Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 13

बालकाण्ड ५६: विश्वामित्र–वसिष्ठ अस्त्रसंघर्षः

Visvamitra and Vasistha: Contest of Divine Weapons

Devanagari script

तानि सर्वाणि दण्डेन ग्रसते ब्रह्मणस्सुत:।।।।तेषु शान्तेषु ब्रह्मास्त्रं क्षिप्तवान् गाधिनन्दन:।

Transliteration

tāni sarvāṇi daṇḍena grasate brahmaṇas sutaḥ | teṣu śānteṣu brahmāstraṃ kṣiptavān gādhinandanaḥ || 1.56.13 ||

Translation

El hijo de Brahmā (Vasiṣṭha) devoró todas aquellas armas con su báculo. Cuando quedaron apaciguadas, el hijo de Gādhi (Viśvāmitra) arrojó el Brahmāstra.

Word by Word

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्

• दण्डेन: with the staff
• दण्डेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• ग्रसते: swallows
• ग्रसते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेषु: when/in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शान्तेषु: having been pacified/humbled
• शान्तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मास्त्रम्: Brahmā-weapon (Brahmāstra)
• ब्रह्मास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: 'Brahmā's weapon')

• क्षिप्तवान्: having discharged/used
• क्षिप्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) + क्तवतुँ (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवतुँ-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle, 'having thrown/used'); पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गाधिनन्दनः: son of Gādhi (Viśvāmitra)
• गाधिनन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाधि + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('son of Gādhi')

Context

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.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha (Brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ)
• Brahmadaṇḍa (staff)
• Viśvāmitra (Gādhinandana)
• Brahmāstra

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha neutralizes the many astras using his staff; Viśvāmitra, undeterred, escalates by deploying the Brahmāstra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vasiṣṭha’s unassailable spiritual power and composure; the episode also implicitly critiques Viśvāmitra’s impatience and competitiveness at this stage.