Shloka 1.56.12

बालकाण्ड ५६: विश्वामित्र–वसिष्ठ अस्त्रसंघर्षः (Visvamitra and Vasistha: Contest of Divine Weapons)

Devanagari script

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।

Transliteration

śaktidvayaṃ ca cikṣepa kaṅkālaṃ musalaṃ tathā | vaidyādharaṃ mahāstraṃ ca kālāstram atha dāruṇam || 1.56.11 ||

Translation

He hurled a pair of Śakti-weapons, and also the Kaṅkāla and the Musala; he cast the great Vaidyādhara weapon too, and then the dreadful Kāla-weapon.

Context

"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.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha
• Śakti (weapon)
• Kaṅkāla (weapon)
• Musala (weapon)
• Vaidyādhara Mahāstra
• Kālāstra

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse highlights the ethical peril of unrestrained force: mastery of weapons is not itself dharma; dharma lies in self-control and right intention, especially when one possesses extraordinary power.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra escalates the confrontation by deploying increasingly fearsome astras against Vasiṣṭha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (in the surrounding episode), Vasiṣṭha’s steadiness and superior brahma-tejas are emphasized, as he remains unshaken despite the barrage.