Markandeyapurana 8.37

8.37

sa vāriṇā samabhyukṣya rājānamidamabravīt /
uttiṣṭhotiṣṭha rājendra tāṃ dadasveṣṭadakṣiṇām //

The birds spoke:
At this interval arrived Viśvāmitra great in austerities; but, seeing Hariścandra lying on the ground in a swoon, he sprinkled the king with water and addressed him thus:—“Rise up, rise up, O supreme king; give me the fee I desire. A debtor’s misery increases from day to day.” Then being refreshed with the snow-cold water, the king, recovering consciousness, and perceiving Viśvāmitra, again fell into a swoon, and the Muni grew angry. The brahman, making the king recover, spoke:—“Let my fee be given me, if thou regardest righteousness. By truth the sun sheds warmth; in truth the earth stands firm; truth in speech is the highest righteousness: Svarga is based on truth. Also a hundred horse-sacrifices and truth are placed in the balance—truth verily outweighs the hundred horse-sacrifices. Otherwise what motive is there for my speaking thus peaceably to thee, base one, evil-intentioned, and cruel, false in speech? Since thou art powerful as king, let this my kindly feeling be heeded. If O king, thou shalt not give me the fee today, when tho sun reaches the Western mountain, then I will assuredly curse thee.”