Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory
पक्षिण ऊचुः प्रहृष्टेनैव मनसा सोऽविकारमुखो नृपः ।
तस्यार्षेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा तथेत्याह कृताञ्जलिः ॥
pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ prahṛṣṭenaiva manasā so ’vikāra-mukho nṛpaḥ | tasyarṣer vacanaṃ śrutvā tathety āha kṛtāñjaliḥ ||
قالت الطيور: إن ذلك الملك، وقد سُرَّ قلبه حقًّا وبقي وجهه غير متغيّر (بلا اضطراب)، لما سمع كلام الحكيم أجاب: «ليكن كذلك»، ويداه مضمومتان.
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The verse models ideal receptivity to dharmic counsel: inner gladness (prahṛṣṭa-manas) paired with outer steadiness (avikāra-mukha). The king’s ‘tathā’ and añjali indicate humility, disciplined ego, and readiness to act on wise instruction—an ethical template for rulers and householders alike.
This verse belongs primarily to Ākhyāna (narrative/exemplum) and Dharma-upadeśa (instruction on conduct) rather than to Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa. It functions as a framing-dialogue moment that supports the Purāṇa’s didactic purpose.
The ‘unchanged face’ signifies mastery over reactive emotions—an inner yogic steadiness—while the pleased mind suggests alignment with ṛta/dharma. Exoterically it is etiquette; esoterically it is the integration of serenity (śama) with willing assent (saṅkalpa) to a higher teaching.