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afraid. I will arrange for the sacrifice
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which will enable you to enter heaven in
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your own body. And in this very chandala
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form you shall reach heaven despite your
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Guru's curse. Of this you may be sure."
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And he made arrangements for a great
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and unprecedented yaga.
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Viswamitra directed his disciples to
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invite all the sages and, their disciples for
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the proposed yaga. Afraid of saying "No"
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to what was more or less a command, all
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the rishis agreed to be present.
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But the sons of Vasishtha declined the
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invitation and made merry about a yaga at
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which the officiating priest was a once
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upon-a-time Kshatriya and the yajaman a
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stinking chandala.
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This reply, duly conveyed, enraged
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Viswamitra who exploded into a curse
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that Vasishtha's sons do die and be reborn
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for seven generations in a tribe given to
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eating dog's flesh.
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The
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sage
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then
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began
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the
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yaga.
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Extolling
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Trisanku's
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eminent
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virtues,
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Viswamitra sought the help of the other
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rishis in effecting the bodily translation of
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Trisanku to heaven.
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Well
|
aware
|
of
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the
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sage's
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mighty
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powers and fulminous temper, the invitees
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lent their support, and the yaga went on. It
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reached the stage when the gods were
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invoked
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to
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descend
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and
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accept the
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offerings. But no god came. It was clear
|
that Viswamitra's yaga was a failure. And
|
the
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rishis,
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who
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had
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attended
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the
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ceremony, laughed within themselves at
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Viswamitra's discomfiture.
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Wild with rage, Viswamitra held the
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ladle of ghee over the flames and said: "O
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Trisanku, here behold my power. I now
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transfer for your benefit all the merit I
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have earned. If my austerities have any
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value, they should lift you to heaven in
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your physical frame. I care not if the
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Devas reject my offerings. King Trisanku!
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Ascend!"
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A
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miracle
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followed.
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To
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the
|
astonishment
|
of
|
those
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assembled,
|
Trisanku
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in
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his
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chandala
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body
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rose
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heavenward. The world saw the power of
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Viswamitra's tapas.
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Trisanku reached Swarga. But Indra
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forthwith pushed him down saying, "Who
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are you, entering heaven with a chandala
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body? You fool that earned the curse of
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your preceptor, go down again."
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Trisanku fell from heaven, head down
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wards,
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screaming,
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"Viswamitra!
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Save
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me!"
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Viswamitra, seeing this, was beside
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himself with rage. Determined to teach the
|
gods a lesson, he shouted to Trisanku.
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