Hindu Media WikiStory of Trisanku Puranas
Maharaj Trisanku was a famous & parakarmi Suryavanshi King. He was very proud of himself and his achievements. One day he called his Raj Guru Vashistha and told him that he want to go to Swarga (Heaven).
Rishi Vashistha smiled and said that O King you have lots of time left on the earth. Don't worry when you die, you will go to heaven, there is no doubt about it. King Trisanku said, no, I want to go and see swarga now. Rishi said, you can't go to swaga in the earthly body. Only your soul can go to swarga. King Trisanku said, I don't care for these rules. I challenge you to send me swarga in this earthly body if you claim that you have achieved many Sidhees. Rishi Vashistha started preparing to send King Trisanku to swarga unwillingly.
When Indra came to know that Rishi Vashistha is preparing to send King Trisanku to swarga in earthly body, he advised Rishi not to do that and warn that he will not allow anyone in swarga in earthly body.
Once Rishi Vashistha completed his preparation, he called King Trisanku and launched him in the space for swarga. When Indra came to know, he stopped the King in between. The Indra will not allow King Trisanku to enter the swarga and Rishi Vashistha will not allow him to come back on the earth. So King Trisanku is said to be hanging since time immortal between Earth and Swarga.
That is how the idiom "Hanging like Trisanku" or Trisanku came in to our language.
Moral of the story: Never ask to do something which is against the law of nature. You will neither get swarga nor retain earth.
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This is wrong!
He was not sent to Swargaloka by Vashishtha. It was Vishwamitra. It was one more opportunity when Vishwamitra wanted to prove to the world that he was a better Rishi than Vashishtha.
Please do also mention source of story. Which purana, which section. It would be good for readers who would like to explore more.
Ok. So the story I was told in childhood was wrong. Rishi Vashishth refused King Trishanku to raise to the heaven but Rishi Vishvamitra agreed to oblige. Thanks for correcting. Moral of the story remain same.