Vishwamitra agrees to help Trishanku

(This is the first part of Chapter 59, Balakanda, Sri Valmeeki Ramayana. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

UktavAkyam tu rAjAnam krupayA kushikAtmajaha|

AbraveenmaDhuram vAkyam sAkShAchChaNDAlarUpiNam||1||

AikshwAka swAgatam vatsa jAnAmi twAm suDhArmikam|

SharaNam tE BhaviShyAmi mA BhaiSheernrupapungava||2||

AhamAmantrayE sarvAnmaharSheenpudNyakarmaNaha|

YajnasAhyakarAnrAjamstatO yakShyasi nirvrutaha||3||

GurushApakrutam rUpam yadidam twayi vartatE|

AnEna saha rUpENa sashareerO gamiShyasi||4||

After hearing the words of Trishanku, Kushika’s son Vishwamitra showed empathy to Chandal-looking king and said these words directly:

“Oh descendant of Ikshwaku dynasty, my child, I offer you welcome. I am aware that you are a virtuous and cultured king. I am therefore giving you the shelter¹. Do not fear. I will personally invite deserving and eligible Rishis and Maharshis to be Artijyas and to assist in the sacrifice. Afterwards, you can perform the sacrifice without any inhibition. If the Chandal form you have secured due to the curse of Guru were to remain unchanged, then you will enter the heaven in the same form.

HastaprAptamaham manyE swargam tava narADhipa|

Yastwam KaushikamAgamya sharaNyam sharaNAgataha||5||

 I think that as soon as you surrendered to Kaushika, the protector of all those who surrender, your desire to enter heaven in human form is in your palm.”

After consoling Trishanku with these words, Rajarshi Vishwamitra assigned the duty of bringing the essential items needed for the sacrifice to his pious and knowledgeable four sons. Besides, he called all his disciples and told them:

“You should immediately bring Maharshis, their disciples, Vasishtha’s sons, their friends and Rutvijas, who are accomplished in Veda and Vedangas, as per my instruction. If anyone speaks something against my strict orders, come and report to me everything in detail, without hiding or ignoring anything.”

Hearing those words of Vishwamitra, his disciples went in various directions. Accepting the invitation of Vishwamitra, scholarly Rutvijas arrived from different countries. Disciples of Vishwamitra, who had gone to invite Maharshis, returned to the Ashram after completing the task, and began divulging the statements of ascetics about radiant Munis:

“Mahamuni, as soon as hearing your directive, Brahmins agreed to be Rutvijas and are on the way to this hermitage. Except a Maharshi called Mahodara and the one hundred children of Vasishtha, other sages from across different countries are on their way to this place. But, the one hundred sons of Vasishtha not only refused to join but also said some words with eyes that had turned red with fury. We will quote the exact words they spoke.