Harischandra was now in a fix. He said, "How can I give you anything more when I am left with nothing?"
"That’s your business. But I’m not going to waive my claim to dakshina," said the Brahmin quite curtly.
"What do you expect as dakshina?" asked the king.
The Brahmin demanded an amount of gold that was considerable.
"All right," said the king, "give me time and I’ll earn the amount and give it to you."
The king returned to the palace, sad and pale. "What’s the matter with you?" asked Queen Shaivya. The king told her everything and added, "Tomorrow we must leave the palace, as it is no longer ours!
Early in the morning the king, queen, and their son Rohit left the palace. Men and women flocked to them, weeping. But the king asked them to go back.
The old Brahmin met them as soon as they were out of the city. "Give me a month’s time. Look upon me as one who is indebted to you," said the king.
They reached the city of Varanasi. Whatever the king earned was just enough to sustain the three of them. A month passed. The old Brahmin appeared and demanded his dues.
"O Brahmin! You cannot say that the full month has passed, since the sun has not yet set over for this day," said the king.
"I shall return soon after sunset," warned the Brahmin as he left them.
To the pensive king, Queen Shaivya said, "Please sell me away as a slave. The amount you receive might enable you to settle your debt."
The proposal shocked the king. The queen of a great dynasty to be sold as a slave? The thought drove him almost mad!
"It is most important that you fulfil your promise. There’ll be nothing more satisfying to me than to be helpful to you. Please do not hesitate," said the queen.
The king stood on the roadside and shouted: "Ho! Is there anybody willing to buy my wife?" Passers-by collected there. Out of them was Viswamitra, now assuming another figure.
"My wife is old. I need a woman to do my household chores. I shall buy your wife," he said.
Then, looking at Queen Shaivya, he said again, "I’m prepared to give the amount that a woman with the highest signs of virtue deserves. I can see that this woman has all such signs."
