सोऽहं शरणमापन्नः शापमुक्त्यै द्विजोत्तमाः। विश्वामित्रं जगन्मित्रं नान्या मेऽस्ति गतिः परा॥६.४.
Thus I have come seeking refuge, O best of twice-born, for release from the curse; Viśvāmitra, friend of the world, is my only remaining hope.
विश्वामित्र उवाच। वसिष्ठस्य भवान्याज्यस्तत्पुत्राणां विशेषतः। तत्कस्मादीदृशे पापे तैस्त्वमद्य नियोजितः॥६.४.
Viśvāmitra said: You are not inferior to Vasiṣṭha, and especially not to his sons; so why have you been condemned by them to such a sinful state?
कोऽपराधस्त्वया तेषां कृतः पार्थिवसत्तम। प्राणद्रोहः कृतः किं वा दारधर्षणसंभवः॥६.४.
What offense did you commit against them, O best of kings? Did you cause harm to life, or was it due to some violation regarding women?
त्रिशंकुरुवाच। अनेनैव शरीरेण स्वर्गाय गमनं प्रति। मया संप्रार्थितो यज्ञो वसिष्ठान्मुनिसत्तमात्॥६.४.
Triśaṃku said: With this very body, I requested the great sage Vasiṣṭha to perform a sacrifice for my ascent to heaven.
तेनोक्तं न स यज्ञोऽस्ति येन स्वर्गे प्रगम्यते। अनेनैव शरीरेण मुक्त्वा देहांतरं नृप॥६.४.
He replied, 'There is no such sacrifice by which one may go to heaven in this very body, without first abandoning it for another form, O king.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा स मया प्रोक्तो यदि मां न नयिष्यति। स्वर्गं चानेन कायेन सद्यो यज्ञप्रभावतः॥६.४.
Hearing this, I said, 'If you will not take me to heaven in this body by the power of sacrifice, then I will seek another teacher today—there is no doubt.'
तदन्यं गुरुमेवाद्य कर्ताहं नास्ति संशयः। एतज्ज्ञात्वा मुनिः प्राह यत्क्षेमं तत्समाचर॥६.४.
Knowing this, the sage said, 'Do what is best for you.'
ततोऽहं तेन संत्यक्तस्तत्पुत्रान्प्राप्य निष्ठुरान्। प्रोक्तवानथ तत्सर्वं यद्वसिष्ठस्य कीर्तितम्॥६.४.
Then, rejected by him, I approached his harsh sons and told them everything that Vasiṣṭha had said.
ततस्तैः शोकसंतप्तैः शप्तोस्मि मुनिसत्तम। नीतश्चेमां दशां पापां चंडालत्वे नियोजितः॥६.४.
Thereupon, tormented by grief, those sons of the sage cursed me, O best of sages, and consigned me to this wretched state of a caṇḍāla.
सोऽहं त्वां मनसा ध्यात्वा सुदूरादिहरागतः(?)। आशां गरीयसीं कृत्वा कुरुक्षेत्रे मुनीश्वर॥६.४.
So, meditating upon you in my heart, I have come here from afar, placing my highest hope in you, O lord of sages, here in Kurukṣetra.
नासाध्यं विद्यते किंचित्त्रिषु लोकेषु ते मुने। तस्मात्कुरु प्रतीकारं दुःखितस्य ममाधुना॥६.४.
O sage, nothing is impossible for you in the three worlds. Therefore, please make some remedy for my sorrow now.
सूत उवाच। तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो मुनीश्वरः। वसिष्ठस्पर्धयोवाच मुनिमध्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.४.
Sūta said: Hearing those words, the great sage Viśvāmitra, standing among the sages and rival to Vasiṣṭha, spoke.
अहं त्वां याजयिष्यामि तेन यज्ञेन पार्थिव। गच्छसि त्रिदिवं येन इष्टमात्रेण तत्क्षणात्॥६.४.
I will perform a sacrifice for you, O king, by which you will go to heaven instantly, with only the desired offering.
त्वमेवं विहितो भूप वासिष्ठैरंत्यजस्तु तैः। मया भूयोऽपि भूपालः कर्तव्यो नात्र संशयः॥६.४.
You have been rejected by the Vasiṣṭhas in this way, O king, but I will make you king again; there is no doubt about this.
तस्मादागच्छ भूपाल तीर्थयात्रां मया सह। कुरु तीर्थप्रभावेण येन त्वं स्याः शुचिः पुनः॥६.४.
Therefore, come, O king, undertake a pilgrimage with me; by the power of the holy places, you will become pure again.
तथा यज्ञक्रियार्हश्च चंडालत्वविवर्जितः। नास्ति तत्पातकं यच्च तीर्थस्नानान्न नश्यति॥६.४.
Thus you will be fit for sacrificial rites and free from the state of a caṇḍāla; there is no sin that does not perish by bathing in holy places.
सूत उवाच। एवं स निश्चयं कृत्वा गाधिपुत्रो मुनीश्वरः। त्रिशंकुं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा तीर्थयात्रामथाव्रजत्॥६.४.
Sūta said: Having resolved thus, the great sage, son of Gādhi, set out on pilgrimage, taking Triśaṃku behind him.
कुरुक्षेत्रं सरस्वत्यां प्रभासे कुरुजांगले। पृथूदके गयाशीर्षे नैमिषे पुष्करत्रये॥६.४.
They went to Kurukṣetra, Sarasvatī, Prabhāsa, Kurujāṅgala, Pṛthūdaka, Gayāśīrṣa, Naimiṣa, and the three Puṣkaras.
वाराणस्यां प्रयागे च केदारे श्रवणे नदे। चित्रकूटे च गोकर्णे शालिग्रामेऽचलेश्वरे॥६.४.
To Vārāṇasī, Prayāga, Kedāra, Śravaṇa river, Citrakūṭa, Gokarṇa, Śāligrāma, and Acaleśvara.
शुक्लतीर्थे सुराज्याख्ये दृषद्वति नदे शुभे। अथान्येषु सुपुण्येषु तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च॥६.४.
To Śuklatīrtha, called Surājya, the auspicious Dṛṣadvati river, and other supremely holy places and shrines.
एवं तस्य नरेंद्रस्य सार्धं तेन महात्मना। अतिक्रांतो महान्कालो भ्रममाणस्य भूतले॥६.४.
Thus, with that great soul, a long time passed for the king as he wandered over the earth.
मुच्यते न च पापेन चंडालत्वेन स द्विजाः। एवंविधेषु तीर्थेषु स्नातोपि च पृथक्पृथक्॥६.४.
He was not freed from sin or from the state of a caṇḍāla, O twice-born, even though he bathed separately at such holy places.
ततः क्रमात्समायातः सोऽर्बुदं पर्वतं प्रति। तत्रारुह्य समालोक्य पापघ्नमचलेश्वरम्॥६.४.
Then, in due course, he arrived at Mount Arbuda; ascending there, he beheld Acaleśvara, the destroyer of sin.
यावदायतनात्तस्मान्निर्गच्छति मुनीश्वरः। तावत्तेनेक्षितो नाममार्कंडो मुनिसत्तमः॥६.४.
As the great sage was leaving that shrine, he was seen by the illustrious sage Mārkaṇḍeya.
सोऽपि दृष्ट्वा जगन्मित्रं विश्वामित्रं मुनीश्वरम्। प्रोवाचाथ कुतः प्राप्तः सांप्रतं त्वं मुनीश्वर॥६.४.
He too, seeing Viśvāmitra, friend of the world and great sage, spoke: 'From where have you come now, O great sage?'
कोऽयं तवानुगो रौद्रो दृश्यते चांत्यजाकृतिः। एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व पृच्छतो मम सन्मुने॥६.४.
Who is this fierce companion of yours, appearing in the form of an outcaste? Tell me all this, O noble sage, as I ask.
विश्वामित्र उवाच। एष पार्थिवशार्दूलस्त्रिशंकुरिति विश्रुतः। वसिष्ठस्य सुतैर्नीतश्चंडालत्वं प्रकोपतः॥६.४.
Viśvāmitra said: This is Triśaṃku, renowned among kings; by the sons of Vasiṣṭha, he was made an outcaste in anger.
मया चास्य प्रतिज्ञातं सप्तद्वीपवतीं महीम्। प्रभ्रमिष्याम्यहं यावन्मेध्यत्वं त्वमुपेष्यसि॥६.४.
I have vowed to him that I will wander the earth with seven continents until you regain purity.
भ्रांतोऽहं भूतले यानि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च। नचैष मेध्यतां प्राप्तः परिश्रांतोस्मि सांप्रतम्॥६.४.
I have wandered across the earth to all the sacred places and shrines, yet I have not attained purity; now I am utterly exhausted.
तस्मात्सर्वां महीं त्यक्त्वा लज्जया परया युतः। द्वीपान्महार्णवांस्त्यक्त्वा संप्रयास्याम्यतः परम्॥६.४.
Therefore, filled with deep shame, I will abandon the entire earth, and even the islands and great oceans, and depart from here.