Trishanku's Ascension and the New Constellation

Shloka 1 (bala.60.1)

तपोबलहतान् ज्ञात्वा वासिष्ठान् समहोदयान्। ऋषिमध्ये महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत ॥ १-६०-१ ॥

tapobalahatān jñātvā vāsiṣṭhān samahodayān| ṛṣimadhye mahātejā viśvāmitro'bhyabhāṣata || 1-60-1 ||

Knowing, by the power of his austerity, that the sons of Vashishtha together with Mahodaya had been destroyed, the greatly resplendent Vishvamitra spoke thus among the sages:

Shloka 2 (bala.60.2)

अयमिक्ष्वाकुदायादस्त्रिशंकुरिति विश्रुतः। धर्मिष्ठश्च वदान्यश्च मां चैव शरणं गतः ॥ १-६०-२ ॥

ayamikṣvākudāyādastriśaṃkuriti viśrutaḥ| dharmiṣṭhaśca vadānyaśca māṃ caiva śaraṇaṃ gataḥ || 1-60-2 ||

"This scion of the Ikshvaku line, renowned as Trishanku, righteous and generous, has come for refuge to me alone."

Shloka 3 (bala.60.3)

स्वेनानेन शरीरेण देवलोकजिगीषया। यथायं स्वशरीरेण देवलोकं गमिष्यति ॥ १-६०-३ ॥

svenānena śarīreṇa devalokajigīṣayā| yathāyaṃ svaśarīreṇa devalokaṃ gamiṣyati || 1-60-3 ||

"Desiring to conquer the world of the gods with this very body of his - so that he may go to the world of the gods with his own body,"

Shloka 4 (bala.60.4)

तथा प्रवर्त्यतां यज्ञो भवद्भिश्च मया सह। विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा सर्व एव महर्षयः ॥ १-६०-४ ॥

tathā pravartyatāṃ yajño bhavadbhiśca mayā saha| viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā sarva eva maharṣayaḥ || 1-60-4 ||

"let the sacrifice, therefore, be set in motion by you together with me." Having heard Vishvamitra's words, all the great sages,

Shloka 5 (bala.60.5)

ऊचुः समेताः सहसा धर्मज्ञा धर्मसंहितम्। अयं कुशिकदायादो मुनिः परमकोपनः ॥ १-६०-५ ॥

ūcuḥ sametāḥ sahasā dharmajñā dharmasaṃhitam| ayaṃ kuśikadāyādo muniḥ paramakopanaḥ || 1-60-5 ||

knowers of righteousness, gathered together and quickly spoke words in keeping with righteousness: "This sage, the scion of Kushika, is exceedingly wrathful;"

Shloka 6 (bala.60.6)

यदाह वचनं सम्यगेतत् कार्यं न संशयः। अग्निकल्पो हि भगवान् शापं दास्यति रोषितः ॥ १-६०-६ ॥

yadāha vacanaṃ samyagetat kāryaṃ na saṃśayaḥ| agnikalpo hi bhagavān śāpaṃ dāsyati roṣitaḥ || 1-60-6 ||

"whatever word he speaks must indeed be carried out fully, without doubt; for this venerable one is like fire itself, and if angered, he will pronounce a curse."

Shloka 7 (bala.60.7)

तस्मात् प्रवर्त्यतां यज्ञः सशरीरो यथा दिवम्। गच्छेदिक्ष्वाकुदायादो विश्वामित्रस्य तेजसा ॥ १-६०-७ ॥

tasmāt pravartyatāṃ yajñaḥ saśarīro yathā divam| gacchedikṣvākudāyādo viśvāmitrasya tejasā || 1-60-7 ||

"Therefore let the sacrifice be set in motion, so that, by the power of Vishvamitra, this scion of Ikshvaku may go to heaven in his own body."

Shloka 8 (bala.60.8)

ततः प्रवर्त्यतां यज्ञः सर्वे समधितिष्ठत। एवमुक्त्वा महर्षयः संजह्रुस्ताः क्रियास्तदा ॥ १-६०-८ ॥

tataḥ pravartyatāṃ yajñaḥ sarve samadhitiṣṭhata| evamuktvā maharṣayaḥ saṃjahrustāḥ kriyāstadā || 1-60-8 ||

"Let the sacrifice, then, be set in motion; let all of you preside over it together." Having spoken thus, the great sages then undertook those rites.

Shloka 9 (bala.60.9)

याजकश्च महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽभवत् क्रतौ। ऋत्विजश्चानुपूर्व्येण मंत्रवन्मंत्रकोविदाः ॥ १-६०-९ ॥

yājakaśca mahātejā viśvāmitro'bhavat kratau| ṛtvijaścānupūrvyeṇa maṃtravanmaṃtrakovidāḥ || 1-60-9 ||

And the greatly resplendent Vishvamitra himself became the officiating priest of the sacrifice, while the other priests, expert in the mantras, in due order,

Shloka 10 (bala.60.10)

चक्रुः सर्वाणि कर्माणि यथाकल्पं यथाविधि। ततः कालेन महता विश्वामित्रो महातपाः ॥ १-६०-१० ॥

cakruḥ sarvāṇi karmāṇi yathākalpaṃ yathāvidhi| tataḥ kālena mahatā viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ || 1-60-10 ||

performed all the rites with mantras, according to the ordained procedure and rule. Then, after a long time, the great ascetic Vishvamitra

Shloka 11 (bala.60.11)

चकारावाहनं तत्र भागार्थं सर्वदेवताः। नाभ्यागमंस्तदा भागार्थं सर्वदेवताः ॥ १-६०-११ ॥

cakārāvāhanaṃ tatra bhāgārthaṃ sarvadevatāḥ| nābhyāgamaṃstadā bhāgārthaṃ sarvadevatāḥ || 1-60-11 ||

performed there the invocation of all the gods, so that they might receive their portions; but at that time, all the gods did not come forward for their portions.

Shloka 12 (bala.60.12)

ततः कोपसमाविष्टो विश्वमित्रो महामुनिः। स्रुवमुद्यम्य सक्रोधस्त्रिशंकुमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-६०-१२ ॥

tataḥ kopasamāviṣṭo viśvamitro mahāmuniḥ| sruvamudyamya sakrodhastriśaṃkumidamabravīt || 1-60-12 ||

Then the great sage Vishvamitra, overcome with fury, raising up the sacrificial ladle in anger, spoke this to Trishanku:

Shloka 13 (bala.60.13)

पश्य मे तपसो वीर्यं स्वार्जितस्य नरेश्वर। एष त्वां स्वशरीरेण नयामि स्वर्गमोजसा ॥ १-६०-१३ ॥

paśya me tapaso vīryaṃ svārjitasya nareśvara| eṣa tvāṃ svaśarīreṇa nayāmi svargamojasā || 1-60-13 ||

"Behold, O lord of men, the power of my austerity, personally earned by me. I myself, by my own might, shall lead you to heaven in your own body."

Shloka 14 (bala.60.14)

दुष्प्रापं स्वशरीरेण दिवं गच्छ नराधिप। स्वार्जितं किंचिदप्यस्ति मया हि तपसः फलम् ॥ १-६०-१४ ॥

duṣprāpaṃ svaśarīreṇa divaṃ gaccha narādhipa| svārjitaṃ kiṃcidapyasti mayā hi tapasaḥ phalam || 1-60-14 ||

"Go, O ruler of men, to heaven, which is hard to attain, in your own body. Whatever little fruit of austerity I have personally earned, that indeed exists."

Shloka 15 (bala.60.15)

राजन् त्वं तेजसा तस्य सशरीरो दिवं व्रज। उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् सशरीरो नरेश्वरः ॥ १-६०-१५ ॥

rājan tvaṃ tejasā tasya saśarīro divaṃ vraja| uktavākye munau tasmin saśarīro nareśvaraḥ || 1-60-15 ||

"O king, by that power, go to heaven with your body." When the sage had spoken these words, the lord of men, with his very body,

Shloka 16 (bala.60.16)

दिवं जगाम काकुत्स्थ मुनीनां पश्यतां तदा। स्वर्गलोकं गतं दृष्ट्वा त्रिशंकुं पाकशासनः ॥ १-६०-१६ ॥

divaṃ jagāma kākutstha munīnāṃ paśyatāṃ tadā| svargalokaṃ gataṃ dṛṣṭvā triśaṃkuṃ pākaśāsanaḥ || 1-60-16 ||

went to heaven, O scion of Kakutstha, before the very eyes of the sages. Seeing Trishanku arrived in the realm of heaven, Indra, the chastiser of Paka,

Shloka 17 (bala.60.17)

सह सर्वैः सुरगणैरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। त्रिशंको गच्छ भूयस्त्वं नासि स्वर्गकृतालयः ॥ १-६०-१७ ॥

saha sarvaiḥ suragaṇairidaṃ vacanamabravīt| triśaṃko gaccha bhūyastvaṃ nāsi svargakṛtālayaḥ || 1-60-17 ||

together with all the hosts of gods, spoke this word: "O Trishanku, go back; you have not made heaven your abode."

Shloka 18 (bala.60.18)

गुरुशापहतो मूढ पतभूमिमवाग् शिराः। एवमुक्तो महेन्द्रेण त्रिशंकुरपतत् पुनः ॥ १-६०-१८ ॥

guruśāpahato mūḍha patabhūmimavāg śirāḥ| evamukto mahendreṇa triśaṃkurapatat punaḥ || 1-60-18 ||

"You fool, struck down by your preceptor's curse, fall to earth head foremost." Thus addressed by Mahendra, Trishanku fell again,

Shloka 19 (bala.60.19)

विक्रोशमानस्त्राहीति विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य क्रोशमानस्य कौशिकः ॥ १-६०-१९ ॥

vikrośamānastrāhīti viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam| tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya krośamānasya kauśikaḥ || 1-60-19 ||

crying out, "Save me! Save me!" to Vishvamitra, rich in austerity. Having heard that cry of his as he was calling out, Kaushika

Shloka 20 (bala.60.20)

रोषमाहारयत्तीव्रं तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्। ऋषिमध्ये स तेजस्वी प्रजापतिरिवापरः ॥ १-६०-२० ॥

roṣamāhārayattīvraṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt| ṛṣimadhye sa tejasvī prajāpatirivāparaḥ || 1-60-20 ||

gave way to intense fury, and cried out, "Stay! Stay!" That resplendent one, amid the sages, like another Creator,

Shloka 21 (bala.60.21)

सृजन् दक्षिणमार्गस्थान् सप्तर्षीनपरान् पुनः। नक्षत्रवंशमपरमसृजत् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ॥ १-६०-२१ ॥

sṛjan dakṣiṇamārgasthān saptarṣīnaparān punaḥ| nakṣatravaṃśamaparamasṛjat krodhamūrcchitaḥ || 1-60-21 ||

creating, in the southern quarter, another set of Seven Sages, and, overcome by fury, created yet another host of constellations,

Shloka 22 (bala.60.22)

दक्षिणां दिशमास्थाय मुनिमध्ये महायशाः। सृष्ट्वा नक्षत्रवंशं च क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः ॥ १-६०-२२ ॥

dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāsthāya munimadhye mahāyaśāḥ| sṛṣṭvā nakṣatravaṃśaṃ ca krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ || 1-60-22 ||

taking his stand in the southern quarter, that highly renowned sage, amid the sages, and having created that host of constellations, defiled by his own fury,

Shloka 23 (bala.60.23)

अन्यमिन्द्रं करिष्यामि लोको वा स्यादनिंद्रकः। दैवतान्यपि स क्रोधात् स्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ १-६०-२३ ॥

anyamindraṃ kariṣyāmi loko vā syādaniṃdrakaḥ| daivatānyapi sa krodhāt sraṣṭuṃ samupacakrame || 1-60-23 ||

resolved: "I shall make another Indra, or else let this world be without an Indra" - and in his wrath he set about to create even new gods.

Shloka 24 (bala.60.24)

ततः परमसंभ्रान्ताः सर्षिसंघाः सुरासुराः। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानमूचुः सानुनयं वचः ॥ १-६०-२४ ॥

tataḥ paramasaṃbhrāntāḥ sarṣisaṃghāḥ surāsurāḥ| viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānamūcuḥ sānunayaṃ vacaḥ || 1-60-24 ||

Then, greatly alarmed, the gods and demons, together with the assemblies of sages, addressed the great-souled Vishvamitra with conciliatory words:

Shloka 25 (bala.60.25)

अयं राजा महाभाग गुरुशापपरिक्षतः। सशरीरो दिवं यातुं नार्हत्येव तपोधन ॥ १-६०-२५ ॥

ayaṃ rājā mahābhāga guruśāpaparikṣataḥ| saśarīro divaṃ yātuṃ nārhatyeva tapodhana || 1-60-25 ||

"O most fortunate one, this king, ruined by his preceptor's curse, is indeed not fit to go to heaven in his own body, O rich in austerity."

Shloka 26 (bala.60.26)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां मुनिपुंगवः। अब्रवीत् सुमहद्वाक्यं कौशिकः सर्वदेवताः ॥ १-६०-२६ ॥

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ munipuṃgavaḥ| abravīt sumahadvākyaṃ kauśikaḥ sarvadevatāḥ || 1-60-26 ||

Having heard that word of the gods, the eminent sage Kaushika spoke this most weighty word to all the gods:

Shloka 27 (bala.60.27)

सशरीरस्य भद्रं वस्त्रिशंकोरस्य भूपतेः। आरोहणं प्रतिज्ञातं नानृतं कर्तुमुत्सहे ॥ १-६०-२७ ॥

saśarīrasya bhadraṃ vastriśaṃkorasya bhūpateḥ| ārohaṇaṃ pratijñātaṃ nānṛtaṃ kartumutsahe || 1-60-27 ||

"May good befall you all - I have promised the ascension of this king Trishanku with his own body; I am not inclined to make that promise a falsehood."

Shloka 28 (bala.60.28)

स्वर्गोऽस्तु सशरीरस्य त्रिशंकोरस्य शाश्वतः। नक्षत्राणि च सर्वाणि मामकानि ध्रुवाण्यथ ॥ १-६०-२८ ॥

svargo'stu saśarīrasya triśaṃkorasya śāśvataḥ| nakṣatrāṇi ca sarvāṇi māmakāni dhruvāṇyatha || 1-60-28 ||

"Let there be heaven, eternal, for this Trishanku along with his body; and let all these constellations of mine remain fixed as well,"

Shloka 29 (bala.60.29)

यावल्लोका धरिष्यन्ति तिष्ठन्त्येतानि सर्वशः। यत्कृतानि सुराः सर्वे तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥ १-६०-२९ ॥

yāvallokā dhariṣyanti tiṣṭhantyetāni sarvaśaḥ| yatkṛtāni surāḥ sarve tadanujñātumarhatha || 1-60-29 ||

"let them stand fast in every way for as long as the worlds endure. What I have created, O gods, it behooves you all to sanction."

Shloka 30 (bala.60.30)

एवमुक्ताः सुराः सर्वे प्रत्यूचुर्मुनिपुंगवम्। एवं भवतु भद्रं ते तिष्ठन्त्वेतानि सर्वशः ॥ १-६०-३० ॥

evamuktāḥ surāḥ sarve pratyūcurmunipuṃgavam| evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te tiṣṭhantvetāni sarvaśaḥ || 1-60-30 ||

Thus addressed, all the gods replied to the eminent sage: "So be it; may good befall you; let all these remain in every way."

Shloka 31 (bala.60.31)

गगने तान्यनेकानि वैश्वानरपथाद्बहिः। नक्षत्राणि मुनिश्रेष्ठ तेषु ज्योतिषु जाज्वलन् ॥ १-६०-३१ ॥

gagane tānyanekāni vaiśvānarapathādbahiḥ| nakṣatrāṇi muniśreṣṭha teṣu jyotiṣu jājvalan || 1-60-31 ||

"Those numerous constellations, O best of sages, shall remain in the sky beyond the path of the sun, blazing among those luminaries;"

Shloka 32 (bala.60.32)

अवाग् शिरास्त्रिशंकुश्च तिष्ठत्वमरसंनिभः। अनुयास्यन्ति चैतानि ज्योतींषि नृपसत्तमम् ॥ १-६०-३२ ॥

avāg śirāstriśaṃkuśca tiṣṭhatvamarasaṃnibhaḥ| anuyāsyanti caitāni jyotīṃṣi nṛpasattamam || 1-60-32 ||

"and Trishanku, head downward, shall remain there, resembling an immortal; and these luminaries shall follow after him, the foremost of kings,"

Shloka 33 (bala.60.33)

कृतार्थं कीर्तिमन्तं च स्वर्गलोकगतं यथा। विश्वामित्रस्तु धर्मात्मा सर्वदेवैरभिष्टुतः ॥ १-६०-३३ ॥

kṛtārthaṃ kīrtimantaṃ ca svargalokagataṃ yathā| viśvāmitrastu dharmātmā sarvadevairabhiṣṭutaḥ || 1-60-33 ||

"as one who has attained his end and become renowned, as though gone to the world of heaven." And Vishvamitra, the righteous-souled, being praised by all the gods,

Shloka 34 (bala.60.34)

ऋषिमध्ये महातेजा बाढमित्याह देवताः। ततो देवा महात्मानो ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। जग्मुर्यथागतं सर्वे यज्ञस्यान्ते नरोत्तम ॥ १-६०-३४ ॥

ṛṣimadhye mahātejā bāḍhamityāha devatāḥ| tato devā mahātmāno ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ| jagmuryathāgataṃ sarve yajñasyānte narottama || 1-60-34 ||

the greatly resplendent one, amid the sages, said to the gods, "So be it." Then, O best of men, at the end of the sacrifice, the great-souled gods and the sages rich in austerity all departed as they had come.