Sarga 56: Vashishtha's Brahma-Staff
Brahmadanda Vijaya
Vishvamitra hurls his entire divine arsenal at Vashishtha, who swallows every missile, including the Brahma-astra, with his Brahma-staff; humbled, Vishvamitra resolves to seek brahminhood through austerity.
Jump to a shloka · 18 in this sarga
एवमुक्तो वसिष्ठेन विश्वामित्रो महाबल:। आग्नेयमस्त्रमुत्क्षिप्य तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्।।1.56.1।।
Meaning
Thus addressed by Vashishtha, the greatly mighty Vishvamitra raised the fire missile and cried: stand, stand!
ब्रह्मदण्डं समुत्क्षिप्य कालदण्डमिवाऽपरम्। वसिष्ठो भगवान् क्रोधादिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।1.56.2।।
Meaning
Raising his Brahma-staff like another rod of time, the venerable Vashishtha spoke this word in anger.
क्षत्रबन्धो स्थितोस्म्येष यद्बलं तद्विदर्शय। नाशयाम्यद्य ते दर्पं शस्त्रस्य तव गाधिज।।1.56.3।।
Meaning
Kinsman of kshatriyas, here I stand; show whatever strength you have; today I shall destroy your pride and your weapon, son of Gadhi.
क्व च ते क्षत्रियबलं क्व च ब्रह्मबलं महत्। पश्य ब्रह्मबलं दिव्यं मम क्षत्रियपांसन।।1.56.4।।
Meaning
Where is your kshatriya strength, and where the great strength of a brahmin? Behold, disgracer of kshatriyas, my divine brahmin power.
तस्यास्त्रं गाधिपुत्रस्य घोरमाग्नेयमुद्यतम्। ब्रह्मदण्डेन तच्छान्तमग्नेर्वेग इवाम्भसा।।1.56.5।।
Meaning
The dreadful fire missile launched by Gadhi's son was quenched by the Brahma-staff, as a rush of fire is quenched by water.
वारुणं चैव रौद्रं च ऐन्द्रं पाशुपतं तथा। ऐषीकं चापि चिक्षेप कुपितो गाधिनन्दन:।।1.56.6।।
Meaning
The enraged son of Gadhi then hurled the Varuna missile, the Rudra, the Indra, the Pashupata, and also the Ishika.
मानवं मोहनं चैव गान्धर्वं स्वापनं तथा। जृम्भणं मादनं चैव संतापनविलापने।।1.56.7।। शोषणं दारणं चैव वज्रमस्त्रं सुदुर्जयम्। ब्रह्मपाशं कालपाशं वारुणं पाशमेव च।।1.56.8।। पैनाकास्त्रं च दयितं शुष्कार्द्रे अशनी उभे। दण्डास्त्रमथ पैशाचं क्रौञ्चमस्त्रं तथैव च।।1.56.9।। धर्मचक्रं कालचक्रं विष्णुचक्रं तथैव च। वायव्यं मथनं चैव अस्त्रं हयशिरस्तथा।।1.56.10।। शक्तिद्वयं च चिक्षेप कङ्कालं मुसलं तथा। वैद्याधरं महास्त्रं च कालास्त्रमथ दारुणम्।।1.56.11।। त्रिशूलमस्त्रं घोरं च कापालमथ कङ्कणम्। एतान्यस्त्राणि चिक्षेप सर्वाणि रघुनन्दन।।1.56.12।। वसिष्ठे जपतां श्रेष्ठे तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्।
Meaning
He hurled the Manava, the Mohana, the Gandharva, the Swapana, the Jrimbhana, the Madana, the Santapana and Vilapana; the Shoshana and Darana, and the well-nigh unconquerable Vajra; the Brahmapasha, Kalapasha, and Varunapasha; the beloved Pinaka missile, both the Shushka and Ardra thunderbolts; the Danda missile and the Pishacha, and likewise the Krauncha missile; the discus of Dharma, the discus of Kala, and likewise that of Vishnu; the Vayavya, the Mathana, and the Hayashira missile; two spears, and likewise the Kankala and Musala; the great Vaidyadhara missile and the dreadful Kala missile; the terrible Trishula missile, and then the Kapala and Kankana — all these missiles, delight of Raghu, he hurled at Vashishtha, foremost of those who murmur prayer, and it became a marvel to behold.
तानि सर्वाणि दण्डेन ग्रसते ब्रह्मणस्सुत:।।1.56.13।। तेषु शान्तेषु ब्रह्मास्त्रं क्षिप्तवान् गाधिनन्दन:।
Meaning
All of these the son of Brahma swallowed with his staff; when they were quelled, the son of Gadhi launched the Brahma missile.
तदस्त्रमुद्यतं दृष्ट्वा देवास्साग्निपुरोगमा:।।1.56.14।। देवर्षयश्च सम्भ्रान्तागन्धर्वास्समहोरगा:। त्रैलोक्यमासीत्सन्तप्तं ब्रह्मास्त्रे समुदीरिते।।1.56.15।।
Meaning
Seeing that missile raised aloft, the gods headed by Agni, the divine sages, gandharvas and great serpents, all grew alarmed; the three worlds burned with anguish as the Brahma missile was invoked.
तदप्यस्त्रं महाघोरं ब्रह्मं ब्राह्मेण तेजसा। वसिष्ठो ग्रसते सर्वं ब्रह्मदण्डेन राघव।।1.56.16।।
Meaning
That most dreadful Brahma missile, too, Raghava, Vashishtha swallowed entirely with the Brahma-staff, through brahmin splendor.