After the devastation of the hermitage, the mighty sage Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite sacred mantras, turned to Viśvāmitra, his eyes blazing with anger. He rebuked him, saying, “You, deluded one of evil conduct, have destroyed this hermitage, which was long nurtured. Therefore, you shall not endure.” With these words, Vasiṣṭha, now extremely enraged, swiftly raised his staff. It shone with the power and menace of Yama’s rod, like a smokeless fire poised to consume all. Now begins the fifty-sixth sarga. Thus addressed by Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, mighty in his own right, prepared to retaliate. He invoked the Agni missile and challenged Vasiṣṭha: “Stand, stand!” But Vasiṣṭha, his Brahma-staff raised and burning like another rod of Time, responded with fierce words: “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!” Viśvāmitra released the terrible and supreme missile of fire, but Vasiṣṭha’s Brahma-staff subdued it, as water extinguishes fire. Enraged, Viśvāmitra unleashed a torrent of celestial weapons: the Varuṇa, Rudra, Indra, Pāśupata, and Aiṣīka missiles; the Mānavāstra, Mohana, Gāndharva, Svāpana, Jṛmbhaṇa, Mādana, Saṃtāpana, and Vilāpana; the Śoṣaṇa, Dāraṇa, the invincible Vajra, Brahma-pāśa, Kāla-pāśa, Varuṇa-pāśa; the Pināka missile, dry and wet thunderbolts, Daṇḍa, Paiśāca, and Krauñca; the Dharma wheel, Time wheel, Vishnu wheel, wind weapon, churning weapon, and horse-head missile; two spears, the Kankala weapon, club, Vidyadhara missile, dreadful Kala missile; fierce trident, Kapala, and Kankana missiles. All these formidable weapons he discharged. Yet, for Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahma and master of mantras, it was as if a wonder. He consumed all those weapons with his staff, rendering them powerless. When his arsenal was subdued, Viśvāmitra, desperate, released the Brahma missile. Seeing this weapon raised, the gods led by Agni, the divine sages, Gandharvas, and great serpents—all were alarmed. The three worlds trembled in terror at the invocation of the Brahma missile. But even this most dreadful weapon, 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 smokeless, blazing flames. The Brahma staff in his hand blazed, a fire of destruction, like another staff of Yama. The hosts of sages praised Vasiṣṭha, best among mantra-chanters: “Your power is unfailing, O Brahman; sustain your brilliance with your radiance. By you, mighty Viśvāmitra has been subdued. Your power is supreme—may the worlds be free from fear.” Hearing their words, Vasiṣṭha calmed himself, his radiance subdued. Viśvāmitra, defeated, sighed deeply and lamented: “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 his defeat, he composed his senses and mind and resolved, “I will undertake great austerity, which alone is the cause of becoming a Brahman.” Now begins the fifty-seventh sarga. Viśvāmitra, his heart scorched by grief and recalling his defeat, sighed repeatedly, now an enemy of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha. He journeyed southward with his queen and, as a great ascetic, undertook the most severe austerity. He lived on fruits and roots, practiced supreme self-control, and performed rigorous penance. In time, sons were born to him, devoted to truth and righteousness—Haviṣpanda, Madhuṣpanda, and Dṛḍhanetra, a great chariot-warrior. When a thousand years had passed, Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, addressed Viśvāmitra, whose wealth was his asceticism, with sweet words: “The realms of royal sages are conquered by you through austerity, O son of Kuśika. By this austerity, we know you as a royal sage.” Having spoken, Brahmā and the gods departed for the heavenly realm, the abode of Brahmā. Viśvāmitra, hearing this, became somewhat downcast with modesty. Overcome by sorrow and anger, he spoke: “I have performed immense austerity, yet they know me only as a royal sage. All the gods and hosts of sages—there is, I think, no fruit of austerity.” Thus resolved, the great ascetic, righteous-souled and possessing supreme self, continued his austerities. At that very time, another who spoke truth and had conquered his senses, Triśaṅku, renowned as the enhancer of the Ikṣvāku lineage, had a thought arise: “I shall perform a sacrifice, O descendant of Raghu.