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VisVamitra was a King who cared much for the welfare of his subjects. Once he went with his army to hunt. He became tired by the hunt and reached the hermitage of Vasistha who welcomed them with hospitality. He told them that food would be ready when they returned after a bath. The King and his men bathed quickly and when they returned, a grand feast was ready for so many thousands. The King was in great perplexity. After the meals Visvamitra approached the hermit Vasistha and asked him how he got such a grand feast ready. He replied that the cow Kamadhenu in his hermitage was capable of granting any wish. The king desired to have the cow. He asked the hermit to exchange the cow for a crore of ordinary cows. Vasistha did not agree to this. Visvamitra said that the noble and superior things of the country belonged to the King. The hermit did not agree to that also. Finally Visvamitra was about to take away the cow by force. Thus the quarrel began. Understanding the wish of Vasistha Kamadhenu held her horns and tail up and stood as a fierce and cruel figure. From the various limbs of the cow so many thousands of warriors jumped out and a fierce battle ensued in which the hundred sons and the huge army of Visvamitra met with defeat. At last VisVamitra tried to launch a direct attack against Vasistha. But the arrows of Visvamitra were changed to flowers when they touched the body of Vasistha. At last the King admitted that the power of the penance of a Brahmin hermit was the real power and he admitted defeat from Vasistha. From that day onwards a deep-rooted, hatred against Vasistha arose in the heart of Visvamitra. He left the administration of his Kingdom in the hands of his relatives and went to the south where he erected a hermitage and began to do severe penance. He acquired great powers of penance and became a royal hermit of immense attainments and the quarrel between the two great hermits Vasistha and Visvamitra began. (Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, 5 sargas from 51 ).

VisVamitra was a King who cared much for the welfare of his subjects. Once he went with his army to hunt. He became tired by the hunt and reached the hermitage of Vasistha who welcomed them with hospitality. He told them that food would be ready when they returned after a bath. The King and his men bathed quickly and when they returned, a grand feast was ready for so many thousands. The King was in great perplexity. After the meals Visvamitra approached the hermit Vasistha and asked him how he got such a grand feast ready. He replied that the cow Kamadhenu in his hermitage was capable of granting any wish. The king desired to have the cow. He asked the hermit to exchange the cow for a crore of ordinary cows. Vasistha did not agree to this. Visvamitra said that the noble and superior things of the country belonged to the King. The hermit did not agree to that also. Finally Visvamitra was about to take away the cow by force. Thus the quarrel began. Understanding the wish of Vasistha Kamadhenu held her horns and tail up and stood as a fierce and cruel figure. From the various limbs of the cow so many thousands of warriors jumped out and a fierce battle ensued in which the hundred sons and the huge army of Visvamitra met with defeat. At last VisVamitra tried to launch a direct attack against Vasistha. But the arrows of Visvamitra were changed to flowers when they touched the body of Vasistha. At last the King admitted that the power of the penance of a Brahmin hermit was the real power and he admitted defeat from Vasistha. From that day onwards a deep-rooted, hatred against Vasistha arose in the heart of Visvamitra. He left the administration of his Kingdom in the hands of his relatives and went to the south where he erected a hermitage and began to do severe penance. He acquired great powers of penance and became a royal hermit of immense attainments and the quarrel between the two great hermits Vasistha and Visvamitra began. (Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, 5 sargas from 51 ).