Shloka 1.56.11
बालकाण्ड ५६: विश्वामित्र–वसिष्ठ अस्त्रसंघर्षः (Visvamitra and Vasistha: Contest of Divine Weapons)
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। 560वैद्याधरं महास्त्रं च कालास्त्रमथ दारुणम्।।1.56.11।।त्रिशूलमस्त्रं घोरं च कापालमथ कङ्कणम्।एतान्यस्त्राणि चिक्षेप सर्वाणि रघुनन्दन।।1.56.12।। वसिष्ठे जपतां श्रेष्ठे तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्।
brahmadaṇḍaṃ samutkṣipya kāladaṇḍam ivāparam | vasiṣṭho bhagavān krodhād idaṃ vacanam abravīt || 1.56.2 ||
Lifting up the Brahma-staff—like another rod of Death itself—the revered Vasiṣṭha, in anger, spoke these words.
"O Descendent of Raghu Viswamitra employed weapons like manava, mohana, gandharva, swapana, jrimbhana, madana, santapana, vilapana, shoshana, darana, vajra weapons, Brahma, kala and varuna pasas, the favourite painaka, daita, shushka, ardra vajras, danda, paisacha, krauncha, weapons, dharmachakra, kalachakra, vishnuchakras, vayavya, mathana, hayasira weapons, kanakala, musala powers, vaidyadhara, kalatrishula, kapala, kankana weapons discharged against Vasishta the best of ascetics. All this became aweful.
Even spiritual authority (brahma-tejas) must be governed by dharma; the verse frames power as grave and consequential—comparable to the rod of Death—thereby warning that anger and force are ethically weighty.
In the escalating conflict, Vasiṣṭha raises the Brahmadaṇḍa and is about to respond verbally and spiritually to the barrage of weapons used against him.
Vasiṣṭha’s spiritual potency and authority are emphasized; at the same time, the scene implicitly tests restraint, showing how easily anger can accompany immense power.