May 20 - Sargas 59 and 60 of Balakanda.
The story of Trishanku's ascent to heaven by the dint of a stubborn Vishwamitra' efforts is telling. We understand the extent of Vishwamitra's ego and how spiritual power quickly evaporates when used for whimsical agendas.
***
हस्तप्राप्तमहं मन्ये स्वर्गं तव नराधिप ।
यस्त्वं कौशिकमागम्य शरणयं शरणागतः ॥
Vishwamitra told Trishanku, "Oh king, I consider (and so should you too) that heaven has come within your grasp already, now that you have chosen to come under my refuge (and I am the right person for giving you refuge)."
Then Vishwamitra marshalls his very capable rishi sons and disciples. He asks them to get ready a big yajna and also go and invite every rishi from all over the world to come and take part in this unique yajna being done by none other than himself. He tells the disciples to come back and narrate exactly what every invitee had replied.
***
The disciples go and round up many rishis from every nook and corner. They all accept the invite and come, except Vasishtha's sons and a rishi by name Mahodaya.
Vasishtha's sons angrily dismiss the invitation:
क्षत्रियो याजको यस्य चण्डालस्य विशेषतः ।
कथं सदसि भोक्तारो हविस्तस्य सुरर्षयः ।
ब्राह्मणा वा महात्मानो भुक्त्वा चण्डालभोजनम् ॥
"What a fine yajna indeed you are telling us to attend!? Bah! A kshatriya is the priest! (kshatriyas have too much rajas to have spiritual powers). The one doing the yajna is a chandala (lowest of the low, devoid of any eligibility!)
Do you think the gods and sages will come and accept the havis offerings in such a yajna? Do you think Brahmins will accept the food from a chandala!?"
His disciples come back and report this to Vishwamitra verbatim. As can be expected, Vishwamitra utters the vilest of curses to reduce Vasishtha's sons to ashes and condemns them to being born hundreds of times in the vilest of forms. He also doesn't spare Mahodaya.
The rishis who have come to the yajna are now mortified in fear. They say that Vishwamitra's uncontrollable anger will damn them if they don't comply with his instructions. So they meekly set about the yajna appropriately.
Vishwamitra conducts the yajna with Trishanku as the yajamana. The time comes for havis offerings to be given to the gods. Vishwamitra calls out to them repeatedly but they don't come.
An enraged Vishwamitra holds aloft the sacrificial ladle and proclaims,
दुष्प्रापंयस्वशरीरेण दिवं गच्छ नराधिप।
स्वार्जितं किञ्चिदप्यस्ति मया हि तपसा फलम् ॥
"Oh king, I now launch you to ascend to heaven in your present chandala form, a feat in fact known to be impossible. If at all I have accumulated any merit through my tapas, I stake it for this purpose now."
Trishanku takes off and tries to enter heaven. Indra, the lord of heaven, says,
त्रिशंको गच्छ भूयस्त्वं नासि स्वर्गकृतालयः ।
गुरुशापहतो मूढ पत भूमिमिवाक्शिरः ॥
" Oh Trishanku, go back, you have in no way earned merit to enter heaven. You fool, accursed as you are by your guru, hurtle down to earth, head first. "
Trishanku starts falling down and screams to Vishwamitra to save him (त्राहि त्राहि!). Vishwamitra commands him aloud," तिष्ठ! तिष्ठ! "
"Stay where you are and stop falling! "
Vishwamitra now takes on the role if the creator Brahma himself and creates constellations of stars and the Saptarshi Mandala also in the southern heavens. He is in uncontrollable rage. He screams that he will rid the worlds of Indra himself. He will create a complete alternative set of gods.
Then the gods plead with Vishwamitra:
अयं राजा महाभाग गुरुशापपरिक्षतः।
सशरीरो दिवं यातुं नार्हत्येव तपोदन ॥
" Oh most glorious sage, this king has been damned by the curse of his guru. He is not qualified to enter heaven in his own body. Kindly understand what we are saying, oh treasure of tapas powers!"
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां मुनिपुङ्गवः।
अब्रवीत् सुमहद्वाक्यं कौशिकः सर्वदेवताः ॥
Having heard their words and allowing them to sink in, a more reasonable Vishwamitra replies the gods with these great words:
सशरीरस्य भद्रं वस्त्रिशङ्कोरस्य भूपतेः ।
आरोहणं प्रतिज्ञाय नानृतं कर्तुमुत्सहे ॥
स्वर्गोऽस्तु सशरीरस्य त्रिशङ्कोरस्य शाश्वतः।
नक्षत्राणि च सर्वाणि मामकानि ध्रुवाण्यथ ॥
"oh gods, having promised this king Trishanku that I will make him ascend successfully to heaven in his own body, I cannot now render my promise false.
" Let it be that he will flourish in his own body in his own heaven, replete with all constellations amd even the pole star, permanently and undisturbed."
The gods are happy to accept this. Therefore Trishanku hangs even now, to this day, upside down in his heaven, fully furnished by the power of Vishwamitra's creative efforts. It is an alternate universe outside the path of the zodiac.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
