One day it happened so that Rohitaashwa went to pluck flowers for the Braahman's worship (Sandhyaa Poojan). It was getting dark, a snake in the garden bit him and after a while he died. Shaivyaa's only son was lying on the ground lifeless, there was no one to cry, no one to console her, and no one to carry his body to cremation ground. So she herself took him to the cremation ground. She did not have a penny so she took him naked. There she found her husband in-charge of the cremation ground. Harishchandra also recognized his wife and son. Seeing his only son dead he filled with grief.

Now Harishchandra would not allow her to cremate her without the body covered with some cloth, and paying taxes. Crying she asked for his mercy but he wouldn't. It was raining. She tore her Saree (a 6-yard cloth worn by Indian women) in half and wrapped Rohit in that piece, but still she did not have anything to pay taxes. Harishchandra wouldn't agree to cremate him without paying taxes. Shaivyaa said crying - I have already torn my Saree in half to wrap his body, you can take the remaining half for you tax." Harishchandra accepted it.

As she was taking off her half remaining Saree off to pay taxes, Bhagvaan Vishnu appeared there along with Indra and Vishwaamitra. The Chaandaal himself was Yam Raaj, so he also appearwd in his real form. Bhagvaan made Rohit alive and asked them to come to Heaven, but Harishchandra refused to go there on the basis of that his public would have been sad without him.