येन केनाप्युपायेन भवता नृपतेः किल । तस्माद्रक्षा प्रकर्तव्या तपसा प्रबलेन ह
By whatever means possible, you must protect the king; therefore, you should undertake powerful austerity for his sake.
व्यास उवाच - इति भार्यावचः श्रुत्वा कौशिको मुनिसत्तमः । तामाह कामिनीं दीनां सान्त्वपूर्वमरिन्दम
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words of his wife, Kauśika, the foremost sage, spoke to the sorrowful lady, offering her gentle consolation.
विश्वामित्र उवाच - मोचयिष्यामि तं शापान्नृपं कमललोचने । उपकारः कृतो येन कान्ताराद्रक्षितासि वै
Viśvāmitra said: I will free the king from the curse, O lotus-eyed one; because he helped you, protecting you from the forest.
विद्यातपोबलेनाहं करिष्ये दुःखसंक्षयम् । इत्याश्वास्य प्रियां तत्र कौशिकः परमार्थवित्
With the power of knowledge, austerity, and strength, I will bring an end to his suffering; thus, Kauśika, knower of the highest truth, comforted his beloved there.
चिन्तयामास नृपतेः कथं स्याद्दुःखनाशनम् । संविमृश्य मुनिस्तत्र जगाम यत्र पार्थिवः
He began to contemplate how the king's suffering might be ended; after deliberating, the sage went to where the king was.
त्रिशङ्कुः पक्वणे दीनः संस्थितः श्वपचाकृतिः । आगच्छन्तं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितोऽसौ नराधिपः
Triśaṅku, miserable and in the form of a dog-eater, was staying in the cremation ground; seeing the sage approaching, the king was astonished.
दण्डवन्निपपातोर्व्यां पादयोस्तरसा मुनेः । गृहीत्वा तं करे भूपं पतितं कौशिकस्तदा
He quickly fell prostrate on the ground at the feet of the sage; Kauśika then took the fallen king by the hand.
उत्थाप्योवाच वचनं सान्त्वपूर्वं द्विजोत्तमः । मत्कृते त्वं महीपाल शप्तोऽसि मुनिना यतः
Raising him up, the best of twice-born spoke words of gentle consolation: 'Because of me, O king, you were cursed by the sage.'
वाञ्छितं ते करिष्यामि ब्रूहि किं करवाण्यहम् । राजोवाच - मया सम्प्रार्थितः पूर्वं वसिष्ठो मखहेतवे
I will accomplish your desire; tell me, what shall I do? The king said: Formerly, I requested Vasiṣṭha for the sake of a sacrifice.
मां याजय मुनिश्रेष्ठ करोमि मखमुत्तमम् । यथेष्टं कुरु विप्रेन्द्र यथा स्वर्गं व्रजाम्यहम्
O best of sages, let me be consecrated; I will perform the supreme sacrifice. Do as you wish, O chief of Brahmins, so that I may go to heaven.
अनेनैव शरीरेण शक्रलोकं सुखालयम् । कोपं कृत्वा वसिष्ठोऽसौ मामाहेति सुदुर्मते
With this very body, I wish to reach the abode of Indra, the place of happiness; Vasiṣṭha, angry, spoke harshly to me, O wicked-minded one.
मानुषेण हि देहेन स्वर्गवासः कुतस्तव । पुनर्मयोक्तो भगवान्स्वर्गलुब्धेन चानघ
How can you reside in heaven with a human body? Again, I spoke to the venerable one, desiring heaven, O sinless one.
अन्यं पुरोहितं कृत्वा यक्ष्येऽहं यज्ञमुत्तमम् । तदा तेनैव शप्तोऽहं चाण्डालो भव पामर
Having appointed another priest, I will perform the supreme sacrifice; then, by him, I was cursed: 'Become an outcaste, O wretch.'
इत्येतत्कथितं सर्वं कारणं शापसम्भवम् । मम दुःखविनाशाय समर्थोऽसि मुनीश्वर
Thus, all this has been told—the cause of the curse; O lord of sages, you are able to destroy my suffering.
इत्युक्त्वा विररमासौ राजा दुःखरुजार्दितः । कौशिकोऽपि निराकर्तुं शापं तस्य व्यचिन्तयत्
Having spoken thus, the king, tormented by pain and sorrow, fell silent; Kauśika also pondered how to remove his curse.
वरुणकृपया शैव्यायां पुत्रोप्तत्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - विचिन्त्य मनसा कृत्यं गाधिसूनुर्महातपाः । प्रकल्प्य यज्ञसम्भारान्मुनीनामन्त्रयत्तदा
By the grace of Varuṇa: The description of the son born to Śaivyā. Vyāsa said: Having considered in his mind what should be done, the great ascetic son of Gādhi arranged the materials for a sacrifice and then summoned the sages.
मुनयस्तं मखं ज्ञात्वा विश्वामित्रनिमन्त्रिताः । नागताः सर्व एवैते वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः
The sages, having learned of that sacrifice and invited by Viśvāmitra, did not come at all, for they were restrained by Vasiṣṭha.
गाधिसूनुस्तदाज्ञाय विमनाश्चातिदुःखितः । आजगामाश्रमं तत्र यत्रासौ नृपतिः स्थितः
The son of Gādhi, realizing this, became dejected and deeply distressed; he went to the hermitage where that king was staying.
तमाह कौशिकः क्रुद्धो वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः । नागताः ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे यज्ञार्थं नृपसत्तम
Kauśika, angered, said to him: 'All the Brahmins, restrained by Vasiṣṭha, have not come for the sacrifice, O best of kings.'
पश्य मे तपसः सिद्धिं यथा त्वां सुरसद्मनि । प्रापयामि महाराज वाञ्छितं ते करोम्यहम्
Behold the power of my austerity, O great king, as I send you to the abode of the gods; I shall grant you your desire.
इत्युक्त्वा जलमादाय हस्तेन मुनिसत्तमः । ददौ पुण्यं तदा तस्मै गायत्रीजपसम्भवम्
Having said this, the best of sages took water in his hand and gave to him that sacred water, arisen from the recitation of the Gāyatrī.
दत्त्वाथ सुकृतं राज्ञे तमुवाच महीपतिम् । यथेष्टं गच्छ राजर्षे त्रिविष्टपमतन्द्रितः
After giving that meritorious water to the king, he said to the ruler of the earth: 'Go as you wish, O royal sage, to heaven without delay.'
पुण्येन मम राजेन्द्र बहुकालार्जितेन च । याहि शक्रपुरीं प्रीतः स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु सुरालये
By my accumulated merit, O king of kings, gathered over a long time, go joyfully to Indra's city; may there be well-being for you in the abode of the gods.
व्यास उवाच - इत्युक्तवति विप्रेन्द्रे त्रिशङ्कुस्तरसा ततः । उत्पपात यथा पक्षी वेगवांस्तपसो बलात्
Vyāsa said: When the best of Brahmins had spoken thus, Triśaṅku immediately soared upward, swift as a bird, by the power of the sage's austerity.
उत्पत्य गगने राजा गतः शक्रपुरीं यदा । दृष्टो देवगणैस्तत्र क्रूरश्चाण्डालवेषभाक्
Having ascended into the sky, when the king reached Indra's city, he was seen there by the hosts of gods, fierce and bearing the form of an outcaste.
कथितोऽसौ सुरेन्द्राय कोऽयमायाति सत्वरः । गगने देववद्वा यो दुर्दर्शः श्वपचाकृतिः
He was reported to the lord of the gods: 'Who is this who comes quickly in the sky, appearing like a god, yet dreadful and with the form of a dog-eater?'
सहसोत्थाय शक्रस्तमपश्यत्पुरुषाधमम् । ज्ञात्वा त्रिशङ्कुमपि स निर्भर्त्स्य तरसाब्रवीत्
Indra at once rose and saw that lowest of men; recognizing him as Triśaṅku, he harshly rebuked him and spoke forcefully.
श्वपच क्व समायासि देवलोके जुगुप्सितः । याहि शीघ्रं ततो भूमौ नात्र स्थातुं त्वयोचितम्
'Dog-eater, why have you come here, you who are despised in the world of the gods? Go quickly down to earth; it is not proper for you to remain here.'
इत्युक्तः स्खलितः स्वर्गाच्छक्रेणामित्रकर्शन । निपपात तदा राजा क्षीणपुण्यो यथामरः
Thus addressed, Triśaṅku was cast down from heaven by Indra, the destroyer of foes; then the king, his merit exhausted, fell like a god deprived of immortality.
पुनश्चुक्रोश भूपालो विश्वामित्रेति चासकृत् । पतामि रक्ष दुःखार्तं स्वर्गाच्चलितमाशुगम्
Again and again the king cried out, 'Viśvāmitra!' as he fell: 'Save me, O sage, afflicted by sorrow, as I swiftly fall from heaven!'