Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 58: King Triśaṅku Cursed
Text 1.58.21
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन।
कृच्छ्रेष्व् अपि गतः सौम्य क्षत्रधर्मेण ते शपे॥
anṛtaṁ nokta-pūrvaṁ me na ca vakṣye kadācana
kṛcchreṣv api gataḥ saumya kṣatra-dharmeṇa te śape
anṛtam = untruth; na ukta-pūrvam me = I have never ever spoken; na ca vakṣye kadācana = nor will I ever do so; kṛcchreṣu api gataḥ = even in times of crisis; saumya = O gentle one; kṣatra-dharmeṇa te śape = I promise this in front of you by the dharma of the kṣatriyas.
I have never ever spoken untruth, nor will I ever do so, even in times of crisis. O gentle one, I promise this in front of you by the dharma of the kṣatriyas.
Triśaṅku thought, “The root cause for Vasiṣṭha’s rejection of my idea was that I had sinful reactions [that would disable my efforts to attain Svarga in my own body.] But such sinful reactions do not exist in me.” With this in mind, he speaks this verse.
Triśaṅku is aware that yajño ’nṛtena kṣarati—”[The benefit gained by] a sacrifice is lost by [speaking] untruth.” (Manu-smṛti 4.237) But because he has never ever spoken untruth, [the benefit to be gained by] the sacrifice to be performed will not be lost.