Viśvāmitra, having approached the great Mahādeva, addressed him with deep reverence and humility: “O sinless Mahādeva, if you are pleased with me, grant me the complete knowledge of archery—the science in all its fullness, with every branch, sub-branch, Upaniṣad, and secret.” He continued his supplication, “Let all the divine weapons—those known among the gods, Dānavas, great sages, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas—become manifest to me, O pure one.” With earnest devotion, Viśvāmitra concluded, “By your grace, O god of gods, may my wish be fulfilled.” Pleased by his devotion, the lord of the gods granted his request, simply saying, “So be it,” and then departed. Having thus obtained the celestial weapons from Mahādeva, Viśvāmitra was filled with immense pride. His power swelled, like the ocean at the time of the full moon, and in his heart, O Rāma, he imagined the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha already defeated. With this newfound might, Viśvāmitra returned to his hermitage. There, he unleashed his weapons, and by their terrible power, the ascetic forest known as Tapovana was consumed by fire. Witnessing the weapon released by the wise Viśvāmitra rising up, hundreds of terrified sages scattered in every direction. The disciples of Vasiṣṭha, along with the deer and birds who dwelled there, fled in panic, thousands rushing away in fear. For a brief moment, the hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha became desolate and silent, resembling a barren desert of reeds. Amidst the chaos, Vasiṣṭha stood firm, calling out again and again, “Do not fear!” Then, with resolve, he declared, “Today I shall destroy the son of Gādhi, just as the sun dispels the morning mist.” Having spoken, the mighty Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras, addressed Viśvāmitra with words burning with anger: “You have destroyed this hermitage, which has long been nurtured, O deluded one of evil conduct. For this, you shall not endure.” With his fury ablaze, Vasiṣṭha swiftly raised his staff, which shone like the rod of Yama, the god of death, and blazed like a smokeless fire of destruction. Now, listen further, O Rāma, as the story continues. Thus challenged by Vasiṣṭha, the mighty Viśvāmitra, aiming the fiery missile of Agni, cried out, “Stand, stand!” Vasiṣṭha, raising his Brahma-staff—like another rod of inexorable Time—stood ready, his anger unyielding, and spoke, “O destroyer of the Kṣatriya race, I stand before you—show me your strength! Today I shall humble your pride in weapons, O son of Gādhi. Where is your Kṣatriya power, and where is the supreme power of Brahman? Behold my divine Brahmanic might, O dust of Kṣatriyas!” Then, the terrible missile of fire, released by Viśvāmitra, was subdued by the Brahma-staff, just as the force of fire is quenched by water. Enraged, Viśvāmitra unleashed a torrent of divine missiles: the Varuṇa, Rudra, Indra, Pāśupata, and Aiṣīka missiles; the Mānavāstra, Mohana, Gāndharva, Svāpana, Jṛmbhaṇa, Mādana, Saṃtāpana, and Vilāpana; the Śoṣaṇa, Dāraṇa, the invincible Vajra missile, the Brahma-pāśa, Kāla-pāśa, and Varuṇa-pāśa; the mighty Pināka missile, dry and wet thunderbolts, the Daṇḍa, Paiśāca, and Krauñca missiles; the Dharma wheel, Time wheel, Vishnu wheel, wind weapon, churning weapon, and horse-head missile; two spears, the Kankala weapon, the club, the Vidyadhara missile, the dreadful Kāla missile; the fierce trident weapon, the Kapala missile, and the Kankana missile—every weapon in his formidable arsenal. Yet, to Vasiṣṭha, the foremost among reciters of mantras, it was as if a marvel. With his Brahma-staff, the son of Brahma consumed all those missiles. When these weapons were subdued, Viśvāmitra, desperate, invoked the supreme Brahma missile. As this weapon was raised, the gods led by Agni, the divine sages, Gandharvas, and great serpents all grew alarmed, and the three worlds trembled in fear. But even that most dreadful Brahma missile, O Rāghava, Vasiṣṭha absorbed entirely with the power of his Brahma staff. As he did so, his form became terribly fierce, bewildering the three worlds. From every hair pore of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, rays burst forth like the smokeless, blazing flames of fire. The Brahma staff, raised in his hand, shone with the brilliance of the fire of destruction, like another staff of Yama. 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.” Hearing these words, the mighty and radiant Vasiṣṭha composed himself. Viśvāmitra, defeated, sighed deeply and spoke with a heavy heart: “Fie upon the power of the warrior, the strength of the Kṣatriya; only the strength of Brahmanic energy is true strength. With a single Brahma staff, all my weapons have been destroyed.” Reflecting deeply, he composed his senses and mind, and resolved, “I will undertake great austerity, for only that is the true path to becoming a Brahman.” But even as he made this vow, Viśvāmitra’s heart was scorched by grief. Recalling his defeat again and again, he sighed, having become an enemy of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, and thus resolved to pursue the path of austerity.