How 16 year old Lord Rama kills giant demoness Tataka (Tadaka) in his first major battle - Part 3 of 5 (Valmiki Ramayan)

Last minor update on 11th Aug. 2019

This post continues from the post: How 16 year old Lord Rama kills giant demoness Tataka (Tadaka) in his first major battle - Part 2 of 5 (Valmiki Ramayan), https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2019/03/how-16-year-old-lord-rama-kills-giant_28.html, 28th March 2019.

On hearing the words of Sage Viswamitra about the need to kill demoness Tataka, Rama says that he will obey his father's words about following Sage Viswamitra's instructions.

Ref: https://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/baala/sarga26/bala_26_frame.htm

Rama says that as Viswamitra is a learned (religious) scholar (Brahmavaadinah), he (Rama) will follow Viswamitra's instruction to kill Tataka (Tatakavadham).

गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय देशस्यास्य हिताय च |
तव चैवाप्रमेयस्य वचनं कर्तुमुद्यतः || १-२६-५, Verse 1-26-5

Above verse rough English translation: For the welfare of cows and Brahmins, for the good of the region/state, I am ready to implement the command of you, sir, who are a highly esteemed sage.
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I think this verse shows how learned sages and powerful warrior-princes and warrior-kings worked in tandem to protect Dharma in ancient times in Bharat (India). The warrior-prince has the power to maim and kill through his warrior prowess. But he has to ideally use that power only when the situation demands him to do so, for protection of Dharma.

The learned sages are knowledgeable about Dharma and when acts of killing or maiming tyrants are acceptable from a Dharmic standpoint. They give their valued opinion on these matters, which gets viewed as a command at times by warrior-princes and warrior-kings who revere the learned sages.

Also the protection of Brahmins and cows is stressed. I think ancient Bharat society was held together by knowledge and wisdom imparted by Brahmin community. So for the protection of that ancient society, protection of Brahmins was vital. And cows were vital for that rural society to survive and prosper. So protection of cows was also vital. Thus protection of Brahmins and cows in ancient Bharatiya (Indian) society was a divine duty for warrior-princes and warrior-kings.

Then Rama clenched the bow with his left fist, and made a thunderous sound with (by pulling) the bowstring. Ref: 1-26-6

This is the warrior's challenge-call to the enemy! Rama is letting Tataka know that he is on her territory and is challenging her rule over her territory.

This sound startles the inhabitants of Tataka forest. Tataka herself is stupified by the sound and very infuriated by it. Ref: 1-26-7

Tataka rushes in great fury towards the source of the sound. Ref: 1-26-8

Rama sees the ugly and enraged giant demoness and tells Lakshmana to see how ghastly and ferocious she looks, and that fearful (cowardly) hearts would burst (collapse) by looking at her. Ref: 1-26-9 and 1-26-10

Rama says that though she is said to have magical powers and be unstoppable, see how he (Rama) will make her retreat by cutting off her ears and tip of her nose. Rama says that as she is a female he does not want to kill her, but that he will end her impudence. Ref: 1-26-11 and 1-26-12

Tataka created a massive dust cloud and baffled Rama and Lakshmana with it for a while. Ref: 1-26-15

Then Tataka rained a torrent of stones on Rama and Lakshmana which made Rama very angry. Ref: 1-26-16

शिलावर्षं महत्तस्याः शरवर्षेण राघवः |
प्रतिवार्योपधावन्त्याः करौ चिच्छेद पत्रिभिः || १-२६-१७ , Verse 1-26-17

By his shower of arrows, Raghava (Rama) blocked her (Tataka's) great shower of stones. As she (Tataka) rushed towards them, Raghava (Rama) mutilated (cut off) both her arms with his arrows.

ततश्च्छिन्नभुजां श्रान्तामभ्याशे परिगर्जतीम् |
सौमित्रिरकरोत् क्रोधाद् हृतकर्णाग्रनासिकाम् || १-२६-१८, Verse 1-26-18

Having lost both her arms and in distress, she (Tataka) roared. Being provoked, Soumitri (Lakshmana) cut off her ears and the tip of her nose (by his arrows, one presumes).

कामरूपधरा सा तु कृत्वा रूपाण्यनेकशः |
अन्तर्धानं गता यक्षी मोहयन्ती स्वमायया || १-२६-१९
अश्मवर्षं विमुंचन्ती भैरवं विचचार सा ||  [Verses 1-26-19 and first part of 1-26-20]

She (Tataka), who had the power to change her form at will, kept changing her form and (sometimes) vanished from sight (disappeared), thereby baffling them (Rama & Lakshmana) with her power of illusion.
While showering a storm of stones, she moved about ferociously.

ततस्तावश्मवर्षेण कीर्यमाणौ समन्ततः || १-२६-२०
दृष्ट्वा गाधिसुतः श्रीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् | [Last part of Verse 1-26-20, first part of 1-26-21]

Then on seeing Rama and Lakshmana being covered by a storm of stones, the illustrious Sage Viswamitra said,

अलं ते घृणया राम पापैषा दुष्टचारिणी || १-२६-२१
यज्ञविघ्नकरी यक्षी पुरा वर्धेत मायया | 
वध्यतां तावदेवैषा पुरा संध्या प्रवर्तते || १-२६-२२
रक्षांसि संध्याकाले तु दुर्धर्षाणि भवन्ति हि | [Last part of Verse 1-26-21, full Verse 1-26-22 and first part of 1-26-23]

[Sage Viswamitra says to Rama:] "Enough of your compassion, Rama. She is sinful, of evil behaviour, creates obstacles to yagnas (holy rituals), and in a short time regains her illusory powers. The sun will set in a short time. Before that (sunset) she should be killed as at dusk demons become invincible (undefeatable)."

इत्युक्तस्स तु तां यक्षीमश्मवृष्ट्याभिवर्षिणीम् || १-२६-२३
दर्शयन् शब्दवेधित्वं तां रुरोध स सायकैः | [Last part of Verse 1-26-23, first part of 1-26-24]

When thus spoken to (by Sage Viswamitra), Rama displayed his sonic archery ability (ability to attack the enemy with arrows by knowing where the enemy is through sound made by them; Tataka was not visible to Rama then), and blocked the demoness' shower of stones with his shower of arrows.

सा रुद्धा बाणजालेन मायाबलसमन्विता || १-२६-२४
अभिदुद्राव काकुत्स्थं लक्षमणं च विनेषुदी || [Last part of Verse 1-26-24, first part of 1-26-25]

When the web (shower) of arrows obstructed her who had the power of illusion, she dashed towards Rama and Lakshmana, blaring stridently.

तामापतन्तीं वेगेन विक्रान्तामशनीमिव || १-२६-२५
शरेणोरसि विव्याध सा पपात ममार च | [Last part of Verse 1-26-25, first part of 1-26-26]

Rama struck with an arrow in the chest of the one (Tataka) who was invading and swooping down fast like a thunderbolt (on Rama and Lakshmana). She (Tataka) fell down completely dead.
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Ravi: It seems that even the arrow that Rama shot from his bow which killed Tataka, was shot based on the source of the sound being made by the demoness Tataka. That is, the demoness was not visible to Rama at that time.

Thus the 16 year-old warrior-lad Rama accomplished his first great feat in re-establishing Dharma by eliminating a fierce demoness who could not be defeated by warrior kings of the day, and who was obstructing illustrious Sages like Sage Viswamitra from performing yagnas (holy rituals). The Adharmic and tyrannical demoness who could not be eliminated by mortals, was eliminated by the divine coming in human form (Avatar) - Lord Rama!

[Hindi;] Prabhu Ramachandra ki Jai! [English: Hail Lord Ramachandra (Rama)!]

[Ravi: The next part will cover how the divine beings (Indra and others) and Sage Viswamitra rejoice at the killing of the demoness. It will also cover how the Tataka forest quickly regains beauty and brightness on being released from the Tataka demoness curse.]

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[I thank valmikiramayan.net and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) & references from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]