Trishanku

In Indian astronomy, Trishanku corresponds to the collection of three crosses around Southern Cross constellation.[1] The name Triśaṅku is a combination of Sanskrit words Tri meaning 'three' and śaṅku(शङ्कु) meaning 'stumps', thus the name mean 'Three stumps', likely denoting to the alignment of stars of the Southern cross constellation.

The story of Trishanku is told in the Bala Kanda portion of the Valmiki Ramayana.

Noble King Trishanku was so in love with himself that he wanted to ascend to heaven in his physical body, hence he requested the family-priest Vasiṣṭha to perform the yagna for him. However, Vasiṣṭha explained that it is against the laws of nature for anyone to enter heaven in their physical form. Then Trishanku approached Vasiṣṭha's sons, but they too refused his request as to do otherwise would be a great insult to their father. Angered, Trishanku insulted the sons of Vasiṣṭha, who in turn cursed Vasiṣṭha to become a stinking Chāṇḍāla, an untouchable. The next morning Trishanku woke up: his silk had changed to rags and his body had become wretched and unrecognizable. As nobody recognized him as the former beautiful king, he was exiled from his kingdom.

Roaming for a long time, he eventually happened upon the sage Vishwamitra who recognized the disfigured king and asked him what had happened. Trishanku recounted his request to Vishwamitra and his sons, and how the Vasiṣṭha's sons had cursed him. Vishwamitra took pity on Trishanku and said that he will perform the rites to send him to heaven. Vishwamitra performed the sacrifices; however, the gods did not approve that Trishanku should enter heaven in his physical form and did not accept the offerings. Then Vishwamitra used his own abilities to cause Trishanku to ascend towards heaven. However, Indra, the king of the heavenly gods, would not permit this and caused Trishanku to hall head first back to Earth. Trishanku called to Vishwamitra for help. Vishwamitra used his powers to keep Trishanku from falling all the way back to earth, but Indra would also not allow Trishanku from ascending any further. The heavenly god's explained to Vishwamitra that no physical body is allowed to ascend to heaven and especially not a cursed one like Trishanku. Vishwamitra came to understand this, but he could not withdraw the promise he had made to Trishanku. Vishwamitra's powers kept pushing Trishanku towards heaven while Indra's powers kept Trishanku from ascending any further. Eventually Vishwamitra and Indra compromised that Trishanku would remain there in "Trishanku's heaven", stuck between heaven and earth. This then is the origin of the Hindi idioms, "Trishanku's heaven" and "hanging like Trishanku". Trishanku became the Southern Cross constellation.

The story is sometimes interpreted as a warning of the futility of going against the laws of nature and the dangers of hubris.

• Scylla and Charybdis
• Crux