# Bāla Kāṇḍa 57 — Story of Viśvāmitra: Triśaṅku’s curse and appeal for refuge *Vasiṣṭha’s sons reject and curse Triśaṅku, his followers abandon him and he asks Viśvāmitra to overcome his fate* Portion: Story of Viśvāmitra · Verses: 23 · Ref format: 1.57. ## Sequence - Vasiṣṭha's sons angrily rebuke Triśaṅku for seeking to bypass their father's refusal → they tell him to return home, since they cannot overturn the family priest's decision (57.1–5) - Triśaṅku says he will seek another refuge → they curse him to become a caṇḍāla, an outcast (57.6–8) - by morning his appearance has changed: dark clothing, rough skin, disordered hair, funeral garlands, and iron ornaments → his ministers and followers abandon him (57.9–10) - alone and distressed, he approaches Viśvāmitra, who receives him with compassion and asks what happened (57.11–15) - Triśaṅku explains the rejection, his wish for bodily ascent, and his record of truthful speech, sacrifice, and righteous rule (57.16–20) - he laments that fate has defeated his efforts → taking Viśvāmitra as his only refuge, he asks him to overcome that fate through effort (57.21–23). ## Verses **1.57.1** tatas triśaṅkor vacanaṃ śrutvā krodhasamanvitam ṛṣiputraśataṃ rāma rājānam idam abravīt Then, having heard Triśaṅku's words, the hundred sons of the seer, filled with anger, O Rāma, said this to the king: **1.57.2** pratyākhyāto 'si durbuddhe guruṇā satyavādinā taṃ kathaṃ samatikramya śākhāntaram upeyivān 'You have been refused, O evil-minded one, by the teacher who speaks the truth; how, passing him by, have you come to another branch?' **1.57.3** ikṣvākūṇāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ na cātikramituṃ śakyaṃ vacanaṃ satyavādinaḥ 'For to all the Ikṣvākus the house-priest is the highest recourse; and the word of one who speaks the truth cannot be transgressed.' **1.57.4** aśakyam iti covāca vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ taṃ vayaṃ vai samāhartuṃ kratuṃ śaktāḥ kathaṃ tava 'The venerable seer Vasiṣṭha has said "it is impossible"; how then are we able to accomplish that sacrifice of yours?' **1.57.5** bāliśas tvaṃ naraśreṣṭha gamyatāṃ svapuraṃ punaḥ yājane bhagavāñ śaktas trailokyasyāpi pārthiva 'You are foolish, O best of men; return again to your own city. In officiating (at sacrifice) the venerable one is capable even for the three worlds, O king.' **1.57.6** teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā krodhaparyākulākṣaram sa rājā punar evaitān idaṃ vacanam abravīt Hearing that speech of theirs, its syllables confused with anger, the king once again said these words to them: **1.57.7** pratyākhyāto 'smi guruṇā guruputrais tathaiva ca anyāṃ gatiṃ gamiṣyāmi svasti vo 'stu tapodhanāḥ 'I have been rejected by the teacher, and likewise by the teacher's sons; I shall go to another recourse. Blessings be upon you, O you whose wealth is austerity.' **1.57.8** ṛṣiputrās tu tac chrutvā vākyaṃ ghorābhisaṃhitam śepuḥ paramasaṃkruddhāś caṇḍālatvaṃ gamiṣyasi evam uktvā mahātmāno viviśus te svam āśramam But the seer's sons, hearing that speech fraught with dire import, being greatly enraged, cursed him: 'You shall become a caṇḍāla!' Having spoken thus, those great-souled ones entered their own hermitage. **1.57.9** atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ rājā caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ nīlavastradharo nīlaḥ paruṣo dhvastamūrdhajaḥ cityamālyānulepaś ca āyasābharaṇo 'bhavat Then, when the night had passed, the king became a caṇḍāla: dark of hue, wearing dark garments, rough-skinned, his hair dishevelled, decked with pyre-garlands and unguents, and adorned with iron ornaments. **1.57.10** taṃ dṛṣṭvā mantriṇaḥ sarve tyaktvā caṇḍālarūpiṇam prādravan sahitā rāma paurā ye 'syānugāminaḥ Seeing him in the form of a caṇḍāla, all his ministers abandoned him and fled together, O Rāma—as did the townsfolk who were his followers. **1.57.11** eko hi rājā kākutstha jagāma paramātmavān dahyamāno divārātraṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam Alone, O Kākutstha, the supremely self-possessed king went—burning (with grief) day and night—to Viśvāmitra, whose wealth was austerity. **1.57.12** viśvāmitras tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā rājānaṃ viphalīkṛtam caṇḍālarūpiṇaṃ rāma muniḥ kāruṇyam āgataḥ But Viśvāmitra the sage, seeing that king brought to ruin, in the form of a caṇḍāla, O Rāma, was moved to compassion. **1.57.13** kāruṇyāt sa mahātejā vākyaṃ parama dhārmikaḥ idaṃ jagāda bhadraṃ te rājānaṃ ghoradarśanam Out of compassion, that supremely righteous one of great splendour spoke this word—'blessings on you'—to the king of dreadful appearance: **1.57.14** kim āgamanakāryaṃ te rājaputra mahābala ayodhyādhipate vīra śāpāc caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ 'What is the purpose of your coming, O mighty prince, O hero, lord of Ayodhyā, now reduced to a caṇḍāla by a curse?' **1.57.15** atha tad vākyam ākarṇya rājā caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ abravīt prāñjalir vākyaṃ vākyajño vākyakovidam Then, hearing that speech, the king now become a caṇḍāla, himself skilled in speech, with joined palms spoke a word to (Viśvāmitra,) expert in speech: **1.57.16** pratyākhyāto 'smi guruṇā guruputrais tathaiva ca anavāpyaiva taṃ kāmaṃ mayā prāpto viparyayaḥ 'I have been rejected by the teacher and likewise by the teacher's sons; without even attaining that desire, I have met with this reversal.' **1.57.17** saśarīro divaṃ yāyām iti me saumyadarśanam mayā ceṣṭaṃ kratuśataṃ tac ca nāvāpyate phalam '"May I go to heaven in my own body"—such was my fond aspiration; a hundred sacrifices have been offered by me, yet that fruit is not attained.' **1.57.18** anṛtaṃ nokta pūrvaṃ me na ca vakṣye kadā cana kṛcchreṣv api gataḥ saumya kṣatradharmeṇa te śape 'No falsehood has been spoken by me before, nor shall I ever speak it; even when fallen into distress, O gentle one, I swear to you by the law of kṣatriyas.' **1.57.19** yajñair bahuvidhair iṣṭaṃ prajā dharmeṇa pālitāḥ guravaś ca mahātmānaḥ śīlavṛttena toṣitāḥ 'I have sacrificed with sacrifices of many kinds; my subjects have been protected with dharma; and the great-souled elders have been gratified by (my) good conduct.' **1.57.20** dharme prayatamānasya yajñaṃ cāhartum icchataḥ paritoṣaṃ na gacchanti guravo munipuṃgava 'Though I strive after dharma and wish to perform a sacrifice, the elders do not come to satisfaction (with me), O bull among sages.' **1.57.21** daivam eva paraṃ manye pauruṣaṃ tu nirarthakam daivenākramyate sarvaṃ daivaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ 'I regard fate alone as supreme, but human effort as fruitless; everything is overpowered by fate, for fate is the highest recourse.' **1.57.22** tasya me paramārtasya prasādam abhikāṅkṣataḥ kartum arhasi bhadraṃ te daivopahatakarmaṇaḥ 'To me, exceedingly afflicted and longing for your grace, whose action has been thwarted by fate, you ought to grant (favour)—blessings on you.' **1.57.23** nānyāṃ gatiṃ gamiṣyāmi nānyaḥ śaraṇam asti me daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa nivartayitum arhasi 'I shall go to no other recourse; there is no other refuge for me. You ought, by human effort, to turn back this fate.'