← 1.55.3 · Bāla Kāṇḍa 55: Story of Viśvāmitra: Vasiṣṭha’s staff absorbs the weapons · 1.55.5 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.55.4

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: Vasiṣṭha stands his ground, declaring the superiority of spiritual power → his brahman-staff extinguishes the fire weapon like water quenching flame

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

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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.