Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 56: King Viśvāmitra Decides to Become a Brāhmaṇa
Text 1.56.19
प्राज्वलद्ब्रह्मदण्डश्च वसिष्ठस्य करोद्यतः।
विधूम इव कालाग्निर्यमदण्ड इवापरः॥
prājvalad brahma-daṇḍaś ca vasiṣṭhasya karodyataḥ
vidhūma iva kālāgnir yama-daṇḍa ivāparaḥ
prājvalat = blazed; brahma-daṇḍaḥ ca = the brahminical staff; vasiṣṭhasya = Vasiṣṭha’s; kara-udyataḥ = raised by hand; vidhūmaḥ = the smokeless; iva = like; kāla-agniḥ = fire at the time of universal dissolution; yama-daṇḍaḥ = staff of Yamarāja; iva = resembling; aparaḥ = a second.
Resembling a second staff of Yamarāja, the brahminical staff raised by Vasiṣṭha’s hand blazed like the smokeless fire at the time of universal dissolution.
The brahminical staff blazed because it had absorbed the weapons.