Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 56: King Viśvāmitra Decides to Become a Brāhmaṇa
Text 1.56.17
ब्रह्मास्त्रं ग्रसमानस्य वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः।
त्रैलोक्यमोहनं रौद्रं रूपमासीत्सुदारुणम्॥
brahmāstraṁ grasamānasya vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ
trailokya-mohanaṁ raudraṁ rūpam āsīt sudāruṇam
brahmāstram = the Brahmāstra; grasamānasya = when had devoured; vasiṣṭhasya = Vasiṣṭha; mahā ātmanaḥ = the great soul; trailokya-mohanam = that petrified the three worlds; raudram = and frightening; rūpam = form; āsīt = he assumed; sudāruṇam = a very terrible.
When the great soul Vasiṣṭha devoured the Brahmāstra, he assumed a very terrible and frightening form that petrified the three worlds.
His form was so frightening that even remembering it would produce fear [in persons who saw it]. It was very terrible because it was difficult to be seen. The author describes that form next.