The King Who Never Lied

When the divine sage Narada once visited Yudhishthira and described to him the glittering assembly hall of Indra, king of the gods, where the spirits of the greatest kings of old gather in glory, Yudhishthira asked him a question. "Of all the countless righteous kings who have ruled the earth," he said, "how many dwell there in Indra's heaven?"

And Narada answered that one king above all others was honored there, set apart for a single supreme virtue. "There is a king named Harishchandra," said Narada, "who dwells in splendor in the world of Indra, revered above other monarchs. And do you know why? Not for his conquests, nor for his wealth, though he had both. He is honored above all the kings of the earth because in his whole life he never once told a lie, and never once broke a promise, though to keep his truth he was made to lose everything a man can lose. Let me tell you, son of Kunti, what truthfulness cost King Harishchandra, and what it won him."