Shloka 21

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

Sanskrit

सप्ताश्वमेधानाहृत्य राजसूयं च पार्थिवः ।

कृतिर्नाम च्युतः स्वर्गादसत्यवचनात् सकृत् ॥

Transliteration

saptāśvamedhān āhṛtya rājasūyaṃ ca pārthivaḥ |

kṛtir nāma cyutaḥ svargād asatyavacanāt sakṛt ||

Translation

Seorang raja, setelah melaksanakan tujuh korban Aśvamedha dan juga Rājasūya, seorang lelaki bernama Kṛti jatuh dari syurga—kerana dia mengucapkan satu dusta sahaja.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Markandeya Purana’s instructional-historical flow (frame-speakers not explicit from the single verse alone)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satya (truthfulness)
• Karma and retribution
• Limits of ritual merit
• Royal duties