haste mukh taaj diya raz haai dev purushi awtari
jag ko satya ka path sikhaya satya wachan wart dhari
likhi bach na saka aaj tak koi bhi jharna ki bani
harish chandar sa raja dekho bhare nich ghar pani

jo thi mahrani mahlo ki wo aaj bani hai dasi
manj rahi hai bartan dekho mukh par nahi udasi
hai widhna lila ka teri koi nahi pa sakta par
aaj chakri karta par ghar nanha sa rajkumar
kandhe kamaliya hath me lathi ek langoti dhari
shuder ki sewa karne chala hai satya wachan wart dhari

anhoni kyu hui aaj ye koi mujhe bata de
dharti fat jaye aaj are wo gagan agan barsa de
gagan agan bars ade aaj rok de de karam ko apne
nirday bhagya widhata pyare putar ki chita jalane chali
bilakhti roti mata

A king, with laughter etched upon his face, a god descended,
Taught the world the truth, his words a sacred vow extended.
No tongue, through ages, has surpassed the cascade's song,
Behold King Harishchandra, water drawn to right the wrong.

The queen, once mistress of a gilded hall, now a servant bound,
Her hands upon the pots, yet no sorrow can be found.
Fate's game, a mystery, none can hope to understand,
A prince, now laboring, in another's humble land.
A cloak upon his shoulder, staff in hand, a loincloth his attire,
He serves the untouchable, his truth a burning fire.

Why has this darkness fallen, tell me, someone, why?
Let the earth now rend, let fire rain from the sky!
Let the heavens weep, halt the turning of the wheel,
Cruel hand of fate, to the pyre his son to steal.
A mother's wail, a broken heart, a river of despair.