← 1.53 Story of Viśvāmitra: Śabalā resists seizure · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.55 Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons →

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 54: Story of Viśvāmitra: Defeat, Śiva’s weapons and retaliation

Summary. His army and sons are destroyed, Viśvāmitra wins Śiva’s weapons through austerity and returns to burn Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage

Sequence

  1. Seeing Śabalā's warriors disordered by the missiles, Vasiṣṭha orders her to produce more (1.54.1)
  2. Kāmbojas spring from her bellow, Pahlavas from her udder, Yavanas from her womb-region, Śakas from her dung-region, and other peoples from her pores → these forces destroy the King's army (1.54.2–4)
  3. Viśvāmitra's hundred sons rush at Vasiṣṭha → the ṛṣi burns them and their forces to ashes with a single “huṃ” (1.54.5–7)
  4. humiliated and desolate, Viśvāmitra installs his surviving son as King and goes to the forest. On the Himālaya's slopes he practices austerity to win Śiva's favor (1.54.8–12)
  5. Śiva appears and offers a boon → Viśvāmitra asks for Dhanurveda (the science of archery), with its subsidiary disciplines and secrets, and the astras of Devas, dānavas, maharṣis, gandharvas, yakṣas and rākṣasas → Śiva grants the request and departs (1.54.13–18)
  6. filled with renewed pride, Viśvāmitra considers Vasiṣṭha already defeated (1.54.19–20)
  7. he returns and burns the hermitage with his missiles → munis, pupils, animals, and birds flee, leaving it deserted (1.54.21–24)
  8. Vasiṣṭha calls on them not to fear, condemns the destruction, and raises his staff, blazing like the staff of Death. (1.54.25–28)

Verses 1.54.1–28

1.54.1

tatas tān ākulān dṛṣṭvā viśvāmitrāstramohitān
vasiṣṭhaś codayām āsa kāmadhuk sṛja yogataḥ

Then, seeing them thrown into confusion, bewildered by Viśvāmitra's missiles, Vasiṣṭha urged: 'O wish-cow, bring forth (more) by your power!'

Words: tatas — then; tān — them; ākulān — thrown into confusion, confounded; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; viśvāmitrāstramohitān — bewildered by Viśvāmitra's missiles; vasiṣṭhaś — Vasiṣṭha; codayām āsa — urged, spurred on; kāmadhuk — O wish-cow; sṛja — produce, bring forth; yogataḥ — by (your) power, by yoga

1.54.2

tasyā humbhāravāj jātāḥ kāmbojā ravisaṃnibhāḥ
ūdhasas tv atha saṃjātāḥ pahlavāḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ

From her 'humbhā' bellow were born Kāmbojas resembling the sun; and from her udder arose Pahlavas, weapons in hand;

Words: tasyā — from her, her; humbhāravāj — from the 'humbhā' bellow; jātāḥ — born; kāmbojā — Kāmbojas (a people); ravisaṃnibhāḥ — resembling the sun; ūdhasas — from the udder; tv — and; atha — then; saṃjātāḥ — arose, were produced; pahlavāḥ — Pahlavas; śastrapāṇayaḥ — with weapons in hand

1.54.3

yonideśāc ca yavanaḥ śakṛddeśāc chakās tathā
romakūpeṣu mecchāś ca harītāḥ sakirātakāḥ

and from her womb-region Yavanas, from her dung-region Śakas likewise, and from her hair-pores Mlecchas and Harītas together with Kirātas.

Words: yonideśāc ca — and from the womb-region; yavanaḥ — the Yavanas; śakṛddeśāc — from the dung-region; chakās — Śakas; tathā — likewise; romakūpeṣu — in the hair-pores; mecchāś — Mlecchas (barbarians); ca — and; harītāḥ — Harītas (a people); sakirātakāḥ — together with Kirātas

1.54.4

tais tan niṣūditaṃ sainyaṃ viśvamitrasya tatkṣaṇāt
sapadātigajaṃ sāśvaṃ sarathaṃ raghunandana

By them Viśvāmitra's army was destroyed that very instant, O delight of the Raghus—together with its foot-soldiers, elephants, horses, and chariots.

Words: tais — by them; tan — that; niṣūditaṃ — destroyed, slain; sainyaṃ — army; viśvamitrasya — of Viśvāmitra; tatkṣaṇāt — that very instant; sapadātigajaṃ — together with foot-soldiers and elephants; sāśvaṃ — with horses; sarathaṃ — with chariots; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus

1.54.5

dṛṣṭvā niṣūditaṃ sainyaṃ vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
viśvāmitrasutānāṃ tu śataṃ nānāvidhāyudham

Seeing the army destroyed by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, the hundred sons of Viśvāmitra, bearing weapons of various kinds,

Words: dṛṣṭvā — having seen; niṣūditaṃ — destroyed, slain; sainyaṃ — army; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanā — the great-souled; viśvāmitrasutānāṃ — of the sons of Viśvāmitra; tu — but; śataṃ — the hundred; nānāvidhāyudham — bearing weapons of various kinds

1.54.6

abhyadhāvat susaṃkruddhaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ japatāṃ varam
huṃkāreṇaiva tān sarvān nirdadāha mahān ṛṣiḥ

rushed in great fury upon Vasiṣṭha, the best of those who mutter prayers; but the great seer burnt them all up with a mere 'hum' sound.

Words: abhyadhāvat — rushed upon, ran at; susaṃkruddhaṃ — greatly enraged; vasiṣṭhaṃ — Vasiṣṭha; japatāṃ varam — the best of those who mutter prayers; huṃkāreṇaiva — with a mere 'hum' sound; tān sarvān — all of them; nirdadāha — burnt up, consumed; mahān — the great; ṛṣiḥ — seer

1.54.7

te sāśvarathapādātā vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
bhasmīkṛtā muhūrtena viśvāmitrasutās tadā

Those sons of Viśvāmitra, with their horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, were reduced to ashes in an instant by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.

Words: te — those; sāśvarathapādātā — together with horses, chariots and foot-soldiers; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanā — the great-souled; bhasmīkṛtā — reduced to ashes; muhūrtena — in a moment; viśvāmitrasutās — the sons of Viśvāmitra; tadā — then

1.54.8

dṛṣṭvā vināśitān putrān balaṃ ca sumahāyaśāḥ
savrīḍaś cintayāviṣṭo viśvāmitro 'bhavat tadā

Seeing his sons and his army destroyed, the very illustrious Viśvāmitra then became filled with shame and sunk in thought.

Words: dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vināśitān — destroyed; putrān — sons; balaṃ ca — and the army; sumahāyaśāḥ — of very great fame; savrīḍaś — filled with shame; cintayāviṣṭo — overcome by thought; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; 'bhavat — became; tadā — then

1.54.9

saṃdura iva nirvego bhagnadaṃṣṭra ivoragaḥ
uparakta ivādityaḥ sadyo niṣprabhatāṃ gataḥ

Like a sea whose surge is stilled, like a serpent with its fangs broken, like the eclipsed sun, he instantly fell into a state of lost brilliance.

Words: saṃdura — a sea (reading uncertain); iva — like; nirvego — devoid of surge/force; bhagnadaṃṣṭra — with fangs broken; ivoragaḥ — like a serpent; uparakta — eclipsed, darkened; ivādityaḥ — like the sun; sadyo — instantly; niṣprabhatāṃ — the state of being without splendour; gataḥ — gone to, fallen into

1.54.10

hataputrabalo dīno lūnapakṣa iva dvijaḥ
hatadarpo hatotsāho nirvedaṃ samapadyata

His sons and army slain, wretched, like a bird with its wings clipped, his pride broken and his energy gone, he sank into despair.

Words: hataputrabalo — his sons and army slain; dīno — wretched; lūnapakṣa — with clipped wings; iva — like; dvijaḥ — a bird (twice-born); hatadarpo — his pride broken; hatotsāho — his energy destroyed; nirvedaṃ — despair, despondency; samapadyata — fell into, attained

1.54.11

sa putram ekaṃ rājyāya pālayeti niyujya ca
pṛthivīṃ kṣatradharmeṇa vanam evānvapadyata

Appointing his one (remaining) son to the kingship with 'Rule the earth by the law of kṣatriyas,' he betook himself to the forest.

Words: sa — he; putram — son; ekaṃ — one; rājyāya — for the kingship; pālayeti — 'rule, protect!' thus; niyujya — having appointed; ca — and; pṛthivīṃ — the earth; kṣatradharmeṇa — by the law of kṣatriyas; vanam — to the forest; evānvapadyata — indeed betook himself

1.54.12

sa gatvā himavatpārśvaṃ kiṃnaroragasevitam
mahādevaprasādārthaṃ tapas tepe mahātapāḥ

Going to the slopes of Himavat, frequented by kiṃnaras and serpents, the great ascetic practised austerity to win the favour of Mahādeva.

Words: sa — he; gatvā — having gone; himavatpārśvaṃ — to the slope of Himavat; kiṃnaroragasevitam — frequented by kiṃnaras and serpents; mahādevaprasādārthaṃ — for the sake of Mahādeva's favour; tapas — austerity; tepe — practised; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic

1.54.13

kena cit tv atha kālena deveśo vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ
darśayām āsa varado viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim

Then after some time the lord of gods, whose emblem is the bull, the giver of boons, showed himself to Viśvāmitra, the great sage.

Words: kena cit — some; tv — and; atha — then; kālena — after a time; deveśo — the lord of gods; vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ — whose banner is the bull (Śiva); darśayām āsa — showed (himself), appeared; varado — the giver of boons; viśvāmitraṃ — to Viśvāmitra; mahāmunim — the great sage

1.54.14

kimarthaṃ tapyase rājan brūhi yat te vivakṣitam
varado 'smi varo yas te kāṅkṣitaḥ so 'bhidhīyatām

'For what purpose do you practise austerity, O king? Tell me what you wish to say. I am a giver of boons; let whatever boon you desire be named.'

Words: kimarthaṃ — for what purpose; tapyase — you practise austerity; rājan — O king; brūhi — tell, speak; yat — what; te — by you; vivakṣitam — what is desired to be said; varado 'smi — I am a giver of boons; varo — the boon; yas — which; te — by you; kāṅkṣitaḥ — desired; so 'bhidhīyatām — let it be named

1.54.15

evam uktas tu devena viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
praṇipatya mahādevam idaṃ vacanam abravīt

Thus addressed by the god, the great ascetic Viśvāmitra, bowing down to Mahādeva, spoke these words:

Words: evam uktas — thus addressed; tu — and; devena — by the god; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; praṇipatya — having bowed down; mahādevam — to Mahādeva; idaṃ vacanam — these words; abravīt — spoke

1.54.16

yadi tuṣṭo mahādeva dhanurvedo mamānagha
sāṅgopāṅgopaniṣadaḥ sarahasyaḥ pradīyatām

'If you are pleased, O Mahādeva, O sinless one, let the science of archery be given to me—with its limbs and sub-limbs and mystic teachings, together with its secret lore.'

Words: yadi — if; tuṣṭo — pleased; mahādeva — O Mahādeva; dhanurvedo — the science of archery; mamānagha — to me, O sinless one; sāṅgopāṅgopaniṣadaḥ — with its limbs, sub-limbs and mystic teachings; sarahasyaḥ — together with its secret lore; pradīyatām — let it be given

1.54.17

yāni deveṣu cāstrāṇi dānaveṣu maharṣiṣu
gandharvayakṣarakṣaḥsu pratibhāntu mamānagha

'Whatever missiles exist among the gods, the dānavas, the great seers, and among the gandharvas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas—let them shine forth for me, O sinless one.'

Words: yāni — which (missiles); deveṣu — among the gods; cāstrāṇi — and the missiles; dānaveṣu — among the dānavas; maharṣiṣu — among the great seers; gandharvayakṣarakṣaḥsu — among gandharvas, yakṣas and rākṣasas; pratibhāntu — let them shine forth, become manifest; mamānagha — to me, O sinless one

1.54.18

tava prasādād bhavatu devadeva mamepsitam
evam astv iti deveśo vākyam uktvā divaṃ gataḥ

'By your grace, O god of gods, let my desire be fulfilled.' 'So be it,' said the lord of gods, and having spoken, went to heaven.

Words: tava — your; prasādād — by grace; bhavatu — let it be; devadeva — O god of gods; mamepsitam — my desire; evam astv — 'so be it'; iti — thus; deveśo — the lord of gods; vākyam — the word; uktvā — having spoken; divaṃ — to heaven; gataḥ — went

1.54.19

prāpya cāstrāṇi rājarṣir viśvāmitro mahābalaḥ
darpeṇa mahatā yukto darpapūrṇo 'bhavat tadā

And having obtained the missiles, the royal seer Viśvāmitra of great strength, filled with great pride, then became swollen with arrogance.

Words: prāpya — having obtained; cāstrāṇi — and the missiles; rājarṣir — the royal seer; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahābalaḥ — of great strength; darpeṇa — with pride; mahatā — great; yukto — filled with; darpapūrṇo — full of arrogance; 'bhavat — became; tadā — then

1.54.20

vivardhamāno vīryeṇa samudra iva parvaṇi
hatam eva tadā mene vasiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam

Swelling with power like the sea at the full moon, he then thought Vasiṣṭha, the best of seers, as good as slain.

Words: vivardhamāno — swelling, increasing; vīryeṇa — with power, might; samudra — the sea, ocean; iva — like; parvaṇi — at the (full/new-moon) parvan; hatam eva — as good as slain; tadā — then; mene — thought, considered; vasiṣṭham — Vasiṣṭha; ṛṣisattamam — the best of seers

1.54.21

tato gatvāśramapadaṃ mumocāstrāṇi pārthivaḥ
yais tat tapovanaṃ sarvaṃ nirdagdhaṃ cāstratejasā

Then, going to the hermitage, the king let loose his missiles, by which that whole penance-grove was burnt up with the fiery power of the weapons.

Words: tato — then; gatvāśramapadaṃ — having gone to the hermitage; mumocāstrāṇi — released the missiles; pārthivaḥ — the king; yais — by which; tat — that; tapovanaṃ — the penance-grove; sarvaṃ — whole, all; nirdagdhaṃ — burnt up; cāstratejasā — and by the fiery power of the missiles

1.54.22

udīryamāṇam astraṃ tad viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ
dṛṣṭvā vipradrutā bhītā munayaḥ śataśo diśaḥ

Seeing that missile of the wise Viśvāmitra being hurled, the sages fled in terror by the hundreds in every direction.

Words: udīryamāṇam — being hurled, discharged; astraṃ — the missile; tad — that; viśvāmitrasya — of Viśvāmitra; dhīmataḥ — the wise; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vipradrutā — fled away; bhītā — terrified; munayaḥ — the sages; śataśo — by the hundreds; diśaḥ — in the directions

1.54.23

vasiṣṭhasya ca ye śiṣyās tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ
vidravanti bhayād bhītā nānādigbhyaḥ sahasraśaḥ

And Vasiṣṭha's pupils, and likewise the beasts and birds, terrified, fled in fear by the thousands in all directions.

Words: vasiṣṭhasya ca — and of Vasiṣṭha; ye — who; śiṣyās — the pupils; tathaiva — likewise; mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ — beasts and birds; vidravanti — flee, run away; bhayād — out of fear; bhītā — terrified; nānādigbhyaḥ — from various directions; sahasraśaḥ — by the thousands

1.54.24

vasiṣṭhasyāśramapadaṃ śūnyam āsīn mahātmanaḥ
muhūrtam iva niḥśabdam āsīd īriṇasaṃnibham

The hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha became empty; for a moment it was silent, resembling a barren waste.

Words: vasiṣṭhasyāśramapadaṃ — the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha; śūnyam — empty; āsīn — became; mahātmanaḥ — of the great-souled one; muhūrtam — for a moment; iva — as it were; niḥśabdam — silent, soundless; āsīd — was; īriṇasaṃnibham — resembling a barren waste

1.54.25

vadato vai vasiṣṭhasya mā bhaiṣṭeti muhur muhuḥ
nāśayāmy adya gādheyaṃ nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ

Even as Vasiṣṭha said again and again, 'Do not fear; today I shall destroy this son of Gādhi as the sun destroys the mist'—

Words: vadato vai — even as (he) spoke; vasiṣṭhasya — of Vasiṣṭha; mā bhaiṣṭeti — 'do not fear!' thus; muhur muhuḥ — again and again; nāśayāmy — I destroy; adya — today; gādheyaṃ — the son of Gādhi (Viśvāmitra); nīhāram — the mist, fog; iva — like; bhāskaraḥ — the sun

1.54.26

evam uktvā mahātejā vasiṣṭho japatāṃ varaḥ
viśvāmitraṃ tadā vākyaṃ saroṣam idam abravīt

Having spoken thus, Vasiṣṭha of great splendour, the best of those who mutter prayers, then addressed this angry word to Viśvāmitra:

Words: evam uktvā — having spoken thus; mahātejā — of great splendour; vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; japatāṃ varaḥ — the best of those who mutter prayers; viśvāmitraṃ — to Viśvāmitra; tadā — then; vākyaṃ — a word; saroṣam — angry, with wrath; idam — this; abravīt — spoke

1.54.27

āśramaṃ cirasaṃvṛddhaṃ yad vināśitavān asi
durācāro 'si yan mūḍha tasmāt tvaṃ na bhaviṣyasi

'Since you have destroyed a hermitage long-established, and since you are of evil conduct, O fool—therefore you shall cease to be.'

Words: āśramaṃ — the hermitage; cirasaṃvṛddhaṃ — long-established; yad — since; vināśitavān asi — you have destroyed; durācāro 'si — you are of evil conduct; yan — since; mūḍha — O fool; tasmāt — therefore; tvaṃ — you; na bhaviṣyasi — you shall not be (shall perish)

1.54.28

ity uktvā paramakruddho daṇḍam udyamya satvaraḥ
vidhūma iva kālāgnir yamadaṇḍam ivāparam

Having said this, exceedingly enraged, he swiftly raised his staff, like a smokeless doomsday fire, like a second staff of Yama.

Words: ity uktvā — having said thus; paramakruddho — exceedingly enraged; daṇḍam — the staff; udyamya — having raised; satvaraḥ — swiftly, in haste; vidhūma — smokeless; iva — like; kālāgnir — the fire of Time (doomsday fire); yamadaṇḍam — the staff of Yama; ivāparam — like a second, like another

← 1.53 Story of Viśvāmitra: Śabalā resists seizure · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.55 Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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