Once, O Rāma, the great sage Viśvāmitra recounted to you the deeds of Viṣṇu, who in ancient times had slain Kāvya’s wife, the devoted spouse of Bhṛgu. She had harbored the desire for a world without Indra, and thus Viṣṇu had put an end to her. By such acts, and through the hands of many noble princes, unrighteous women have been slain by the best of men. Therefore, Viśvāmitra urged, “Cast aside your hesitation, O king, and at my command, slay her.” Thus begins the twenty-sixth sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa. Hearing the sage’s unwavering words, Rāghava, the son of the best of men, stood with joined palms and firm resolve. He replied, “Out of obedience and respect for my father’s command, and because of the authority of your words, O Kauśika, this task must be done without hesitation. In Ayodhyā, I have been instructed among great teachers by my father, Daśaratha; his words must not be disregarded. For the welfare of cows and Brahmins, for the good of the land, and to fulfill your own unfathomable word, I stand ready to act.” Having spoken thus, the subduer of enemies, Rāma, fastened his grip at the center of his bow and produced a sharp twang that resounded in all directions. The dwellers of Tāṭakā’s forest were startled by that sound, and Tāṭakā herself, greatly enraged and bewildered, was drawn to it. Fixated on the noise, the demoness, overcome with wrath, rushed toward the place from which it had arisen. Seeing her approach—furious, deformed, with a monstrous face and immense size—Rāghava spoke to Lakṣmaṇa: “Look, Lakṣmaṇa, at the terrifying, dreadful form of this yakṣinī. At the mere sight of her, the hearts of the timid would break. See this formidable one, difficult to subdue, endowed with the power of illusion. Today I will render her powerless, depriving her of her ears and nose. Indeed, I am not able to kill her, as she is protected by her womanly nature; but I intend to destroy her strength and her movement.” As Rāma spoke, Tāṭakā, overcome with rage, raised her arms and charged at him, roaring. But Viśvāmitra, the Brāhmin sage, rebuked her with a shout and uttered blessings of safety and victory for the two sons of Raghu. Then Tāṭakā stirred up a terrible cloud of dust, bewildering both brothers with her storm. Resorting to her magic, she showered them with a great rain of stones, which angered Rāghava. Rāghava countered her onslaught with a rain of arrows, and as she charged forward, he cut off her hands with his shafts. Standing nearby, armless, exhausted, and roaring, Tāṭakā was further assailed by Saumitri, who, in anger, cut off her ears and the tip of her nose. The yakṣinī, able to assume any form at will, took on many shapes and vanished, confounding them with her magic. She moved about in a terrifying manner, releasing a fresh shower of stones. Seeing this, the illustrious son of Gādhi, Viśvāmitra, spoke: “Enough of your compassion, Rāma; she is wicked and evil-doing. This yakṣinī, who once grew powerful through magic, is a destroyer of sacrifices; let her be slain before dusk sets in. At twilight, the demons become difficult to withstand.” Thus instructed, Rāma faced the yakṣī, who was still showering stones. Demonstrating his skill in striking by sound alone, Rāma blocked her attacks with arrows, restraining her with a barrage of shafts even as she wielded her magical powers. Tāṭakā, furious, rushed at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa like a blazing thunderbolt. The gods, witnessing Rāma’s valor, honored Kākutstha, exclaiming, “Well done! Well done!” Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, spoke with great delight, and all the gods, rejoicing, addressed Viśvāmitra: “O sage Kauśika, blessings to you! All the Maruts with Indra are here. We are pleased by this deed. Show affection to Rāghava, and reveal to him the sons of Kṛśāśva, the son of Prajāpati, who are true in their valor. O brāhmaṇa, who bears the power of austerity, impart this to Rāghava. He is worthy and devoted to following you. A great task for the gods is to be accomplished by this prince.” Having spoken thus, the delighted gods departed into the sky. Honoring Viśvāmitra, twilight began to fall. The great sage, pleased by the slaying of Tāṭakā, was filled with joy. He embraced Rāma on the head and said, “O Rāma of auspicious appearance, let us stay here tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, we shall go to my hermitage.” Hearing these words, the son of Daśaratha rejoiced. He spent the night happily in Tāṭakā’s forest. That very day, the forest, freed from its curse, shone beautifully like the celestial Caitraratha grove. Having slain that yakṣī, Rāma—praised by hosts of gods and siddhas—remained there with the sage, and was awakened at dawn. Here begins the twenty-seventh sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. After spending the night, the renowned Viśvāmitra smiled and addressed Rāghava in a sweet voice: “I am pleased with you, O illustrious prince. Out of great affection, I shall give you all the weapons.