Thus, when the great ascetic Viśvāmitra was addressed by the god, he bowed reverently to Mahādeva and spoke with deep humility: “If you are pleased, O sinless Mahādeva, grant me the knowledge of the science of archery in its entirety, with all its branches, sub-branches, Upaniṣads, and secret teachings. 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 lord of gods, may my wish be fulfilled.” The great god, Mahādeva, hearing Viśvāmitra’s earnest prayer, replied, “So be it,” and then departed. Having thus obtained all the divine weapons from the lord of the gods, Viśvāmitra was filled with immense pride. His power swelled like the ocean at the full moon, and in that moment, O Rāma, he considered the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha as already vanquished. With this newfound might, Viśvāmitra returned to the hermitage. There, he unleashed his weapons, and by their power, the forest of ascetics known as Tapovana was set ablaze. Witnessing the terrible weapon released by the wise Viśvāmitra rising up, hundreds of terrified sages fled in every direction. The disciples of Vasiṣṭha, as well as the deer and birds, panic-stricken and fearful, scattered by the thousands, fleeing from the devastation. For a brief moment, the hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha became empty and silent, resembling a desolate reed forest. Yet Vasiṣṭha, steadfast, repeatedly called out, “Do not fear!” And he declared, “Today I will destroy the son of Gādhi, as the sun dispels the mist.” Having spoken thus, the mighty Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras, addressed Viśvāmitra with words filled with righteous anger: “You have destroyed this hermitage, long nurtured, O deluded one of evil conduct; therefore, you shall not endure.” With these words, Vasiṣṭha, in extreme wrath, swiftly raised his staff, which resembled the rod of Yama, shining like a smokeless fire of destruction. Now, listen to the next episode. Thus challenged by Vasiṣṭha, the mighty Viśvāmitra, aiming the fiery missile of Agni, cried out, “Stand! Stand!” Raising the Brahma-staff, like another rod of Time, the venerable and enraged Vasiṣṭha spoke: “O destroyer of the Kṣatriya race, I am standing here—show me your strength! Today I will destroy your pride in weapons, O son of Gādhi. Where is your Kṣatriya power, and where is the great power of Brahman? Behold my divine Brahmanic power, O dust of Kṣatriyas!” The terrible and supreme missile of fire, released by Viśvāmitra, was subdued by the Brahma-staff, just as water quenches the force of fire. Then, enraged, Viśvāmitra released a succession of mighty weapons: the Varuṇa, Rudra, Indra, Pāśupata, and Aiṣīka missiles. He also unleashed the Mānavāstra, the Mohana, the Gāndharva, the Svāpana, the Jṛmbhaṇa, the Mādana, and the Saṃtāpana and Vilāpana missiles. Further, he released the Śoṣaṇa, Dāraṇa, the invincible Vajra missile, the Brahma-pāśa, Kāla-pāśa, and Varuṇa-pāśa. He hurled the beloved Pināka missile, the dry and wet thunderbolt, the Daṇḍa missile, the Paiśāca, and the Krauñca missile. He sent forth the Dharma wheel, the Time wheel, the Vishnu wheel, the wind weapon, the churning weapon, and the horse-head missile. He hurled two spears, the Kankala weapon, the club, the mighty Vidyadhara missile, and the dreadful Kala missile. The fierce trident weapon, the Kapala missile, and the Kankana missile—all these Viśvāmitra discharged in his wrath. Yet for Vasiṣṭha, foremost among reciters of mantras, these weapons were as nothing; the son of Brahma consumed all of them with his staff. When all these weapons were subdued, Viśvāmitra, son of Gādhi, invoked the Brahma missile itself. As that supreme weapon rose, the gods led by Agni, the divine sages, Gandharvas, and great serpents were all seized with alarm. The three worlds trembled in terror at the invocation of the Brahma missile. Even that most dreadful weapon, O Rāghava, Vasiṣṭha consumed entirely with the power of his Brahma staff. As he absorbed the Brahma missile, the form of great-souled Vasiṣṭha became terribly fierce, bewildering the three worlds. From every hair pore of his body, rays burst forth like the smokeless, blazing flames of fire. The Brahma staff, raised in Vasiṣṭha’s hand, blazed forth like the fire of destruction, resembling the rod of Yama himself. Then, the hosts of sages praised Vasiṣṭha, the best among those who recite mantras: “Your power is unfailing, O Brahman; sustain your brilliance with your radiance. By you, O Brahman, mighty Viśvāmitra has been subdued; your power is supreme and unfailing—may the worlds be free from fear.” Thus addressed, the mighty and radiant Vasiṣṭha calmed himself. Viśvāmitra, defeated, sighed deeply and spoke: “Fie upon the power of the warrior, the strength of the Kṣatriya; the strength of Brahmanic energy is true strength. With a single Brahma staff, all my weapons have been destroyed.” Reflecting on this, with his senses and mind composed, Viśvāmitra resolved, “I will undertake great austerity, which alone is the cause of becoming a Brahman.” Thus concludes this portion of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.