Trishanku Turns to Vashishtha's Sons

Shloka 1 (bala.57.1)

ततः संतप्तहृदयः स्मरन्निग्रहमात्मनः। विनिःश्वस्य विनिःश्वस्य कृतवैरो महात्मना ॥ १-५७-१ ॥

tataḥ saṃtaptahṛdayaḥ smarannigrahamātmanaḥ| viniḥśvasya viniḥśvasya kṛtavairo mahātmanā || 1-57-1 ||

Then, his heart burning as he remembered his own subjugation, sighing again and again, having made an enemy of that great soul,

Shloka 2 (bala.57.2)

सदक्षिणां दिशं गत्वा महिष्या सह राघव। तताप परमं घोरं विश्वामित्रो महातपाः ॥ १-५७-२ ॥

sadakṣiṇāṃ diśaṃ gatvā mahiṣyā saha rāghava| tatāpa paramaṃ ghoraṃ viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ || 1-57-2 ||

having gone to the southern quarter together with his queen, O Raghava, the great ascetic Vishvamitra performed a supreme and terrible austerity.

Shloka 3 (bala.57.3)

फलमूलाशनो दान्तैश्चचार सुमहत्तपः। अथास्य जज्ञिरे पुत्राः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः ॥ १-५७-३ ॥

phalamūlāśano dāntaiścacāra sumahattapaḥ| athāsya jajñire putrāḥ satyadharmaparāyaṇāḥ || 1-57-3 ||

Living on fruits and roots, with senses restrained, he practised a very great austerity. Then to him were born sons devoted to truth and righteousness.

Shloka 4 (bala.57.4)

हविष्पन्दो मधुष्यन्दो दृढनेत्रो महारथः। पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥ १-५७-४ ॥

haviṣpando madhuṣyando dṛḍhanetro mahārathaḥ| pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ || 1-57-4 ||

Havishpanda, Madhushyanda, Dridhanetra, and Maharatha. And when a thousand years were complete, Brahma, the Grandsire of the worlds,

Shloka 5 (bala.57.5)

अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। जिता राजर्षिलोकास्ते तपसा कुशिकात्मज ॥ १-५७-५ ॥

abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam| jitā rājarṣilokāste tapasā kuśikātmaja || 1-57-5 ||

spoke sweet words to Vishvamitra, rich in austerity: "O son of Kushika, by your austerity you have won the worlds of the royal sages."

Shloka 6 (bala.57.6)

अनेन तपसा त्वां हि राजर्षिरिति विद्महे। एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा जगाम सह दैवतैः ॥ १-५७-६ ॥

anena tapasā tvāṃ hi rājarṣiriti vidmahe| evamuktvā mahātejā jagāma saha daivataiḥ || 1-57-6 ||

"By this austerity we know you indeed as a royal sage." Having spoken thus, the greatly resplendent one departed together with the gods,

Shloka 7 (bala.57.7)

त्रिविष्टपं ब्रह्मलोकं लोकानां परमेश्वरः। विश्वामित्रोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः ॥ १-५७-७ ॥

triviṣṭapaṃ brahmalokaṃ lokānāṃ parameśvaraḥ| viśvāmitro'pi tacchrutvā hriyā kiṃcidavāṅmukhaḥ || 1-57-7 ||

the supreme lord of the worlds, toward the world of Brahma, toward heaven. Vishvamitra too, hearing this, hung his head a little in shame,

Shloka 8 (bala.57.8)

दुःखेन महताविष्टः समन्युरिदमब्रवीत्। तपश्च सुमहत्तप्तं राजर्षिरिति मां विदुः ॥ १-५७-८ ॥

duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭaḥ samanyuridamabravīt| tapaśca sumahattaptaṃ rājarṣiriti māṃ viduḥ || 1-57-8 ||

and, overwhelmed with great sorrow, filled with resentment, spoke thus: "Though I have practised the greatest austerity, they know me only as a royal sage."

Shloka 9 (bala.57.9)

देवाः सर्षिगणाः सर्वे नास्ति मन्ये तपःफलम्। एवं निश्चित्य मनसा भूय एव महातपाः ॥ १-५७-९ ॥

devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ sarve nāsti manye tapaḥphalam| evaṃ niścitya manasā bhūya eva mahātapāḥ || 1-57-9 ||

"The gods, together with all the assemblies of sages - I think there is no fruit at all to my austerity." Having thus resolved in his mind, that great ascetic once again,

Shloka 10 (bala.57.10)

तपश्चचार काकुत्स्थ परमं परमात्मवान्। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः ॥ १-५७-१० ॥

tapaścacāra kākutstha paramaṃ paramātmavān| etasminneva kāle tu satyavādī jitendriyaḥ || 1-57-10 ||

performed supreme austerity, O scion of Kakutstha, that self-willed one. Now, at this very time, there was a truthful and self-controlled king,

Shloka 11 (bala.57.11)

त्रिशंकुरिति विख्यात इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धनः। तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना यजेयमिति राघव ॥ १-५७-११ ॥

triśaṃkuriti vikhyāta ikṣvākukulavardhanaḥ| tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā yajeyamiti rāghava || 1-57-11 ||

renowned as Trishanku, an increaser of the Ikshvaku line. In his mind, O Raghava, arose this thought: "Let me perform a sacrifice,"

Shloka 12 (bala.57.12)

गच्छेयं स्वशरीरेण देवानां परमां गतिम्। वसिष्ठं स समाहूय कथयामास चिन्तितम् ॥ १-५७-१२ ॥

gaccheyaṃ svaśarīreṇa devānāṃ paramāṃ gatim| vasiṣṭhaṃ sa samāhūya kathayāmāsa cintitam || 1-57-12 ||

"so that with this very body I may go to the supreme abode of the gods." He called Vashishtha and told him his thought.

Shloka 13 (bala.57.13)

अशक्यमिति चाप्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन स ययौ दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ १-५७-१३ ॥

aśakyamiti cāpyukto vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā| pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena sa yayau dakṣiṇāṃ diśam || 1-57-13 ||

Told by the great-souled Vashishtha that it was impossible, and thus refused by Vashishtha, he went toward the southern quarter.

Shloka 14 (bala.57.14)

ततस्तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थं पुत्रांस्तस्य गतो नृपः। वासिष्ठा दीर्घतपसस्तपो यत्र हि तेपिरे ॥ १-५७-१४ ॥

tatastatkarmasiddhyarthaṃ putrāṃstasya gato nṛpaḥ| vāsiṣṭhā dīrghatapasastapo yatra hi tepire || 1-57-14 ||

Then, for the accomplishment of that rite, the king went to Vashishtha's sons, to the place where they were performing long austerity.

Shloka 15 (bala.57.15)

त्रिशंकुः सुमहातेजाः शतं परमभास्वरम्। वसिष्ठपुत्रान् ददृशे तप्यमानान् यशस्विनः ॥ १-५७-१५ ॥

triśaṃkuḥ sumahātejāḥ śataṃ paramabhāsvaram| vasiṣṭhaputrān dadṛśe tapyamānān yaśasvinaḥ || 1-57-15 ||

The greatly resplendent Trishanku saw the hundred glorious and supremely radiant sons of Vashishtha engaged in austerity.

Shloka 16 (bala.57.16)

सोऽभिगम्य महात्मानः सर्वानेव गुरोः सुतान्। अभिवाद्यानुपूर्व्येण ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः ॥ १-५७-१६ ॥

so'bhigamya mahātmānaḥ sarvāneva guroḥ sutān| abhivādyānupūrvyeṇa hriyā kiṃcidavāṅmukhaḥ || 1-57-16 ||

He approached all those great-souled sons of his preceptor, saluted them in order of age, his face a little bowed in shame,

Shloka 17 (bala.57.17)

अब्रवीत् स महात्मनः सर्वानेव कृतांजलिः। शरणं वः प्रपद्येऽहं शरण्यान् शरणागतः ॥ १-५७-१७ ॥

abravīt sa mahātmanaḥ sarvāneva kṛtāṃjaliḥ| śaraṇaṃ vaḥ prapadye'haṃ śaraṇyān śaraṇāgataḥ || 1-57-17 ||

and, with joined palms, spoke to all those great souls: "I have come as a seeker of refuge; I take refuge in you, protectors of the one who seeks refuge."

Shloka 18 (bala.57.18)

प्रत्याख्यातोऽस्मि भद्रं वो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। यष्टुकामो महायज्ञं तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥ १-५७-१८ ॥

pratyākhyāto'smi bhadraṃ vo vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā| yaṣṭukāmo mahāyajñaṃ tadanujñātumarhatha || 1-57-18 ||

"I have been refused by the great-souled Vashishtha - may good befall you all. I desire to perform a great sacrifice; it behooves you to grant permission for it."

Shloka 19 (bala.57.19)

गुरुपुत्रानहं सर्वान्नमस्कृत्य प्रसादये। शिरसा प्रणतो याचे ब्राह्मणान् तपसि स्थितान् ॥ १-५७-१९ ॥

guruputrānahaṃ sarvānnamaskṛtya prasādaye| śirasā praṇato yāce brāhmaṇān tapasi sthitān || 1-57-19 ||

"Bowing to all of you, sons of my preceptor, I entreat your grace; with head bowed I beg of you, O Brahmins established in austerity."

Shloka 20 (bala.57.20)

ते मां भवन्तः सिद्ध्यर्थं याजयंतु समाहिताः। सशरीरो यथाहं वै देवलोकमवाप्नुयाम् ॥ १-५७-२० ॥

te māṃ bhavantaḥ siddhyarthaṃ yājayaṃtu samāhitāḥ| saśarīro yathāhaṃ vai devalokamavāpnuyām || 1-57-20 ||

"May you, with concentrated mind, cause the sacrifice to be performed for my success, so that I may attain the world of the gods with this very body."

Shloka 21 (bala.57.21)

प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन गतिमन्यां तपोधनाः। गुरुपुत्रानृते सर्वान्नाहं पश्यामि कांचन ॥ १-५७-२१ ॥

pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena gatimanyāṃ tapodhanāḥ| guruputrānṛte sarvānnāhaṃ paśyāmi kāṃcana || 1-57-21 ||

"O you rich in austerity, having been refused by Vashishtha, I see no other recourse at all except all of you, the sons of my preceptor."

Shloka 22 (bala.57.22)

इक्ष्वाकूणां हि सर्वेषां पुरोधाः परमा गतिः। तस्मादनंतरं सर्वे भवन्तो दैवतं मम ॥ १-५७-२२ ॥

ikṣvākūṇāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ| tasmādanaṃtaraṃ sarve bhavanto daivataṃ mama || 1-57-22 ||

"For indeed the family priest is the supreme recourse of all the Ikshvakus; therefore, next after him, all of you are as gods to me."