Vanam Vasudasa Valmiki Ramayana-18 .... Legend of Trishanku : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Vanam Vasudasa Valmiki Ramayana-18

Legend of Trishanku

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

            Shatananda continuing his narration touched the legend of Trishanku and said like this. “While Vishvamitra was engaged in his devoted penance, there lived an honest king by name Trishanku of Ikshvaku dynasty to whom an idea came up to perform a unique ritual to enable him to go to heaven with the human body to enjoy there. He then requested sage Vasishta to do the needful for which he said a stoic no and an impossible one. On Vasishta’s refusal to perform the ritual, Trishanku went towards southern direction and approached his hundred sons seeking their help and said that he did not want any other recourse excepting them. He also told them that being the priests of Ikshvaku dynasty, if they do not perform the ritual who else would do it. Thus, Trishanku pleaded the hundred sons desperately”.      

            “On hearing the words of king Trishanku entirely, Vasishta’s hundred sons became immensely annoyed. They questioned him that when his father Vasishta rejected to perform the ritual how can he expect them to perform the same. If done does it not amount to discrediting and insulting him? Asked the sons. Thus, they denounced him. They also advised him to get back to his kingdom leaving the idea of going to heaven. Then Trishanku got ready to approach someone else saying that he was insulted by Vasishta’s sons. Then they became highly infuriated and cursed Trishanku saying that he shall get into a state of dishonorably disrespectful and used the word that he become a Chandala (socially designated as a cremator) with his body appearance totally changed. Later they left for their hermitage”.

            “Next day morning after looking at his face king Trishanku observed that his appearance is totally different and no resemblance of a king at all. All his followers instantaneously deserted him and went away from him. Then he promptly approached Vishvamitra who on seeing became profusely sympathetic for his state of affairs. Vishvamitra enquired the reason for his condition. Trishanku narrated the reason and how he was rejected by Vasishta and how he was cursed by his sons to become like this. He also disclosed his aspiration of going to heaven with body and so far, it remained unfulfilled. Trishanku prayed for the grace of Vishvamitra to fulfill his ambition”. So narrated Shatananda.

Vishvamitra curses sons of Vasishta

            Continuing his narration sage Shatananda said like this. “Vishvamitra pacified Trishanku and guaranteed him that he will do the needful. He told Trishanku that he need not be disheartened and he will be accorded heaven and will be sent with the body in the same form which was distorted by the curse of Vasishta’s sons. On saying so, Vishvamitra called his sons and disciples and instructed them to make all the necessary arrangements for the ritual including inviting all the eminent sages for it including the sons of Vishvamitra. Scared of Vishvamitra, though unwillingly, all the sages, brahmins and others attended the ritual. Vasishta’s sons however found fault with the ritual undertaken by Vishvamitra. On knowing their open opposition with explosive words accusing him, Vishvamitra got furious and cursed the sons of Vasishta. He admonished them that they shall be reduced to ashes and after their death they shall be dragged to the house of Yama the terminator. Further he said that, for seven hundred births to follow they shall be swallowers of corpses, shall be consuming the meat of dogs and shall be wandering about the earthly words in the form of disfigured and deformed beings”.

Vishvamitra sends Trishanku to heaven

            “After cursing Vasishta’s sons, Vishvamitra introduced Trishanku to the sages who came to attend the ritual and requested them all to conduct the ritual to enable Trishanku reaches heaven. Half willingly and scared of Vishvamitra’s wrath if said no, the sages undertook the works that were entrusted to them, while Vishvamitra himself became the principal officiator. Vishvamitra halfway through the ritual as per the practice welcomed all the gods to receive their allotted offerings known as Havirbhavas. None of them responded to his invitation. Then getting angry Vishvamitra lifted the ritual’s wooden offering spoon and told Trishanku that he shall be sent to heaven with his body through his powers of penance. Once Vishvamitra said like that, Trishanku ascended to heaven while all those present there were watching the spectacle. On seeing Trishanku’s entry into heaven and when was about to reach, Indra suggested him to retrace his steps and fall down on earth with his head inverted”.

“Trishanku then made a desperate request to Vishvamitra to save him and started falling down from heaven. Vishvamitra quickly responding to Trishanku’s call assumed an atypical fury made him not to fall on the earth and with powers him and stopped in the midst of sky. Not keeping quiet with that, like the replica creator, Vishvamitra equipped himself to create the heavenly Seven Stars Conglomeration in the southern direction of the sky besides establishing yet another heaven, Indra, devatas, galaxies, and other stars. He was even prepared to see that there shall be no Indra at all if his plans failed. At this juncture the gods were frightened and approached Vishvamitra requesting with appeasing words to calm down. Vishvamitra said that he promised Trishanku that he will ascend to heaven with his earthly body and it shall become true. Vishvamitra wanted that the eternal heaven to Trishanku with his earthly body crated by him shall remain there along with the stars and galaxies as long as the worlds remain. The gods agreed to his proposal. Thus, the Trishanku Heaven remained in the sky permanently along with stars and galaxies created by Vishvamitra. There Trishanku continued shining like a star and similar to any other celestial”.