The Wish
King Trishanku had one desire: to ascend to Svarga — the heavenly realms — while still in his physical body. This had never been done and was considered impossible.
He asked his family priest Vashistha, who refused. He asked Vashistha's sons, who were insulted by the request and cursed him, turning him into a low-caste outcast with a disfigured body.
He came to Vishwamitra.
Vishwamitra Agrees
Vishwamitra, who was always eager to prove his power equal to or greater than Vashistha's, agreed. He would perform a yajna so powerful it would lift Trishanku bodily into heaven.
He invited all the sages. Most refused to attend — it was an impossible and impious request. Vishwamitra was furious and threatened to curse those who refused; enough sages came.
The Ascent
The yajna was performed. Trishanku began to rise. He floated upward, ascending toward the heavenly realms.
The gods saw him coming. Indra was not pleased. He said, "No one enters heaven in a physical body," and pushed Trishanku back down — head-first.
Trishanku was falling, head down toward earth, calling to Vishwamitra for help.
The New Heaven
Vishwamitra caught him in mid-fall with his power. He commanded Trishanku to stay suspended.
Then — using the power of his tapasya — Vishwamitra began creating a new heaven for Trishanku. He created new constellations, new stars, new divine beings.
The gods, alarmed that Vishwamitra was creating a parallel universe, negotiated. Trishanku would remain suspended — head down — in his own heaven, forever. His own world, his own sky, permanently inverted.
Trishanku agreed. He had his heaven — upside down.