Project Gutenberg's Mârkandeya Purâna, Books VII. VIII, by Anonymous This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Mârkandeya Purâna, Books VII. VIII Author: Anonymous Translator: R. Hale Wortham Posting Date: March 19, 2014 [EBook #7169] Release Date: December, 2004 First Posted: March 20, 2003 Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MÂRKANDEYA PURÂNA, BOOKS VII. VIII *** Produced by Chetan Jain, John B. Hare, and Christopher M. Weimer. HTML version by Al Haines. Mârkandeya Purâna Books VII and VIII. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. [New Series, Volume XIII] [London, Trübner and Company] [1881] {Scanned and edited by Christopher M. Weimer, May 2002} ART. XIII.--__Translation of the Mârka.n.deya Purâ.na.__ Books VII. VIII. By the Rev. B. HALE WORTHAM. BOOK VII. ONCE upon earth there lived a saintly king Named Harišchandra; pure in heart and mind, In virtue eminent, he ruled the world, Guarding mankind from evil. While he reigned No famine raged, nor pain; untimely death Ne'er cut men off; nor were the citizens Of his fair city lawless. All their wealth, And power, and works of righteousness, ne'er filled Their hearts with pride; in everlasting youth And loveliness the women passed their days. It so fell out, that while this mighty king Was hunting in the forest, that he heard The sound of female voices raised in cry Of supplication. Then he turned and said, Leaving the deer to fly unheeded: "Stop! Who art thou, full of tyranny and hate, That darest thus oppress the earth; while I, The tamer of all evil, live and rule?" Then, too, the fierce Ganeša,--he who blinds The eyes, and foils the wills of men,--he heard The cry, and thus within himself he thought: "This surely is the great ascetic's work, The mighty Višvâmitra; he whose acts Display the fruits of penance hard and sore. Upon the sciences he shows his power, While they, in patience, discipline of mind, And silence perfected, cry out with fear, 'What shall we do? The illustrious Kaušika Is powerful; and we, compared with him, Are feeble.' Thus they cry. What shall I do? My mind is filled with doubt. Yet stay; a thought Has come across me: Lo! this king who cries Unceasingly, 'Fear not!' meeting with him, And entering his heart, I will fulfil All my desire." Then filled with Rudra's son-- Inspired with rage by Vigna Raj--the king Spake up and said: "What evil doer is here, Binding the fire on his garment's hem, While I, his king, in power and arms renowned, Resplendent in my glory, pass for nought? Surely the never-ending sleep of death Shall overtake him, and his limbs shall fail, Smitten with darts from my far-reaching bow, Whose fame this lower world may scarce contain." Hearing the prince's words, the saint was filled With wrath o'erpow'ring, and the sciences Fell blasted in a moment at his glance. But when the king beheld the pious sage All-powerful, he quaked exceedingly, And trembled like the sacred fig-tree's leaves. Then Višvâmitra cried: "Stop, miscreant!" And Harišchandra, humbly falling down Before the saint, in accents low and meek: "O Lord! most holy! most adorable! Oh, blame me not! This is no fault of mine! My duty calls," he said, "I must obey." "Is it not written in the Holy Law, 'Alms must be given by a virtuous king; His people must be fought for, and be kept From every ill'?" Then Višvâmitra spoke And said: "To whom, O king, should'st thou give alms? For whom in battle should'st thou fight? and whom Should'st thou protect? Oh, tell me, nor delay, But quickly answer, if thou fearest sin." "Alms should be given to Brâhmans," said the king: "Those who are weak should be protected: foes In battle should be met and overcome." Then Višvâmitra spoke and said: "O king! If thus indeed thou rightly dost perceive Thy royal duty, give thine alms to me; I am a holy Brâhman, and I seek A dwelling-place; moreover I would gain A wife: therefore bestow on me thine alms." The king, his heart filled with exceeding joy, Felt, as it were, his youth return, and said: "Fear not! but tell me, son of Kaušika, Thy heart's desire; and be it hard to gain, Or be it easy, it shall still be thine. Say, shall I give thee gold, or wealth, or life? Or shall I give thee wife, or child, or land? Or my prosperity itself?" "O king!" The sage replied, "thy present I accept; But let thine alms, I pray, be granted first,-- The offering for the kingly sacrifice." "O Brâhman!" said the king, "the alms are thine; Further than this, whatever be the gift Thou mayest desire, freely I give it thee. Ask what thou wilt." Then Višvâmitra spake: "Give me the earth, its mountains, seas, and towns, With all its kingdoms, chariots, horses, men; Its elephants, its treasure-houses too; Its treasures vast, and all whate'er beside Is recognized as thine: oh! give me all, I pray, except thyself, thy wife, thy son, And this thy righteousness, that follows close Beside thee. Sinless one! oh thou who art Perfect in righteousness! oh give me all-- All beside these. What need of further words." The king, with heart rejoicing, and unchanged In countenance, hearing the sage's words, Said, humbly bowing down before the saint, "So be thy wish fulfilled." "O saintly king," Said Višvâmitra, "if the world is mine, And power, and wealth, I pray you who shall reign, Since in this kingdom as a devotee I dwell?" Then Harišchandra said: "'Ere this, Before the world was thine by my free gift, Thou wast the lord of all; how much more now? Thy right is doubly sure." Then said the sage: "If this indeed be so,--if the whole world Be truly mine, and all its sovereignty, Then should'st thou not remain, nor leave thyself Aught of that kingdom which thou hast renounced, But, casting off thy royal ornaments, Thou should'st depart, clothed in a dress of bark." The king, obedient to the sage's word, Stripped off his royal dress, and, with his wife And son, made haste to go. Then said the saint: "Stop, Harišchandra! Hast thou then forgot The offering for the kingly sacrifice That thou hast promised us?" Replied the king: "O mighty saint! the kingdom now is __thine__; All have I given to __thee__: and as for me, What have I left?--nought! save myself, My wife, my son!" "Thou sayest the truth, indeed," Answered the sage; "but yet there still remains The offering for the kingly sacrifice. And this know well: A vow to Brâhmans made, If unfulfilled, works special woe to him Who made the vow. For in this sacrifice Must offerings of worth be freely made To Brâhmans;--offerings until they cry Hold! that suffices for us! Therefore pay Thy promised vow, nor longer hesitate. 'Alms are for Brâhmans,' thou thyself hast said, 'Those who are weak must be protected: foes In battle must be met and overcome.'" "O saintly priest!" answered the king, "my wealth Is all departed: nothing now remains For me to give: yet grant me time I pray, And I will pay the offering!" "Noble king," Said Višvâmitra, "speak I pray thee! Say What time dost thou appoint that I should wait? Speak! no delay! or else my curse of fire Shall burn thee up." Then Harišchandra said: "Most holy Brâhman! when a month has past The money for the offering shall be thine. Now I have nothing. Oh! be pleased to grant Remission for the present." Said the sage, "Go! go! most noble prince! maintain thy faith! And may'st thou prosper! may no enemies Harass thy road." Commanded thus, the king Departed as an outcast;--he, the king Of all the earth, an exile with his wife Unused to go afoot, and with his son Went forth: while cries and lamentations rose On every side: "Our hearts are filled with pain, Why dost thou leave us thus? O virtuous king! Show mercy to thy subjects. Righteousness Indeed shines forth in thee; if thou art full Of mercy, may it overflow on us. Stay! Mighty Prince! one moment, while we gaze With lover's eyes upon thy beauteous form. Alas! our Prince! Shall we ne'er see thee more? How changed thy princely state! Thou, who did'st once Go forth, surrounded by attendant kings, Who marched on foot; while stately elephants Bore e'en thy ministers. Now, Lord of Kings! Thyself art driven forth on foot. Yet, stay! Think, Harišchandra! how wilt thou endure The dust, the heat, the toil? Stay, mighty prince, Nor cast thy duty off. Oh, show to us Some mercy, for herein thy duty lies. Behold, we cast off all for thee! Our wives, Our wealth, our children, our possessions, all Have we relinquished; like thy shadow, We would follow thee. Oh leave us not! For wheresoe'er thou art is happiness, And heaven itself would be no heaven to us Without our prince." Then, overwhelmed with grief At these laments, the king stayed on his course, In pity for his loving citizens. Then Višvâmitra, filled with rage, his eyes Rolling with wrath, exclaimed: "Shame on thee! shame! O full of falsehood, and of wickedness. How! would'st thou, then, speaker of lies! Resume the gifts that thou hast freely made, And reinstate thee in thy kingdom?" "Sir! I go!" replied the king to these rude words, And trembling crept away in haste, his wife Holding him by the hand. And, as she went, Her fragile form o'ercome with weariness, The Brâhman smote her fiercely with his stick. Then Harišchandra, pained with inmost grief, Seeing the stroke, said meekly, "Sir! I go!" Nor further spoke. Filled with compassion then, The Višvadevas said: "What sin is this? What torments shall indeed suffice for him By whom this pious king--the offerer Of prayer, and sacrifice, has been cast forth. Who now will sanctify the Soma-juice With prayers and hymns, at the great sacrifice, That we may drink it with rejoicing hearts?" Then, having heard these words, the Brâhman turned Upon the Višvedevâs; and, in wrath Exceeding hot, he spake a fearful curse: "You shall be cast down from the height of heaven, And live as men." The curse had hardly passed His lips, when filled with pity for their fate, The sage yet further added: "you shall live Indeed as men, but yet, there shall be born To you no son, nor shall you know the state Of marriage. Envy, love, and wrath shall ne'er Hold sway o'er you: and when the appointed time Has past, you shall re-enter once again The courts of heaven, and wear again the form Which you had lost." The Višvedevâs then Came down from heaven, and, clothed in human form, Were born as men, the sons of Pritha, wife Of Pa.n.du. Therefore those five Pâ.n.davas-- Mighty in war--by Višvâmitra cursed, Knew not the state of marriage. Thou hast heard The tale of Pa.n.du's sons; thy question, too, Of fourfold import has been answered. I pray thee, say, what further would'st thou hear? BOOK VIII. Said Jaimîni: An answer ye have found To all my questions; and indeed have filled Me full of deepest interest. Oh! I long To hear yet more! Alas! that saintly king! What grief he suffered! Did he e'er attain To any comfort answering to his woe? Noblest of Birds! Oh tell me this, I pray. The Holy Birds continued: Then the king, O'ercome with grief and pain, hearing the words Of Višvâmitra, with his wife and son Journeyed along, dragging his weary steps. At length the holy place appeared in view-- The shrine of Šiva; thus within himself, He said: "Benares, sacred to the god, Lies now before me; there shall I find rest, For there man has no power." The king approached The gates on foot: lo! at the entry stood The Brâhman Višvâmitra. Mighty Saint! The king, his hands in supplication joined, With humble reverence, said: "Here is my life, My wife, my son, I offer all to thee; Accept, I pray, the offering! or choose Whatever else thou wouldest!" But the sage Replied: "The month is past! most saintly king! Give me the present for the sacrifice-- The offering thou hast promised." "One half-day As yet remains before the month be past, Oh Brâhman of surpassing piety, And penances unfading. Wait, I pray, A few short hours." Then Višvâmitra said: "So be it, king! once more I will return, But if the offering be not duly paid, Before the sinking of this evening's sun, My curse shall smite thee." And the priest Departed, while the king, in anxious thought, Debated thus: "How shall I make the gift? The promised gift? where are my friends? my wealth? I may not beg for alms; how can I then Fulfil my vow? Nor even in the world Beyond shall I find rest. Destruction waits, If with my promise unfulfilled, I pass From hence. A robber of the holy saints; I shall become the lowest of the low. Nay, I will sell myself! and, as a slave, Redeem my promise." Then the queen, in tears Bewildered, and afflicted, lost in thought, With face cast down, "Maintain thy truth," she said, "Most mighty prince! Oh! let not doubt prevail! The man devoid of truth is to be shunned Like contact with the dead. The highest law Declares, that inward truth and faithfulness Must be maintained. Burnt sacrifices, alms, The study of the scriptures, penances, Are counted not for righteousness to him Whose word is faithless. Listen! noble prince! Is it not written in the sacred law: 'The wise attain Salvation through the truth, While lies and falsehood are destruction's way To men of low and evil minds.' There lived, 'Tis said, a king upon the earth, by whom The kingly sacrifice--burnt offerings too, Were offered in abundance. That same king Fell once from truthfulness, and by that fall, He lost his righteousness, and forfeited His place in heaven. Prince! I have borne a son"-- Her utterance failed her, issuing forth in nought But sighs and lamentations. Then the king, With eyes o'erflowing, said, "Behold thy son! He stands beside thee! cast away thy grief! Tell me what presses on thee." Said the queen, "Prince, I have borne a son; and sons are born To none but worthy women. This my son Shall take me--he shall offer me for sale-- Then with the money gained, pay thou the priest The promised offering." Hearing these words, He fell down fainting. When his sense returned, Filled with exceeding pain, the king burst forth, Lamenting: "This, alas! most loving one! Is hardly to be framed in words, much less Be carried out in deed. Alas! alas!"-- His spirit fled again, and to the earth He fell unconscious. Overcome with grief, The queen exclaimed, filled with compassion: "King! How art thou fallen from thy high estate! The ground is now thy resting-place, whom once A gorgeous couch received. Lo! this my lord, By whom wealth, honour, power, are freely given An offering to the Brâhman--see, he lies Insensate on the ground. Ye gods of heaven! Tell me, I pray you, has this noble king, Equal to gods in rank, committed sin Against you, that he lies thus overcome With woe?" Then fell the queen, bereft of sense Upon the earth, o'erwhelmed with grief and pain, Seeing her husband's misery. When the boy Beheld his parents lying on the ground, He cried in terror: "Father! give me food! Mother! my tongue is parched with thirst!" Meanwhile Upon the scene the mighty Brâhman came; And when he saw the king lie senseless, "King!"-- Sprinkling cold water on his face--he said, "Rise up! rise up! Pay me the promised vow; For this thy misery from day to day Increases, and will yet increase, until The debt be paid." The water's cooling touch Refreshed the king; his consciousness returned; But when he saw the Brâhman, faintness seized His limbs again. Then overpowering rage Seized Višvâmitra; but before he left, The best of Brâhmans said: "If what is just, Or right, or true, enters thy mind, O king! Give me the present. Lo! by truth divine The sun sends forth his vivifying rays Upon the earth. By truth this mighty world Stands firm and steadfast. Truth all law excels. By truth the very heaven itself exists. Wert thou to weigh the truth, and in the scale Opposing, wert to place burnt-offerings, And sacrifices countless, still the truth Would far outweigh them all. Why need I waste My words of loving-kindness upon thee-- An ill-intentioned, false, ignoble man. Thou art a king,--so should the truth prevail With thee. Yet hear me;--if the offering Be still unpaid when th' evening's sun has sunk Behind the western mountain to his rest, My curse shall smite thee." Speaking words like these The Brâhman left him; and the king, o'ercome With fear--a fugitive--robbed of his wealth-- Degraded to unfathomable depths-- The victim of his evil creditor-- Heard once again the counsel of his wife: "O king! sell __me__! nor let the fiery curse Dissolve thy being!" Urged repeatedly, The king at length replied: "Most loving one! What the most wicked man could hardly do, That same will I:--and I will sell my wife. Alas! that I should utter such a word!" And going with his wife into the town-- Eyes dimmed with tears, voice choked with grief--he cried: "Come hither, townsmen! hearken unto me! A wretch! inhuman! savage as a fiend! I offer here my wife for sale, and yet I live! Here is a female slave! Who buys? Make haste and speak." "The female slave is mine!" (So spake an ancient Brâhman to the king.) "Money I have in heaps, and I will pay You well for her. My wife is delicate; Her household duties are beyond her strength; I want a slave, and therefore I will give A price proportioned to the woman's skill And temper; nor will I o'erlook her youth And beauty. What you think is fair and right, That will I pay." Struck dumb with grief, the king Stood mute, nor answered aught. And then the priest, Tying the price in the king's garment-hem-- His bark-cloth garment--roughly grasped the queen, And dragged her off. But when the loving child Beheld his mother led away, he seized Her by her garment. And the queen exclaimed: "If only for a moment, noble sir! Oh! let me go! that I may gaze once more Upon my child, whom I shall never see, And never touch again! My child, behold Thy mother, now a slave! And thou--a prince! Oh, touch me not! My lot of servitude Forbids that thou should'st touch me." But the child, His eyes bedewed with tears, ran after her, Calling her "Mother!" As the boy came near, The Brâhman spurned him with his foot; but he Still following close would not be torn from her, Calling her "Mother!" "Oh, my lord! I pray, Be gracious to me!" said the queen. "Oh, buy My son with me; divide us not! For I Without him shall be nought of use to you. Be gracious, O my lord!" Then said the priest: "Here! take the money! give the boy to me! The saints, who know the scriptures, have ordained The right and lawful sum. Take it!" He tied The money in the king's bark dress, and led Them both away--the mother and the child-- Together bound. But when the king beheld Himself bereft of both his wife and son, He burst forth: "Ah! my wife! whom neither sun, Nor moon, nor air have ever seen I who hast Been kept from vulgar gaze! Alas I a slave Hast thou become! Alas! thou, too, my son!-- A scion of the noble dynasty, Sprung from the sun! disgrace has seized on thee, And--shame upon me!--thou too art a slave! Ye have become a sacrifice; ye, through my fault, Have fallen. Would that I were dead!" Thus spoke The king. Meanwhile the Brâhman hastily Entered the grove wherein his dwelling stood, And vanished with his slaves. Then met the king The Brâhman Višvâmitra. "Prince!" he said, Pay me the offering!" Harišchandra gave The money gainèd by the shameful sale Of wife and child. And when the priest beheld The money, overcome with wrath, he said: "How canst thou mock me with this paltry sum! Base Kshatriya! And thinkest thou that this Suffices for a sacrificial gift Such as I would accept? But if thy mind Thus far misleads thee, thou shalt feel my power-- Power transcendant, gained by penances, And scripture meditation. Yes! the power Of my pure Brâhmanhood shall show itself On thee." "More will I give thee," said the king, "But wait, most noble saint! Nought have I left! Even my wife and child are sold." Replied The Brâhman: "Hold! be silent! Further time Than the remaining fourth part of to-day I grant thee not." Enraged, he turned away, Departing with the money. And the king, Immersed in grief and fear, with face cast down, Cried out: "If there be any one of you Who wants a slave, let him make haste and speak While day remains." Then Dharma, putting on The form of a Cha.n.dâla, hastily Came forward, taking pity on the king. His countenance was fearful,--black, with tusks Projecting; savage in his words; his smell Was foul and horrible; a crowd of dogs Came after him. "Tell me thy price," he said; "Be quick; and whether it be large or small I care not, so I have thee as my slave:" The king, beholding such a loathsome form, Of mien revolting--"What art thou?" he said. "Men call me a Cha.n.dâla," he replied. I dwell in this same city--in a part Of evil fame. As of a murderer Condemned to death, such is my infamy. My calling is a robber of the dead." "I will not be a slave," exclaimed the king, "To thee, a base Cha.n.dâla. Better far That I should perish by the fiery curse." The words were scarcely uttered, when the saint Returned, his countenance with rage Distorted; and he thus addressed the king: "The sum is fair; why dost thou not accept The offer? Then indeed thou mightest pay The gift thou owest for the sacrifice." "O son of Kušika!" replied the king, "Consider this, I pray!--my noble race! Truly am I descended from the sun! How can I then become, though sore in want, Lowest of creatures--a Cha.n.dâla's slave?" "Delay no more," the Brâhman said, "but pay The gift at once, and sell thyself a slave To the Cha.n.dâla--or assuredly I curse thee." "Saintly priest, be merciful!" The king entreated; and, immersed in care, He seized the Brâhman's feet, exclaiming thus: "What am I but a slave, o'erwhelmed with grief! Fear holds me! Saintly priest, be merciful! Protect me, mighty saint! Save me, I pray, From this most horrible Cha.n.dâla. Sir! Most noble saint! hereafter shall thy will Be all the object of my life! To serve Thy lightest wish shall be my highest joy! Thus will I make the offering--I will be Thy __slave__!" Replied the Brahman: "If thou art My slave, then will I sell thee as a slave To the Cha.n.dâla." Then, filled with delight, Paying the money, the Švapâka bound His lately-purchased slave, and striking him, Led hill away. Parted from all his friends; In utmost grief; in the Cha.n.dâla's house Abiding--morning, noon, and eventide, And night, the king thus made lament: "Alas! my tender wife, overwhelmed with pain, Looking upon her son in misery, Bewails her lot. But yet she says: 'The king Will surely ransom us, for he has gained By now more money than the Brâhman paid For us;' and all the time she little knows My fate--worse than her own. For I have passed From woe to woe--kingdom and friends--my wife, My son, have passed from me, and now the state Of a Cha.n.dâla holds me." While he dwelt A slave in the Cha.n.dâla's house, the forms Of those he loved were still before his eyes-- Were ever in his mind. Meanwhile the king, Obedient to his master's will, became A robber of the dead; and night and day He watched for plunder. "One part of the spoil Is for the king, three for thy master, two For thee. Go to the city's southern part, Where is the dwelling of the dead, there wait." Obeying the Cha.n.dâla, to the place Of burial he went;--an awful place, Filled full of fearful sounds and loathsome sights-- Of evil smells, and smoke, and locks of hair Fallen from the dead; while troops of fiends and ghouls, Vampires and demons, wandered to and fro. Vultures and jackals prowled, and spirit forms' Of evil hovered o'er. The ground was strewn With heaps of bones; and wailing, sharp and shrill, Re-echoed from the mourners of the dead. The bodies on the funeral piles, half burnt, Crackled and hissed; showing their shining teeth, They grinned, as if in sport; while all the time The howl of demons and the wail of fiends Were mingled with the roar of flames--a sound Of fearful import, such as ushers in The day of doom. The sights, and sounds, and smells-- The heaps of ashes, and the piles of bones, Blackened with filth--the smoke, the shouts, The yells--struck fear on fear into the heart. The burial-place resembled nought but hell. Such was the place appointed for the king. "Priests! Brâhmans! Counsellors! how have I fallen From all my royal state! Alas! my queen! Alas! my son! Oh! miserable fate! We have been torn asunder by the power Of Višvâmitra." Thoughts like these possessed His inmost mind; while foul, unshorn, unwashed, He served his master. Running here and there, Armed with a jagged club, he sought the dead, From whom he gained his wages. So he lived, Degraded from his caste. Old knotted rags Served as his dress; his face and arms and feet With dust and ashes from the funeral piles Begrimed; his hands defiled with putrid flesh From contact with the bodies of the dead. So neither day nor night he ceased from toil. And twelve months passed--twelve weary months, which seemed To his grief-stricken mind a hundred years; And then at last, worn out, the best of kings Lay down to rest; and as upon his couch All motionless in sleep he lay, he saw A wondrous vision. By the power divine He seemed to wear another form,--a form Both new and strange,--and in that form to pay The vow. Twelve years of expiation passed With difficulty. Then within himself King Harišchandra thought: "So too will I, When I am freed from hence, perform my vows With generous freedom." Forthwith he was born As a Pukkasa; while a place was found For him among the dead, and funeral rites Were ordered as his task. Thus seven years Were passed; then to the burying-place was brought A Brâhman seeking sepulture: in life He had been poor, but honest; and the king, Though he knew this--the dead man's poverty And his uprightness--pressed his friends to pay The funeral dues. "Enforce thy right," they said, "And do this evil deed; yet know thou this: Once upon earth there was a mighty king Named Harišchandra; though he but disturbed A Brâhman's sleep, through that offence he lost His merit, and by Višvâmitra's curse Became a base Pukkasa." "Yet the king Spared not the dead man's friends, but still required His fee. Therefore they cursed him in their rage-- "Go!--go!--thou most degraded of mankind-- Go to the lowest hell!" Then in his dream The king beheld the messengers of death. Fearful to look at, armed with heavy chains, They seized him, and they bound him hand and foot, And bore him off. And then, in fear and pain, Headlong he fell into the bath of oil In Nâraka. There, torn with instruments Sharp-edged as razors, fed on putrid blood, He saw himself. For seven years in hell-- Now burnt from day to day, now tossed and torn, Now cut by knives, and now by icy winds Frozen and numbed--a dead Pukkasa's fate He underwent. Each day in Nâraka, A hundred years of mortal reckoning-- So count the demons who inhabit hell. Then he beheld himself cast up to earth, His spirit entering a filthy dog; Feeding on things all foul and horrible-- Consumed by cold. A month thus passed away. His spirit changed its dwelling, and he saw Himself an ass; and after that an ox, A cow, a goat, a sheep, a bird, a worm. So day by day he saw his spirit change Its outward shape. A multitude of forms-- Some moving, others rooted to the ground-- Received his soul. And when the hundred years Were passed and gone, he saw himself again Re-occupy his pristine human form-- Once more a king. And then he seemed to lose His kingdom, casting it away in games 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 Harišchandra 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 Harišchandra 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 Nâraka." Then Harišchandra sought Aid from the gods: "O mighty lords," he said, "Protect me! O protect my wife and child! O mighty Dharma, thee I worship! Thee, O Krish.na, the Creator! Faultless ones, Both far and near, before you now I come, A suppliant. On thee, O lord of prayer, I call! on thee, O Indra too! to thee O ancient one! I pray--immutable!" The vision fled, the king arose from sleep. His tangled hair, his body black and grimed, Recalled to him his state--the plunderer Of dead men's clothes. His recollection gone, He thought not of his sorrowing wife and child, For reason failed. The loss of kingdom, wealth, And friends, his dwelling-place among the tombs, Had overthrown his senses, and destroyed His mind. Then to the burying-place the queen Came, bearing the dead body of her son-- Pale and distracted. "My beloved son! My child!" she kept exclaiming, while she threw Dust on her head. "Alas! alas! O king! O that thou could'st behold thy child," she said-- "Thy child now lying dead upon the earth, Killed by a serpent's bite. Alas! my son! So lovely! so delightful!" Then the king, Rearing the sounds of mourning, went in haste To rob the dead: nor did he recognize His wife, in that sad mourner, changed by grief As if into another. And the queen Knew not the form that stood before her, clothed In rags, with matted hair, withered and foul. Then recollection dawned upon the king, Seeing the dead child's princely form, the thought Of his own son came o'er him. "Ah! my child! What evil chance," he said, "has brought thee here! A child of princely race thou seemest. He, my son, Long lost to me through my accursed fate, Would have been even such as thou in age." Then raised the queen her voice, and thus she spoke: "Alas! has some unexpiated crime Brought upon us, my child! this endless woe. My absent lord! since thou did'st not console My grief in times gone by, how can the pain I suffer now assuage? Did'st thou not lose Thy kingdom? did'st thou not desert thy friends? Did'st thou not sell thy wife and child?" The king Heard her lament, and as he heard, the wail Fell from his eyes,--he recognized again His wife and son--and saying but the words, "Ah! Saivya! Ah! my beloved child!" He fainting fell to earth. Then, too, the queen, Hearing her husband's voice, o'ercome with grief, Insensate fell. Returning consciousness Brought to them both affliction's heaviest weight And mutual lamentations. "Ah! my son!" Thus mourned the king, "my inmost heart is torn, When I behold thy form so delicate: My child! embracing thee in tend'rest love, Words of affection I will speak, that rise Unbidden to my lips. Alas! thy limbs Will be defiled by my embrace; the dust That clings about my garments will pollute Thy lovely form! Alas! my child, thou had'st An evil father! He who should have kept All dangers from thee, he it was who sold Thee as a slave! and yet in heart and mind First of all things I love thee. Ah! my child! Thy father's realm--my heaped-up wealth--all this By lawful right was thine inheritance, And now thou liest slain! Ah me! the tears Rise to my eyes in blinding force: thy form, In grace and beauty like the lotus flower, Fades from my sight." He spoke, and faltering With grief embraced his son. The queen exclaimed: "This is indeed my lord--I know his voice! I know his form! this is the mighty king. The wisest of all beings. But how changed! What fate is this? Ah what a dreadful place For him, the lord of men. This grief yet more Is added to the mourning for my son-- My husband's fate--for as a slave he serves A base Cha.n.dâla. Curséd be that god, Or demon foul, through whom a godlike king Has fallen to this degraded state; the lot Of a Švapâka. Ah! most noble prince, My mind is filled with grief, when I recall Thy regal state, thy past magnificence. No kingly ensigns go before thee now, No captive kings, brought down to slavery, Humbly precede thee, casting in the way Their garments, lest the dust should soil thy feet. But now! O king! alas, thyself a slave, Thou livest in this fearful place, begrimed With filth; thy sacred cord concealed, thy hair Tangled and long, plunder of dead men's clothes Thy livelihood. Ah! king! and is thy life Spent in this awful wise?" So spake the queen, And falling on his neck, embraced her lord: While she, sprung from a king herself, bewailed Her sorrows endless. "King! I pray thee speak! Is this a dream? If it be real and true, Then justice, truth, and righteousness have fled And gone from earth: nor aught avails mankind, Of sacrifice, or reverence, to gods Or priests! 'Tis vain to follow innocence If thou, most perfect, purest of mankind, Art brought to such a depth of infamy." Then spoke the king, and told his sorrowing wife How he had fallen to this wretched state,-- The state of a Cha.n.dâla. She, in turn, Weeping, with many sighs, poured out her tale, Telling him how the serpent's bite had killed Their child. "Beloved one! I suffer not These evils," said the king, "by mine own will-- Thou seest what I endure; my evil fate Depends not on myself. I am a slave, And if I fly from the Cha.n.dâla's bonds, The fiery torment in the depths of hell Will overtake me, and I shall become A slave again. My doom is fixed! lo! hell Is my abode hereafter; and in forms, Creeping and loathsome, shall my soul abide. Yet from this miserable life on earth There is one only refuge. He! my son! My hope! my stay! is dead; drowned by the sea Of my misfortunes. But I am a slave! I am dependent on another's will! Can I give up my wife? Yes! even so! For know thou this: one who is steeped in woe Cares not for evil chances; not the state Of the most loathsome beast, nor yet the wood Of sword-leaved plants, nor even hell's dread stream, Could add the smallest fraction to the pain I have already borne. My son is dead! Who then will make atonement for my sins? Yet listen to my words, beloved one, If I have offered sacrifice, and paid Due reverence to the saints; if I have given Alms to the needy--may we meet again Hereafter, in the world to come, and find The refuge for our woes denied us here. Let us together follow in the path By which our son has gone. Our hopeless fate Can never alter here. Whatever words I may have uttered, thoughtlessly, in jest, These, when I pray for pardon, shall receive Fullest forgiveness. Thou must not despise Thy lord: nor pride thee on thy queenly state Now passed and gone." The prince's wife replied: "I am prepared to tread that path with thee, O king, most saintly! and with thee that world To enter." While she spoke these words, the king Made up the funeral pile, and placed thereon His son, himself ascending with his wife. And then, in meditation wrapt, he thought Upon Nârâyana, the lord supreme, And Vâsudeva, lord of deities, Šiva, and Brâhma the eternal god, And Krish.na clothed in glory. As the king Was meditating, all the gods from heaven Came down headed by Dharma. And they said: "Hear us, O king! hear us, O lord! The gods-- Even the mighty gods have come to earth, And at their head is Dharma. Gods, and saints, And heroes--yea, and Višvâmitra too, The sage implacable,--all summon thee-- Ascend! to heaven: receive the due reward, That thou hast gained. O king! slay not thyself! I, perfect Righteousness, I summon thee To enter now the heaven that thou hast gained By thy transcendant virtues, self-control, Patience, and truth." Then Indra spoke, and said:-- "O Harišchandra! King, most eminent! In virtue! lo! before you Indra stands-- For I am he. The everlasting world Thou hast attained: together with thy wife, And son, ascend to heaven;--to that third heav'n-- So difficult to be attained by men-- The heav'n that thou hast won." Then Indra rained Life-giving am.rit from the sky, and flowers That blossomed in the heavenly courts: while sounds Of music filled the air, and round him stood The gods, a vast assembly. Then the son Of Harišchandra rose, restored to life, And health, his mind and senses whole, his form More beautiful than ever: and the king Embraced his wife and son, with perfect joy Filled to o'erflowing, crowned with heavenly wreaths. Then Indra said: "Thou, with thy wife, and son, Shalt dwell in bliss supreme: bliss that thyself Hast purchased, by thy virtues and thy toils." Then spoke the king: "Hear me! most holy gods! Unbidden by my master, will I not To heaven itself ascend." Then Dharma spoke: "I am thy master. I assumed the form Of a Cha.n.dâla. All thy pain and woe Was brought upon thee by my magic power, And thou wast made a slave! I have beheld Thy truth, and thy uprightness. Saintly king! The highest place that heaven accords to men, Whose virtue has been tried and proved:--to that Ascend!" But Harišchandra answering, said: "Receive, most mighty lord! my words of praise And thanksgiving. I offer them to thee Full of affection. Lo! my people stand With grieving hearts, longing for my return. Can I ascend to heav'n while they on earth Lament for me? If they have ever slain, Brâhmans, or teachers of the holy law,-- If lust or avarice have ruled their hearts,-- Then may my labours and my toils atone, For these their sins. I may not leave my friends. For neither here, nor in the world to come, Can there be peace to one who casts aside The friend whose love is pure and true--the friend Who serves him from the heart. Return! Return! to heaven! O Indra! If thou grant My friends to rise with me, to heav'n will I Ascend; if not, with them will I descend To Nâraka." "O king! thy prayer is heard! Thy people's sins are pardoned: even for them, Hard though it be, thy toils and pains have gained A place in heaven." Thus mighty Indra spoke. Replied the king: "Indra! I will not leave My kinsmen. By his kinsmen's help a king His kingdom rules; by them he offers up The kingly sacrifice, and for himself Lays up a store of meritorious deeds. So have my kinsmen too enabled me To work whate'er I may of righteousness. My actions virtuous, my granted prayers, Truly I owe to them, for by their aid Have these been possible. May the reward Thou grantest me, I pray, be shared with them. My kinsmen, though I should ascend to heaven, I will not leave." "So be it!" Indra said; "So be it!" said the Brâhman; Dharma, too, Gave his assent; and then, in countless hosts, Appeared the heavenly chariots. Indra said: "Men of Ayodhya, ascend to heaven." The saintly Brâhman, having heard with joy The words of Indra, poured the sacred oil Upon the prince, and with the perfect ones, The sages, and the gods, anointed him "Son of the mighty king." Then all the throng-- The king, his wife, his son, his followers-- Filled with rejoicing and delight, ascend To heaven, surrounding, as they go, the king Borne in his chariot. He, too, filled with joy-- The mighty father, who eternal bliss Both for his people and himself had gained, Once more in form and mien a king--reposed, Resting from all his toils, his faithful friends Surrounding him with a protecting wall. And Indra spoke and said: "Upon this earth Great Harišchandra's equal has not been Nor shall be. Whosoe'er may hear his life, His toils, his sorrows, and in sympathy For him lament, transcendant happiness Shall he attain, and all his heart's desire Shall be accomplished. Is his prayer a wife, Or son, or kingdom, he shall gain them all, E'en heaven itself. And he who imitates The truth, and steadfastness, of that great king, Like him shall enter everlasting rest. Mârkandeya Purâna End of Project Gutenberg's Mârkandeya Purâna, Books VII. VIII, by Anonymous *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MÂRKANDEYA PURÂNA, BOOKS VII. VIII *** ***** This file should be named 7169-0.txt or 7169-0.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/7/1/6/7169/ Produced by Chetan Jain, John B. Hare, and Christopher M. Weimer. HTML version by Al Haines. Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. *** START: FULL LICENSE *** THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license. Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United States. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg-tm License. 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided that - You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work. - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. 1.F. 1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem. 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life. Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact For additional contact information: Dr. Gregory B. Newby Chief Executive and Director gbnewby@pglaf.org Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS. The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate. International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.