Editing Harishchandra (section)

=== Puranic legend ===
[[File:What'er though, Great sage.jpg|thumb|Harishchandra and Vishvamitr]]In the [[Puranas]], Harishchandra to  revert [[Trishanku]]. The ''[[Vishnu Purana]]'' mentions him, but does not describe his life in detail. The ''[[Markandeya Purana]]'' contains a detailed legend about his life, narrated by wise birds to the sage [[Jaimini]].<ref name="BKC_2004">{{Cite book
 | title = Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, Their Religion and Institutions
 | edition = 2
 | author = John Muuir
 | year = 1868
 | publisher = Trübner
 | pages = 379–387
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VGPZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA379
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book
 | title = Markandeya Purana
 | author = B.K. Chaturvedi
 | year = 2004
 | publisher = Diamond
 | pages = 19–28
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KxuerJwnuKsC&pg=PA19
 | isbn = 9788128805776
}}</ref> The ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' mentions him as the father of Sagara and grandfather of Badaka, and contains a legend about his descendants.<ref>{{Cite book
 | title = Shrimad Bhagwat Purana
 | author = B.K. Chaturvedi
 | year = 2002
 | publisher = Diamond
 | pages = 71–72
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ygNq9KaawdQC&pg=PA71
 | isbn = 9788171828319
}}</ref>

{{Hindu mythology}}

==== ''Markandeya Purana'' ====
The ''[[Markandeya Purana]]'' legend is as follows:<ref name="BKC_2004" />

King Harishchandra lived in the [[Treta Yuga]]. He was an honest, noble king. His subjects enjoyed prosperity and peace. He had a queen named Shaivya (also called Taramati) and a son named [[Rohitashva]]. Once, while on a hunting expedition, he heard the cries of a woman asking for help. Armed with a bow and arrow, he went in the direction of the sound. The sound was an illusion created by Vighnaraja, the lord of the obstacles. Vighnaraja was trying to disturb the ''[[Tapas (Sanskrit)|tapasya]]'' (meditation) of the sage [[Vishwamitra|Vishvamitra]]. When he saw Harishchandra, he [[Spirit possession|entered]] the king's body and started abusing Vishvamitra. This disturbed Vishwamitra's ''tapasya'', and destroyed all the knowledge that the sage had acquired during this ''tapasya''.

When Harishchandra came to his senses, he realized that the sage was extremely angry with him, and apologized. He promised to fulfill any of the sage's desires to get rid of his guilt. Vishvamitra demanded ''[[dakshina]]'' (donation) for his [[rajasuya]] [[yajna]]. The king asked him what he wanted in payment. In response, Vishvamitra said "Give me all that you have except yourself, your wife and your child." Harishchandra agreed to the demand. He let go of all his possessions – even his clothes. As he readied to leave his palace with his family, Vishvamitra demanded another donation. Harishchandra said that he did not have any possession left, but promised to make another donation within a month.

Harishchandra started living in penury with his wife and his family. His loyal subjects followed him. When Vishvamitra saw the king with his subjects, he started cursing Harishchandra for taking along his subjects (who were a part of the kingdom donated to the sage). The king then decided to leave the kingdom with his family. To make them go away sooner, Vishvamitra started beating the queen with a stick. When the five [[guardians of the directions]] saw this, they condemned Vishvamitra. The sage cursed them to be born as human beings. These guardian deities were born as the sons of the [[Pandava]]s and [[Draupadi]].

Nearly a month after leaving his kingdom, Harishchandra arrived in the holy city of [[Varanasi|Kashi]], only to see Vishvamitra already present there. The sage demanded the donation that the king had promised him. Harishchandra pointed out that there was still some time left in completion of one month. The sage agreed to come back at the next sunset and departed. As his hungry son cried for food, Harishchandra worried how would he be able to make a donation to the sage. His wife Shaivya suggested that he sell her to get some money. After some hesitation, Harishchandra accepted the proposal and sold her to an elderly man. Their child would not let go of his mother, so it was decided that he would accompany his mother (and an extra payment was made for him).

Soon after, Vishvamitra appeared again and demanded the donation. Harishchandra gave him all the money he had received from the sale of his wife and son. However, Vishvamitra was unhappy with the donation, and demanded more. Harishchandra then decided to sell himself. An [[Untouchability|outcaste]] ''[[chandala]]'' (actually [[Yama]] in disguise) offered to buy him, but Harishchandra's self-respect as a high-caste [[Kshatriya]] would not allow this. He instead offered to be Vishwamitra's slave. Vishvamitra agreed, but then declared "Since you are my slave, you must obey me. I sell you to this ''chandala'' in exchange of gold coins." The ''chandala'' paid the sage, and took along Harishchandra as a slave.

The ''chandala'' employed Harishchandra as a worker at his [[Cremation|cremation ground]]. He directed Harishchandra to collect fees for every body cremated there: a part of the fee would go to the ''chandala'', a part would be given to the local king, and the rest would be Harishchandra's remuneration. Harishchandra started living and working at the cremation ground. One day, he dreamed about his past lives, and realized that his current condition was a result of his past sins. During this nightmare, he also saw his queen crying before him. When he woke up, he saw his queen actually crying before him. She held the dead body of their son, who had died of a snake bite. Thinking of his misfortune, Harishchandra contemplated suicide, but realized that he would continue to pay for his sins in his next life.

Meanwhile, the queen readied to cremate their son's cadaver. But, Harishchandra told her that he would not let her do so without paying the fee. Meanwhile, all the deities appeared led by Yama and accompanied by Vishvamitra. They praised Harishchandra for his good qualities, and invited him to heaven.

But Harishchandra refused to go to heaven without his public who have lamented over his departure from his kingdom. He believes that they are the equal sharer in his merits and that he will only go heaven when his people also accompany him. He requested the king of devas, Indra to allow his people to go to heaven at least for a single day. Indra accepts his request, and he along with his people ascend to the heaven.

After his ascension to heaven, [[Vashistha]] – the sage of Harishchandra's royal dynasty – ended his ''[[Tapas (Indian religions)|tapasya]]'' of twelve years. He learned of what had happened to Harishchandra during these years. He quarreled with Vishvamitra, but was ultimately pacified by [[Brahma]]. Brahma explained to him that Vishvamitra was only testing the king, and had actually helped him ascend to [[Svarga|heaven]].

==== Devi Bhagavata Purana ====
The ''[[Devi-Bhagavata Purana|Devi Bhagavata Purana]]'' contains a story similar to the one mentioned in the ''Markandeya Purana'', but also contains a reference to the ''Aitareya Brahamana'' legend. This legend is narrated by [[Vyasa]] to [[Janamejaya II|Janamejaya]]. It starts with Vashistha – the sage of Harishchandra's royal dynasty – praising the king's honesty and noble character. Vishvamitra objects to this, pointing out that Harishchandra was ready to sacrifice [[Sunahshepa]], a human. He promises to prove that Harishchandra is not of noble character, and tricks the king into breaking his ''tapasya''. The rest of the story is similar to the ''Markandeya Purana'' version, with minor variations.<ref>{{Cite book
 | title = Devi Bhagwat Purana
 | author = B.K. Chaturvedi
 | year = 2001
 | publisher = Diamond
 | pages = 84–86
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kBPy-fsnY3AC&pg=PA84
 | isbn = 9788171828326
}}</ref>