Shloka 1.55.20
कामधेनुसैन्यप्रादुर्भावः — Kamadhenu’s Forces, Visvamitra’s Austerities, and Vasishta’s Wrath
विवर्धमानो वीर्येण समुद्र इव पर्वणि।हतमेव तदा मेने वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्।।1.55.20।।
vivardhamāno vīryeṇa samudra iva parvaṇi |
hatam eva tadā mene vasiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam || 1.55.20 ||
As his might swelled—like the ocean on the days of the full moon—he then imagined that Vasiṣṭha, the best of seers, was as good as slain.
Like the sea during the full moon, with his increased power (blessed with the invincible strength of the weapons) Viswamitra thought the foremost of ascetics Vasishta was (already) slain. (It shows the height of the king's ignorance and arrogance).
Dharma demands discernment: arrogance creates delusion, making one misjudge the spiritually accomplished (brahma-tejas) as conquerable by mere force.
Viśvāmitra’s confidence rises with newly obtained astras; he prematurely assumes Vasiṣṭha is already defeated.
The implied virtue is right judgment (viveka) and reverence for tapas (ascetic power), contrasting with Viśvāmitra’s rash presumption.