Maharaj Harishchandra was a noble ruler. He was kind and generous. Honesty was dearer to him than life. Even the gods respected him. So did the sages. One day the gods and the sages got together. During the talks, someone said, "When it comes to honesty, Maharaja Harishchandra is the greatest." "He is honest, I agree. He can afford to be honest. He has everything . . . wealth, power and a loving family. Adversity makes men dishonest. Will Maharaj Harishchandra remain honest if he runs into trouble?" asked Sage Vishwamitra. "Why don't you find out?" The gods teased the sage. The sage set out on that task. He met Harishchandra and sought, in alms, his kingdom, his wealth and possessions. Harishchandra gave them away happily. He walked out of the palace, with his wife and son in tow. He had nothing to call his own... no place to live; no job; no income. He sold his wife and child to clear some dues. To pay off the debt, he sold himself to a man who ran the burial ground. The sage came to him and said, "Tell one lie. Just one lie. And you will get back everything." Maharaj Harishchandra politely re- plied, "Satyameva Jayate."
One day, he was at work on the burial ground when his wife came there carrying the dead body of their son. The boy was bitten by a snake and had died. She had no money to arrange for firewood. Maharaj Harishchandra too wept bitterly. But he refused to allow the body to be cremated unless she paid for the firewood. Once again, the sage appeared before the Maharaj. He asked, "How can you be so heartless? Cremate the body of your son. Your master will never come to know of your act." "My master trusts me. I shall never be unworthy of his trust," Maharaja Harishchandra said in a voice choked with pain. The sage was immensely pleased. He restored to Maharaj Harishchandra his kingdom and his wife. With his mystic powers, he brought his son to life. He hailed Maharaja Harishchandra and added, "You have proved that truth always triumphs."
Meaning: Be honest. Be truthful. Success will be yours in the end.
Alternatives: Honesty is the best policy. Truth is God.
One day, he was at work on the burial ground when his wife came there carrying the dead body of their son. The boy was bitten by a snake and had died. She had no money to arrange for firewood. Maharaj Harishchandra too wept bitterly. But he refused to allow the body to be cremated unless she paid for the firewood. Once again, the sage appeared before the Maharaj. He asked, "How can you be so heartless? Cremate the body of your son. Your master will never come to know of your act." "My master trusts me. I shall never be unworthy of his trust," Maharaja Harishchandra said in a voice choked with pain. The sage was immensely pleased. He restored to Maharaj Harishchandra his kingdom and his wife. With his mystic powers, he brought his son to life. He hailed Maharaja Harishchandra and added, "You have proved that truth always triumphs."
Meaning: Be honest. Be truthful. Success will be yours in the end.
Alternatives: Honesty is the best policy. Truth is God.
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