Valmiki Ramayana 1.57.13: Bala Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 13

विश्वामित्रस्य दक्षिणतपः तथा त्रिशङ्कोः स्वशरीरेण स्वर्गगमनाभिलाषः

Visvamitra’s Southern Austerity and Trisanku’s Bodily Ascent Aspiration

Devanagari script

प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन स ययौदक्षिणां दिशम् ।

ततस्तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थं पुत्रां स्तस्य गतो नृपः ॥१३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.57.13

Transliteration

pratyākhyāto vasiṣṭhena sa yayau dakṣiṇāṃ diśam |

tatas tatkarmasiddhyarthaṃ putrāṃs tasya gato nṛpaḥ ||13||

Translation

वसिष्ठ ने राजा को मना कर दिया। राजा दक्षिण दिशा की तरफ चला गया। उसके बाद उस काम को साफ करने के लिए वो वसिष्ठ के बेटों के पास गया।

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Word by Word

• pratyākhyātaḥ: rejected
• pratyākhyātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive participle: 'he was refused')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-ā-khyā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; √khyā with prefixes prati+ā; 'rejected/refused'

• vasiṣṭhena: by Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhena: Karta (कर्ता) (agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; √yā 'to go'

• dakṣiṇām: southern
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying diśam

• diśam: direction
• diśam: Karma (कर्म) (goal/direction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (ततः) 'then/thereafter'

• tat-karmasiddhi-artham: for the success of that undertaking
• tat-karmasiddhi-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat + karma + siddhi + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; समासः (बहु-तत्पुरुष-समासः): तस्य कर्मणः सिद्धेः अर्थम् (for the accomplishment of that act/purpose)

• putrān: sons
• putrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• tasya: of him (Vasiṣṭha)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular; refers to Vasiṣṭha

• gataḥ: having gone
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past active participle (क्तवत्/गत), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used predicatively with nṛpaḥ

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Context

Refused by Vasishta, the king went south in order to fulfil his purpose and approached Vasishta's sons.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Vasiṣṭha
• Vasiṣṭha’s sons

FAQs

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

Dharma cautions against bypassing rightful authority when refused; persistence can become adharma if it turns into manipulation of religious agents for personal ambition.

What is the narrative situation?

After Vasiṣṭha declines, Triśaṅku seeks an alternative by going to Vasiṣṭha’s sons to secure the desired ritual outcome.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse foregrounds a contested virtue—perseverance—showing how it can slip into stubbornness when not guided by dharma.