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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 55: Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons

Summary. Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs every missile, including the Brahmāstra, Viśvāmitra recognizes the superiority of spiritual power and resolves to attain brāhmaṇa status

Sequence

  1. Viśvāmitra raises the fire weapon and challenges Vasiṣṭha (1.55.1)
  2. Vasiṣṭha stands his ground, declaring the superiority of spiritual power → his brahman-staff extinguishes the fire weapon like water quenching flame (1.55.2–5)
  3. Viśvāmitra releases a succession of divine missiles: weapons of water, wind, sleep, delusion, torment, destruction, divine nooses, discuses, thunderbolts, and others → the staff absorbs them all (1.55.6–13)
  4. Viśvāmitra finally releases the Brahmāstra, terrifying devarṣis, gandharvas, great uragas and the three worlds → Vasiṣṭha absorbs that too (1.55.14–16)
  5. flames stream from his pores, and his staff blazes with dreadful force (1.55.17–19)
  6. the munis praise his victory and ask him to restrain his power for the world's relief → he becomes calm (1.55.20–22)
  7. humbled, Viśvāmitra declares that all his warrior power has been defeated by a single staff → he resolves to undertake austerity that will make him a brāhmaṇa. (1.55.23–24)

Verses 1.55.1–24

1.55.1

evam ukto vasiṣṭhena viśvāmitro mahābalaḥ
āgneyam astram utkṣipya tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt

Thus addressed by Vasiṣṭha, the mighty Viśvāmitra, raising the fire-missile, said, 'Stand! Stand!'

Words: evam ukto — thus addressed; vasiṣṭhena — by Vasiṣṭha; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahābalaḥ — the mighty one; āgneyam — the fire-(missile), of Agni; astram — the missile; utkṣipya — having raised, hurled up; tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti — 'stand, stand!' thus; cābravīt — and said

1.55.2

vasiṣṭho bhagavān krodhād idaṃ vacanam abravīt

The venerable Vasiṣṭha, out of anger, spoke these words:

Words: vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; bhagavān — the venerable one; krodhād — out of anger; idaṃ vacanam — these words; abravīt — spoke

1.55.3

kṣatrabandho sthito 'smy eṣa yad balaṃ tad vidarśaya
nāśayāmy eṣa te darpaṃ śastrasya tava gādhija

'O base kṣatriya, here I stand—show what strength you have; here I destroy your pride and (the power) of your weapon, O son of Gādhi.'

Words: kṣatrabandho — O base kṣatriya (mere kinsman of warriors); sthito 'smy — I stand; eṣa — here (I am); yad — what; balaṃ — strength; tad — that; vidarśaya — show, display; nāśayāmy — I destroy; eṣa — here (now); te — your; darpaṃ — pride; śastrasya — of the weapon; tava — your; gādhija — O son of Gādhi

1.55.4

kva ca te kṣatriyabalaṃ kva ca brahmabalaṃ mahat
paśya brahmabalaṃ divyaṃ mama kṣatriyapāṃsana

'Where is your kṣatriya strength, and where the great power of brahman? Behold my divine brahman-power, O disgrace of kṣatriyas!'

Words: kva ca — and where; te — your; kṣatriyabalaṃ — kṣatriya strength; kva ca — and where; brahmabalaṃ — the power of brahman; mahat — great; paśya — behold; brahmabalaṃ — the power of brahman; divyaṃ — divine; mama — my; kṣatriyapāṃsana — O disgrace of kṣatriyas

1.55.5

tasyāstraṃ gādhiputrasya ghoram āgneyam uttamam
brahmadaṇḍena tac chāntam agner vega ivāmbhasā

That terrible, supreme fire-missile of the son of Gādhi was quelled by the brahman-staff, as the force of fire is quelled by water.

Words: tasyāstraṃ — his missile; gādhiputrasya — of the son of Gādhi; ghoram — terrible; āgneyam — the fire-missile; uttamam — supreme, foremost; brahmadaṇḍena — by the brahman-staff; tac — that; chāntam — quelled, extinguished; agner — of fire; vega — force, surge; ivāmbhasā — as if by water

1.55.6

vāruṇaṃ caiva raudraṃ ca aindraṃ pāśupataṃ tathā
aiṣīkaṃ cāpi cikṣepa ruṣito gādhinandanaḥ

The son of Gādhi, enraged, hurled the missile of Varuṇa, and of Rudra, of Indra, of Paśupati, and also the reed-missile;

Words: vāruṇaṃ — the Varuṇa (missile); caiva — and; raudraṃ — the Rudra (missile); ca — and; aindraṃ — the Indra (missile); pāśupataṃ — the Paśupata (Śiva's missile); tathā — and, likewise; aiṣīkaṃ — the aiṣīka (reed-missile); cāpi — and also; cikṣepa — hurled; ruṣito — enraged; gādhinandanaḥ — the son of Gādhi

1.55.7

mānavaṃ mohanaṃ caiva gāndharvaṃ svāpanaṃ tathā
jṛmbhaṇaṃ mohanaṃ caiva saṃtāpanavilāpane

the Mānava, the Mohana (deluding), the Gāndharva, and the Svāpana (sleep-inducing), the Jṛmbhaṇa (yawn-causing) and the Mohana, the Saṃtāpana (tormenting) and the Vilāpana (lament-causing)—

Words: mānavaṃ — the Mānava (missile); mohanaṃ — the Mohana (deluding missile); caiva — and; gāndharvaṃ — the Gāndharva (missile); svāpanaṃ — the Svāpana (sleep-inducing missile); tathā — and, likewise; jṛmbhaṇaṃ — the Jṛmbhaṇa (yawn-inducing missile); mohanaṃ — the Mohana (deluding missile); caiva — and; saṃtāpanavilāpane — the Saṃtāpana and Vilāpana (tormenting and lament-causing)

1.55.8

śoṣaṇaṃ dāraṇaṃ caiva vajram astraṃ sudurjayam
brahmapāśaṃ kālapāśaṃ vāruṇaṃ pāśam eva ca

the Śoṣaṇa (drying-up) and the Dāraṇa (rending), the well-nigh invincible Vajra missile, the noose of Brahmā, the noose of Kāla, and the noose of Varuṇa;

Words: śoṣaṇaṃ — the Śoṣaṇa (drying-up missile); dāraṇaṃ — the Dāraṇa (rending missile); caiva — and; vajram — the Vajra (thunderbolt); astraṃ — missile; sudurjayam — hard to conquer, well-nigh invincible; brahmapāśaṃ — the noose of Brahmā; kālapāśaṃ — the noose of Kāla (Time/Death); vāruṇaṃ — of Varuṇa; pāśam — the noose; eva ca — and indeed

1.55.9

pinākāstraṃ ca dayitaṃ śuṣkārdre aśanī tathā
daṇḍāstram atha paiśācaṃ krauñcam astraṃ tathāiva ca

the beloved Pināka missile, the two thunderbolts, dry and moist, then the Daṇḍa missile, the Paiśāca (goblin) missile, and likewise the Krauñca missile;

Words: pinākāstraṃ — the Pināka missile (of Śiva's bow); ca — and; dayitaṃ — beloved, dear; śuṣkārdre — the dry and the moist (two); aśanī — the two thunderbolts; tathā — likewise; daṇḍāstram — the Daṇḍa missile; atha — then; paiśācaṃ — the Paiśāca (goblin missile); krauñcam — the Krauñca (missile); astraṃ — missile; tathāiva ca — and likewise too

1.55.10

dharmacakraṃ kālacakraṃ viṣṇucakraṃ tathaiva ca
vāyavyaṃ mathanaṃ caiva astraṃ hayaśiras tathā

the discus of Dharma, the discus of Kāla, and likewise the discus of Viṣṇu, the Vāyavya (wind-missile), the Mathana (churning), and the missile Hayaśiras (horse-head);

Words: dharmacakraṃ — the discus of Dharma; kālacakraṃ — the discus of Kāla (Time); viṣṇucakraṃ — the discus of Viṣṇu; tathaiva ca — and likewise too; vāyavyaṃ — the Vāyavya (wind-missile of Vāyu); mathanaṃ — the Mathana (churning missile); caiva — and; astraṃ — the missile; hayaśiras — Hayaśiras (the horse-head missile); tathā — and, likewise

1.55.11

śaktidvayaṃ ca cikṣepa kaṅkālaṃ musalaṃ tathā
vaidyādharaṃ mahāstraṃ ca kālāstram atha dāruṇam

he hurled the pair of spears, the Kaṅkāla (skeleton) and the Musala (mace), the great Vaidyādhara missile, and then the terrible Kāla missile;

Words: śaktidvayaṃ — the pair of spears; ca — and; cikṣepa — hurled; kaṅkālaṃ — the Kaṅkāla (skeleton missile); musalaṃ — the Musala (mace/pestle missile); tathā — and, likewise; vaidyādharaṃ — the Vaidyādhara (missile of the Vidyādharas); mahāstraṃ — the great missile; ca — and; kālāstram — the Kāla missile; atha — then; dāruṇam — terrible, dreadful

1.55.12

triśūlam astraṃ ghoraṃ ca kāpālam atha kaṅkaṇam
etāny astrāṇi cikṣepa sarvāṇi raghunandana

the terrible Triśūla (trident) missile, the Kāpāla (skull) and the Kaṅkaṇa (bracelet)—all these missiles he hurled, O delight of the Raghus.

Words: triśūlam — the Triśūla (trident missile); astraṃ — missile; ghoraṃ — terrible; ca — and; kāpālam — the Kāpāla (skull missile); atha — then; kaṅkaṇam — the Kaṅkaṇa (bracelet missile); etāny astrāṇi — these missiles; cikṣepa — hurled; sarvāṇi — all; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus

1.55.13

vasiṣṭhe japatāṃ śreṣṭhe tad adbhutam ivābhavat
tāni sarvāṇi daṇḍena grasate brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ

Against Vasiṣṭha, the best of those who mutter prayers, it became like a marvel: the son of Brahmā devoured all of them with his staff.

Words: vasiṣṭhe — against Vasiṣṭha; japatāṃ śreṣṭhe — the best of those who mutter prayers (loc.); tad — that; adbhutam — a marvel, wonder; ivābhavat — became as it were; tāni sarvāṇi — all those; daṇḍena — with the staff; grasate — devours, swallows; brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahmā; sutaḥ — the son

1.55.14

teṣu śānteṣu brahmāstraṃ kṣiptavān gādhinandanaḥ
tad astram udyataṃ dṛṣṭvā devāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ

When these were quelled, the son of Gādhi hurled the Brahmā-missile; seeing that missile raised, the gods, with Agni at their head,

Words: teṣu śānteṣu — when these were quelled (loc. abs.); brahmāstraṃ — the Brahmā-missile; kṣiptavān — (he) hurled; gādhinandanaḥ — the son of Gādhi; tad astram — that missile; udyataṃ — raised, uplifted; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; devāḥ — the gods; sāgnipurogamāḥ — with Agni at their head

1.55.15

devarṣayaś ca saṃbhrāntā gandharvāḥ samahoragāḥ
trailokyam āsīt saṃtrastaṃ brahmāstre samudīrite

and the divine seers, alarmed, and the gandharvas together with the great serpents—the three worlds were terrified when the Brahmā-missile was raised.

Words: devarṣayaś ca — and the divine seers; saṃbhrāntā — alarmed, agitated; gandharvāḥ — the gandharvas; samahoragāḥ — together with the great serpents; trailokyam — the three worlds; āsīt — was, became; saṃtrastaṃ — terrified; brahmāstre — the Brahmā-missile (loc.); samudīrite — being raised, discharged (loc. abs.)

1.55.16

tad apy astraṃ mahāghoraṃ brāhmaṃ brāhmeṇa tejasā
vasiṣṭho grasate sarvaṃ brahmadaṇḍena rāghava

But that too—the exceedingly terrible Brahmā-missile—Vasiṣṭha devoured entirely with his brahman-energy and the brahman-staff, O Rāghava.

Words: tad apy — that too; astraṃ — missile; mahāghoraṃ — exceedingly terrible; brāhmaṃ — the Brahmā-(missile); brāhmeṇa — with the brahman-(energy); tejasā — with energy; vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; grasate — devours, swallows; sarvaṃ — whole, entire; brahmadaṇḍena — with the brahman-staff; rāghava — O Rāghava

1.55.17

brahmāstraṃ grasamānasya vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ
trailokyamohanaṃ raudraṃ rūpam āsīt sudāruṇam

As the great-souled Vasiṣṭha devoured the Brahmā-missile, his form became fierce, bewildering to the three worlds, and exceedingly dreadful.

Words: brahmāstraṃ — the Brahmā-missile; grasamānasya — of (him) devouring; vasiṣṭhasya — of Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled; trailokyamohanaṃ — bewildering to the three worlds; raudraṃ — fierce, terrible; rūpam — form, appearance; āsīt — became; sudāruṇam — exceedingly dreadful

1.55.18

romakūpeṣu sarveṣu vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ
marīcya iva niṣpetur agner dhūmākulārciṣaḥ

From all the hair-pores of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha there shot forth, like rays, the smoke-clouded flames of fire.

Words: romakūpeṣu sarveṣu — from all the hair-pores; vasiṣṭhasya — of Vasiṣṭha; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled; marīcya — rays; iva — like; niṣpetur — shot forth, issued; agner — of fire; dhūmākulārciṣaḥ — flames clouded with smoke

1.55.19

prājvalad brahmadaṇḍaś ca vasiṣṭhasya karodyataḥ
vidhūma iva kālāgnir yamadaṇḍa ivāparaḥ

And the brahman-staff, raised in Vasiṣṭha's hand, blazed like a smokeless doomsday fire, like a second staff of Yama.

Words: prājvalad — blazed; brahmadaṇḍaś ca — and the brahman-staff; vasiṣṭhasya — of Vasiṣṭha; karodyataḥ — raised in the hand; vidhūma — smokeless; iva — like; kālāgnir — the fire of Time (doomsday fire); yamadaṇḍa — the staff of Yama; ivāparaḥ — like a second

1.55.20

tato 'stuvan munigaṇā vasiṣṭhaṃ japatāṃ varam
amoghaṃ te balaṃ brahmaṃs tejo dhāraya tejasā

Then the hosts of sages praised Vasiṣṭha, the best of those who mutter prayers: 'Your power is unfailing, O brahmin; restrain your energy with (your own) energy.'

Words: tato — then; 'stuvan — praised; munigaṇā — the hosts of sages; vasiṣṭhaṃ — Vasiṣṭha; japatāṃ varam — the best of those who mutter prayers; amoghaṃ — unfailing, infallible; te — your; balaṃ — power; brahmaṃs — O brahmin; tejo — the energy; dhāraya — hold back, restrain; tejasā — with (your) energy

1.55.21

nigṛhītas tvayā brahman viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
prasīda japatāṃ śreṣṭha lokāḥ santu gatavyathāḥ

'Viśvāmitra, the great ascetic, has been subdued by you, O brahmin; be gracious, O best of those who mutter prayers; let the worlds be freed of their distress.'

Words: nigṛhītas — subdued, restrained; tvayā — by you; brahman — O brahmin; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; prasīda — be gracious, relent; japatāṃ śreṣṭha — O best of those who mutter prayers; lokāḥ — the worlds; santu — let (them) be; gatavyathāḥ — freed of distress

1.55.22

evam ukto mahātejāḥ śamaṃ cakre mahātapāḥ
viśvāmitro 'pi nikṛto viniḥśvasyedam abravīt

Thus addressed, the great ascetic of great splendour grew calm; and Viśvāmitra, humbled, heaving a sigh, said this:

Words: evam ukto — thus addressed; mahātejāḥ — of great splendour; śamaṃ cakre — became calm, desisted; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; viśvāmitro 'pi — Viśvāmitra too; nikṛto — humbled, worsted; viniḥśvasyedam — sighing, this; abravīt — said

1.55.23

dhig balaṃ kṣatriyabalaṃ brahmatejobalaṃ balam
ekena brahmadaṇḍena sarvāstrāṇi hatāni me

'Fie on strength—the strength of a kṣatriya! The power of brahman-energy is (the true) strength: with a single brahman-staff all my missiles have been destroyed.'

Words: dhig — fie on, shame on; balaṃ — strength; kṣatriyabalaṃ — the strength of a kṣatriya; brahmatejobalaṃ — the strength of brahman-energy; balam — (is real) strength; ekena — with a single; brahmadaṇḍena — with the brahman-staff; sarvāstrāṇi — all missiles; hatāni — destroyed; me — my

1.55.24

tad etat samavekṣyāhaṃ prasannendriyamānasaḥ
tapo mahat samāsthāsye yad vai brahmatvakārakam

'Reflecting on this, I, with senses and mind made serene, shall undertake a great austerity that will make me a brahmin.'

Words: tad etat — this very (thing); samavekṣyāhaṃ — having reflected, I; prasannendriyamānasaḥ — with senses and mind serene; tapo — austerity; mahat — great; samāsthāsye — I shall undertake; yad — which; vai — indeed; brahmatvakārakam — productive of brahminhood

← 1.54 Story of Viśvāmitra: Defeat, Śiva’s weapons and retaliation · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.56 Story of Viśvāmitra: The rājarṣi rank and Triśaṅku’s request →

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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