Crux & Trishanku

Crux, or the Southern Cross, is a prominent constellation in the southern sky. 

It is the smallest of all 88 constellations.

In spite of its size, Crux is one of the best known constellations in the southern hemisphere. 

It is easily recognizable for the cross-shaped asterism, the Southern Cross, formed by its five brightest stars.

 The constellation is associated with a number of stories and it figures prominently in different mythologies in the southern hemisphere. 

It holds special importance in Australia and New Zealand, where it is circumpolar and can be seen throughout the year.

Crux means “the cross” in Latin. 

The Southern Cross carries cultural significance in many countries in the southern hemisphere.

A stone image of Crux constellation has been found in Machu Picchu in Peru.

 The Inca knew the constellation as Chakana, which means “the stair.” The Maori called it Te Punga, or “the anchor.”

In Australian Aboriginal astronomy, the cross asterism and the Coalsack Nebula represent the head of the Emu in the Sky. 

The Southern Cross is represented on the Australian flag.

 Its stars are also featured on the flag of Brazil, where the asterism is known as Cruzeiro, or Cruzeiro do Sul.

 The Southern Cross is also mentioned in the Brazilian national anthem and used to be the name of the currency between 1942 and 1986 and again between 1990 and 1994.

The Southern Cross was an important symbol for the Egyptians, as it represented the place where Horus, the Sun-goddess, was crucified, marking the passage of winter.

Hindu Mythology 

In Indian astronomy, Trishanku corresponds to the collection of three crosses around Southern Cross constellation.

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.

In Ramayana there is the story of the noble king Trishanku. Because Trishanku was a good king, his soul was eligible to enter Devalok.

Trishanku (त्रिशंकु), born as Satyavrata, was a king who belonged to Ikshvaku dynasty. 

Trishanku is commonly referred to through mention of "Trishanku's heaven". 

The word Trishanku has come to denote a middle ground or limbo between one's goals or desires and one's current state or possessions.

King Trishanku went to his guru Vashistha and said, "please help me perform a ritual by which I can go to heaven while I am still alive." 

Vashistha replied, "It is a law that no living person can go to heaven. 

Go and do good deeds and you will go to heaven when you die." 

Disappointed, Trishanku requested Vashistha's sons to help him. 

They got angry, "How can you ask us something that our father has already denied? 

We curse you to become old.

" Trishanku immediately turned old."

 He went to the great sage, Vishwamitra, for help. 

Vishwamitra promised to fulfil his wish. 

Vishwamitra performed a big Yajna; he chanted mantras and made offerings to gods. 

But the gods did not want anyone to break a law and enter heaven alive; they did not accept the offerings. 

Vishwamitra was furious and said , "I will send you to heaven by my own powers. Rise Trishanku. "

 As he said this, Trishanku began to rise and reached the gates of heaven. 

The gods stopped him and said, "You can't come to heaven alive. Fall back to earth." 

Trishanku started falling back. 

Vishwamitra said, "Don't fall! Stay!" And Trishanjku hung between heaven and earth. 

Then Vishwamitra said, " I will create another heaven for Trishanku ." 

He created the stars and as he was going to create another Indra, the gods stopped him saying , "Don't do this unnatural thing. "

 By this time, Vishwamitra had cooled down. 

He agreed to stop but said, "I have to keep my promise. 

Trishanku will live with these stars." The gods agreed but declared that Trishanku would live in his heaven upside down.

Folklore has expanded this mythological story to explain the origin of the coconut tree: 

Vishwamitra knew that Trishanku would eventually fall to earth unless held up by physical means, so he propped him up with a long pole.

The pole eventually turned into a coconut tree and Trishanku’s head became its fruit. 

The fibre around the coconut is Trishanku’s beard. When you take it off, you see his eyes peering at you.

It is hence believed and told by our elders that when one cannot take a decision properly or is in a dilemma regarding good and bad, 

he or she is in the Trishanku Swarg hanging indecisively,

instead of being firm and taking the right decision. 

It is indeed the greatness of Rishi Vishwamitra who gave us such insights through his life, 

and also our little stories from the Puranas which guide us to walk in the right way through their knowledge and teach us to be ethical and righteous in our life.

Enjoyed??

Bye then  ....

Keep  commenting...