Trishanku Cursed to be an Outcaste

Shloka 1 (bala.58.1)

ततः त्रिशंकोर्वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधसमन्वितम्। ऋषिपुत्रशतं राम राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-५८-१ ॥

tataḥ triśaṃkorvacanaṃ śrutvā krodhasamanvitam| ṛṣiputraśataṃ rāma rājānamidamabravīt || 1-58-1 ||

Then, O Rama, having heard Trishanku's words, the hundred sons of the sage, filled with anger, spoke thus to the king:

Shloka 2 (bala.58.2)

प्रत्याख्यातोऽसि दुर्बुद्धे गुरुणा सत्यवादिना। तं कथं समतिक्रम्य शाखान्तरमुपेयिवान् ॥ १-५८-२ ॥

pratyākhyāto'si durbuddhe guruṇā satyavādinā| taṃ kathaṃ samatikramya śākhāntaramupeyivān || 1-58-2 ||

"O foolish one, you have been refused by your truthful preceptor. How then, transgressing him, have you come to another branch of the same family?"

Shloka 3 (bala.58.3)

इक्ष्वाकूणां हि सर्वेषां पुरोधाः परमा गतिः। न चातिक्रमितुं शक्यं वचनं सत्यवादिनः ॥ १-५८-३ ॥

ikṣvākūṇāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ| na cātikramituṃ śakyaṃ vacanaṃ satyavādinaḥ || 1-58-3 ||

"For the family priest is indeed the supreme recourse for all the Ikshvakus, and the word of a truthful one cannot be transgressed."

Shloka 4 (bala.58.4)

अशक्यमिति सोवाच वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः। तं वयं वै समाहर्तुं क्रतुं शक्ताः कथंचन ॥ १-५८-४ ॥

aśakyamiti sovāca vasiṣṭho bhagavānṛṣiḥ| taṃ vayaṃ vai samāhartuṃ kratuṃ śaktāḥ kathaṃcana || 1-58-4 ||

"The venerable sage Vashishtha himself has said it is impossible; how then could we possibly be capable of accomplishing that same rite?"

Shloka 5 (bala.58.5)

बालिशस्त्वं नरश्रेष्ठ गम्यतां स्वपुरं पुनः। याजने भगवान् शक्तस्त्रैलोक्यस्यापि पार्थिव ॥ १-५८-५ ॥

bāliśastvaṃ naraśreṣṭha gamyatāṃ svapuraṃ punaḥ| yājane bhagavān śaktastrailokyasyāpi pārthiva || 1-58-5 ||

"You are foolish, O best of men; go back again to your own city. The venerable one alone is capable of performing sacrifice even for the three worlds, O king."

Shloka 6 (bala.58.6)

अवमानं कथं कर्तुं तस्य शक्ष्यामहे वयम्। तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधपर्याकुलाक्षरम् ॥ १-५८-६ ॥

avamānaṃ kathaṃ kartuṃ tasya śakṣyāmahe vayam| teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā krodhaparyākulākṣaram || 1-58-6 ||

"How could we bring ourselves to dishonour him?" Having heard their words, faltering with the syllables of fury,

Shloka 7 (bala.58.7)

स राजा पुनरेवैतानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। प्रत्याख्यातो भगवता गुरुपुत्रैस्तथैव हि ॥ १-५८-७ ॥

sa rājā punarevaitānidaṃ vacanamabravīt| pratyākhyāto bhagavatā guruputraistathaiva hi || 1-58-7 ||

the king again spoke these words to them: "I have indeed been refused by the venerable one, and likewise now by his sons as well."

Shloka 8 (bala.58.8)

अन्यां गतिं गमिष्यामि स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु तपोधनाः। ऋषिपुत्रास्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं घोराभिसंहितम् ॥ १-५८-८ ॥

anyāṃ gatiṃ gamiṣyāmi svasti vo'stu tapodhanāḥ| ṛṣiputrāstu tacchrutvā vākyaṃ ghorābhisaṃhitam || 1-58-8 ||

"I shall go to some other recourse; may you fare well, O rich in austerity." But the sons of the sage, hearing that speech charged with dreadful implication,

Shloka 9 (bala.58.9)

शेपुः परमसंक्रुद्धाश्चण्डालत्वं गमिष्यसि। इत्युक्त्वा ते महात्मानो विविशुः स्वं स्वमाश्रमम् ॥ १-५८-९ ॥

śepuḥ paramasaṃkruddhāścaṇḍālatvaṃ gamiṣyasi| ityuktvā te mahātmāno viviśuḥ svaṃ svamāśramam || 1-58-9 ||

extremely enraged, cursed him: "You shall become a chandala!" Having said this, those great souls entered each his own hermitage.

Shloka 10 (bala.58.10)

अथ रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां राजा चण्डालतां गतः। नीलवस्त्रधरो नीलः परुषो ध्वस्तमूर्धजः ॥ १-५८-१० ॥

atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ rājā caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ| nīlavastradharo nīlaḥ paruṣo dhvastamūrdhajaḥ || 1-58-10 ||

Then, when the night had passed, the king had become a chandala - dark-skinned, clad in dark garments, rough, his hair dishevelled,

Shloka 11 (bala.58.11)

चित्यमाल्यानुलेपश्च आयसाभरणोऽभवत्। तं दृष्ट्वा मंत्रिणः सर्वे त्यक्त्वा चण्डालरूपिणम् ॥ १-५८-११ ॥

cityamālyānulepaśca āyasābharaṇo'bhavat| taṃ dṛṣṭvā maṃtriṇaḥ sarve tyaktvā caṇḍālarūpiṇam || 1-58-11 ||

wearing funeral garlands and unguents, adorned with ornaments of iron. Seeing him thus, all his ministers, abandoning that one in the form of a chandala,

Shloka 12 (bala.58.12)

प्राद्रवन् सहिता राम पौरा येऽस्यानुगामिनः। एको हि राजा काकुत्स्थ जगाम परमात्मवान् ॥ १-५८-१२ ॥

prādravan sahitā rāma paurā ye'syānugāminaḥ| eko hi rājā kākutstha jagāma paramātmavān || 1-58-12 ||

fled together, O Rama, along with the citizens who had been his followers. Alone, O scion of Kakutstha, that steadfast-souled king went forth,

Shloka 13 (bala.58.13)

दह्यमानो दिवारात्रं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। विश्वामित्रस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा राजानं विफलीकृतम् ॥ १-५८-१३ ॥

dahyamāno divārātraṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam| viśvāmitrastu taṃ dṛṣṭvā rājānaṃ viphalīkṛtam || 1-58-13 ||

burning with grief day and night, to Vishvamitra, rich in austerity. And Vishvamitra, seeing that king reduced to failure,

Shloka 14 (bala.58.14)

चण्डालरूपिणं राम मुनिः कारुण्यमागतः। कारुण्यात्स महातेजा वाक्यं परमधार्मिकः ॥ १-५८-१४ ॥

caṇḍālarūpiṇaṃ rāma muniḥ kāruṇyamāgataḥ| kāruṇyātsa mahātejā vākyaṃ paramadhārmikaḥ || 1-58-14 ||

in the form of a chandala, O Rama, the sage was moved to compassion; out of compassion, that greatly resplendent and supremely righteous one,

Shloka 15 (bala.58.15)

इदं जगाद भद्रं ते राजानं घोरदर्शनम्। किमागमनकार्यं ते राजपुत्र महाबल ॥ १-५८-१५ ॥

idaṃ jagāda bhadraṃ te rājānaṃ ghoradarśanam| kimāgamanakāryaṃ te rājaputra mahābala || 1-58-15 ||

spoke thus to the king of terrible aspect: "May good befall you. What is the purpose of your coming, O mighty prince?"

Shloka 16 (bala.58.16)

अयोध्याधिपते वीर शापाच्चण्डालतां गतः। अथ तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य राजा चण्डालतां गतः ॥ १-५८-१६ ॥

ayodhyādhipate vīra śāpāccaṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ| atha tadvākyamākarṇya rājā caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ || 1-58-16 ||

"O brave lord of Ayodhya, you have been reduced to the state of a chandala by a curse." Then, hearing those words, the king who had become a chandala,

Shloka 17 (bala.58.17)

अब्रवीत् प्रांजलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकोविदम्। प्रत्याख्यातोऽस्मि गुरुणा गुरुपुत्रैस्तथैव च ॥ १-५८-१७ ॥

abravīt prāṃjalirvākyaṃ vākyajño vākyakovidam| pratyākhyāto'smi guruṇā guruputraistathaiva ca || 1-58-17 ||

with joined palms, being himself skilled in speech, spoke thus to the one accomplished in speech: "I have been refused by my preceptor, and likewise by his sons."

Shloka 18 (bala.58.18)

अनवाप्यैव तं कामं मया प्राप्तो विपर्ययः। सशरीरो दिवं यायामिति मे सौम्य दर्शन ॥ १-५८-१८ ॥

anavāpyaiva taṃ kāmaṃ mayā prāpto viparyayaḥ| saśarīro divaṃ yāyāmiti me saumya darśana || 1-58-18 ||

"Without ever attaining that desire, I have obtained its very opposite. O gentle one, my wish is only this - that I might go to heaven with this very body."

Shloka 19 (bala.58.19)

मया चेष्टं क्रतुशतं तच्च नावाप्यते फलम्। अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन ॥ १-५८-१९ ॥

mayā ceṣṭaṃ kratuśataṃ tacca nāvāpyate phalam| anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me na ca vakṣye kadācana || 1-58-19 ||

"I have performed a hundred sacrifices, and yet that fruit is not obtained. I have never before spoken an untruth, nor shall I ever speak one."

Shloka 20 (bala.58.20)

कृच्छ्रेष्वपि गतः सौम्य क्षत्रधर्मेण ते शपे। यज्ञैर्बहुविधैरिष्टं प्रजाधर्मेण पालिताः ॥ १-५८-२० ॥

kṛcchreṣvapi gataḥ saumya kṣatradharmeṇa te śape| yajñairbahuvidhairiṣṭaṃ prajādharmeṇa pālitāḥ || 1-58-20 ||

"Even fallen into hardship, O gentle one, I swear to you by the duty of a Kshatriya. I have worshipped with many kinds of sacrifices, and ruled my subjects righteously."

Shloka 21 (bala.58.21)

गुरवश्च महात्मानः शीलवृत्तेन तोषिताः। धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य यज्ञं चाहर्तुमिच्छतः ॥ १-५८-२१ ॥

guravaśca mahātmānaḥ śīlavṛttena toṣitāḥ| dharme prayatamānasya yajñaṃ cāhartumicchataḥ || 1-58-21 ||

"And my great-souled preceptors have been pleased by my conduct and character. Yet, though I strive in righteousness and wish to perform this sacrifice,"

Shloka 22 (bala.58.22)

परितोषं न गच्छन्ति गुरवो मुनिपुंगव। दैवमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषं तु निरर्थकम् ॥ १-५८-२२ ॥

paritoṣaṃ na gacchanti guravo munipuṃgava| daivameva paraṃ manye pauruṣaṃ tu nirarthakam || 1-58-22 ||

"my preceptors are not satisfied, O eminent sage. I think destiny alone is supreme, and human effort is futile."

Shloka 23 (bala.58.23)

दैवेनाक्रम्यते सर्वं दैवं हि परमा गतिः। तस्य मे परमार्तस्य प्रसादमभिकांक्षतः। कर्तुमर्हसि भद्रं ते दैवोपहतकर्मणः ॥ १-५८-२३ ॥

daivenākramyate sarvaṃ daivaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ| tasya me paramārtasya prasādamabhikāṃkṣataḥ| kartumarhasi bhadraṃ te daivopahatakarmaṇaḥ || 1-58-23 ||

"Everything is overpowered by destiny; destiny alone is the ultimate recourse. To me, greatly afflicted, longing for your grace, whose actions have been thwarted by fate - may you show favour; may good befall you."

Shloka 24 (bala.58.24)

नान्यां गतिं गमिष्यामि नान्यः शरणमस्ति मे। दैवं पुरुषकारेण निवर्तयितुमर्हसि ॥ १-५८-२४ ॥

nānyāṃ gatiṃ gamiṣyāmi nānyaḥ śaraṇamasti me| daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa nivartayitumarhasi || 1-58-24 ||

"I shall go to no other recourse; there is no other refuge for me. It behooves you, by human endeavour, to overturn this destiny."