Harischandra

Popularly known as Satya Harishchandra, he is truth and honesty incarnate. This is the story of Harishchandra as found in the Markandeya Purana. He belonged to the Ikshawaku clan, the same clan as Sri Rama's. He was righteous, truthful and a model to others. On a hunting expedition, he once got possessed by Vigneshwara and spoke so harshly that Sage Vishwamitra's concentration was disturbed. As dakshina, he agreed to give away all that he possessed except his own dharmas, his wife and son. Unable to pay the sage the dakshina for conducting the Rajasuya yajna, he sold his son and wife to a Brahmin who used them as his slaves. Later, out of desperation, he himself became a chandala's slave. Gradually, he became a chandala himself and worked in a crematorium, grabbing the shrouds from dead bodies and eating whatever was available to him. A year passed this way with him experiencing untold suffering. He couldn't recognize his wife who had brought their son for cremation as he had been bitten by a snake and was dead. His sorrow knew no bounds when he realized that it was his son who was no more. After lighting his son's pyre, he sat in meditation of Lord SriKrishna. Yama appeared before him and said that the Lord had staged all this drama to prove to the world what an exemplary king Harishchandra was. The Gods approached the burning pyre and rained nectar on it. Out came Rohitashwa. With Devendra's blessings, Harishchandra went to Ayodhya where he received sage Vishwamithra's blessings as well. He requested Devendra to bless all his subjects as he wanted to share it with them. He was truly a model king, one who went to the extent of taking his subjects to heaven, something no king had ever done!