विश्वामित्रस्य दक्षिणतपः तथा त्रिशङ्कोः स्वशरीरेण स्वर्गगमनाभिलाषः (Visvamitra’s Southern Austerity and Trisanku’s Bodily Ascent Aspiration)
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:।
tataḥ santaptahṛdayaḥ smaran nigraham ātmanaḥ |
viniśśvasya viniśśvasya kṛtavairo mahātmanā || 1.57.1 ||
sa dakṣiṇāṃ diśaṃ gatvā mahiṣyā saha rāghava |
tatāpa paramaṃ ghoraṃ viśvāmitro mahattapaḥ || 1.57.2 ||
phalamūlāśano dāntaś cakāra sumahattapaḥ |
Then, his heart burning as he recalled his own humiliation, and sighing again and again—having brought upon himself enmity with the great-souled one—Viśvāmitra, O Rāghava, went south with his chief queen. There he undertook exceedingly fierce tapas; living on fruits and roots, with senses mastered, he performed the most intense penance.
"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.
When pride leads to conflict and disgrace, dharma can be re-approached through self-restraint and disciplined effort (tapas), transforming one’s inner state rather than blaming others.
After his clash with Vasiṣṭha and the resulting humiliation, Viśvāmitra withdraws to the south with his queen and undertakes severe austerities.
Endurance and self-mastery: he embraces hardship, controls the senses, and commits to long austerity.