Shloka 18

त्रिशङ्कुशापः

Trishanku’s Curse and Appeal to Viśvāmitra

Devanagari script

सशरीरो दिवं यायामिति मे सौम्यदर्शनम्।मया चेष्टं क्रतुशतं तच्च नाऽवाप्यते फलम्।।।।

Transliteration

saśarīro divaṃ yāyām iti me saumya darśanam | mayā ceṣṭaṃ kratuśataṃ tacca nāvāpyate phalam ||

Translation

হে সৌম্য! আমার সংকল্প এই—এই দেহসহ আমি স্বর্গে গমন করব। আমি শত যজ্ঞ সম্পন্ন করেছি, তবু সেই সাধনার ফল লাভ করিনি॥

Word by Word

• स-शरीरः: with (my) body
• स-शरीरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः (सह + शरीर) = 'with body'; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• यायाम्: may I go
• यायाम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सौम्य-दर्शनम्: gentle intention/resolve
• सौम्य-दर्शनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इष्टम्: performed
• इष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'performed' (कर्मणि)

• क्रतु-शतम्: a hundred sacrifices
• क्रतु-शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्रतूनां शतम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अवाप्यते: is obtained
• अवाप्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Context

O Gentle sage! it is my intention to enter heaven with my physical body. I performed a hundred sacrifices but did not reap its fruit.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Ritual merit (yajña) is not presented as mechanically guaranteeing results; dharma also includes right intention, right authorization, and alignment with cosmic order.

What is the narrative situation?

Triśaṅku states his extraordinary wish to ascend bodily to heaven and laments that even extensive sacrifices have not yielded the desired outcome.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Perseverance—he has undertaken major sacrificial discipline, though his goal remains unfulfilled.