VISHWAMITRA BEGINS SACRIFICE

(This is an except of Chapter 60 in Balakanda, Sr Valmeeki Ramayana where Vishwamitra launches a sacrifice to send Trishanku to the Heaven, physically. Please read, comment and share. SarvE janAha suKhinO Bhavantu. SDN)

TapObalahatAnkrutwA VAsiShThAnsamahOdayAn|

RuShimaDhyE mahAtEjA VishwAmitrOBhyaBhAShata||1||

AyamikShwAkudAyAdastrishankuriti vishrutaha|

DharmiShThashcha vadAnyashcha mAm chaiva sharaNam gataha|

TEnAnEna shareerENa dEvalOkajigeeShayA||2||

YaThAyam swashareerENa swargalOkam gamiShyati|

TaThA pravartyatAm yajnO BhavadBhishcha mayA saha||3||

VishwAmitravachaha shrutwA sarva yEva maharShayaha|

Oochuhu samEtya sahitA DharmajnA Dharmasahmitam||4||

Ayam kushikadAyAdO munihi paramakOpanaha|

YaThAha vachanam samyagEtatkAryam na samshayaha||5||

Sitting in the midst of sages, saints, priests, Brahmins and scholars, Vishwamitra killed Vasishtha, Mahodaya and the 100 children of Vasishtha with the divine power of his penance through the curse and then told those sitting around him:  

“Great sages this King belongs to Ikshwaku dynasty. He is popularly called as Trishanku. He is highly cultured, virtuous, pious and philanthropic. Now, he wants to go to heaven alive, without sacrificing the corporal body. He has surrendered to me to realise his desire. Let us all join together and perform a sacrifice that can enable him to go to heaven with the corporal body.”

The learned, culture-bound and wise Maharshis, who had just witnessed the intensity of the rage of Vishwamitra, began discussing among themselves about the sanctity and validity of the proposed sacrifice:

“Vishwamitra of Kushi dynasty is very short-tempered. It appears that we should do whatever he says. There can be no doubt about his statement. If this fire-like Vishwamitra gets angry, he will curse all of us. Therefore, let any sacrifice that carries the corporal body to heaven be begun in right earnest. We need not have a bit of doubt about Trishanku, the beacon of Ikshwaku dynasty, physically going into the heavens. Let us start the sacrifice in the manner that Vishwamitra tells us to do. Let all the Rutvijas occupy the seats convenient to perform the Artijya. All of you should start discharging the duties assigned to respective individual.”

After conversing among themselves, the Maharshis informed their opinion to Vishwamitra and began the preparations for the sacrifice. In that sacrifice, which was taken up in the name of Trishanku, most radiant ascetic Vishwamitra was the Adhwaryu¹. Rishis, who had thorough knowledge of all hymns and were aware of the specific occasion for chanting each hymn in a particular method, including variations in sound, allowing the pause, repetition of certain lines or words, performed the sacrifice strictly in accordance with the norms mentioned in the epics and as per the established modalities. The sacrifice went on in the right way. Penance-expert Vishwamitra chanted relevant hymns for several days, invited the respective deities to receive their share of offering of Havis. He invited them again and again. Yet, none of the deities arrived. This enraged Vishwamitra. Lifting his hand in which had kept the Sruva, an offering, upwards, Vishwamitra, who was still in a fit of ferocity, told Trishanku:

“Oh Trishanku, as promised to you, I will definitely send you to the heaven. At least you may now see the power of the penance I have so far done. Just watch! I will send you to the heaven in your present Chandala form itself with the positive energy I have acquired from the penance.

Lord of Lords, go to the heaven, where none can go, in your present body alone. At least a portion of the power of penance I have done all these years will be with you and with that power of my penance, you can physically enter the heaven.”