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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.55.18
Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 55: Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons. Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs every missile, including the Brahmāstra, Viśvāmitra recognizes the superiority of spiritual power and resolves to attain brāhmaṇa status
In the sequence: flames stream from his pores, and his staff blazes with dreadful force
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
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.