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[Trisanku decided to perform a sacrifice to ascend to heaven with the physical body -- refused by Vasishta, Trisanku approaches his sons and seeks their help.]

ततस्सन्तप्तहृदय: स्मरन्निग्रहमात्मन:।

विनिश्श्वस्य विनिश्श्वस्य कृतवैरो महत्मना।।1.57.1।।

स दक्षिणां दिशं गत्वा महिष्या सह राघव ।

तताप परमं घोरं विश्वामित्रो महत्तप:।।1.57.2।।

फलमूलाशनो दान्तश्चकार सुमहत्तप:।


राघव O Rama, तत: afterwards, महात्मना by the magnanimous, कृतवैर: having created enmity, स: विश्वामित्र: that Visvamitra, सन्तप्तहृदय: with distressed heart, आत्मन: himself, निग्रहम् disgrace, स्मरन् recollecting, विनिश्श्वस्य विनिश्श्वस्य repeatedly sighing, महिष्या सह with his eldest wife, दक्षिणां दिशम् towards southernquarter, गत्वा having gone, घोरम् strict (selftorturing ), महत् great, तप: penance, तताप performed, फलमूलाशन: subsisting on fruits and roots, दान्त: with senses fully controlled, सुमहत् most rigid, तप: austerities, चकार performed.

"O Descendant of Raghu (Rama) having created enmity between himself and the magnanimous Vasishta, Viswamitra recollecting the disgrace and repeatedly sighing with a distressed heart went with his eldest wife towards southern quarter to perform rigorous penance. Subsisting on fruits and roots and his senses underfull control he performed the most rigid austerities.
अथास्य जज्ञिरे पुत्रास्सत्यधर्मपरायणा:।

हविष्यन्दो मधुष्यन्दो दृढनेत्रो महारथ:।।1.57.3।।


अथ after some time, अस्य for him, हविष्यन्द: Havishyanda, मधुष्यन्द: Madhushyanda, दृढनेत्र: Dridhanetra, महारथ: Maharatha, सत्यधर्मपरायणा: practising truth and duty, पुत्रा: sons, जज्ञिरे were born.

After some time, four sons, Havishyanda, Madhushyanda, Drudhanetra and Maharatha, who (later) wer wedded to truth and duty, were born."
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामह:।

अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्।।1.57.4।।


वर्षसहस्रे thousand years, पूर्णे when completed, पितामह: grandsire of the worlds, ब्रह्मा Brahma, तपोधनम् the great ascetic, विश्वामित्रम् addressing Visvamitra, मधुरम् pleasant, वाक्यम् words, अब्रवीत् spoke.

A thousand years passed. The Grandsire of the worlds, Brahma, appeared. He spoke to Viswamitra, the great ascetic, these pleasant words:
चिता राजर्षिलोकास्ते तपसा कुशिकात्मज।

अनेन तपसा त्वां तु राजर्षिरिति विद्महे।।1.57.5।।


कुशिकात्मज O Son of Kausika, ते your, तपसा with austerities, राजार्षिलोका: the worlds of rajarshis, चिता: have been won, अनेन on account of this, तपसा austerities, त्वाम् you, राजार्षि:(इति) rajarshi, विद्महे is acknowledged.

"O Son of Kushika with your austerities you have won the worlds of the rajarshis. On account of your austerities, you are acknowledged a rajarshi".
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा जगाम सह दैवतै:।

त्रिविष्टपं ब्रह्मलोकं लोकानां परमेश्वर:।।1.57.6।।


महातेजा: highly illustrious, लोकानाम् for worlds, परमेश्वर: supreme lord, एवम् thus, उक्त्वा having spoken, दैवतै: along with devatas, ब्रह्मलोकम् Brahma loka, त्रिविष्टपम् heavens, जगाम went.

Having said this the glorious (Brahma), supreme lord of the worlds, left for his abode
in Brahmaloka, in heaven accompanied by the gods.
विश्वामित्रोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा ह्रिया किञ्चिदवाङ्मुख:।

दु:खेन महताऽऽविष्टस्समन्युरिदमब्रवीत् ।।1.57.7।।


विश्वामित्रोऽपि Visvamitra also, तत् श्रुत्वा hearing this word, ह्रिया with shame, किञ्चित् a little, अवाङ्मुख: hanging down his face, महता with great, दु:खेन distreess, आविष्ट: possessed by, समन्यु: with anger, इदम् this word, अब्रवीत् spoke.

On hearing this Viswamitra hanging down his face a little with shame and anger and grief said:
तपश्च सुमहत्तप्तं राजर्षिरिति मां विदु:।

देवास्सर्षिगणास्सर्वे नास्ति मन्ये तप:फलम्।।1.57.8।।


सुमहत् exceedingly great, तप: austerities, तप्तम् performed, माम् me, राजर्षिरिति as rajarshi, सर्षिगणा: hosts of rishis, सर्वे देवा: all devatas, विदु: recognising, तप: फलम् fruit of penance, नास्ति is not, मन्ये thinking.

"I have performed intense austerities. Yet rishis and devatas have recognised me only as a rajarshi. I think my penance has yielded fruit.
इति निश्चित्य मनसा भूय एव महातपा:।

तपश्चकार काकुत्स्थ परमं परमात्मवान्।।1.57.9।।


काकुत्स्थ O Rama, महातपाः (महायशा:) highly famous, परमात्मवान् great intellectual, इति thus, मनसा with his mind, निश्चित्य having decided, भूय: एव once again, परमम् greater, तप: austerities, चकार performed.

"O Descendant of Kakustha (Rama) this celebrated intellectual having decided in his mind once again performed greater austerities.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रिय:।

त्रिशङ्कुरिति विख्यात इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धन:।।1.57.10।।


एतस्मिन्नेव काले at this time, सत्यवादी truthful, जितेन्द्रिय: with subdued senses, इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धन: one who renowned in Ikshwaku race, त्रिशङ्कुरिति named Trishanku, विख्यात: celebrated (there was a king).

At this time there lived a celebrated king, renowned in the Ikshvakus race, named Trisanku, who was truthful and self restrained.
तस्य बुद्धिस्समुत्पन्ना यजेयमिति राघव ।

गच्छेयं स्वशरीरेण देवानां परमां गतिम्।।1.57.11।।


राघव O Rama, स्वशरीरेण with his physical body, देवानाम् of devatas, गतिम् obtaining heaven, गच्छेयम् will obtain, यजेयम् I shall perform sacrifice, तस्य his, बुद्धि: thought, समुत्पन्ना arose in this way.

"O Son of the Raghus (Rama) a thought arose in his mind to enter heaven with his physical body by performing a sacrifice.
स वसिष्ठं समाहूय कथयामास चिन्तितम्।

अशक्यमिति चाप्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।।1.57.12।।


स: he, वसिष्ठम् Vasishta, समाहूय summoning, चिन्तितम् his intention, कथयामास narrated, महात्मना by the magnanimous, वसिष्ठेन by Vasishta, अशक्यमिति not capable so, उक्त: अपि spoken also.

Summoning Vasishta he (Trisahnku) communicated his intention, but the great Vasishta said it was not possible.
प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन स ययौदक्षिणां दिशम्।

ततस्तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थं पुत्रां स्तस्य गतो नृप:।।1.57.13।।


वसिष्ठेन by Vasishta, प्रत्याख्यात: refused, दक्षिणाम् दिशम् towards southern direction, ययौ went, तत: afterwards, नृप: king, तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थम् to fulfill his purpose, तस्य his(Vasishta's), पुत्रान् sons, गत: went.

Refused by Vasishta, the king went south in order to fulfil his purpose and approached Vasishta's sons.
वासिष्ठा दीर्घतपसस्तपो यत्र हि तेपिरे।

त्रिशंङ्कुस्सुमहातेजा श्शतं परमभास्वरम्।।1.57.14।।

वसिष्ठपुत्रान् ददृशे तप्यमानान् यशस्विन:।


दीर्घतपस: performing asceticism for a long time, वासिष्ठा: Vasistha's sons, यत्र where, तप: penance, तेपिरे performed, सुमहातेजा: most brilliant, त्रिशंङ्कु: Trishanku, परमभास्वरम् exceedingly effulgent, शतम् hundred, यशस्विन: possessing fame, तप्यमानान् performing austerities, वसिष्ठपुत्रान् sons of Vasistha, ददृशे beheld.

Most brilliant Trisanku approached the sons of Vasishta in the place where they had been performing austerities for a long time. There he saw the famous, exceedingly effulgent sons of Vasishta one hundred in number practising penance.
सोऽभिगम्य महात्मनस्सर्वानेव गुरोस्सुतान्।।1.57.15।।

अभिवाद्यानुपूर्व्येण ह्रिया किञ्चिदवाङ्मुख:।

अब्रवीत्सुमहाभगान्सर्वानेव कृताञ्जलि:।।1.57.16।।


स: he (the king), महात्मन: illustrious, सर्वानेव all, गुरो: सुतान् sons of spiritual guide, अभिगम्य having approached, आनुपूर्व्येण in the order of the age, अभिवाद्य having paid obeisance, ह्रिया in humility, किञ्चित् a little, अवाङ्मुख: bowing down his face, कृताञ्जलि: with folded palms, सर्वानेव all those, (सु)महाभागान् distinguished ones, अब्रवीत् spoke.

The king, having approached all the illustrious sons of his spiritual guide, paid obeisance to them in order of seniority. Bowing down his face in humility and with folded palms, he addressed all those distinguished sons of Vasishta saying:
शरणं व: प्रपद्येऽहं शरण्यान् शरणागत:।

प्रत्याख्यातोऽस्मि भद्रं वो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।।1.57.17।।


शरणागत: seeking refuge, अहम् I, शरण्यान् protectors, व: you, शरणं प्रपद्ये seeking refuge, व: to you, भद्रम् prosperity, महात्मना by the magnanimous, वसिष्ठेन by Vasishta, प्रत्याख्यात: अस्मि I have been refused.

O protectors of those who seek refuge in you, protect me. Wish you well. I have been refused by the great Vasishta.
यष्टुकामो महायज्ञं तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ।

गुरुपुत्रानहं सर्वान्नमस्कृत्य प्रसादये।।1.57.18।।


महायज्ञम् great sacrifice, यष्टुकाम: desire to perform, तत् for that reason, अनुज्ञातुम् to give consent, अर्हथ fit and proper, अहम् I, गुरुपुत्रान् sons of spiritual guide, सर्वान् all of you, नमस्कृत्य having paid my homage, प्रसादये I will please you.

'I wish to perform a great sacrifice. You are worthy enough to tender your consent. I pay homage to all the sons of my spiritual guide oblige.
शिरसा प्रणतो याचे ब्राह्मणान् तपसि स्थितान्।

ते मां भवन्तस्सिद्ध्यर्थं याजयन्तु समाहिता:।।1.57.19।।

सशरीरो यथाऽहं हि देवलोकमवाप्नुयाम्।


शिरसा with my head, प्रणत: saluting by bowing down, तपसि स्थितान् you established in austerity, ब्राह्मणान् you, Brahmins, याचे beg, ते such, भवन्त: all of you, समाहिता: with composed minds, माम् me, सिद्ध्यर्थम् for achieving the purpose, याजयन्तु direct me in performing the sacrifice, अहम् I, सशरीर: in physical form, यथा in such manner, देवलोकम् heaven, अवाप्नुयाम् will reach.

You, brahmins are established in austerity. I bow to you. I beg all of you to direct me with composed minds to direct me in order to attain heaven in physical form'.
प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन गतिमन्यां तपोधना:।।1.57.20।।

गुरुपुत्रानृते सर्वान्नाहं पश्यामि काञ्चन।


तपोधना: O Men having asceticism for your wealth, वसिष्ठेन by Vasishta, प्रत्याख्यात: refused, अहम् I, सर्वान् all, गुरुपुत्रानृते other than sons of spiritual guide, अन्यान् others, गतिम् way, काञ्चन anything, न पश्यामि do not see.

O Ascetocs after having been rejected by Vasishta. I do not see any way other than the sons of my spiritual guide to help me achieve my purpose.
इक्ष्वाकूणां हि सर्वेषां पुरोधा: परमा गति:।।1.57.21।।

पुरोधसस्तु विद्वांसस्तारयन्ति सदा नृपान्।

तस्मादनन्तरं सर्वे भवन्तो दैवतं मम।।1.57.22।।


सर्वेषाम् for all, इक्ष्वाकूणाम् descendants of Ikshvaku, पुरोधा: spiritual preceptor, परमा गति: हि is indeed supreme salvation, विद्वांस: learned, पुरोधस: spiritual preceptors, सदा always, नृपान् kings, तारयन्ति liberated, तस्मात् for that reason, अनन्तरम् after him, भवन्त: you, सर्वे all, मम to me, दैवतम् gods.

For all the descendants of Ikshvakus the spiritual preceptor is the supreme resort for salvation. Learned spiritual preceptors have always liberated kings. Hence you are all gods to me only next to Vasishta".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे सप्तपञ्चाशस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the fiftyseventh sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.