Having heard the sage Viśvāmitra’s profound words, Rāma, the tiger among men, responded with auspicious speech. “O foremost of sages,” he asked respectfully, “it is said that this yakṣinī, Tāṭakā, is of little strength. How then does she possess the might of a thousand elephants?” Delighted by Rāma’s inquiry, the great sage, his heart gladdened, spoke gently to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, eager to reveal the tale. “Hear, O Rāghava, how Tāṭakā came to wield such power, though by nature she was weak. Once, there was a mighty and virtuous yakṣa named Suketu, but he was childless and undertook severe austerities to obtain offspring. Pleased by his penance, the lord of the yakṣas granted him a jewel among daughters, Tāṭakā, but no son. Along with his blessing, he gave her the strength of a thousand elephants. “As Tāṭakā grew, radiant in beauty and youth, she was given in marriage to Sunda, the illustrious son of Jambha. In time, Tāṭakā bore a son named Mārīca, who, due to a curse, became a dreadful rākṣasa. When Sunda was slain, Tāṭakā and Mārīca, driven by hunger and fury, attacked the revered sage Agastya. In his wrath, Agastya cursed Mārīca to assume the form of a rākṣasa and transformed Tāṭakā as well, declaring, ‘O great yakṣinī, devourer of men, monstrous and deformed of face, abandon this form and take on a dreadful appearance!’ “Thus cursed and filled with rage, Tāṭakā became a terror, devastating this region once sanctified by Agastya. O Rāma, for the welfare of cows and Brahmins, and for the good of the land, you must slay this wicked and terrible yakṣinī, for her evil is great. None but you, O delight of the Raghus, can accomplish this, for she is empowered by a curse. “Do not hesitate to slay her, though she is a woman. For the sake of the four orders and the welfare of the people, a prince must act as protector, whether the deed is gentle or harsh. This is the eternal duty of kings. Slay the unrighteous one, O descendant of Kakutstha, for there is no righteousness left in her. “In ancient times, O king, Indra slew Mantharā, daughter of Virocana, who sought to destroy the earth, and Viṣṇu himself killed Kāvya’s wife, the devoted spouse of Bhṛgu, who wished for a world without Indra. Many noble princes have slain unrighteous women for the greater good. Therefore, casting aside all hesitation, fulfill my command and slay Tāṭakā.” Hearing the unwavering resolve in Viśvāmitra’s words, Rāma, son of the best of men, joined his palms and replied with firm determination. “Out of obedience to my father’s command and out of respect for the authority of your words, O Kauśika, this task must be accomplished without delay. In Ayodhyā, I have been instructed by great teachers under my father Daśaratha, and his words must not be disregarded. For the welfare of cows and Brahmins, for the good of the land, and to fulfill your own profound word, I am ready to act.” Having spoken, Rāma, the subduer of enemies, gripped his bow firmly and drew the string, producing a sharp, thunderous twang that echoed in all directions. The creatures of Tāṭakā’s forest, startled by the sound, were seized with fear, and Tāṭakā herself, greatly enraged and bewildered, was drawn toward the source of the noise. Fixated on the sound, she rushed forward in fury. As she approached, Rāma saw her—furious, deformed, monstrous of face, and vast in size—and spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, “Behold, Lakṣmaṇa, the terrifying and dreadful form of this yakṣinī. At the mere sight of her, the hearts of the timid would break. See how formidable she is, difficult to subdue and endowed with the power of illusion. Today, I shall render her powerless, depriving her of her ears and nose. Though I cannot kill her outright, as she is a woman, I will destroy her strength and movement.” Even as Rāma spoke, Tāṭakā, overwhelmed with rage, raised her arms, roaring, and charged straight at him. But Viśvāmitra, the Brāhmin sage, rebuked her sharply and uttered blessings of safety and victory for the two sons of Raghu. Tāṭakā then conjured a terrible cloud of dust, momentarily bewildering Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Resorting to her magic, she unleashed a great rain of stones upon them. Rāghava, angered by her assault, countered the stones with a shower of arrows. As Tāṭakā charged, he cut off her hands with his shafts. Armless, exhausted, and still roaring with fury, Tāṭakā stood nearby. Then Saumitri, Lakṣmaṇa, in his anger, severed her ears and the tip of her nose, thus rendering the dreadful yakṣinī powerless and bringing peace to the once-sanctified forest.