Shloka 57

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

ततः स विप्रो नृपतेर्वल्कलान्ते दृढं धनम् ।

बद्ध्वा केशेष्वथादाय नृपपत्नीमकर्षयत् ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ sa vipro nṛpater valkalānte dṛḍhaṃ dhanam /

baddhvā keśeṣv athādāya nṛpa-patnīm akarṣayat

Translation

Dann band jener Brahmane den Reichtum des Königs fest in den Saum eines Rindenkleides, packte die Gemahlin des Königs am Haar und schleifte sie fort.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Markandeya Purana’s ongoing story (not a Devi Mahatmyam battle-verse)

Key Themes

• Adharma and its consequences
• Violation of royal household
• Greed and violence
• Social-ethical transgression