Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3299

c9.3299

6) Satyavrata becomes Caṇḍāla again. Satyavrata ruled the country for a long time. He was a pious ruler, devoted to god and soon he developed a desire to go to heaven with his mortal body. He approached Vasiṣṭha first for this purpose. But the family preceptor told him there was nothing in the śāstras about any yāga which could help one to go bodily to heaven. Disappointed he approached the sons of Vasiṣṭha who ridiculed him when he told them of his queer desire. Triśaṅku got angry and left them saying “Let me see whether there are others in this country who could send me bodily to heaven.” Those arrogant words annoyed Vasiṣṭha and his sons and they cursed him and made him a caṇḍāla again. Triśaṅku thereafter did not return to the palace, but went to the forests to live there. He knew if he travelled to the palace as a caṇḍāla he would not be recognised by his wife and children.