Speak TRUTH at all costs - Harischandra

Q1: Heard there was a character in our scriptures that was famous for struggling by speaking Truth – Harichandra? It is crazy to put his family at risk to merely keep his word. We must learn to bend truth a little to survive?

Q2: To what extent can someone go to protect Truth?

Q3: Speaking Truth is outdated idea in a dog eating dog world.

            To these questions and many more related, our ancients have left the wondrous historical narrative of Raja Harischandra, who impact Mahatma Gandhi to take the vow of speaking truth at all times and inspire the very first Indian movie. Yet in the span of hundred years, today we do not have many amongst us who do know this elevating incident, nor do we have enough depth to realize its value.

Storytime:

            Harischandra story is repeated in many puranas, Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharata and even in Aitreya Brahmana. There are two prominent flavors of stories, but nowhere it is  given in detail like in Markandeya Purana, which is the narration we follow here. In the Suryavamsa, before the times of Rama, there illumined many great kings. Amongst them Raja Harischandra shone very bright on account of his struggle to keep up how word. He was the son of Satyavratha, popularly known as Trishanku. He was deeply rooted in dharma and made his citizens feel it as living in heaven. In his rule, there was no famine, untimely deaths, and starvation. Nobody got intoxicated due to wealth, valor, austerities or spurious substances.

            Once on a deer hunting expedition, he heard the wailing of some women and headed in that direction to protect. Vishwamitra was indulging in extreme tapasya and the different sciences were wailing. Vighnaraja, Ganesa for the benefit of those sciences decided to intervene. He entered into Harischandra and made him speak in anger. This disturbed Vishwamitra lost his concentration and thus Ganesa having fulfilled his mission left a dazed, trembling, apologetic Harischandra. He begged his pardon and declared he was a dharmic king known for daana to Brahmanas and ascetics. Vishwamitra sought the cost of doing Rajasuya yajna as a qualified recipient. Harischandra responded that he can have anything including his kingdom or even life. Vishwamitra said he gladly accepted his kingdom, all his belongings, everything except the fruits and adherence of his dharma and asked him to vacate the kingdom with his wife, Shaivya and young son, Rohitasya. He went on to remind Harischandra that he still owed the previously sought gold, as it was separate. Harischandra asked a month’s time for paying the fee Vishwamitra had sought, failing which the latter dangled the threat of a terrible curse.

            The citizens were eager to follow Harischandra due to his virtues, which Vishwamitra took exception to as instigating a revolt. He prodded Shaivya with a wooden stick making Harischandra hasten his exit. Their plight got the exclamation of the five Visvadevas, in support of the King, thus incurring the wrath of Vishwamitra, who then cursed them to be born as humans in the womb of Draupadi, as Upapandavas and enjoy no pleasures and have an early death.

            Harischandra wandered with his family to Kashi only to find Vishwamitra there reminding that he will be back at the end of the day to collect his promised fee or incur a curse. Harischandra was immersed in deep sorrow that he was unable to keep his word. The fall from Truth was sending shockwaves in his mind. Shaivya, seeing his plight, suggested that she be auctioned to some Brahmana in exchange for some wealth which can be given to Vishwamitra. This proposal and the duress made Harischandra faint. After a bit of soliloquy Shaivya also collapsed leaving the child cry in hunger. 

            Vishwamitra sprinkled some water to awaken Harischandra to remind his word only to make him swoon again. The angry Vishwamitra sprinkled more cold water to bring him to consciousness. He reminded Harischandra that even Svarga is held by Truth, which outweighs even a hundred Ashwamedha yajnas. To worsen he added the threat of cursing him to become a chandala (note though it was the lowest rung in the society, it denotes a mindset of utter selfishness, greed steeped in deep tamas). Shaivya reminded that her proposal was the only viable option. Harischandra having left with no option proceeded to auction with deep anguish. An aged Brahmana purchased her and proceeded to drag her away, causing the child to grow restless and hold on to the queen. Shaivya pleaded the Brahmana to not separate her from the child. So he gave a throwaway price and bought the child. 

            Vishwamitra collected the money and ascertained that it was still short of the desired amount to a lamenting Harischandra, who was reminded that a fourth part of the day still remained. At this time, Dharma took the hideous form of a Chandala in the name of Pravira, holding a skull, surrounded by dogs and offered to buy Harischandra. Bemoaning his fate and the fall of the Ikshavaku race, Harischandra stood there stunned. Vishwamitra came there assessing the situation, accused Harischandra of dragging his feet when a golden opportunity presented itself. Unwilling to become a slave of the Chandala, Harischandra offered to be Vishwamitra’s. Vishwamitra took the gold from the Chandala and sold Harischandra to his service.

            The Chandala was in charge of the crematorium. He assigned the task of collecting the garments from dead bodies. Every corpse burning came with a fee and a sixth of it went to the king, three parts went to Pravira and two-sixths were the wages for Harischandra, who was immersed constantly about the turn of events and the great fall. Living in the crematorium filled with the cries of the relatives wailing over the dead and drowned by the cries of jackals and owls at night, Harischandra was literally living in naraka. The rotting flesh and the burning stench could horrify even the strongest willed person. Yet, Harischandra drowned in the misery of his thoughts was oppressed more internally that the external oddities did not even dent his mind. Thus twelve months passed in this eternal damnation. 

            Burdened by the heavy lashes of time, one day Harischandra had a horrible nightmare of having taken into another birth and continuing the suffering. He also dreamt of undergoing different punishments in naraka. As he wailed, he woke up to find the real Shaivya wanting to cremate their son who died due to a snake bite. Neither could recognize each other as Harischandra saw the kingly features of the dead Rohitasya. Unable to brook, Shaivya lamented at the miseries and invoked the name of Harischandra, who realized it was Rohitasya awaiting cremation. Understanding the gravity of the situation only made Harischandra swoon, which made Shaivya realize and fall out of consciousness. Even as they regained, Harischandra was tormented by the loss of his son’s life while Shaivya was hammered at the gruesome reality of Harischandra doing the most menial job. She wondered if Dharma even existed and what is the point of all the merits of karma. Unable to ascertain if it was real or a nightmare, she slipped into more lamentations.

            Harischandra oppressed by the serious turn of events and partly influenced by his naraka nightmares informed of his resolve to jump into the fire along with his son. He believed at least in the next birth, he will be able to evolve into better setting. He advised her to serve her Brahmana master well, only to hear Shaivya intent on jumping into the pyre. They placed their son’s body and invoked Siva and Narayana with folded hands. Indra appeared there keeping Dharma in the front, Vishwamitra and other Devas. Indra declared that Vishwamitra offered his friendship and desires his good.

            Dharma spoke highly of his titiksha (patience), dama (self control) and Satya (Truth) and asked him not to proceed with his intented suicide. Indra said he has come to invite him to ascend to svarga along with his wife and son on the merits of his wondrous struggle for keeping  satya as supreme in his life.  Even as he said, rains poured on the pyre and a youthful Rohitasya woke up. The gladdened Harischandra hugged his son. Indra once again asked the three to join him in Svarga, even as all the three were decked in heavenly garlands.

            Harischandra objected that without compensating his chandala master he was unable to leave. Dharma told that it was himself who appeared due to an illusion to add to his misery. On hearing the repeated suggestion of Indra, Harischandra responded politely. His heart was filled with the pain of the bereaved citizens of Kosala (Ayodhya). He said that papa that comes from brahmahatya, guru hatya, strivada come to the one who abandons his citizens. So he was ready to forego the offer, unless all his citizens can come along with him to svarga, else he was content with naraka, along with his citizens. Indra countered how Harischandra could account for the papa and punya of the multitudes and regain his place in svarga.

            Harischandra said that all the merits of yagas, yajnas he has done was only due to the inputs of the citizens. Even though as a King he might have given away in charity or performed meritorious deeds, the real benefactors were the praja and he was a mere representative. He requested Indra, if his merits were to last a long time, that it be divided and given to all his citizens to enjoy svarga for one day. This gladdened Indra, Dharma and Vishwamitra even more. Vishwamitra himself enthroned Rohitasya, as the next king of Kosala. All the citizens then ascended Svarga for the day. Sukracharya(Usnas) sang verses in high praise of Harischandra and the world will never see an equal.

            Vashishta, who was in penance, came to know of the hardships Vishwamitra had created for his disciple. They both mutually cursed each other and began to fight terribly. Brahma came to knock some sense into both and highlighted that Vishwamitra’s actions made the world to realize the heart of Harischandra steeped in Satya and fetched him Svarga.

Practical Applications:

• Dharma protects - धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः । (dharmo rakshati rakshitah) Harischandra led a very dharmic life and was renowned for encouraging all his citizens to be dharmic as well. This dharma he sustained, took a form of chandala to rescue him when he was facing a strong curse from Vishwamitra. This is definitely not the reason why one must follow dharma, but an assurance that dharma protects its protectors. 

• Satyam eva jayate – Truth always triumphs – Harischandra gave a word that no one witnessed in the forest, be it the tricked assessment of requesting daana for rajasuya yajna or the kingdom. He struggled to keep up his word. To honor one’s word is merely one small facet of Satya. Despite the mounting hardships of having to sell his wife and son or even himself, his heart was more concerned about keeping up his word. Only after he got settled into the routine working with dead body cremation, the weight of the fall begins to oppress, that too for forsaking his own wife and son to greater misery.

            Satyam is the foundation of Sanatana Dharma. This is the first pointer to indicate Paramatma, as Satyam Jnanam Ananatam Brahma as in Taittriya Upanishad. Even in common Vedantic parlance, it is referred as Sat-Chit-Ananada, Truch-Consciousness-Bliss. Speaking Truth is a mere facet of Satya. No wonder one has to have Chitta Shuddi, intellectual purity to even understand this subtlety. Most people of today lack this; will wonder why Harischandra should struggle. If he went through so much struggle, was Satya not more precious that his mere life?

• Dharmic Thinking: Even as Harischandra was promised Svarga, though he was not the King in any capacity, not even the head of his family for many months; he did not give up on his duties. His high thinking was rooted in the fact that Kingship was a huge responsibility and privilege, not a right.  His deep intellect steeped in dharma enabled him to correctly understand that all the wealth that enabled him to enrich dharma came from the fruits of his praja. The real essence of Yajna spirit is benefit for all. When Indra offered Svarga, Harischandra felt strongly to accept it only if it was shared with his citizens. This is the reason why Harischandra is immortalized not merely due to his struggles. Many of us may even qualify for struggling to hold on to some virtues, but lack this subtle understanding of deep dharma.

• Dharmic ecosystem: Though Harischandra was at the helm, dharma is an individual responsibility. We see Shaivya as a coequal in rising upto great heights to uphold dharma. So were the citizens. The description of Kosala citizens give us an insight that how they all rose together in maintaining dharma. Though a lot of credit can be given to Harischandra as the head, it still highlights the individual responsibility.

            Dharma is from the root word dhri, which means to uphold or maintain. Dharayati iti dharmaha is the definition of Dharma, which translates as that which upholds. It is also defined as dhriyate iti dharmaha, which means that which supports. Dharma is the first foundational principle of the society and contains Artha and Kama and results in Moksha. Dharma is another facet of Satya. To uphold one is to uphold the other. Harischandra may be an extreme example; most of us will never be tested to a fraction of that extent. But his life and experience is the benchmark that must inspire all of us to follow. The strength to overcome our life struggles comes from the extent of our dharma understanding and applying it in our personal lives. Dharma is a fragile ecosystem unlike Adharma which can exist both as lonewolf perpetrator that quickly gains momentum and control by exponential multiplication.

            Our regular study of scriptures, listening about wondrous inspiring narration of great examples like Harischandra, facing our personal struggles without compromising higher virtues will encourage our dharmic thinking and practice. It is only due to this huge line of virtuous kings, that an ecosystem was created in Kosala for Rama to take birth. If Rama’s thoughts need to take birth in our hearts, we must cleanse our minds by practicing higher dharma. May we assert our rights and privilege to bear Rama’s  thoughts in our hearts by leading a dharmic life.

ॐ तत् सत

Ahalya's vimochana

            Krishna declares in Bhagavad Gita (न हि कश्चित् क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् - Na hi kashchit kshanamapi jaatu tishthatyakarmakrit – BG 3-5) that no one can remain even for a split second without doing some Karma. Because there is a sense of doership involved, the fruits of the Karma, Karmaphala accrues to the doer. If the result is beneficial, such karmas are called Punya and if harmful to self or others, they are called Papa. The rough translation for the latter is Sin. Just as in the world around, bad actions get punishment or a chance to repent, dharmashastras prescribe atonement, Prayaschita, in proportion to the act. Sanatana dharma, at least in its pristine glory, focused on the actions and not the person. If the person’s background was considered, it usually meant more severity for the more knowledgeable and powerful.

            Apart from the big sins like murder or stealing, the ancient wisdom of India deemed lying on par with them. No one is a sinner forever in time, across janmas, let alone be born as a sinner like some backward thinking Abrahamic mindset. Papa is a mistake, whether deliberate or accidental, it is rooted in ignorance. The question is what kind of sinner are we? 

            Ratnakar, a robber who committed many classic sins, could not even qualify to utter the name “Rama”, could only say it in reverse as “mara”. But once the transformation happened from deep within, a Valmiki was born, who is venerated for bringing Ramakatha. Prayaschita accompanied with tapasya cleanses from deep within and is a good purgatory process as demonstrated by many in the past to overcome either their prarabdha or agamya karma. Once a person is roasted by Prayaschita and the same becomes a tapasya, the fruit of such purifying act is highly worshipful. Ahalya is the best illustration that fits this definition.

Storytime:

            Ahalya is the first name in the list of PanchaKanya, the five virgins whose thought itself is purifying our sins. After killing Tataka, Rama and Lakshmana successfully defended Siddhashrama from the rakshasa hordes led by Maricha and Subahu. Vishwamitra wanting to gift Rama more than all the weapons he had taught wanted to be instrumental in connecting HIM with Sita. As they travelled towards Mithila, he educated them with wondrous events of the past. As they reached the outskirts of this auspicious city, Rama found a deserted ashram that radiated serenity. Vishwamitra delighted with the enquiry, narrated the history at length. Gautama, a very renowned Rishi used to live there with his wife Ahalya. Pleased with his tapasya, Brahma himself gave his daughter, whose name means blemishless, Ahalya though Indra wanted to marry her too. Once when Gautama was not present in the Ashram, Indra took the form of Gautama.  He approached her lustfully at an awkward time to have intercourse. Ramayana merely says she agreed immediately due to bad buddhi - मतिं चकार दुर्मेधा (VR 1-48-19). One can only guess she was secretly happy at her paramour being Devendra. One must note at this point, we know Valmiki informs she has an eldest son, Shatananada, who was the chief priest of Janaka. (Other texts add the list of children, but cannot be validated from the same source.)

            Not only is she delighted with the act, she warns Indra to remain safe from Gautama and also wants to be safe.  आत्मानं मां च देवेश सर्वदा रक्ष गौतमात् | (VR 1-48-21). At this point there is no defense that it was not consensual. As he rushed out, Gautama came there unexpectedly to see his doppelganger. Immediately understanding the crime perpetuated by Indra, he cursed him as विफलस्त्वं, means he will be devoid of fruits. This translated to Indra losing his testicles immediately. Note this is the state of fall even for an Indra, who has qualified for the post, conquering his senses through a hundred Aswamedha yajna. 

            Gautama being fair cursed Ahalya as well. But it is interesting, if it was a curse or purgation or atonement or even a boon. He cursed her to undergo tapas for thousands of years unseen in the ashram.

वायुभक्षा निराहारा तप्यन्ती भस्मशायिनी| अदृश्या सर्वभूतानामाश्रमेऽस्मिन् निवत्स्यसि || (VR 1-48-30)

It translates as living on air, without food, covered in ashes, unseen by others in the ashrama, she needs to do penance.  He also said when Rama’s presence sanctifies the ashrama, welcoming HIM; she will be completely devoid of lobha (greed) and moha (delusion). After this, Ahalya can come happily to stay with Gautama, assuming her own body. The living emotionless and unseen aspect coupled with regaining vapu (body) has been popularly translated as Ahalya turning into stone, which is nothing more than euphemism for her tapasya. Having cursed them, Gautama departed for the peaks of Himalayas for more penance.

            Indra goes to other devas and declares that due to the act, Gautama’s asceticism has been hindered and that he will not be aiming for Indratva. It is not clear if it was a poor comeback story seeking virility or the original intent of Indra, who seems to suffer from a poor track record. On praying to the Pitrudevta, the god of the ancestors (manes), Indra was given a pair of ram’s testicles as replacement.

            Vishwamitra asks Rama to do this noble act and meet Ahalya who is divine (देवरूपिणीम् VR 1-49-11). Rama sees her radiant with her tapas - तपसा द्योतितप्रभाम् (VR 1-49-13).  The usual narration is Rama’s feet touched the stone which sprang back to life. Valmiki informs us differently. Having become visible at the end of the curse and her tapasya, the two Raghavas were delighted to touch her feet in reverence - राघवौ तु ततस्तस्याः पादौ जगृहतुर्मुदा (VR 1-49-17).  Realizing the import of Gautama’s words, she offered padhyam, arghyam and athiteyam - पाद्यमर्घ्यं तथातिथ्यं  (VR 1-49-18).  What an honor to host Rama as a guest, who came not merely to inform the culmination of her tapasya, but the very fruit of existence is fulfilled. Gautama appeared there and reunited with Ahalya happily and also venerated Rama together. Together the couple indulged in greater tapasya.  Rama headed to Mithila, having the received the traditional veneration.

            Janaka is thrilled to greet Vishamitra and his entourage along with his chief purohit, Shatananada. Curious to know about the bright boys with weapons, they are delighted to know about the events that happened. Shatananada is anxious to know more about his parents and Rama’s grace. Vishwamitra informed tersely that he has not left any task incomplete in this regard and his parents are reunited like Jamadagni and Renuka.  

Few truths to retain:

• Though Indra initiated, Ahalya, a mother, was an active participant.

• Gautama’s curse was actually a boon, a forced tapasya that rocketed Ahalya to great piety.

• Gautama did not harbor anger and is evident from the sentences right after his curse that he was more than willing to live happily with Ahalya and he kept his word.

• Shatananada, their son and the society was able to overlook her one small flaw which Ahalya was successfully able to amend.

Variations:

            This story is very popularly retold in Mahabharata and other puranas. The retelling is fraught with nuances like Ahalya being seduced or tricked by Indra. There is also a variation of the curse that Indra gets a thousand feminine parts all over his body as a reminder of the grave sin he committed so brazenly. He later gets a boon to have them changed as a thousand eyes. In fact, it appears the later society could not digest such an open infidelity that it made the curse of Gautama into Ahalya as stone. Though Valmiki Ramayana is what is contemporaneous, the other renditions, including later Ramayanas provide a window of how society viewed this incident through its altering view.

Feminazis in trouble – Usually feminazis twist and be Hinduphobic, have only one aspect to whine on. They want their level of immorality as a choice for a married mother to sleep with anyone of choice. Unless that loose infidelity logic is applied, Gautama sets very high standards even through his curse and Ahalya elevates herself through intense tapasya which is sanctified by Rama’s presence.

 

What can we learn?

• Be wary: Just because one is occupying Indra position by virtue of a hundred Aswamedha Yagna or is progeny of Brahma, they can still succumb to sensory pressures. The fall can happen to any of us.  Valmiki refers to her state of mind as durmedha, akin to stupefied. We get the answer in Gautama’s curse that she was stupefied by lobha and moha, two modifications of desire. Even the most virtuous can succumb to their senses and we must be on guard.

• Is forgiving overrated? – The individual rooted in dharma is taught to be a Sthitaprajna, be unaffected by both pleasures and pain. It does not mean silently tolerate violence/crime and allow it to be perpetuated. From that elevated state, which most of us lack today, we have come to a state where we feel the severe pain of others act only. To add insult to injury, we also lack the backbone to go after Adharmic acts, which means we are left with only pent up anger. This anger is like toxic only to the mind of the bearer. To act like a pressure release valve, forgiveness will play a limited role. Forgiving hardened criminals or motivated Adharmic perpetrators without their change of hearts, repentance and flexing their dharmic minds is the insane idea of today’s forgiveness.

            Forgiveness, at the individual level, is a good quality, but definitely only the first step of the atma on the ascent. Forgiving at society level is useless unless the person has already initiated their own prayaschita, danda neeti ensures that appropriate danda offers not only justice but also protection from Adharmic actors overrunning the place. One must be careful not to read too much into how it affects the individual who does papakarma, their impact and society.

 

• Satsanga always brings good fruits: Gautama is a very highly evolved mahatma through his tapas.  Curse is not a curse if from a mahatma. Ahalya‘s curse was to intensely do focused tapas, which is more like a prescriptive remedy for her papakarma. Gautama granted that her tapas will be blessed through Rama’s personal grace.

• Prayaschita is not enough, tapasya is the key: Christianity believes all of us sinners (because God was so kind to curse humanity for one person’s mistake) and if they subscribe to a dead man rising again myth, all sins will be washed. Modern society believes punishment for a wrong deed brings justice to the victim. In neither case the bad karma or karmaphala is nullified. The person who does the papakarma has not exhausted its effects. This individual cannot get it over by mere repenting or doing amends. In many cases they are part of the process to help the victims of this bad karma. Yet this negative can be turned on its head if used as an opportunity to do tapasya. Valmiki is perhaps the best example. Instead of pondering Prayaschita for all the sins he had committed, he chose the shortcut of meditating on Rama nama. Ahalya is the other emulator of this wondrous technique.

• Rama’s love for each one of us: The biggest lesson from Ahalya’s episode is Rama’s love. One Ahalya is cursed to do tapasya, but for that personally approving it and bringing the fruits of this act, Rama walks thousands of steps from Ayodhya to bless. Each one of us doing Sadhana, Rama is willing to take a thousand or million steps towards us, provided we commence our first step. This compassion is unequal like Rama himself and Rama Nama.

            May we take Ahalya’s story in the right spirit and begin our baby steps to purify our antahkarana to realize the Rama doesn’t have to even take a thousand steps, but is already there enlivening every single action of ours. Jai Shri Ram.

ॐ तत् सत