Desiring mastery over all celestial weapons, Viśvāmitra approached the lord of the gods and prayed, “May all the weapons known among the gods, the Dānavas, the great sages, the Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas become manifest to me, O sinless one. By your grace, O god of gods, may my wish be fulfilled.” Hearing his earnest plea, the lord of the gods replied, “So be it,” and then departed, granting Viśvāmitra his wish. Now empowered by the divine weapons, Viśvāmitra’s pride swelled, his strength increasing like the ocean under the full moon. At that moment, he considered the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha as already vanquished. With this newfound power, Viśvāmitra returned to the hermitage and unleashed his weapons, burning up the sacred Tapovana forest with their might. The sight of the weapon, released by the wise Viśvāmitra, sent hundreds of terrified sages fleeing in all directions. Vasiṣṭha’s disciples, along with deer and birds, panic-stricken, scattered by the thousands, abandoning the hermitage out of fear. For a brief moment, the hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha became empty and silent, resembling a desolate reed desert. Amidst the chaos, Vasiṣṭha stood firm, repeatedly assuring, “Do not fear.” He declared with resolve, “Today I will destroy the son of Gādhi, as the sun dispels the mist.” Thus speaking, the mighty Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras, addressed Viśvāmitra in anger: “You have destroyed this hermitage, long nurtured, O deluded one of evil conduct; therefore, you shall not endure.” Enraged, Vasiṣṭha swiftly raised his staff, which shone like the rod of Yama, the smokeless fire of destruction. Listen now to the fifty-sixth sarga. Viśvāmitra, thus addressed, prepared to fight. He aimed the missile of Agni and challenged, “Stand, stand!” Vasiṣṭha, venerable and enraged, raised his Brahma-staff, resembling the rod of Time, and 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 unleashed by Viśvāmitra was subdued by Vasiṣṭha’s Brahma-staff, as fire is subdued by water. Enraged, Viśvāmitra released the Varuṇa, Rudra, Indra, Pāśupata, and Aiṣīka missiles. He also unleashed the Mānavāstra, Mohana, Gāndharva, Svāpana, Jṛmbhaṇa, Mādana, Saṃtāpana, and Vilāpana missiles. The Śoṣaṇa, Dāraṇa, invincible Vajra missile, Brahma-pāśa, Kāla-pāśa, and Varuṇa-pāśa were released as well. He hurled the beloved Pināka missile, dry and wet thunderbolts, Daṇḍa missile, Paiśāca, and Krauñca missile. He unleashed the Dharma wheel, Time wheel, Vishnu wheel, wind weapon, churning weapon, and horse-head missile. Two spears, the Kankala weapon, club, mighty Vidyadhara missile, and dreadful Kala missile followed. Fierce tridents, the Kapala missile, and Kankana missile—all these weapons Viśvāmitra discharged. Yet, for Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras, it was as if a wonder. The son of Brahma consumed all those weapons with his staff. When his weapons were subdued, Viśvāmitra released the Brahma missile. Seeing it raised, the gods led by Agni, the divine sages, Gandharvas, and great serpents were alarmed; the three worlds trembled in terror. Even that most dreadful Brahma missile, O Rāghava, Vasiṣṭha consumed entirely with the power of his Brahma staff. As Vasiṣṭha absorbed the Brahma missile, his form became terribly fierce, bewildering the three worlds. From every hair pore of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, rays burst forth like smokeless, blazing flames of fire. The Brahma staff in Vasiṣṭha’s hand blazed, resembling the fire of destruction, like another staff of Yama. Then the hosts of sages praised Vasiṣṭha, the best of 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, Vasiṣṭha calmed himself. Viśvāmitra, defeated and humbled, 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, Viśvāmitra composed his senses and mind and resolved, “I will undertake great austerity, which alone is the cause of becoming a Brahman.” Hear now the fifty-seventh sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa. Viśvāmitra, his heart scorched by grief and recalling his defeat, sighed again and again, having become an enemy of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha. He departed southward with his queen, and the great ascetic Viśvāmitra undertook the most severe austerity.