Any connection between Brahmastra and Brahmadanda?

Question

I was reading an article here that states:

Brahmastra (Sanskrit: ब्रह्‍मास्‍त्र, Brahmāstra) was a weapon created by the creator Brahma, for the purpose of upholding Dharma and Satya (truth). When the Brahmastra was discharged, there was neither a counterattack nor a defense that could stop it, except by Brahmadanda, a stick also created by Brahma.

My question: I have heard about instances where Brahmastra was used but not aware of any instances where Brahmadanda was used to stop it, are there any references that show when and under what circumstances was Brahmadanda used and by whom? Any other valuable & interesting facts about it?

Answer 1

Sage Vashishtha used Brahmadanda to nullify all the weapons released by Vishvamitra (including Brahmastra and Pashupatastra). The story can be found in Sarga 55-56 of Balkanda of Valmiki Ramayana:

ब्रह्मदण्डम् समुद्यंय काल दण्डम् इव अपरम् |

वसिष्ठो भगवान् क्रोधात् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत् || १-५६-२

That reverential sage Vashishta then upraising his Brahmadanda, which is like the other baton of the Terminator, spoke this sentence furiously.

क्षत्र बन्धो स्थितो अस्मि एष यद् बलम् तद् विदर्शय |

नाशयामि अद्य ते दर्पम् शस्त्रस्य तव गाधिज || १-५६-३

I am staying here only, you meritless Kshatriya, you may clearly display whatever prowess you have, oh, Gaadhi's son Vishvamitra, I will now ruin whatever vanity you or your missiles have.

तानि सर्वाणि दण्डेन ग्रसते ब्रह्मणः सुतः || १-५६-१३

तेषु शांतेषु ब्रह्मास्त्रम् क्षिप्तवान् गाधि नंदनः |

Brahma's son Vashishta defused all of those missiles just with his Danda (Brahmadanda) and when all of them are thus silenced, Gaadhi's son Vishvamitra touched off Brahma's missile.

तत् अपि अस्त्रम् महाघोरम् ब्राह्मम् ब्राह्मेण तेजसा |

वसिष्ठो ग्रसते सर्वम् ब्रह्म दण्डेन राघव || १-५६-१६

Even that deleteriously destructive Brahma's missile (Brahmastra) is completely consumed with the seraphic resplendence of Brahmadanda of Sage Vashishta. - from Sarga 56 of Balkanda of Valmiki Ramayana

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Footnotes:

When this conflict happened, Vishvamitra was not a sage but a Kashtriya king.

Few sources say that Brahmadanda and Brahmanda astras are same and it is created by great sages as a defensive weapon to save the universe from the deadliest weapons. However, few say that it's created by Lord Brahma.