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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.55.20

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: the munis praise his victory and ask him to restrain his power for the world's relief → he becomes calm

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

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.