Of chance. Turned from his home a wanderer
Into the forest with his wife and child:
Devoured by a ravening beast, but raised
To life again on earth, he sore bewailed
His wife: "Alas! why hast thou left me thus?
Alas! O Saivya! where hast thou gone?"
Then in his dream he seemed to see his wife
And son lamenting: "What hast thou to do
With gambling? Oh protect us, mighty king!"
The vision faded, and he saw no more
The cherished forms. And then the dream returned
By power divine. And Harischandra stood
In heaven, and he beheld his wife on earth,
With flowing hair, dragged forcibly along--
Stripped of her clothes: the cry came to his ear,
"Protect us, king of men!" Then, snatched away,
The demons hurried him before the judge;
And Harischandra seemed to hear the words:
"Go forth! return once more to earth! Thy grief
Is well nigh past and ended; joy ere long
Shall come to thee. The sorrows that remain
Endure." The king, then driven from the sky
By Yama's messengers, falling through space--
Senseless in fear and terror, filled with pain
Yet more exceeding--thought within himself,
"How shall I suffer all these torments sore!--
The changes manifold of form--the pain
In Naraka." Then Harischandra sought
Aid from the gods: "O mighty lords," he said,
"Protect me! O protect my wife and child!