Shloka 1.58.18
त्रिशङ्कुशापः — Trishanku’s Curse and Appeal to Viśvāmitra
सशरीरो दिवं यायामिति मे सौम्यदर्शनम्।मया चेष्टं क्रतुशतं तच्च नाऽवाप्यते फलम्।।।।
saśarīro divaṃ yāyām iti me saumya darśanam | mayā ceṣṭaṃ kratuśataṃ tacca nāvāpyate phalam ||
O gentle one, this is my resolve: “May I ascend to heaven with this very body.” I have performed a hundred sacrifices, yet I have not attained the fruit of that endeavor.
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.
Ritual merit (yajña) is not presented as mechanically guaranteeing results; dharma also includes right intention, right authorization, and alignment with cosmic order.
Triśaṅku states his extraordinary wish to ascend bodily to heaven and laments that even extensive sacrifices have not yielded the desired outcome.
Perseverance—he has undertaken major sacrificial discipline, though his goal remains unfulfilled.