a place to sleep. This is a ground where the dead are brought to be cremated. You should not be here. Get up. Come to me. Remember when you used to come running to me? Who will come to me when I call out? Come, call out to me. Whom will I scold now, for climbing on my lap with dusty clothes? Why am I crying? I should not be. Afterall, I sold you and gave you away. I have no right over you. It is because of me all this is happening."

He was not able to control himself any more. He took the lifeless body in his arms.

Shaivya was looking at Harishchandra. She was wondering what had happened to the king, what had made him become a chandala? Body covered in ash, matted hair and holding a thick staff? She forgot her own grief. She was looking at the man in front of her, crying uncontrollably, holding their son. She forgot why she was there, in the cremation ground. She cried out, look at the sky, "Shame on you, the gods, that prayed to. What have you done? Why? The king who remained true to his duty, and you made him an outcaste? He lost his kingdom, his family and this is what he got as a result of that? "

Looking at her husband she said, "Take me in your arms, my husband. You are a king. I am your delicate queen. Make sure I am protected. Make sure your son is safe. Talk to me. Where is your throne? Where are your guards? Remember when kings would come to you for protection and would act as your guards. And today, see where we are! In a field on the banks of Ganges where there is nothing but death. I see bons, I see pots, I see dogs, jackals and chandalas. Where are we? It is dark. The sun has set and, in this place, now, my husband lives."

She got up and went and hugged her husband. She held on to him and began sobbing. She then said, "Is this real? Are we really here or am I in Ayodhya having a nightmare? I am confused. Please tell me all that is happening here, is not true. If this is true and this is destiny then fie on dharma, if this is what dharma leads you to. There is no point in worshipping any god or anyone for that matter. What will we get from that? This?"

Harishchandra then told her all that had happened from the time he had sold her to the present day including the nightmare. HE said, "Both of us want our son back to life. Let us pray to Yama. Let us ask him to return our son back to us. I am not sure if Yama will listen to a chandala. There is a better way, let us go where our son has gone. I cannot even do that. I have a master from whom I have to take permission. If he permits then I can. If he does not, I will be caught in cycles of life and death, living multiple low lives. I had some hope that one day Rohitasva would make a life for himself and now that hope is also lost. I am not sure what to do. If I live here, I will grieve for my son. Is that better than the low lives I will have, if I kill myself? No, it is not. Shaivya, I have made up my mind. Today, I will prepare the funeral pyre for my son. I will prepare it with my own hands. I will sit on that, holding my son. I will go where he has gone. I do not see any other option left. Go back to the house of the brahmana, Live there. As you were a king's wife once, do not show disrespect to the brahmana or his family. Serve him and when you leave this earth, maybe we will meet. If I have been good in my life, then we will meet for sure. Do forgive me if I have ever hurt you, even jokingly. If you wish, there is another option. You could join me, with our son."

Shaivya said, "I will not be able to live a life alone, after you and our son are gone. Along with you, I will also sit in the pyre and we will see what happens."

Harishchandra did not know how to react. He was sad that this is what things had come to. He agreed to have her join the pyre."

Divine Intervention and Restoration

"The sky was dark. It was middle of the night.

Harishchandra brought the wood and other material that would be needed for the funeral pyre. He built the piles of wood. He lit a torch and placed it near the pyre. He then kept the body of his son on the pyre. He then climbed up and carefully helped Shaivya on to the pyre. Once they had sat down, Harishchandra began praying. He prayed to Narayana before he would set fire to the pyre. He finished his prayer and picked up the torch. He was about to light the pyre when something happened. The dark sky changed. It suddenly began bright. From the sky, gods began descending. They came and asked Harishchandra to stop saying, “All gods and heavenly beings have come here to bless you. Vishvamitra himself has come here to be your friend. Stop what you are about to do.

Yama came forward and said, "Know me as Dharma. I am pleased with you. You are truly blessed, Harishchandra. No one else could have done what you did. You faced adversities and came out strong. You controlled your own desires, emotions and always stood by truth. " Indra said, "With your wife and son, you have earned a place in heaven which no other human has been able to achieve. Come to heaven with us. Your days of suffering are over. You have no reason to grieve. Your son is alive." The moment Indra said this, Rohitasva sat up. Harishchandra hugged his son. As soon as he held his son, all of them underwent a physical change. They were dressed in beautiful clothes and they looked divine. The cremation ground was no longer there and instead of it, stood a divine place. The site of death had changed to a place of life."

Harishchandra's Selflessness for His Subjects

"Harishchandra said, "O king of gods, I am grateful to you. I may have changed my appearance but I am still a servant of a chandala. I cannot go anywhere without his permission." The moment he said this, Yama said, "Harishchandra said, you have nothing to worry about. I had come to you as Pravira. Vishvamitra knew what was happening. You have earned a place in heaven."

Indra said. "What I am offering you is not something mortals get. Consider my offer. Come to heaven with your son and wife. You have earned that place by your own deeds and merits."

Harishchandra said, "O Indra, I am not sure how to express my gratitude. As you have bestowed upon me this privilege, I want to say something. When I left Ayodhya, the people of Ayodhya tried to stop me. They were willing to come with leaving their homes. Like I suffered, they too suffered in my absence, not knowing when I would be back or what would happen to them. The time I spent outside Ayodhya was an exile for them also. If I have earned a place in heaven then let them also ascend to heaven with me. I cannot leave those behind, who suffered for me. That is not dharma. If that is not possible, let me be where I am. I will never be happy knowing that I betrayed my people."

Indra said that was not feasible. After all it was the good deeds of the king and not the people. "You earned the state of heaven because of your deeds. While they may have suffered, what you went through, only we know. What you are asking for, is not possible Harishchandra."

Harischandra asked Indra, "What is a king when the subjects are not there? My dharma as a king is to be the protector of my people. Till I am alive, I will be with my subjects. You know me a king who did deeds not as a common person. If I have earned a position, my subjects also deserve a share. They need to accompany me also. If I have some good deeds in my list, let that be shared and distributed amongst my people. Let them come to heaven with me, even if it is for a day.". Indra agreed to this seeing the selfless nature of the king."

Ascension to Heaven

"Indra, Yama and Vishvamitra went to the city of Ayodhya along with Harishchandra, Shaivya and Rohitasva left the city of Varanasi for Ayodhya, riding chariots. Harishchandra stood there at the gates and was welcomed back to the city. He addressed the subjects. In presence of Harishchandra, Vishvamitra told the people, that because of the merits of their king, they all had earned a place in heaven. They could go to heaven along with their king. Everyone was happy to hear this. As soon as this was announced, beautiful looking chariots began to come down from the sky. There were numerous vehicles, all wonderful looking, the likes of which had never been seen on earth.

Vishvamitra greeted Harishchandra. His demeanour had changed. He was no longer stern and angry. He was very happy with Harishchandra. He took permission from Harishchandra and took Rohitasva inside the palace. He was brought before the people and it was announced that he, Rohita, would be crowned the king of Ayodhya. In the presence of the gods, Vishvamitra performed the ceremony for crowning Rohitasva. Once the ceremony was over, Harishchandra, Shaivya and the people of Ayodhya left for heaven in the chariots that had come for them.

And this, Jaimini is the story of Harishchandra. Such was his story that not only is heavens and earth, but even in other worlds, Shukracharya, the guru of the asuras, gave examples of Harishchandra saying there never was and there never will be another king like Harishchandra. This is not the end of the story. Listen as we tell you about the fight between two birds because of this."

Some more on this

Harishchandra is the ultimate archetype of truth and righteous conduct.

Shaivya’s cries are the real human response to suffering that appears undeserved.

Harishchandra's willingness to die with his son marks a renunciation of all worldly attachments. It is only after this complete abandonment that the gods descend.

"When all desires in the heart are renounced, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman." — Katha Upanishad 2.3.14

The cremation ground is a threshold between life and death. It is the place of:

• Final tests.
• Death of ego
• Dissolution of identity.
• Transformation and rebirth.

Harishchandra becomes a chandala, not as punishment, but to demonstrate that dharma transcends caste.

His insistence that his subjects too be allowed to ascend to heaven is an act of salvation. A king is not separate from his people. Dharma is public and shared.

This is a rare moment in Hindu mythology where the elite (a king) sacrifices individual moksha for collective good.

Vishvamitra turns from antagonist to friend: He was once the harshest tester of Harishchandra. His transformation shows that even adversaries are part of a divine play to uplift the soul.

 

This tale is all about:

• The cost of integrity.
• The trial of grief.
• The mysteries of divine justice.
• The ultimate unity of love, duty, and liberation.

this needs correction

Markandeya Purana: Harishchandra at the Cremation Ground (Part 2)

   

Table of Contents

   

     
• Vishvamitra’s Demand
     
• Selling Oneself
     
• An Unexpected Buyer
     
• Refusal and the Sage's Wrath
     
• Bound to the Chandala
     
• Life at the Cremation Ground
     
• The Nightmare
     
• Awakening
     
• The Next Trial
     
• Some More on This
   

 

Link to Part 1 of this tale. 

Jaimini was stunned. The king had to sell his wife. This was misfortune indeed. He asked the birds to continue telling the story of Harishchandra.

The birds continued.

Vishvamitra’s Demand

"Harishchandra was still looking at Shaivya and their son disappear into the city, along with the brahman. He never realized the presence of the sage. Vishvamitra stood there, waiting to be acknowledged. He bowed down to the sage and gave him the money he had got from the brahman.

Vishvamitra took the money and counted it. He said to Harishchandra, "What do you take me for? A beggar? Is this the Dakshina I was expecting from you? Remember the gift you gave me – your kingdom and your wealth. The Dakshina that you need to give me has to be proportionate to that. So, give me what is due to me. Do not try to cheat me. You talk about dharma, and is this what you give me? If you feel this is enough, then I will show my powers. I will curse you. Do you want me to?"

Harishchandra said, "Respected sage, I gave you what I got. I have not kept anything. I do not have anything else to give you. Please give me more time."

Vishvamitra looked at the sky and said, "Look, the sun will set in some time. You have exactly that time. Give me what I need by then. I will not wait beyond that time. I will not listen to any excuses, any pleas. I will be back soon."

Saying this, the sage took the money and left."

Selling Oneself

"Harishchandra looked at the sky. He was scared, he could not think of anything else to do. He decided to sell himself. Standing where he was, he said, "Is there anyone here who wants a servant? I am willing to be a servant to anyone who is willing to pay the correct amount. I do not have much time. A few minutes only.""

An Unexpected Buyer

""I need a servant", a voice said.

Harishchandra looked around. A man stood there. He was a chandala. His role was to take care of the cremation ground. Dead bodies were brought there, and he ensured that a proper fee was given before the cremation took place. He had a bad stench coming from his body. He had a beard and a huge bloated belly. His eyes were red. He was of a dark complexion. He was wearing garlands that he had picked up from the dead bodies in the cremation ground. He was holding a skull in one hand and a thick wooden stick in the other. He had some stray dogs following him who were barking at the people standing there.

"You look fit for the work I do. You will be suitable for me. Name your price. I will pay you that amount."

"Who are you?" asked Harishchandra. "I am a chandala. My name is Pravira. I live here, on the outskirts of the city. I take care of the dead in the cremation ground here. I take money from those who come to burn their dead. I also take the clothes, blankets, garlands and anything else that the corpses have on them.""

Refusal and the Sage's Wrath

"Harishchandra was willing to be a servant in a household but he could not bring himself to be a servant of a chandala and take care of the dead. He felt repulsed. He said to Pravira, "I was born in a royal household and I am not able to convince myself to be with you and accept your profession. Forgive me but I cannot be your servant. I would rather be cursed by the sage."

As soon as he said this, Vishvamitra came there. The sun had set. Vishvamitra asked for the money that was due to him. He had heard what was going on and said, "Harishchandra, you cannot be choosy. You owe me money and when that is being offered to you, you are refusing that. Why do you refuse to give me what is owed? You were born in the solar dynasty and that lineage and ancestry will not be there to protect you when I curse you."

Harishchandra fell at the feet of the sage and said, "Please have mercy on me. I am scared of your curse and I am not sure how I will be able to work with Pravira. The thought itself repulses me. And I am not able to stand the smell of burning corpses that coming from his body. How can I do this? Please tell me what alternate I have? Take me as your servant if you will have it. I will serve you."

Vishvamitra said then, "If you say you are my servant then this is what I have to say. As my servant, I am handing you over to Pravira. Serve him as his servant. Pravira, this is your servant. Now give me the amount that I want. Let me take that and leave.""

Bound to the Chandala

"Harishchandra saw there was no other option. He reluctantly agreed. Pravira gave the amount Vishvamitra asked for. Pravira said he had land that he owned. He said he would give the land to Vishvamitra as Dakshina for the kingdom. Vishvamitra agreed and went away. Harishchandra stood there watching the sage disappear into the city. Pravira seeing this, took his stick and struck Harishchandra. "We do not have time to waste. We have work to do. Come with me," Pravira said. He then held Harishchandra by his hand and took him to his house. Harishchandra quietly went with Pravira. The house was near the cremation ground. He was shown a corner. "This will be the place where you will sleep. You will have to arrange for your food yourself. Rest today and we will start from tomorrow." Harishchandra's new life started."

Life at the Cremation Ground

"Every day Harishchandra thought about his wife and son. His every waking hour was spent thinking what they would be doing. He was in a way happy that Shaivya did not know her husband was working for a chandala. She would not be able to bear this. She probably held on to a distant hope that one day her husband would come and free her. He would think of the happy days he had spent and then he would shudder at the thought of how he had to sell her and their son. Maybe that is why he had become a chandala. He probably deserved this.

The job that Harishchandra had to perform was something he detested. As there was no fixed time for death, he worked day and night. He learnt from Pravira how to remove garments from the dead. He was shown how to divide the rewards that was earned from burning the dead. Half would go to Pravira. Out of the remaining, one third would go to the king of Varanasi and the rest was his to keep. Though he had been given a place to stay, Harishchandra spent his days in the cremation ground. It was in the south of Varanasi, on the banks of the river Ganga. There was a sickening smell there from the burning of bodies and decaying body parts. This attracted animals like jackals, dogs and vultures who fought amongst themselves to steal bones, entrails or whatever they could find. Apart from the smoke of the pyres, the stench, the animals there was the crying of the relatives. Not all bodies burnt properly and the half-burnt corpses presented a grotesque picture, with melted features and animals pulling on them.

Not sure when but slowly Harishchandra got used to this life. He began to forget his days as the king of Ayodhya. He wore garments that he collected from the dead. His body was covered in ash from the pyres. His body gave off a foul smell, stained with fat, oil and marrow from the corpses. He ate what was offered to the dead. For jewels, he decked himself with garlands that he would pick up from the corpses. As he had to work round the clock, he barely slept. He would sometimes doze off and then suddenly wake up, in cold sweat.

Time passed in this manner and Harishchandra had spent a year working for Pravira."

The Nightmare

"One day he was really tired. He was not able to walk any further. He wanted sit and rest. No one had come to the cremation ground. There was a huge banyan tree in the ground, which was considered holy. Harishchandra went and sat near the tree. It was day time and a beautiful breeze was blowing from the river. He never realized when he dozed off and had a nightmare.

He dreamt he was a different person living in a different family. He was going to a guru who had demanded a Dakshina. He had worked hard and had been able to pay off the Dakshina to his guru. After paying the debt he had died and was destined to be born as a chandala. Even in the womb of the chandala woman, he remembered his dharma and promised he would spend a righteous life. He was then born a chandala. He grew up, learning how to work with the corpses that were brought to the cremation ground, from an early age. One day, when he would have been around seven years old, a corpse of a poor brahman was brought to be cremated. As the chandala child, Harishchandra being duty bound, said he would not allow the corpse to be burnt without paying a fee. When the relatives of the dead brahman heard this, they started shouting at the boy, "All this talk about duty is all because of Vishvamitra. It is because of the sage that you who were a king once has now become a chandala boy. He cursed you and any merits that you had were lost and you had to take birth in this form. You are saying you are duty bound. What duty is it that makes you act in this manner. We curse you. Fall from earth immediately and go to a terrible hell and stay there."

The moment the brahmans said this, it became pitch dark. The brahmans vanished and two beings arrived there. They were messengers of Yama. They caught hold of the boy Harishchandra, tied a rope around his waist and began dragging him away. Being dragged, the boy began screaming in fear and pain. The messengers pulled him and threw him into hell. He was thrown in a tub full of hot oil. Taken from there, he was cut with saws. Then his body was thrown in a tub full of blood. This carried on for seven years and the boy chandala grew up, facing the torment of hell. While the hell remained the same, the punishments varied. Sometimes he was thrown directly in fire instead of hot oil. After seven years of suffering the punishments and torture of hell he was thrown back to earth. He was then born as a dog that ate filth to survive. After being a dog he was born as a donkey where he had to bear burden. He died and became an elephant. As the elephant, he was captured and made to carry weight. He died and became a monkey. Births and rebirths continued like this and in each life, he was tortured and died as a result of that. After lives like this, he found himself born a king. He lived a life gambling away everything and became a pauper. He had lost his kingdom and began roaming in the forests, running around to escape from the people whom he owed money. Running like this, one day he came face to face with a lion. The lion caught him and began tearing him apart. He cried out to his family and saw that they were also suffering.

He then found himself in heaven and there he saw Shaivya being dragged away, asking for help. He stood there helpless and found himself being dragged by the messengers of death, who caught hold of him. "Vishvamitra went to Yama and put in a word for you. Yama has sent for you. We have come to take you to Yama." They dragged Harishchandra away from the heaven where he was. He fell from heaven and landed back in hell.

Instead of landing in a tub of oil, he found himself standing in front of Yama. Yama was tall, dark and held a thick staff in his hand. Yama was talking to a person who was recounting the deeds that Harishchandra had performed. They spoke about his birth as a king, then as a chandala, various animals and then as a gambler king. They were talking about how he had a glimpse of heaven after which he had been brought in front of Yama. Yama said, "You do not know what has happened. You angered Vishvamitra and for twelve years you never bothered to find out what your wife and son were doing. Because of Vishvamitra's curse, your son is no more. Go back to earth. You need to stay on earth for twelve years as a chandala and then you will be freed." Pointing to the messengers, Yama said, "Send him back.""

Awakening

"The messengers then caught hold of Harishchandra and pushed him. He found himself falling and then suddenly realized. It was all a dream. He had fallen on the ground. How long had he been asleep? He had no idea. He asked the other chandalas who worked there, "You see me every day, when is the last time you saw me? How long has it been?" Some said it had been twelve years, some said they were not sure."

The Next Trial

"Harishchandra began praying to the gods. "Please keep my son safe. Please keep Shaivya safe. That is all I ask for. O Indra, king of gods, protect my family." Saying this, he got back to his work in the cremation ground, still thinking about the dream. Had this been a reality? He was wondering when a woman came there. She was dirty, thin and tired. She was carrying the body of a young boy. The boy was dead, having been bitten by a snake."

Some More on This

Harishchandra’s commitment to truth and duty is put through severe tests. He doesn’t just give up material comforts, he abandons his identity and steps into a world that strips him of status, pride, and dignity. He proves that dharma must be upheld even when all outer supports vanish.

The dream sequence traces multiple lifetimes which is the doctrine of birth and rebirth where each action carries consequences beyond a lifetime.

The journey through various births dramatizes the inexorability of karma, and that liberation is not a reward for power or ritual purity, but for deep inner alignment with dharma.

The Cremation Ground is a liminal space between life and death. Harishchandra being there signifies he is undergoing spiritual burning. The cremation ground is where ego dies and realization dawns.

Vishvamitra here is playing the role of the guru-as-destroyer. He burns away falsehood. He forces Harishchandra to renounce identity. Without Vishvamitra’s cruelty, Harishchandra’s spiritual ascent would not happen.

This challenges the reader to reconsider the nature of truth and identity. Through suffering, Harishchandra becomes a mirror for us all and reminds us that true dharma begins when everything else is lost.

Harishchandra: The King's Vow and First Sacrifice (From Markandeya Purana)

   

Table of Contents

   

       
• Introduction
       
• The Price of Truth
       
• The Journey to Varanasi
       
• Confrontation at the City Gates
       
• Despair and a Desperate Solution
       
• The Agonizing Decision
       
• The Looming Deadline
       
• Harishchandra Sells His Wife and Son
       
• Some more on this
   

Introduction

Jaimini was listening to the birds. He then spoke. "I thank you for answering my questions in details. I am intrigued by what you told me about Harishchandra. He was a great king and he has been referred to in the Mahabharata. I have heard he was a righteous king who had the credit of being the only living king who got a place in the heavens, with the gods. I am concerned for him. What happened to him after this? Was he able to return to his former state? Do tell me what happened to him. I want to hear about Harishchandra." The birds began telling the story, continuing from where they had stopped.

---

 

The Price of Truth

"We told you how the sage claimed the king's entire kingdom and demanded the Dakshina for accepting the kingdom. He had given the king a month's time to produce this Dakshina, threatening him with severe consequences if he failed. To ensure their immediate departure and to further test the king's detachment, the sage drove them out of the city, resorting to beating them with a stick to ensure they left quickly. He also cursed the gods who showed sympathy for the king."

---

The Journey to Varanasi

"Harishchandra was wearing rough garments made of bark. He walked on dusty roads with Shaivya and their son. Shaivya who was used to walking on soft carpets was now walking behind her husband, bare footed, holding their son's hand, who had no idea why they were on the road, why they were not going home.

They left Ayodhya and decided to go to the city of Varanasi. They walked, relying on strangers for food or fruit trees on the way. They drank from streams and slept in the open, under trees. Their dignity did not let them beg and there were days when they went hungry. Harishchandra's face was now full of worry lines. They looked frail and vulnerable. It took them a month and finally they reached the outskirts of Varanasi. This was no ordinary city. This city was 'Avimukta', the city that was never abandoned by Shiva, who had created this wonderful place. This city was a place of spiritual significance. They hoped to stay there, find a way to earn money and repay the sage. As they prepared to step through the city gates, they heard someone call out. "Harishchandra". This was surprising. Who knew them there? Also, Harishchandra did not expect anyone to recognize him in the state he was. He walked on and saw someone calling out to him. It was Vishvamitra."

---

Confrontation at the City Gates

"The surprise of seeing Vishvamitra gave way to humility and righteousness. Despite the suffering he was enduring, Harishchandra bowed down. Then joining his hands in salutation he said, "Please let me know how we can serve you. Please choose whom you would want, among us, to take care of you."

"Harishchandra", the sage said, "You spoke about dharma and promise. Where is that? A month has passed since the day you left Ayodhya. You were to give me my Dakshina. You set that time of one month. I did not force you. Now that the time is over, give me what I am owed."

Harishchandra said, "Respected sage, I have been on the road with my family and not a single day has gone when I have not thought about how to repay you. I have kept track of time and today is the last day. After the day ends, the month will actually complete. So, give me time till then. Please wait for half a day." Vishvamitra said, "I will wait for that period. I will let you alone now and I will come back again. Arrange for my Dakshina by then." With that, Vishvamitra turned walked away, entering the holy city. Harishchandra stood at the gates with his wife and son."

---

Despair and a Desperate Solution

"They spotted a fallen tree nearby and went and sat there. Harishchandra looked at the sky. He was thinking. "How will I give the sage his Dakshina. He wants wealth and I have none. I am a stranger in the city and I have no friends here who will stand for me and give me money. That also will be begging and Harishchandra will never beg come what may. I will not bring down my family name by resorting to that. What do I do? Where should I go? How do I get the money that the sage is owed? Let me kill myself. Then what will that achieve? I will end up with the sin of killing myself. And on top of that, there will be the sin of stealing what was due to a brahmin. Afterall, the sage needs his Dakshina. Doing this will make me be born as a lowly creature, may be a worm or even worse. No, that is not an option. I think I should sell myself. I do not see any other option."

He looked down at the ground. Looked around, hoping for a miracle. Thinking of a way to get the money to pay the sage.

Shaivya had been looking at her husband. She said to him, "I can understand what you are going through. Having lived with you as your wife, I have come to understand you. Give up the thoughts that haunt you. We need to be practical. You are not alone in this. I am there with you. I will not let you go back on your word. I will do what I can to protect your truth. What use is your education, your deeds, donations if you give up on your promise? Remember one thing, however bitter it may be, truth will lead you to salvation. It will give you freedom. Let not wavering from your path by not fulfilling one promise, bring your name down. I want to say something to you, I am not sure if I should say that in front of our son, who is oblivious to what is going around him."

Harishchandra said, "O beautiful one, I am so grateful that I have you as my wife. Our son is playing in the grass, near the tree where we are sitting. He is more interested in his games. Even if he hears what we have to say, it is better he understands reality. Do speak what is in your mind."

She was in grief, but controlling her emotions, Shaivya said, "Please try to understand what I am saying. When you married me, you wanted a wife to give you companionship and more, to give you a son. There are many kings that we know of, in history, who have had multiple wives for having a son. I gave you company in your life as the king of Ayodhya. I gave you a child who can carry your name forward. My role is over. Listen to me and hear what I am going to tell you. Sell me. With the money that you will get from the act, pay the sage, and then leave, taking our son.""

---

The Agonizing Decision

"“How could you even say such a thing," Harishchandra said and got up from the tree trunk on which he was sitting. He was weak, and this was an emotional setback. He was not able to stand steadily and he fell on the ground. Lying on the ground, he broke down. He said, "Shaivya, I am hurt by what you have just said. What do you take me to be? I have not forgotten the day when you came to Ayodhya and became my wife. I have not forgotten how you took time to adjust to the new life. I have not forgotten how you would smile and wake me up. I have not forgotten anything. How can you say such a thing. I will not be able to perform this act. I will not be able to sell you." Saying this, Harishchandra became quiet. Seeing her husband on the ground, Shaivya sat on the ground and began to fan him with her garment. She then said, "Alas my lord, what days have come. The king of Ayodhya who would lie on luxurious beds is now lying on bare ground in a strange city."

She stood up and said, "You had donated cattle and wealth to the needy and this is the result of that? How could a person like you have to suffer like this? Answer me O gods - why is this king, who has always been true to his dharma, have to suffer in this manner? He is my Indra, my Vishnu. And this lord of mine, now rolls in the dust."

She could not stand long and fell on the ground."

---

The Looming Deadline

"Rohitasva, who had been playing looked around, He saw his parents on the ground. He was not sure what was going. He tried to push them, to get them to stand up, sit up, but they were not responding. He got scared and began crying. Someone answered his cries. Vishvamitra came there. He saw the king and queen lying on the ground. They seemed to be senseless. Grief and exhaustion seemed to have done this to them. Vishvamitra had some cool water of Ganga in his water pot. He took some and sprinkled that on them, all the time muttering in anger, "All that I have to do, for my Dakshina. Get up. Give me my Dakshina."

Revived, Harishchandra looked up and saw the sage. The reality of his situation, the impossible Dakshina, the sage's anger and seeing his wife and child suffering rushed back to him. He became senseless again. This angered the sage. He had come there angry, and was expecting a Dakshina. Seeing Harishchandra become senseless again was too much for this. He began shouting there, "Harishchandra, you talk about dharma. If you truly believe in that, then give me what is due to me. You made a promise to me. Keep your word. Fulfil your promise. You may have done many good deeds in your life, but not keeping your promise this one time, will bring your name down for ever. Do you want that to happen? You are an evil person, Harishchandra. If you intended to give me my Dakshina, you would have found out a way by now. Listen to me. I know you can hear me. You have time till sunset. If you do not give me what is due to me, I will curse you. Your name, your family's name all will vanish if I decide to curse you. Do not let that happen. Let me have my money by sunset. Remember what I said." Saying this, Vishvamitra turned and left the place. Slowly, Harishchandra sat up, holding on to the tree trunk. It was afternoon. In a few hours the sun would set. Already a cool breeze was blowing around, probably coming from the river. He said, "See my condition. I am going to become responsible for bringing the name of my family down. I think wealth is everything. If you have money, people come to you. If you are poor, you are ignored." Shaivya who had sat up herself said, "Listen to me, my lord. Do not argue. We do not have much time. We have to pay the sage. If you do not, he will curse you. It will put your lineage in shame. What will your ancestors think? Think of what I had said to you earlier. Do that."

Harishchandra looked at Shaivya. She had been crying, seeing her husband's state. He thought for a while and then taking a deep breath, he sighed and said, "I do not see any other option, my dear. Let people hear about me. Let them say how cruel I was that I agreed to your words. I will do what you told me to. I will sell you. I have never heard of any other person who had sold his wife. I will be the first one to do so. Forgive me, my dear wife. I am not sure what other option I have.""

---

Harishchandra Sells His Wife and Son

"He got up slowly. Then he stood for a moment. Feeling that he would be able to independently walk, he entered the city. People looked at him wondering who he was. They saw a handsome, shabby person with an overgrown beard, long hair dressed in rags. Along with him was a beautiful woman, dusty, tired holding the hand of a young boy. Harishchandra looked around. A market was in session. He went there and shouted as loudly as he could manage. "Listen to me citizens of the city of Shiva. I have to come to you with a request. Do not ask me who I am, where I come from or why I am here. You may have heard of demons in stories. See one in front of you today. I will not say more about myself. Who here is in the need for a maid servant? Is there anyone? I have a woman here with me. I am offering her as a maid servant for anyone who is willing to pay the correct price for that. Let that person come forward." Saying this Harishchandra stopped for breath. An elderly brahman was standing there. He heard what the king had to say. He wanted a maid servant. His wife was sick most of the days, and he wanted a person who could carry on with the household duties. He came forward and said, "I live here in the city of Varanasi. I am rich and I know the price. I will take the woman who is with you as my maid servant. If you are willing and the woman is willing, let us go through the sale."

Harishchandra could not say a single word. He stood there like a pillar. The brahman did not bother. He counted the amount that he thought was the correct price, took that, put it in a piece of cloth and tying it in a bundle, he put that in Harishchandra's hand and began walking away. Shaivya stood there looking at her husband. Seeing her not following him, the brahman went and caught hold of her hair and began pulling her like an animal.

Rohitasva saw this. He saw a stranger pull his mother by hair and forcibly ask her to go with him. He began crying. Harishchandra was not sure what was going. He tried to push his father, get him to respond. When he saw nothing was happening, Rohitasva ran behind his mother. He managed to go and catch hold of Shaivya's garment. She said to the boy, "Do not pull me, my son. I am a servant woman, Go back to your mother. You are royalty and should not be touching me. Go to your father."

The boy refused to let go. The brahman seeing the child stopping them from proceeding kicked out at the boy. The boy cried out to his mother. Shaivya then said to the brahman, "I beg of you. Please do not separate me from this child. Please show kindness. I am his mother. If you separate me from him, I will be thinking about him all the time and will not be able to do anything. Buy the child. He will be of help in the household and I can perform my tasks, not having to worry about him."

The brahman stopped. He thought getting the boy meant a helping hand for his worship. He accepted the deal. He counted some coins and put that in Harishchandra's hands. Then taking a rope, he tied Shaivya and Rohitashva together and started dragging them along with him.

Harishchandra watched his wife and son being taken away from him. Realizing what he had done, he sat down on the ground He began crying, "Shaivya was always a delicate one. She refused to come out of her chambers if it was too windy or if it rained. Today she is being dragged away like an animal to work as a servant in a brahman's house. All because I sold her. I am here alive, seeing all this. "

When Harishchandra was crying Vishvamitra arrived there."

---

Some more on this

There is tension between truth, righteous duty and the worldly realities of suffering and loss. Harishchandra is an example for whom dharma is more sacred than anything. His wife supports him and offers herself into bondage.

In Mahabharata (Anushasan Parva), Yudhishthira is compared to Harishchandra.

Harishchandra appears in Devi Bhagwat Purana also and his story is there in the seventh book of the Purana.

Varanasi is the city of Shiva. Shiva is the lord of renunciation. Harishchandra’s journey from Ayodhya (his kingdom) to Varanasi (a place for spiritual renunciation) is symbolic of a pilgrimage from royal power to purification of the soul. In the Shiva Purana, Varanasi is described as a city where liberation is assured.

Vishvamitra symbolizes divine testing. In many Puranas, gods and sages test humans. The sage's harshness is that of an examiner testing his student.

Is Suffering always a trial and a path for redemption? Job from the Bible is a righteous man who refuses to curse God and suffers. Harishchandra accepts humiliation and separation from his family without ever forsaking his dharma. In the end Job is blessed.

Shaivya is an archetype of the divine female. Without her resolve, Harishchandra’s vow would collapse. She is dharma’s hidden pillar.

Markandeya Purana: Answer to the fourth question : The Story of Harishchandra, Vishvamitra, and the Cursed Demigods

Table of Contents

• The Inquiry Begins
• A Royal Hunt
• An Omen in the Forest
• The Shadow of Malice
• The Sage and the Disturbed Meditation
• A King's Duty
• The Demand for a Gift and Dakshina
• The Arrival of the Queen and Prince
• The Ultimate Sacrifice: The Kingdom Demanded
• Exile
• The People's Plea
• Shaivya's Suffering
• The Curse and the Answer to Jaimini's Question
• Some more on this

Links to Answers to Question1 , Question 2, Question 3. 

The Inquiry Begins

Jaimini was amazed. He had heard about Balarama's story but he was not aware of the details. The birds were really gifted. He was now ready to listen to the answer to his question about the sons of the Pandavas.

The birds began answering the question.

---

A Royal Hunt

“It was early summer. King Harishchandra had decided to take their young son Rohitasva on his first hunt. Shaivya was not pleased. “A hunt? In this sun?” she asked. “Is it necessary?”

Harishchandra laughed. “You need not come, my queen. This is but for the boy and his father.”

But Shaivya refused to stay behind. “If Rohitasva is to be brave, so is his mother.”

As the chariot rumbled over the forest path, Shaivya sat inside, shaded by curtains. Her feet were resting on a cushion. Not half an hour into the forest, she began to sigh.

“Oh, the dust,” she murmured, "What kind of a sport is this? If the gods wished queens to follow hunts, they would have made the sun softer and would have made the paths silken.”

Harishchandra laughed.”

---

An Omen in the Forest

“Just then something moved in the bushes. A deer leapt into view. It froze mid-step, ears twitching.

Harishchandra raised his hand. “Stay still,” he said.

The deer sensing trouble, ran away.

Ayodhya prospered under the rule of their king, Harishchandra. The people trusted him completely. Rains were great, fields gave good produce. Rivers were full. Everyone in the kingdom was everyone. Harishchandra was a king but he was also human. He wanted a break. He had thereby organized a hunt and spend a day, away from royal duties and spend time in the forest with his wife Shivya and son Rohitasva.

So, he had come to the forest, bringing with him a small retinue, his son, and his wife.

Another movement in the bushes. A beautiful deer stepped lightly into a small clearing. Harishchandra’s fingers moved instinctively. He lifted his bow.

“It is so lovely. I hope it lives” Shaivya thought. Rohitashva watched his father.

Just as Harishchandra was about to pick an arrow from his quiver arrow, a sharp human voice ripped through the trees. It was a scream. A woman’s scream.

“Help me! Save me!”

The deer bolted. Harishchandra froze. He jumped down from the chariot with a sword in his hand. He looked around and asking Shaivya and Rohitasva to not move, he ran towards the direction, from which the scream had come.

"Be careful," Shivya said.”

---

The Shadow of Malice

“In the trees nearby a shadow passed. It was the shadow of dark intention. It had just one objective - cause malice. Once the king of Hemavati, Abhinandana, was performing a sacrifice. Indra asked a demon to destroy the sacrifice. This demon had been created to create obstacles and was called Vighnasura. The shadow in the forest was none other than this demon. He was happy to hear the sound. Screams delighted him. He flew around, mixing in the air, wanting to see what was the source of the scream. He then saw Harishchandra running in the same direction. He had to stop the king. He approached the king and sat of his shoulder. Vighnasura was like a shadow and the king never realized when this demon had tried to corrupt his thinking. “

---

The Sage and the Disturbed Meditation

“Harishchandra trying to locate the source of the sound came across a clearing. A sage was sitting there in front of a fire. This was none other than Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra had been once humbled by sage Vasistha. Now Vishvamitra wanted to prove himself superior. He had started worshipping Shiva and had obtained a boon whereby he would be able to control energies and sciences not known to mankind. Blessed by Shiva, Vishvamitra had taken a vow of silence and had invoked those energies. Not used to be being controlled, the energies had begun screaming in a woman's voice. “

---

A King's Duty

“"Stop", Harishchandra shouted. "Who are you? Why are you torturing women here? Dressed as sage, who are you? Stop this instant. If you do not, I will put an end to you. "

Harishchandra's words angered Vishvamitra. He had been working on controlling his emotions and the king's words had irked him. The moment anger entered Vishvamitra, the energies vanished. Seeing his work was done, Vighnasura also left Harishchandra.

"How could you do this? are you not the king here? do you not have respect for sages? you barged in, disturbed my meditation and accused me. How could you? You who have the name of Hari in Harischandra, how could you, of all people, do something like this?"

Harishchandra was suddenly scared. How could this happen? What had he done? He was about to turn back, when the sage now shouted, "Stop. Do not show your back to me."

Harishchandra stopped. He sat down on the ground and prostrated himself before the sage. he then said, "Forgive me, great sage. I did what I felt was my right. Protection is my dharma. I was not arrogant. All that I said was because of my duty. They say a king should fight when needed and gift when that is needed. I heard a cry for help. I thought someone was in trouble and came to help them. That is all I did."”

---

The Demand for a Gift and Dakshina

“Vishvamitra knew he had the king under his control. He then said, "You said you need to protect and you also need to gift. Whom should you protect and whom should you gift? If you are as wise and righteous as you say you are answer me. If you say you gift the brahmans, then I am one. Here, in front of you. So, give me a gift. You are also a scholarly person and you know that along with a gift, the brahman also needs to be given a Dakshina. So, give me what I want. If you do that, you are free to leave this place. "

Harishchandra felt relieved. He had thought the sage would curse him and his dynasty. Giving a gift would please the sage. He would give the sage what was asked for. He said to Vishvamitra, "O Sage, please let me know what you want. If you want wealth, I will give you that. If you want my son, my kingdom, my body - please tell me. You do not know what pleasure I will get from serving you. Do not hesitate. "

Vishvamitra said, "I will accept whatever you give me. You need to give me the Dakshina for the gift first. That is something I want. Give me my Dakshina before you give me a gift."”

---

The Arrival of the Queen and Prince

“Shivaya and Rohitasva arrived there at the moment. They had been wondering where the king had gone off to. They had asked the charioteer to go in the direction that the king had gone. Seeing the king talking to Vishvamitra, Shaivya had come there and respectfully stood near her husband.

Harishchandra said, "Ask me what you want. I will give you that. If you ask for my life, I will give you that also. Do not hesitate. Please tell me. My wife has also come here and both of us will ensure that you get your Dakshina. This is my promise."”

---

The Ultimate Sacrifice: The Kingdom Demanded

“Vishvamitra then said, "You should have asked me what I wanted before promising me. Now that you have, there is no going back Give me your kingdom. Everything there, its land, rivers, villages, cities, army everything. You have your body. You have your wife and your son. That is all. The rest belongs to me. Give me that, as promised by you. You said dharma is your life. Prove it. If you want to give, give from your heart. Do not give me any excuses."

Harishchandra did not hesitate. He smiled. He genuinely felt happy, giving the sage what he wanted. He said, "Great rishi, I am giving you what you have asked for, freely. I am very happy. I said dharma is my life and let my actions prove that."”

---

Exile

“Vishvamitra then said to Harishchandra, " You have given me what you owned. So, you are no longer the king. I am the king now. You have no right to be in this kingdom. Leave, Remove the royal robes and jewels that you are wearing. Leave that and put on robes like that of wandering medicants. Along with your wife and son, leave this kingdom."

The king, without questions put on robes of bark and animal skin. Shaivya, who had lived a life of luxury, without any hesitation did the same. She too took off her jewels and left that with the sage. Rohitasva was wondering what was happening. He had been out on a hunt and suddenly his parents were changing clothes. Maybe something was going to happen. Shaivya called Rohitasva and held his hand. Harishchandra then with folded hands, went to the sage to take permission and leave Ayodhya.

"Wait", Vishvamitra said, "What you gave me was the gift. I need the Dakshina now."

Harishcnadra was embarrassed. "Respected sage, forgive me. I thought this was the Dakshina. I have not kept back anything. Whatever I owned except my life, my body, my wife and son, I have given you. How can I give you anything?"

Vishvamitra was not moved. "That may be the case, but a Dakshina is a must. You have to give me that. That is dharma. It your duty to give me a Dakshina that I need, the amount I want. "

Harishcndra said, "I know what I promised you, o sage. I do not have anything with me that I can give you. You have to give me time. Give me a month and I will give you your Dakshina. "

Vishvamitra looked at the king. It was because of Harishchandra that he could not gain control over the energies. He said, "I wish you an auspicious trip. Go where you have to, outside this kingdom but do not forget. You have made me a promise. You have to give me my Dakshina."

From the place in the forest where Harishchandra had met Vishvamitra, the king turned around. With Shaivya holding their son's hand, they followed. The delicate Shaivya, who was scared to step out in the sun knew her dharma. Without any hesitation she followed her husband. The rough robes chafed her skin but she did not utter a word. She walked. Silently. “

---

The People's Plea

“As they reached the city gates, a noise broke out. The people of Ayodhya had realized what had happened. They rushed out. How could they let their king leave? They came out in the streets. They began to cry, asking the king to stop. They said, "You were there when we needed you. Today we need you more than any other day. Do not desert us. We will be lost without you. You know your dharma. Tell us what is ours. We should be going where you go. Look at the queen and the prince. They had never stepped out and today they are following you wearing rough clothes. Think of them. Turn back. "

Harishchandra was not able to bear the cries of the people. He wanted to console them, ask them to leave and then he would set off on his way. Thinking this, he stopped.

The moment he stopped Vishvamitra became furious. He came running and said, "What kind of a king are you? You are a vile person. You give a gift and then you have an afterthought and plan to take it back. Is this your dharma? Are you planning to fight me now?"

Harishchandra turned and facing the sage said, "Do not take fault o sage. We are not coming back. We are leaving." Saying this he took Shaivya's hand and pulled it. She was not expecting this and stumbled. Like a person herds cattle, Vishvamitra picked up a stick and began hitting around with that.”

---

Shaivya's Suffering

“The stick struck Shaivya. She fell. She quietly got up, dusted herself and pulling her son's hand. followed her husband. Delicate Shaivya who felt her skin would burn if she stepped out in the sunlight was now walking on the roads, being herded like cattle. “

---

The Curse and the Answer to Jaimini's Question

“Five demigods stood there watching. They were appalled to see Vishvamitra's behaviour. What kind of conduct was this? They started shouting at the sage. "Is this dharma? This is cruelty. You are in the process of becoming a great sage and this kind of a conduct will not let you proceed further. You had helped Harishchandra's father Trishanku and this is how you treat Harishchandra?"

"How can you say all this without knowing what is happening or what is about to happen? Do you always take thigs at face value. You sit in heaven and seem to be feeling emotional for people on earth. If so, then go to earth. Take birth on earth and suffer."

The gods asked for forgiveness. "We aid what we felt. We did not mean to insult or harm anyone. Do not be unjust. "

Vishvamitra said, "Fine. I will not take back my curse. You will be born on earth. You will be free from desires. You will be free of emotions like anger, greed and jealousy. You will live a life and fight for dharma. Once your time is over, you will meet an untimely death and will come back to heaven. Your life will be short and you will die before you marry."

"Jaimini, this is the answer to your fourth questions. Is there anything else that you want to ask us?"”

---

Some more on this

Harishchandra's refusal to ignore injustice reflects the absolute commitment to dharma. He is determined to save someone in distress.

Not all good acts are dharmic. Timing, place and intention matter deeply.

Vishvamitra's rage at Harishchandra suggests a penance that wants recognition, not inner purification.

Shaivya does not protest her fate. She becomes the living embodiment of forbearance, not out of submission but out of inner dharma.

The Upapandavas were once gods who were cursed to be born as mortals.

Harishchandra is a model of dharma. He gives away his kingdom, his possessions and his identity as a king. This is renunciation, without anger, bitterness or resistance.

When the five divine beings (demigods) protest Vishvamitra's harsh treatment of Harishchandra and Shaivya, they are cursed to be born on earth.

• “No wives” = They will not be tied by earthly attachments.
• “Free from desire and anger” = Their birth is mission-oriented, not karmic.
• “Will return to heaven” = Their life is short but purposeful.
• They represent purified, purpose-bound energy sent to correct adharma.

Their lives illustrate:

• the path of non-attachment
• valour without ego or lust

Shaivya follows her husband without protest and endures humiliation (being struck by Vishvamitra). She does not lose faith. She is female power that does not resist dharma, even when it hurts.

Markandeya Purana: Jaimini's Third Question - Balarama's Story

   

Table of Contents

   

       
• Introduction
       
• The Gathering in Upaplavya
       
• Balarama's Plea and Krishna's Choice
       
• Decision for Neutrality
       
• The Pilgrimage Begins
       
• An Unexpected Encounter
       
• The Unthinkable Act
       
• Penance and the Path to Absolution
       
• Some more on this
   

Links to Answers to Question1 , Question 2. 

Introduction

Jaimini listened as the birds explained Draupadi's marriage to the five princes and about Indra. He had received the answer to his second question. The birds sat quietly, waiting. When Jaimini finally nodded, acknowledging his understanding and signifying his readiness, they spoke. "The second question is answered, we shall now proceed to address the third, concerning the Balarama."

---

The Gathering in Upaplavya

"Thirteen years of exile had passed. The Pandava princes were now ready to claim their kingdom. Krishna, Balarama and many other Yadavas had come to meet the Pandavas in the city of Upaplavya, capital of the Matsya kingdom. This was an occasion to meet the Pandavas, whom they had not seen for thirteen years and discuss how the Pandavas were planning to ask for their kingdom."

"Balarama listened to the conversations. He heard some say that war was inevitable and he heard Krishna say that Pandavas deserved their kingdom back. He agreed when he heard Krishna say they should first talk about a peaceful settlement. Why have a war when things could be settled amicably? Balarama liked this idea. He also had a soft corner for Duryodhana who had learnt the skill of using the mace, from him. He knew his student. If the Pandavas tried to be aggressive, Duryodhana would feel cornered and would make any negotiation, impossible. Balarama suggested to try the option of peace. He was sure Duryodhana would agree.”

---

Balarama's Plea and Krishna's Choice

“Krishna and Balarama left the Mastya kingdom for Dwaraka."

"When in Dwaraka, Krishna said he would participate in the war but not lift any weapons. Arjuna wanted Krishna's moral support and Krishna agreed to Arjuna's guide. Duryodhana had also come to Dwaraka. Krishna gave the Kaurava prince, the army of Dwaraka."

"“By placing himself on the same side as Arjuna, even without wielding a weapon, Krishna has tilted the balance,” Balarama murmured to himself. “The war will be fought with strategy and Krishna is unmatched in that. This is no fair battle.”"

"He was then informed that Duryodhana had come to meet him."

"Balarama received him. Duryodhana said, "We are preparing for war. The Pandavas have Krishna’s allegiance. Will you not fight by my side?”"

"Balarama told Duryodhana he did not support the war and wanted peace. Seeing he would not get Balarama’s support, Duryodhana left.”"

---

Decision for Neutrality

“Balarama, restless and deep in thought, paced the length of his room. His mind was unable to settle. Revati, his wife, watched him quietly. She knew about Balarama’s moods. They were fleeting. When his mind was troubled, it was best to leave him in peace. He would come around soon."

"Why did Krishna have to participate in the war and that too support the Pandavas? Because of his close friendship with Arjuna? He knew Krishna to be someone who embodied dharma."

"Balarama could not understand Krishna’s choice. At the same time, he could not stand against him. To defy Krishna would be to defy dharma."

"He looked at Revati. “Let them have their war,” he murmured. “Let the brothers fight and destroy themselves. I will not participate in this war.””

---

The Pilgrimage Begins

““What am I to do, Revati? Fight Duryodhana? Fight Bhima? Fight Krishna? If I raise my plough, I will be dividing them, drawing a furrow. If I take a side, I become part of the bloodshed. What dharma is this that leaves no room for peace?” Revati stood close to him. She knew he would calm down. She was always there, to listen to her husband. "You are the elder one,” she said. “You are not meant to choose sides. Sometimes, to preserve dharma, one must step away.” Balarama looked at her. He said, “I think I have my answer. I will detach myself totally. I will go on a pilgrimage.”

""If you go on a pilgrimage, my Lord," Revati said, "then I shall go with you." Soon news of the pilgrimage spread through the household. Several other women expressed their desire to accompany Balarama and Revati. And so, a small contingent prepared to leave for pilgrimage."

"With dawn approaching, Balarama, with Revati and the other royal women following, began their pilgrimage. They stopped at Prayaag and flowers into the rivers. They journeyed northwards to Gaya and offered prayers to the ancestors. They went to the holy city of Varanasi. Likewise, they continued travelling along the country.”

---

An Unexpected Encounter

“One day, after weeks of travel and many pilgrim sites visited, they came upon a forest. It was like nothing they had seen before. Ripe fruits hung on trees. Lotuses were blooming in ponds and streams. Bees were flying around the flowers. This place was Naimisharanya, the forest that would be untouched by the effects of the age of Kali. Balarama and his retinue walked deeper into this forest. They stepped through a curtain of vines and stepped into a glade. Sunlight poured through the canopy. A group of sages were seated on the ground. They were listening to one figure who sat at the centre. This person's back was turned to the newcomers. He was an elderly person. He was reciting from the Puranas."

"Earlier that day, Balarama had indulged in wine. The journey had been long and also with the thoughts of the war in his mind, he had more than what he should have consumed. He stepped into the glade, inebriated. He reached out, grabbing the vines for support. The sages who had been sitting listening to the speaker noticed this. One by one, they rose silently and began to leave."

"The storyteller did not notice. Lost in his thoughts, his eyes were closed. He kept speaking. Balarama stood at the edge of the glade, watching the sages leave. Behind him, Revati stood.”

---

The Unthinkable Act

“Balarama perceived this as a deliberate slight. The storyteller’s continued narration and his apparent ignorance of the royal presence that had entered the glade, pricked at Balarama’s pride. He was under the influence of wine, his senses were dulled and his judgment was fogged. The storyteller’s indifference was something he could not digest. The sages had noticed him, had risen and walked away. This lone figure had remained as though Balarama’s presence did not matter."

"Anger swelled in Balarama's chest. "How dare this storyteller," Balarama slurred, "fail to show respect to me?""

"Without thinking he lurched forward. In a sudden movement, he struck the storyteller. The frail man crumpled where he sat."

"Some sages had lingered around and they stood in disbelief. These sages turned and fled, taking the name of Brahman."

"Balarama stood there, the weight of what had just passed not yet fully reaching him.”

---

Penance and the Path to Absolution

“Revati gasped."

"As clarity began to return to Balarama, he stood staring at the lifeless body sprawled before him. The silence was accusatory. He looked down at his hands."

"He had now struck down an unarmed man. A Brahmin. The person he had killed was Romaharṣaṇa, a story teller. Technically the story teller was not a brahmin but as a disciple of Vyasa and a narrator of the Puranas he was more than a brahmin."

"A wave of revulsion rose within Balarama. He stepped back."

"“What have I done?” Balarama whispered, looking at Revati. “I began this journey seeking peace and to distance myself from the war. I have brought destruction where there was peace. What should I do? I am tainted with this man’s blood. I cannot breathe.”"

"He wanted relief. He thought of the river Sarasvati. The river which flowed under the ground. Unlike rivers which flowed towards the seas, this holy river had diverted its course. Instead of flowing on the ground, this river was flowing underground. This river was known to wash away all sins. The hidden river for him was like a silent path to redemption. He could go there and atone for his sin."

"“I will go to the river,” he said. “I will bathe waters and wash away this curse that clings to me. I will wander for twelve years. I will leave behind every indulgence. Only after I feel clean I return to Dvaraka.”"

"Revati and the others said they would accompany him."

"They quickly left the site and went ahead, looking for the hidden river Sarasvati.”

---

Some more on this

Decision to remain neutral and detaching himself from the war can be seen as an exploration of detachment in spiritual life. In Vedanta detachment is regarded as a necessary quality of a seeker.

Sankarshana (Balarama’s divine counterpart) is known for his balance and his role in restoring equilibrium. His neutrality in this situation can be seen as his attempt to bring equilibrium to the dharma of the world.

Pilgrimage represents a journey of inner purification where the devotee seeks to reconnect with the divine.

The incident in the forest represents a moral downfall for Balarama. The act of violence he commits shows the concept of ego. His violent outburst is a symbol of the unchecked power of the ego. Balarama Ego blinds a person and causes one to act irrationally and unjustly.

The act of striking down a Brahmin or a person of wisdom, is considered a sin. Balarama’s act is a violation of Dharma. This is an unnatural act. His remorse signals the first step toward recognizing his false identification with the ego and moving towards redemption.

On realizing the gravity of his situation, Balarama seeks redemption. The river Sarasvati becomes the symbol of self-purification. The underground flow of Sarasvati represents the hidden path to redemption that cannot be easily seen by others. Sarasvati symbolizes a path of purification that is silent, internal, and secret.

Balarama's vow to wander for twelve years signals a long journey of atonement, where he renounces all pleasures and comforts.