Hi there!!! Today's story is about Satyavrata, the Suryvamsha King of Ayodhya, and how he became the upside-down king!! Let's go…
Satyavrata was a popular Suryavamsha King (Suryavamsha means of the same lineage of Surya, the Sun God. He was an ancestor of Rama!) of Ayodhya. He ruled his land fairly and just, complying to his subjects' wishes. But, he was also very strong. He won battles like they were a simple game of chess!! He made the kingdom of Ayodhya a superpower.
When he grew old, Satyavrata crowned his son, Harishchandra, the next ruler. He retired to the forest and renounced worldly life.
Satyavrata desired to retain his mortal body when ascending to the heavens. So, he requested his teacher, Sage Vasishta, to assist him.
Sage Vasishta lived in an ashram, deep in the forest. Tigers roamed freely around the ashram, though they didn't harm Vasishta. He accepted them as his children.
When Satyavrata went to Vasishta's ashram, he explained his desire. " I would like to go to the heavens with my human body. This is my desire before I die," Vasishta didn't lose his cool. He was shocked, but he didn't show. He tried to explain to Satyavrata that his wish was neither natural nor something that would be accepted by the Devas. Satyavrata, however, was adamant. Vasishta tried to advise him, "My dear King, you are certain to attain moksha, but your mortal body must be discarded of. It is the laws of nature!"
Undeterred, Satyavrata went to Shakti (NOT the goddess), the eldest son of Vasishta. He pressurised him into helping him. But, Shakti resisted Satyavrata's pleas. This continued for days on end. Sometime later, Satyavrata pleaded Shakti by presenting him with jewels and gems, coins and cash. Satyvrata was trying to bribe him!! Shakti was deeply offended by the crude gesture of a bribe.
When Vasishta came to know of Satyavrata's actions, he cursed him, "HEY SATYAVRATA!! You have performed three grave sins!!! You have not listened to your guru, you have attempted to use underhand means to get what you want and you have entertained the unearthly desire to go to the heavens with your body!! From this day on, you will be known as Trishanku!! May you wander this world without peace of mind!!"
As Trishanku travelled through forests and kingdoms, he came across the famous Sage Vishwamithra, who was also a Suryavamshi. Vishwamithra was once a famous king before Satyavrata, but he renounced his life and become a sage. But, because he hadn't yet conquered the sins of anger and jealousy, he hadn't attained enlightenment.
Vishwamithra did not like Vasishta. He did not like Vasishta at all!! So, when he learnt of the reason of Trishanku's aimless wandering, he saw an opportunity to put Vasishta down. When Trishanku asked Vishwamithra if he could fulfil his wish, he replied, "Gladly, Trishanku. Gladly!! I will take it upon myself to ensure that your desire is fulfilled." so, Vishwamithra prepared many potions and practised many mantras to make Trishanku go to heaven.
Many sages tried to talk Sage Vishwamithra out of this strange arrangement, but he was adamant. He used his magical powers to begin performing the rites.
Suddenly, Trishanku felt his body rise and head towards the heavens. He was ecstatic!! He flung his hands in the air with joy.
Meanwhile, in heaven, the gods sensed something strange. They sensed something fishy. They assembled and saw that Trishanku had started to rise up to the heavens!! "If every sage uses his power to for such a desire, then there will be humans roaming around and it will no longer be the heavens!!" The gods agreed that something should be done. Indra took charge and used his own magic powers to push Trishanku back to the Earth.
Vishwamithra sensed that Trishanku's body was slowly floating down with the power of Indra, so he pushed all of his strength into Trishanku, who, again, started to wobble his way upwards. Indra put more OOMPH in his push.
Since the push and pull of both Vishwamithra and Indra was so strong, Trishanku turned upside-down and clasped his hands, as if he were praying. Unable to move between the realms, Trishanku pleaded Vishwamithra to put more power in his push. But, Vishwamithra could only push at that much force. He didn't have any more tricks up his sleeve!!
With no respite in sight, Indra turned to reason with Vishwamithra, "Dear Sage, if you push Trishanku up into Heaven, then all humans will come here and make heaven become like the Earth!! Please stop pushing," Indra said. Now, Vishwamithra was in a fix: He could uphold his promise to Trishanku, or please the gods. He was confused.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Vishwamithra's head. He asked Indra to reduce his force, but Indra was firm in his resolve. He didn't remove even a bit of strength from his push. So, Vishwamithra concentrated all of his strength into making a new, invisible heaven, which was only for Trishanku and who he chose. they could come up in their human form and rejoice.
Thus, Trishanku obtained his dream of going to heaven in his human form.
Fun Fact Nº 1: Many people use the statement 'Trishanku Swarga' to say to someone that they are not here, nor there.
Thanks for reading the Upside-down King!!! Please type your email in the box above the followers and click the blue button to receive emails about my posts!!! Happy Reading!!!!
Satyavrata was a popular Suryavamsha King (Suryavamsha means of the same lineage of Surya, the Sun God. He was an ancestor of Rama!) of Ayodhya. He ruled his land fairly and just, complying to his subjects' wishes. But, he was also very strong. He won battles like they were a simple game of chess!! He made the kingdom of Ayodhya a superpower.
When he grew old, Satyavrata crowned his son, Harishchandra, the next ruler. He retired to the forest and renounced worldly life.
Satyavrata desired to retain his mortal body when ascending to the heavens. So, he requested his teacher, Sage Vasishta, to assist him.
Sage Vasishta lived in an ashram, deep in the forest. Tigers roamed freely around the ashram, though they didn't harm Vasishta. He accepted them as his children.
When Satyavrata went to Vasishta's ashram, he explained his desire. " I would like to go to the heavens with my human body. This is my desire before I die," Vasishta didn't lose his cool. He was shocked, but he didn't show. He tried to explain to Satyavrata that his wish was neither natural nor something that would be accepted by the Devas. Satyavrata, however, was adamant. Vasishta tried to advise him, "My dear King, you are certain to attain moksha, but your mortal body must be discarded of. It is the laws of nature!"
Undeterred, Satyavrata went to Shakti (NOT the goddess), the eldest son of Vasishta. He pressurised him into helping him. But, Shakti resisted Satyavrata's pleas. This continued for days on end. Sometime later, Satyavrata pleaded Shakti by presenting him with jewels and gems, coins and cash. Satyvrata was trying to bribe him!! Shakti was deeply offended by the crude gesture of a bribe.
When Vasishta came to know of Satyavrata's actions, he cursed him, "HEY SATYAVRATA!! You have performed three grave sins!!! You have not listened to your guru, you have attempted to use underhand means to get what you want and you have entertained the unearthly desire to go to the heavens with your body!! From this day on, you will be known as Trishanku!! May you wander this world without peace of mind!!"
As Trishanku travelled through forests and kingdoms, he came across the famous Sage Vishwamithra, who was also a Suryavamshi. Vishwamithra was once a famous king before Satyavrata, but he renounced his life and become a sage. But, because he hadn't yet conquered the sins of anger and jealousy, he hadn't attained enlightenment.
Vishwamithra did not like Vasishta. He did not like Vasishta at all!! So, when he learnt of the reason of Trishanku's aimless wandering, he saw an opportunity to put Vasishta down. When Trishanku asked Vishwamithra if he could fulfil his wish, he replied, "Gladly, Trishanku. Gladly!! I will take it upon myself to ensure that your desire is fulfilled." so, Vishwamithra prepared many potions and practised many mantras to make Trishanku go to heaven.
Many sages tried to talk Sage Vishwamithra out of this strange arrangement, but he was adamant. He used his magical powers to begin performing the rites.
Suddenly, Trishanku felt his body rise and head towards the heavens. He was ecstatic!! He flung his hands in the air with joy.
Meanwhile, in heaven, the gods sensed something strange. They sensed something fishy. They assembled and saw that Trishanku had started to rise up to the heavens!! "If every sage uses his power to for such a desire, then there will be humans roaming around and it will no longer be the heavens!!" The gods agreed that something should be done. Indra took charge and used his own magic powers to push Trishanku back to the Earth.
Vishwamithra sensed that Trishanku's body was slowly floating down with the power of Indra, so he pushed all of his strength into Trishanku, who, again, started to wobble his way upwards. Indra put more OOMPH in his push.
Since the push and pull of both Vishwamithra and Indra was so strong, Trishanku turned upside-down and clasped his hands, as if he were praying. Unable to move between the realms, Trishanku pleaded Vishwamithra to put more power in his push. But, Vishwamithra could only push at that much force. He didn't have any more tricks up his sleeve!!
With no respite in sight, Indra turned to reason with Vishwamithra, "Dear Sage, if you push Trishanku up into Heaven, then all humans will come here and make heaven become like the Earth!! Please stop pushing," Indra said. Now, Vishwamithra was in a fix: He could uphold his promise to Trishanku, or please the gods. He was confused.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Vishwamithra's head. He asked Indra to reduce his force, but Indra was firm in his resolve. He didn't remove even a bit of strength from his push. So, Vishwamithra concentrated all of his strength into making a new, invisible heaven, which was only for Trishanku and who he chose. they could come up in their human form and rejoice.
Thus, Trishanku obtained his dream of going to heaven in his human form.
Fun Fact Nº 1: Many people use the statement 'Trishanku Swarga' to say to someone that they are not here, nor there.
Thanks for reading the Upside-down King!!! Please type your email in the box above the followers and click the blue button to receive emails about my posts!!! Happy Reading!!!!
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