Shloka 1.56.14
बालकाण्ड ५६: विश्वामित्र–वसिष्ठ अस्त्रसंघर्षः (Visvamitra and Vasistha: Contest of Divine Weapons)
तदस्त्रमुद्यतं दृष्ट्वा देवास्साग्निपुरोगमा:।।।।देवर्षयश्च सम्भ्रान्तागन्धर्वास्समहोरगा:।त्रैलोक्यमासीत्सन्तप्तं ब्रह्मास्त्रे समुदीरिते।।।
tāni sarvāṇi daṇḍena grasate brahmaṇas sutaḥ | teṣu śānteṣu brahmāstraṃ kṣiptavān gādhinandanaḥ || 1.56.13 ||
Brahmā’s son (Vasiṣṭha) swallowed up all those weapons with his staff. When they were stilled, the son of Gādhi (Viśvāmitra) hurled the Brahmāstra.
All the devatas, with Agni in the forefront, divine rishis, great uragas and gandharvas were agitated seeing the Brahmastra raised. When Brahmastra was discharged, the three worlds became distressed.
Dharma is portrayed as inner mastery that can neutralize violence; escalation to the Brahmāstra suggests the danger of pride—when ego persists, one reaches for ultimate force.
Vasiṣṭha neutralizes the many astras using his staff; Viśvāmitra, undeterred, escalates by deploying the Brahmāstra.
Vasiṣṭha’s unassailable spiritual power and composure; the episode also implicitly critiques Viśvāmitra’s impatience and competitiveness at this stage.