Jiga’s blog: Legend on life of Raja Harishchandra
19th July 2010
Raja Harishchandra, the name always bonded with Truth, Sacrifice and Commitment. At the cost of these qualities he had to suffer through lots of agony. Not only he but his family also experienced calamity. Hence he was dignified as “Satyavaadi” Raja Harishchandra.
When we hear “Raja Harishchandra” we always correlate apparent personality who sacrificed his entire kingdom, family and even life too to retain value of Truth and Promise. The idol who always kept his words never went back on it and who never uttered a lie in his life.
That was a complete different era altogether. But today is 21st century.
Nobody either bothers about lie, false commitments or keeping words. We commit
many betrays just sake of own fulfillment. We reiterate breaking as many promises as we can to afford self pleasure. Difficult to believe we are born and grown up on the same motherland on which Raja Harishchandra ruled once. He was with idol image free off disgrace; on the contrary we are disgraced figures. Anyways, again this is a complete different era altogether.
It’s almost impossible to believe that how can someone drag himself to suffer through verge of grief ? How can someone sacrifice his entire empire ? How can someone even led own family on the path of adversity ? and How can someone risk at his own and family life.
But that’s true and that’s what the legend of Raja Harishchandra is.
Raja Harishchandra was the 28th king from ‘Suryavanshi’ dynasty and leading ruler of that time. He was very caring king for his people hence loved by all. He and his wife Taramati were both almost happy with king size life except one sadness that they don’t have any inheritor. They both observed many rituals and traveled across extensive pilgrimages desiring Progeny. Finally on advice of Sages they worshiped Lord Varuna (Varuna Dev) sought his blessings. Pleased by their prayers Lord Varuna presented them a blessing of son but with vow that they have to restore son whenever being asked. Raja and Taramati both rendered speechless but were helpless hence agreed to clause of Varuna Dev.
Later on few days Taramati gave birth to child. Their delight grew boundless.
To their surprise Varuna Dev revealed himself demanding restore child, said “Its time now for you to keep your words. Give me back this child”.
Shattered Harishchandra collected himself and replied “You are the most noble and benevolent of all. Our child is yet so young. Please wait until he grows his teeth.” Lord Varuna relented to this plea but promised to return.
Few months went away, Lord Varuna returned back. This time Raja and Taramati pretended some other excuses and sent him back.
This had happened many times. They both succeeded to retain son with one or the other reasons.
Months after months and Years after Years had gone, son “Rohitaksha” grew old enough to learn the fact about his life. So one day he left palace and fled into forest, discovering this Lord Varuna bust into anger and cursed Raja. As a consequence Raja Harishchandra had to suffer through disease and horrible body swelling.
But God is great and he can’t remain angry with his child hence Lord Varuna rescued Raja and cured him. Not only this but he freed Raja from his vow as well.
Humiliated Harishchandra thought that rather than praying for reprieve all the time he should have begged to release him from obligation at beginning itself. He said to himself “Had I not kept my words, what could have happened to me even worse ?
I shudder to think the devastated ruin would have marked to my families prominence”
Hence he decided Not to commit false promises anytime, Never lie and Always fulfill the promises those are made, the way it was being followed conventionally in ‘Suryavanshi’ dynasty.
Few years later,
Raja was educating archery to his son Rohitaksha. Completely lost into
activity they both entered deep inside forest where eminent sage “Vishwamitra” doing his meditation. Unfortunately Vishwamitra’s meditation got disturbed due to Raja and made him angry. To calm down furious Sage and as a penance Raja agrees with one promise which he assert to satisfy any time in future.
Once Vishwamitra in a state of mind goes to test Raja’s honesty. Sage asks Raja to hand over his entire kingdom to him and walk away. Upon which without a single hesitation Raja agrees to it and walks out with his wife and son. But this still did not soothe Sage’s conscience; he even asks Raja to donate him certain amount as “Dakshina” (the term used in ancient Indian history implying that disciple has to fulfill wish/penny to Sage) Empty handed Harishchandra left with no choice but to sell himself and family to pay for Dakshina to Vishwamitra. He became slave to the undertaker, actually the person who used to take care of cremation ground and collect taxes from people for using final cremation rituals. Raja’s family (Taramati and son) became slaves under one of the Brahmin family.
Being a slave Taramati has to work for all Brahmin family belongings; viz; preparing food, cleaning kitchenware, cleaning the house and all day to day activities. She would have never thought for these kind of days to go through but that’s destiny.
For Harishchandra, he has to take care of cremation ground and perform all responsibility as been directed by his master. On top of it, being slave he has to complete household task as well which are commented by his master.
This is what can be called as ‘Game of Destiny’ which led one of the prominent kings to suffer through extent which is even below than common man.
Once Rohitaksha went into garden to pluck flowers for GOD’s worship as ordered by man of Brahmin family. There he was beaten by snake and died immediately. Get to know this, mother Taramati had no limits for mourns, no end for her cry.
Having no body for her sympathy she alone took her son to cremation ground for final rituals. This was the same ground being taken care by her husband, the ill-fated father to dead Rohitaksha.
She requested him to allow her carry out rituals of dead son and unable to pay for it.
But Raja refused to her tax free request showing strong stick to the duty. She continuously roared in front but all lost in vain before harishchandra.
Up till now Raja was unaware that lady is his own wife and crying for final rituals of their own son. When he learned the fact in while he burst into tears. Even after knowing that it’s for his son Rohitaksha eventhough he again refused her request and asked for forgiveness to a true obligation towards his responsibility and his master. Helpless Taramati started begging people seeking for someone’s help.
In the meantime Vishwamitra appears and he manage to illusionate two more dead bodies near Rohitaksha (the only motive is to test Harishchandra and family). He also easily succeeds to conceive false incidents which force people of village to believe that Taramati being a devil has collected all these dead bodies for her evil-activities. As a consequence village people arrest Taramati and send her death verdict. This act is ordered to Raja to be executed as he is carrying out sort of cremation activities. It is going to be one of the hardest exams for harishchandra. Undoubtedly, he accepted this test as well and reluctantly proceeded to bring the end to this. His wife Taramati in front of him handcuffs apart to two separate poles and he required to cut her head down.
With shivering hands and shuddered body he raised sword in air. The moment he forced sword towards her neck all of sudden three lords “Brahma – Vishnu- Mahesh” appeared. Trio stopped him and explained all the history. They said “We are very happy with you and your honesty. You really have followed the truth and survived the image of Suryavanshi tradition. You did not consider the value for prosperity, empire, family and life against pursue the way of fulfilling commit to someone. With all content we are happy to restore you with your previous life. We return you back your entire kingdom and prosperity and restore back life to your son”
Obliged Raja returned to his empire and reinitiated life as was left earlier.
So…… this was the legend of Raja Harishchandra, really a markable unique idol with legendary tale of all time.
When I thought a blog on this subject I searched a lot on Google, as it was something new subject for me this time. It’s not something wherein I just need to put my own thoughts and come up writing as I did in all my previous blogs. But this time I have to have something concrete and real base around which I can frame words.
One thing which disappointed me a lot is I could not find much inputs on Google for this subject, although I was presented with number of search pages with lot many links, as usual. I found documented tale on one link which later on was found to be replicated as it is on many other links. I could find many links describing details about first Hindi film on Raja Harishchandra, directed by great ‘Dhundiraj Govind Phalke’ well-known as ‘Dada saheb phalke’. Addition to that I found many links about some hospitals named on Harishchandra, even info about their exam schedules and list and what not … but sorry to say not much details on real Raja Harishchandra’s legend.
Conversely, few links were blocked in my company as security policy so could not open and explore them.
Disappointment is not that I didn’t find details on Google but its shocking to believe that we people have really less post on search engine for such Indian cultural subject. The subject which we should be proud about. The subject from which everyone must have something to learn about. And the subject which can be real Indian culture asset. But who cares … right ?
Even foreigners respect our Indian culture. They love to visit India
Finally with some details collected from net googling and once I saw Gujrati movie on Raja Harishchandra I helped myself compose above extract.
I hope you really like it and will feel worthy to have read through.
from any religion, but then even why India
Lagging in terms of corruption, honesty, development, management, truthfulness and so on …… and so on ……
is it really difficult to follow quality alike Raja Harishchandra had ?
can’t we take side of truth, don’t lie and take every effort to stick to the words once committed ?
Let’s give it a try for one month and try to relive in the era of Raja Harishchandra.
Thanks,
Jignyesh Patel
19th July 2010
