Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 57: King Triśaṅku’s Desire
Text 1.57.8
तपश्च सुमहत्तप्तं राजर्षिरिति मां विदुः।
देवाः सर्षिगणाः सर्वे नास्ति मन्ये तपः फलम्॥
tapaś ca sumahat taptaṁ rāja-rṣir iti māṁ viduḥ
devāḥ sarṣi-gaṇāḥ sarve nāsti manye tapaḥ-phalam
tapaḥ ca sumahat taptam = I have performed very great austerities; rāja-ṛṣiḥ iti mām viduḥ = recognize me [only] as a rājarṣi, a saintly king; devāḥ sa-ṛṣi-gaṇāḥ sarve = [yet] all the devas and ṛṣis; na asti manye tapaḥ-phalam = I do not consider this alone to be the result of my austerity.
I have performed very great austerities. [Yet] all the devas and ṛṣis recognize me [only] as a rājarṣi, a saintly king. I do not consider this alone to be the result of my austerity.
Viśvāmitra was ambitious of becoming a brāhmaṇa. Therefore, he did not consider his being recognized as a rājarṣi a sufficient reward for his austerities.