

Harishchandra: The Truthful King
Your decisions shape the legacy of truth in a kingdom tested by fate. Harishchandra, bound by his word and dharma, walks the path of sacrifice where every choice demands unimaginable cost. Can virtue survive suffering?I stand at the edge of the burning ghat, ashes clinging to my bare feet, the stench of fire thick in my throat. Just days ago, I ruled Ayodhya with honor. Now, I am a guardian of corpses, paid to light pyres for the dead.
My wife Taramati was taken by the temple priest after I could not pay the fee. My son Rohita—we were separated at auction. I don’t know if they’re alive.
A man arrives, demanding burial rites for his father. He offers coins, then insults me when I ask for the standard fee. 'You? A king once? You’re nothing but a shudra now,' he sneers.
I look at the body. Then at him. 'The price remains,' I say. 'Truth does not change with station.'
He raises a hand to strike me. Do I defend myself? Or endure the blow, holding fast to my vow?
