Raja harish chandra biography
Harishchandra - the Epitome of Truth
India brings several interesting and very different stories of kings and princes; some who became heroes for their valiance and brave feats achieved during battles and wars; some who came to be known for their kindness and compassion; yet others who were most infamous for their heartless and cruel behavior. Set apart from all the afore-mentioned categories are rulers who were renowned for their truthfulness - who became legends for unswervingly treading the path of righteousness. One such persona was King Harishchandra.
Harishchandra was renowned for two rare qualities - firstly, for never uttering a single lie in his life and secondly, for never going back on a promise he made to someone. In this post, we bring you the story of this king.
The Story of Raja Harishchandra
Thus Spake the Vedas
(Book)
Harishchandrawas a famed Indian ruler, whose name appears in several major Indian texts and treatises, such as the Mahabharata, Markandeya Purana, the Devi-Bhagavata Purana and the Aitareya Brahmana. The story of this king, which first features in the Vedasand then in the Puranasas well, is most interesting and intriguing and has illuminated the lives of many a great legend. It is believed to have helped Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava prince, to go beyond his adversities and tread the path of righteousness. This story also inspired Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, to follow the path of truth.
Varuna on Makara
(Painting)
Harishchandra was a great monarch, belonging to the Ikshvaku dynasty (Lord Sri Rama's lineage). Several years had passed after his marriage, but he did not have children. Both he and his wife, Taramati, yearned for a child and undertook many a ritual and pilgrimage for begetting a son. Then, they decided to pray to Lord Varuna (the Rain God) in order to invoke his blessings. Varuna was pleased with them and blessed them with a son. However, he also wanted them to sacrifice th
Harishchandra
King in Hindu literature
For other uses, see Harishchandra (disambiguation).
Harishchandra (Sanskrit: हरिश्चन्द्र, romanized: Hariścandra) is a legendary king of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as the Aitareya Brahmana, Mahabharata, the Markandeya Purana, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana. The most famous of these stories is the one mentioned in the Markandeya Purana. According to this legend, Harishchandra gave away his kingdom, sold his family, and agreed to be a slave – all to fulfill a promise he had made to the sage Vishvamitra.
Legend
Aitareya Brahmana
According to a legend mentioned in Aitareya Brahamana, Harishchandra had one hundred wives, but no son. On advice of the sage Narada, he prayed to the deity Varuna for a son. Varuna granted the boon, in exchange for an assurance that Harishchandra would make a sacrifice to Varuna in the future. As a result of this boon, a son named Rohita (or Rohitashva) was born to the king. After his birth, Varuna came to Harishchandra and demanded that the child be sacrificed to him. The king postponed the sacrifice multiple times citing various reasons, but finally agreed to it when Rohita became an adult. Rohita refused to be sacrificed and escaped to the forest. An angry Varuna afflicted Harishchandra with a stomach illness. Rohita intermittently visited his father, but on the advice of Indra, never agreed to the sacrifice. Later, Rohita managed to substitute himself with Sunahshepa in the human sacrifice. Sunahshepa prayed to the Rigvedic deities, and was saved from the sacrifice. Harishchandra's illness was also cured because of Sunahshepa's prayers; Sunahshepa was adopted by the sage Vishvamitra.
A similar story is narrated in the Ramayana, but the king's name is Ambarisha instead of Harishchandra.
Puranic legends
In the Puranas, Harishchandra is the son of Trishanku. The Vishnu Purana men
Harish Chandra (raja)
Raja
Raja Harish Chandra Rai (c. 1841–1885) was the 47th Raja of the Chakma Circle.
Biography
He was the grandson of Raja Dharam Bux Khan through his daughter born of his third Rani.
He married Rani Shourindri Dewan of the Larma Goza (Clan or Sept).
His grandmother, Kalindi Rani, assisted in supplying coolie transport for the Lushai Expedition of 1871–72. In recognition of this service, the government of British India vested Harish Chandra with the title of Rao Bahadur. At her death in 1873, he became chief of the Chakmas, and the title of Raja was conferred on him the next year. According to ethnographer J. P. Mills, Harish Chandra's "drunkenness, incompetency and contumacy" rendered him so ineffective a ruler that it became necessary to depose him in April 1884. He died in 1885.
Children
References
Further reading
The story of Harishchandra is a very popular story based on Indian mythology. It revolves around the great king Satyavadi Harishchandra of Ayodhya, who was known for his truthfulness and love toward his subjects. Therefore a very renowned sage decided to test the king and his qualities. The story shows the struggles faced by the king and how he faced them strongly along with his family. Satyavadi Harishchandra's story is the best example to teach the importance of being honest and truthful.
The Origin of the Satyavadi Harishchandra Story
Satyavadi Harishchandra was a very brave and legendary ruler who belonged to the solar family. Which means he belonged to the lineage of god Ram. The Father of Raja Harishchandra, Jayachandra was also a well-known ruler of Ayodhya. Satyavadi Harishchandra's story is a very popular and age-old fable. The existence of this story can be traced to Aitareya Brahmana, Mahabharata, Devi Bhagavata Purana, Markandeya Purana, and other historical books. These books also contain many other legends related to king Harishchandra and his adventures.
Satyavadi Harishchandra Story
Once upon a time, there was a very brave king called Harishchandra of Ayodhya. The king was known for his truthfulness and caring behavior. Under his rule, all of his subjects were extremely happy and satisfied with the king. The kingdom was very prosperous and developed. Once all the gods decided to test the king, so they requested Viswamitra sage to help them. One fine day the king went hunting in the forest nearby, where he suddenly heard a scream of a woman. The king immediately went to help the women and ran into Vishwamitra's ashram. This disturbed the sage's meditation and he turned red in anger. To cool down the sage's anger, Harishchandra said that he would donate his whole kingdom to Vishwamitra. The sage agreed and asked for some Dakshina ( fees) before leaving. The king who gave away his whole kingdom had no possessions left to give. The k