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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 56: Story of Viśvāmitra: The rājarṣi rank and Triśaṅku’s request
Summary. Brahmā grants Viśvāmitra the rank of rājarṣi, he resumes austerity while Triśaṅku seeks bodily ascent to heaven and is refused by Vasiṣṭha
Sequence
- Still distressed by defeat, Viśvāmitra goes south with his Queen and lives on roots and fruit during severe austerities (1.56.1–2)
- four sons are born: Haviṣpanda, Madhuṣpanda, Dṛḍhanetra, and Mahāratha (1.56.3)
- after a thousand years Brahmā recognizes him as a rājarṣi and departs (1.56.4–6)
- disappointed that he has not attained the higher status he seeks, Viśvāmitra renews his austerity. Śatānanda introduces a concurrent event: King Triśaṅku of the Ikṣvāku line wishes to enter heaven in his physical body through a sacrifice (1.56.7–11)
- Vasiṣṭha declares it impossible (1.56.12)
- Triśaṅku goes south to Vasiṣṭha's hundred sons (1.56.13–14)
- he bows and asks them to officiate, explaining that his family priest has refused → he says that, after the family preceptor, they are his only refuge for accomplishing the bodily ascent. (1.56.15–20)
Verses 1.56.1–20
1.56.1
tataḥ saṃtaptahṛdayaḥ smaran nigraham ātmanaḥ
viniḥśvasya viniḥśvasya kṛtavairo mahātmanā
Then, his heart tormented, remembering his own defeat, sighing again and again, having conceived enmity with the great-souled one—
Words: tataḥ — then; saṃtaptahṛdayaḥ — his heart tormented; smaran — remembering; nigraham — the defeat, subjugation; ātmanaḥ — of himself, his own; viniḥśvasya viniḥśvasya — sighing again and again; kṛtavairo — having conceived enmity; mahātmanā — with the great-souled one
1.56.2
sa dakṣiṇāṃ diśaṃ gatvā mahiṣyā saha rāghava
tatāpa paramaṃ ghoraṃ viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
phalamūlāśano dāntaś cacāra paramaṃ tapaḥ
he went to the southern quarter with his queen, O Rāghava; Viśvāmitra, the great ascetic, performed a most terrible austerity—eating only fruit and roots, self-controlled, he practised the highest penance.
Words: sa — he; dakṣiṇāṃ diśaṃ — the southern direction; gatvā — having gone; mahiṣyā saha — together with his queen; rāghava — O Rāghava; tatāpa — performed (austerity), heated; paramaṃ — most, supreme; ghoraṃ — terrible; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; phalamūlāśano — eating fruit and roots; dāntaś — self-controlled; cacāra — practised, performed; paramaṃ — highest; tapaḥ — austerity
1.56.3
athāsya jajñire putrāḥ satyadharmaparāyaṇāḥ
haviṣpando madhuṣpando dṛḍhanetro mahārathaḥ
Then to him were born sons devoted to truth and dharma: Haviṣpanda, Madhuṣpanda, Dṛḍhanetra, and Mahāratha.
Words: athāsya — then to him; jajñire — were born; putrāḥ — sons; satyadharmaparāyaṇāḥ — devoted to truth and dharma; haviṣpando — Haviṣpanda (a name); madhuṣpando — Madhuṣpanda (a name); dṛḍhanetro — Dṛḍhanetra (a name); mahārathaḥ — Mahāratha (a name)
1.56.4
pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ
abravīn madhuraṃ vākyaṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam
When a full thousand years had passed, Brahmā, the Grandsire of the worlds, spoke sweet words to Viśvāmitra, whose wealth was austerity:
Words: pūrṇe — when full, complete (loc. abs.); varṣasahasre — a thousand years; tu — and; brahmā — Brahmā; lokapitāmahaḥ — the Grandsire of the worlds; abravīn — spoke; madhuraṃ vākyaṃ — sweet words; viśvāmitraṃ — to Viśvāmitra; tapodhanam — whose wealth is austerity
1.56.5
jitā rājarṣilokās te tapasā kuśikātmaja
anena tapasā tvāṃ hi rājarṣir iti vidmahe
'The worlds of the royal seers have been won by you through austerity, O son of Kuśika; by this austerity we do indeed know you as a royal seer.'
Words: jitā — won, conquered; rājarṣilokās — the worlds of royal seers; te — by you; tapasā — by austerity; kuśikātmaja — O son of Kuśika; anena — by this; tapasā — austerity; tvāṃ — you; hi — indeed; rājarṣir — a royal seer; iti — thus; vidmahe — we know
1.56.6
evam uktvā mahātejā jagāma saha daivataiḥ
triviṣṭapaṃ brahmalokaṃ lokānāṃ parameśvaraḥ
Having spoken thus, the one of great splendour, the supreme lord of the worlds, went with the gods to Triviṣṭapa, the world of Brahmā.
Words: evam uktvā — having spoken thus; mahātejā — the one of great splendour; jagāma — went; saha daivataiḥ — together with the gods; triviṣṭapaṃ — Triviṣṭapa (the third heaven); brahmalokaṃ — the world of Brahmā; lokānāṃ — of the worlds; parameśvaraḥ — the supreme lord
1.56.7
viśvāmitro 'pi tac chrutvā hriyā kiṃ cid avāṅmukhaḥ
duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭaḥ samanyur idam abravīt
Viśvāmitra too, hearing that, his face somewhat downcast with shame, filled with great sorrow, and full of resentment, said this:
Words: viśvāmitro 'pi — Viśvāmitra too; tac — that; chrutvā — having heard; hriyā — with shame; kiṃ cid — somewhat; avāṅmukhaḥ — his face downcast; duḥkhena — with sorrow; mahatāviṣṭaḥ — filled with great (sorrow); samanyur — full of resentment, angry; idam — this; abravīt — said
1.56.8
tapaś ca sumahat taptaṃ rājarṣir iti māṃ viduḥ
devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ sarve nāsti manye tapaḥphalam
'A very great austerity has been performed, (yet) all the gods, with the hosts of seers, know me (only) as a royal seer; I think there is no fruit of my austerity.'
Words: tapaś ca — and austerity; sumahat — very great; taptaṃ — performed, heated; rājarṣir — a royal seer; iti — thus; māṃ — me; viduḥ — they know; devāḥ — the gods; sarṣigaṇāḥ — with the hosts of seers; sarve — all; nāsti — there is not; manye — I think; tapaḥphalam — the fruit of austerity
1.56.9
evaṃ niścitya manasā bhūya eva mahātapāḥ
tapaś cacāra kākutstha paramaṃ paramātmavān
Having thus resolved in his mind, the great ascetic, supremely self-controlled, again practised the highest austerity, O Kākutstha.
Words: evaṃ — thus; niścitya — having resolved; manasā — in his mind; bhūya — again; eva — indeed; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; tapaś cacāra — practised austerity; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; paramaṃ — highest; paramātmavān — supremely self-controlled
1.56.10
etasminn eva kāle tu satyavādī jitendriyaḥ
triśaṅkur iti vikhyāta ikṣvāku kulanandanaḥ
At this very time, one truthful of speech, master of his senses, renowned as Triśaṅku, a delight of the Ikṣvāku line,
Words: etasminn eva kāle — at this very time; tu — and; satyavādī — truthful of speech; jitendriyaḥ — master of his senses; triśaṅkur — Triśaṅku; iti — thus (called); vikhyāta — renowned; ikṣvāku kulanandanaḥ — a delight of the Ikṣvāku line
1.56.11
tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā yajeyam iti rāghava
gaccheyaṃ svaśarīreṇa devānāṃ paramāṃ gatim
to him arose the thought, O Rāghava: 'Let me perform a sacrifice, that I might go in my own body to the supreme abode of the gods.'
Words: tasya — to him; buddhiḥ — a thought; samutpannā — arose; yajeyam — let me sacrifice; iti — thus; rāghava — O Rāghava; gaccheyaṃ — may I go, let me go; svaśarīreṇa — with my own body; devānāṃ — of the gods; paramāṃ gatim — the supreme abode, goal
1.56.12
sa vasiṣṭhaṃ samāhūya kathayām āsa cintitam
aśakyam iti cāpy ukto vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
He, summoning Vasiṣṭha, told him what he had in mind; but he was told by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, 'It is impossible.'
Words: sa — he; vasiṣṭhaṃ — Vasiṣṭha; samāhūya — having summoned; kathayām āsa — told, related; cintitam — what he had in mind, his thought; aśakyam — impossible, not to be done; iti — thus; cāpy — and also; ukto — told; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanā — the great-souled
1.56.13
pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena sa yayau dakṣiṇāṃ diśam
vasiṣṭhā dīrgha tapasas tapo yatra hi tepire
Rejected by Vasiṣṭha, he went to the southern quarter, where the sons of Vasiṣṭha, of long-continued austerity, were performing penance.
Words: pratyākhyāto — rejected, refused; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; sa — he; yayau — went; dakṣiṇāṃ diśam — the southern direction; vasiṣṭhā — the sons of Vasiṣṭha (the Vasiṣṭhas); dīrgha tapasas — of long-continued austerity; tapo — austerity; yatra — where; hi — indeed; tepire — were performing
1.56.14
triśaṅkuḥ sumahātejāḥ śataṃ paramabhāsvaram
vasiṣṭhaputrān dadṛśe tapyamānān yaśasvinaḥ
Triśaṅku of great splendour beheld the hundred illustrious sons of Vasiṣṭha, exceedingly radiant, practising austerity.
Words: triśaṅkuḥ — Triśaṅku; sumahātejāḥ — of great splendour; śataṃ — a hundred; paramabhāsvaram — exceedingly radiant; vasiṣṭhaputrān — the sons of Vasiṣṭha; dadṛśe — beheld, saw; tapyamānān — practising austerity; yaśasvinaḥ — the illustrious ones
1.56.15
so 'bhigamya mahātmānaḥ sarvān eva guroḥ sutān
abhivādyānupūrvyeṇa hriyā kiṃ cid avāṅmukhaḥ
abravīt sumahātejāḥ sarvān eva kṛtāñjaliḥ
Approaching all those great-souled sons of his teacher and saluting them in due order, his face somewhat downcast with shame, the one of great splendour, with palms joined, spoke to them all:
Words: so 'bhigamya — he, having approached; mahātmānaḥ — the great-souled ones; sarvān eva — all; guroḥ — of the teacher; sutān — the sons; abhivādyānupūrvyeṇa — having saluted (them) in due order; hriyā — with shame; kiṃ cid — somewhat; avāṅmukhaḥ — his face downcast; abravīt — spoke; sumahātejāḥ — of great splendour; sarvān eva — to them all; kṛtāñjaliḥ — with palms joined
1.56.16
śaraṇaṃ vaḥ prapadye 'haṃ śaraṇyāñ śaraṇāgataḥ
pratyākhyāto 'smi bhadraṃ vo vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
'I take refuge in you, who are worthy of giving refuge, as one come for shelter; I have been rejected by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha—blessings upon you!'
Words: śaraṇaṃ — refuge, protection; vaḥ — in you (pl.); prapadye — I take refuge, resort to; 'haṃ — I; śaraṇyāñ — (you) worthy of giving refuge; śaraṇāgataḥ — one come for refuge; pratyākhyāto 'smi — I have been rejected; bhadraṃ vo — blessings upon you; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanā — the great-souled
1.56.17
yaṣṭukāmo mahāyajñaṃ tad anujñātum arthatha
guruputrān ahaṃ sarvān namaskṛtya prasādaye
'Desirous of performing a great sacrifice, you ought to sanction it; saluting all the teacher's sons, I seek your favour.'
Words: yaṣṭukāmo — desirous of sacrificing; mahāyajñaṃ — a great sacrifice; tad — that; anujñātum — to permit, sanction; arthatha — you ought (to) (prob. = arhatha); guruputrān — the teacher's sons; ahaṃ — I; sarvān — all; namaskṛtya — having saluted; prasādaye — I propitiate, seek favour
1.56.18
śirasā praṇato yāce brāhmaṇāṃs tapasi sthitān
te māṃ bhavantaḥ siddhyarthaṃ yājayantu samāhitāḥ
saśarīro yathāhaṃ hi devalokam avāpnuyām
'Bowing with my head, I entreat you, brahmins established in austerity: may you, attentive, officiate at my sacrifice for the sake of success, so that I may reach the world of the gods in my own body.'
Words: śirasā — with the head; praṇato — bowing; yāce — I entreat, beg; brāhmaṇāṃs — the brahmins; tapasi — in austerity; sthitān — established, standing; te — you (emphatic); māṃ — me; bhavantaḥ — you, sirs (honorific); siddhyarthaṃ — for the sake of success; yājayantu — let them officiate at (my) sacrifice; samāhitāḥ — attentive, composed; saśarīro — with (my) body; yathāhaṃ — so that I; hi — indeed; devalokam — the world of the gods; avāpnuyām — I may attain
1.56.19
pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena gatim anyāṃ tapodhanāḥ
guruputrān ṛte sarvān nāhaṃ paśyāmi kāṃ cana
'Rejected by Vasiṣṭha, O you whose wealth is austerity, I see no other recourse whatever apart from all of you, the sons of my teacher.'
Words: pratyākhyāto — rejected; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; gatim — recourse, refuge, way; anyāṃ — other; tapodhanāḥ — O you whose wealth is austerity; guruputrān — the sons of the teacher; ṛte — except, apart from; sarvān — all; nāhaṃ — not I; paśyāmi — I see; kāṃ cana — any (recourse)
1.56.20
ikṣvākūṇāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ
tasmād anantaraṃ sarve bhavanto daivataṃ mama
'For to all the Ikṣvākus the house-priest is the highest recourse; therefore, next after him, all of you are my deity.'
Words: ikṣvākūṇāṃ — of the Ikṣvākus; hi — for, indeed; sarveṣāṃ — all; purodhāḥ — the house-priest; paramā gatiḥ — the highest recourse; tasmād — therefore; anantaraṃ — immediately after, next; sarve — all; bhavanto — you, sirs (honorific); daivataṃ — deity; mama — my
← 1.55 Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.57 Story of Viśvāmitra: Triśaṅku’s curse and appeal for refuge →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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