Rama kills Tataka - Chapter 13

However, after some years, there came Mareecha with his very strong and powerful mother Tataka, the wife of Sunanda who was a Yakshi (another type of human), and started destroying the peace of the place. Vishwamitra told that they were going to the place where Tataka was living and then Rama should kill her and make the place regain peace. Rama was puzzled how a Yakshi woman could be so powerful. Vishwamitra explained. Suketu was a great Yaksha who did penance and Brahma granted him a beautiful daughter who had the strength of a thousand elephants. She married Sunanda. Once Tataka was overpowered with lust (Kama) looking at the great sage Agastya and rushed towards him half-naked. The sage was enraged and cursed her to become an ugly rakshasi and a cannibal and also cursed Mareecha to become a rakshasa. Since then the two were roaming there and troubling everyone in that region disturbing the yagas and killing the Brahmins.


Rama was not willing to kill a woman as it was against his principle and he hesitated to take up the task. Then Vishwamitra tried to convince him that killing a woman was justified in some cases and quoted some examples from the past. He said that once in the past Lord Vishnu killed Brigu rishi's wife who was the mother of Shukra the Guru of Asuras because she wanted to destroy Indra. Another instance was when Indra killed Mandara, the daughter of one Virochana because she wanted to destroy the earth. So Vishwamitra said that it was no sin if Rama killed a woman like Tataka. Rama respectfully replied that he had been sent by his father with instructions to obey Vishwamitra and therefore he would certainly kill Tataka and establish peace for the rishis and Brahmins to carry on their yagas.

Rama and Lakshmana fought against Tataka who used her skills in illusion warfare and showered stones on them, hid them in dust, and so on. Rama was still hesitant to kill her and tried only to hurt her. Vishwamitra realized this and ordered Rama to kill that sinful woman. Finally, Rama sent a powerful arrow and killed her. Indra and the Devas were pleased and they all thanked Vishwamitra and Rama. Vishwamitra was also pleased and he then proceeded along with Rama and Lakshmana to his Ashram..


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