A moving story of Raja Harishchandra as flashed by me on the f.b. on Jan.23,2011.

Bishwa Nath Singh:


It is of common belief that all those People who are on the righteous path face great hardship. The most prime example we have and the one we intend to follow is that of Raja Harishchandra.The story of Raja Harishchandra had affected one of the greatest personality of the nineteenth to twentieth century, Mahatma Gandhi who was deeply influenced by the virtues of telling the truth when he watched the play of Harishchandra in his childhood The moving story of Raja Harishchandra had helped him to be .called Mahatma Gandhi from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement.

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(Painting narrating moving tale of Raja Harishchandra & his family being sepearted after auction at Benaras)


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Bishwa Nath Singh :
The above painting narrates the pathetic story of Raja Harishchandra and his family after auuctioned and being parted their ways in Benaras to pay honorarium to the great saga Maharshi Vishwamitra.It is of common belief that all those Pe...ople who are on the righteous path face great hardship. The most prime example we have and the one we intend to follow is that of Raja Harishchandra.As per Hindu religious texts ,Raja Harishchandra was the thirty sixth king of the Solar Dynasty of Surya Maharishi Gothram. His legend is very popular and often told as a benchmark for an ideal life. He was renowned for his piety and justice Raja Harshchandra was one king who never lied and always kept his promise as much as that when the great sage Maharshi Vishvamitra told him of a promise to donate his entire kingdom in his dream, he immediately carried out and donated his entire kingdom. What a pitiable situation that when he had no money to preferred to be a guard at a cremation ground under command of Dome Raja of Cremation ground as there was none other than Dome Raja to buy him. Raja Harishchandra was assigned duty to collect tax from those accompanying dead bodies for cremation. He was very much dedicated to his work Rohit had to sustain tremendous hardships doing their respective chores. He carried out his ordeal to guard none to cremate the dead bodies at cremation ground without paying tax that was situated at the bank of the holy river the Ganges, while his wife and son were used as household helpers at the house of the Brahmin. Once, the son had been to the garden to pluck flowers for his master's Pooja, when he was bitten by a snake where he died instantly. His mother, having nobody to sympathize for her, carried his body to the cremation ground weeping and crying.. In acute penury, she could not even pay the taxes needed to cremate him. Harishchandra did not recognise his wife and son. He asked the lady to sell her golden Mangalasutra( a golden ornament usually wore by married ladies) and pay the tax. It is at this instance that his wife recognized the man as her husband. She has a boon that her husband only could see her Mangalasutra. Harishchandra then came to her and recognized her as his wife and was stung by pangs of agony. But, Harishchandra, was duty bound by his job to perform the cremation only after the acceptance of the tax. So, he asked his wife, if she was willing to undergo further hardships and stand by him in this hour of calamity. The faithful wife readily gave assent. She had in her possession only a "saree", a part of which was used to cover the dead body of her son. She agreed to offer half of her lone dress as the tax, which Harishchandra could accept and perform the last rites of his son. When she proceeded to remove her dress, miracles happened. Lord Vishnu,Lord Indra, all Gods and the sage Maharshi Vishwamitra-all manifested themselves on the scene, and praised Harishchandra for his perseverance and steadfastness as real truth seeker and follower. They brought his son back to life. They also offered the king and his wife, instant places in heaven. The virtuous king, unhesitant refused saying that he cannot leave behind his subjects as per his Kshatriya Dharma. He asked for a place in heaven for all his subjects. But the gods refused, explaining that the subjects had their own Karma and they have to undergo them. The king was then ready to forego all his virtues and religiousness for his people, so that they could ascend to heaven leaving him behind. The gods, now immensely pleased with the sterling character of the great king, offered heavenly abode to the king, the queen and all their subjects and his Son Rohit was blessed to rule his kingdom .Even today, one can see Rohtas fort situated in Rohtas Districrt of Bihar State of India as a living monument of King Rohit who had ruled his kingdom after his father King Raja Harishchandra.The story of Raja Harishchandra had affected one of the greatest personality of the nineteenth to twentieth century, Mahatma Gandhi who was deeply influenced by the virtues of telling the truth when he watched the play of Harishchandra in his childhood The moving story of Raja Harishchandra had helped him to be .called Mahatma Gandhi from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement.Let us join to pay our humble obeisance's to the lotus feet of Raja Harishchandra, his wife Rani Saibbya and his son Rohit and seek their bliss for well-being of all living-being of this universe!

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f.b.
Jan.23,2011.