Land of Lime

In my previous entry, I wrote about the first two accounts associated with Hariscandra. Today let us focus on narratives, which describe his commitment to truth and the various tests that Viswamitra puts him through. In these stories, two common elements appear to drive the plot forward: first, the traditional enmity between the two great sages, Vasista, who is also the guru of Hariscandra and Visvamitra, who is Hariscandra’s ancestor; Visvamitra, in fact, abandoned the traditional Kshatriya pursuit of kingship and protecting dharma, when he realized the superiority of Vasista’s spiritual and ascetic accomplishments and decided to become a Brahmarshi, like Vasista; their traditional rivalry plays out in the Harsicandra narratives as well. A second common element found in all the versions is an offence that Hariscandra causes to Visvamitra. The reason for this differs from narrative to narrative, but the consequence is the same: Hariscandra loses his kingdom and has to sell himself and his wife in order to pay Visvamitra.

In Sanskrit, Markandeya purana and in particular, Devibhagavata purana, include all three accounts found in Sanksrit sources, including Brahmanas and puranas. Although minor variations and differences exist, our focus of course will not be with these variations here. Instead, we will explore the third Hariscandra account, that appears here for the first time. The dates of these texts are not precisely known but they must have been composed in the early medieval period.

In Markandeya purana (MP), Hariscandra offends Visvamitra by disturbing his penance and by causing him to lose vidyatraya (three vidyas/knowledges) that Visvamitra had coveted. Devibhagavata purana offers a second cause by offering a second explanation; in an incident that occurs before the offense, Vasista praises Hariscandra in Indra’s assembly. Visvamitra, who was unhappy with Hariscandra’s behavior during the Sunashepa episode, contested Vasista’s claims and vowed to prove him to be a liar. DBP also claims that Hariscandra rescued a woman, who was being pursued by Visvamitra causing offense him.

Both in MP and DBP, Hariscandra offers his kingdom to placate Visvamitra, and the latter accepts the gift, but also seeks Daksina (ritual offering) along with the gift. Hariscandra then goes to Kashi with his wife and son, where he sells his entire family in order to pay Visvamitra. In MP then, his young son Rohita dies due to a snake bite and when the grief stricken couple decide to enter into the funeral pyre, gods appear to end the test.

DBP, however, offers additional details and a variation. Here Dharma, who comes in the guise of a Kapalika, offers Haricandra magical powers to resolve his problems, which the latter refuses. Further, after Rohita dies due to snake bite, his mother Shaibye is found by soldiers in the streets of Kashi, crying over son’s body at midnight. She is accused of being a demoness, who kills young children and eats their flesh; she is sentenced to be killed and Hariscandra who works at the burial ground is ordered to cut her head off. When the husband and wife discover each other’s identities, they both decide to enter into fire at which time gods intervene to revive Rohita and take Hariscandra to heaven along with his subjects. Note that in both the puranic narratives, Hariscandra defaults on his responsibilities and his word to his master, by attempting to enter into the funeral pyre.

Ksemesvara’s play Candakausika is the first known independent literary work on Hariscandra. This early medieval play (possibly around 10-11th century) relies on these two puranic narratives for its outline but adds some dramatic elements. Among other sources, I have relied on a synopsis provided by my friend Adheesh for the following outline. As in the two puranas, here too Hariscandra offends Visvamitra, by disturbing his penance while hunting a boar, who is really Vighnaraja (Ganapati, the lord of obstacles). To appease Visvamitra, Hariscandra offers his kingdom and then leaves for Kashi to earn enough to give dakshina as well. Note that the quarrel between Vasista and Visvamitra is not an issue here.

In Kashi, Hariscandra sells his wife to a Brahmin (who is in fact Siva in the guise of a Brahmin) and then sells himself to a Candala (untouchable), who in reality is god Dharma; Hariscandra is assigned to be a guard at the burial ground. The play focuses on the creatures and happenings at the burial ground, including the temptation of acquiring magical skills that we noticed in DBP. Then Rohitsva, the son, dies from snake bite and when Shaivya brings him to the burial ground Hariscandra recognizes them. Even then, he demands that she give him the clothes as per the custom and while giving the clothes, she recognizes his hand. Gods praise Harsicandra for his steadfastness and take him along with his subjects to heaven. Note that while Visvamitra does play the role of a miscreant, Hariscandra is tested more by Dharma.

Another Sanskrit text on Hariscandra is a Jain play, Satya Hariscandra, written by Ramachandrasuri (12th century), a disciple of Hemachandra, the well known Jain author from Gujarat. Not surprisingly, the story is told from a Jain perspective and violence plays a more prominent role than truth, thus necessitating major changes to the story. This is a trend we notice in Jain retellings of all the major epic and puranic narratives. Visvamitra has no role to play in this play; rather, Hariscandra, who kills a pregnant deer while hunting near a hermitage, gives up his kingdom reparation to the Kulapati, head of the hermitage. He also has to pay one hundred thousand gold coins, which he would earn by selling himself and his wife. In Kashi, however, people are dying from an epidemic, for which Hariscandra’s wife Sutara is held responsible; before she is punished, a parrot identifies them both and proves that Sutara is innocent, much to the disappointment of an exorcist. Ramachandra Suri also introduces one more variant here, by creating a scene in which Hariscandra offers his flesh to a celestial being, in the place of the prince of Kashi. But the disciples of the Kulapati to whom Hariscandra owes one lakh gold coins, recognize him, treat his wounds and save him. Finally, as in other stories, here too Rohita is killed of snake bite and when Hariscandra forcibly takes the cloth from the dead body, he finds flowers instead of his son. Gods appear and reveal that they subjected Hariscandra to an imaginary test; he returns to his kingdom and rules it for a long time.

I outlined the Jain narrative to point out how Jain imagination deals with values such as truth and ahimsa (non-violence); we will return to a comparative analysis after I write about Raghavanka. What I should point out at the end of a survey of these Sanskrit accounts is that in Hariscandra story isn’t the subject of an epic imagination in Sanskrit. For that we have to turn to Kannada, which produced the first epic narrative on Hariscandra. We will revisit the question of truth vs devotion again and ask ourselves: how does epic imagination deal with the question of truth? What is the social consciousness that guides Hariscandra’s commitment to truth?