When the great Brahmarshi Vasiṣṭha saw the grief-stricken Shabala, whose heart was scorched by sorrow, he spoke to her as one would to a dear sister in distress. He said gently, “Shabala, I do not abandon you, nor have you done me any wrong. But this mighty king, Viśvāmitra, is taking you from me by force. My strength is not equal to the king’s, especially today—he is a powerful Kṣatriya, lord of the earth, and his strength is magnified by the presence of his vast army, teeming with elephants, horses, chariots, and banners.” Hearing these words, Shabala, skilled in speech and full of humility, replied to the illustrious sage, “O Brahman, it is not said that the strength of a Kṣatriya is greater. The divine power of Brahmanic strength surpasses that of the Kṣatriyas. Your strength is immeasurable. Even Viśvāmitra, mighty as he is, cannot surpass you—your energy is invincible. Command me, O radiant one endowed with Brahmanic power, and I shall destroy the pride, strength, and effort of that wicked one.” Thus addressed, the renowned Vasiṣṭha said to her, “Release your power, destroyer of enemy forces.” At his command, Surabhi, the wish-fulfilling cow, bellowed, and from her arose hundreds of Pahlavas before the very eyes of King Viśvāmitra. These Pahlavas fell upon the king’s army and destroyed it utterly. Enraged, Viśvāmitra’s eyes blazed with fury as he took up his weapons and slew the Pahlavas, great and small. But when Shabala saw her Pahlavas afflicted and destroyed, she produced again, with a fierce cry, mighty Śakas mingled with Yavanas, until the earth was covered by these warriors. Radiant and powerful, resembling golden filaments, armed with sharp swords and spears, and clad in golden garments, the new army swept forward. Yet, as if consumed by blazing fire, Viśvāmitra’s weapons fell upon them, and the Yavanas, Kambojas, and Barbaras were thrown into confusion. Now, O Rāma, listen to the next part of this tale from the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Seeing the enemy forces bewildered and confounded by Viśvāmitra’s weapons, Vasiṣṭha urged the wish-fulfilling cow to create by her yogic power yet again. From her bellowing were born the radiant Kambojas, shining like the sun, and from her udder came forth Barbaras, armed for battle. From her womb came the Yavanas, and from the land of her excrement, the Śakas arose. In her hair follicles dwelled the Mlecchas, the Hāritas, and the Kirātas. By these newly created warriors, in a single instant, all of Viśvāmitra’s forces were destroyed—his elephants, horses, chariots, and soldiers alike. Witnessing his army struck down by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, a hundred sons of Viśvāmitra, armed with various weapons, charged forward. But Vasiṣṭha, the foremost among reciters of mantras, now exceedingly enraged, advanced upon them. With a mere roar, he burned them all to ashes in a moment—sons, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers alike. Seeing all his forces destroyed, the illustrious Viśvāmitra was seized by shame and deep contemplation. He became like the ocean deprived of its surge, like a serpent with broken fangs, like the sun in eclipse—suddenly bereft of all brilliance. Deprived of sons and strength, dejected like a bird with clipped wings, his power and enthusiasm vanished, and he fell into despair. In his sorrow, Viśvāmitra appointed one of his sons to rule the kingdom, instructing him to govern the earth according to the duty of a Kṣatriya. Then, renouncing all, he departed for the forest. He journeyed to the slopes of the Himālayas, frequented by Kinnaras and serpents, and there undertook severe austerities to win the favor of Mahādeva. After some time, the lord of the gods, the bull-bannered Śiva, appeared before the great sage Viśvāmitra, ready to grant a boon. “For what purpose do you practice such austerities, O king?” asked Mahādeva. “Speak your desire. I am the giver of boons—let your wish be declared.” Bowing reverently, the great ascetic Viśvāmitra replied, “If you are pleased, O sinless Mahādeva, grant me the knowledge of the science of archery, with all its branches, sub-branches, Upaniṣads, and secrets. May all the weapons known among the gods, Dānavas, great sages, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas become manifest to me, O sinless one. By your grace, O god of gods, may my wish be fulfilled.” Mahādeva replied, “So be it,” and then departed. Having obtained these mighty weapons from the lord of the gods, Viśvāmitra was filled with great pride. His power grew like the ocean at the full moon, and he considered the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha as already slain. Returning to the hermitage, the king released his newly acquired weapons, and by their power, the forest of ascetics—Tapovana—was consumed by fire. Seeing these terrible weapons unleashed by the wise Viśvāmitra, hundreds of terrified sages fled in all directions. The disciples of Vasiṣṭha, as well as the deer and birds, panic-stricken, scattered by the thousands. For a moment, the hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha fell silent and empty, resembling a desolate wasteland.