When Viśvāmitra, the revered sage, urged the slaying of Tāṭakā, he reminded King Daśaratha’s son that many noble princes before him had destroyed unrighteous women at the command of the virtuous. With this precedent, he exhorted Rāma to cast aside hesitation and carry out his directive. As the tale unfolds in the Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Rāma—son of Daśaratha and scion of the Raghu dynasty—listened intently to the sage’s unwavering words. With hands joined in reverence and resolve firm in his heart, Rāma replied, “Out of obedience and honor for my father’s command, and in deference to the authority of your words, O Kauśika, I must do this task without delay. In Ayodhyā, among great teachers, my father Daśaratha himself instructed me; his words are not to be disregarded. For the welfare of cows and Brahmins, for the good of the land, and to fulfill your own profound promise, I am prepared to act.” Having thus spoken, Rāma, the subduer of enemies, gripped his bow at its center and drew it, producing a sharp, ringing twang that resounded in all directions. The fierce sound startled the creatures dwelling in Tāṭakā’s forest, and Tāṭakā herself, enraged and bewildered, was drawn by the noise. Fixated on the source of the sound, the furious demoness rushed toward Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. As she appeared—monstrous, deformed, and immense—Rāma turned to Lakṣmaṇa, saying, “Behold, Lakṣmaṇa, the terrifying, dreadful form of this yakṣinī; at her very sight, the hearts of the timid would fail. See how formidable she is, possessed of illusion and difficult to subdue. Today, I shall render her powerless by depriving her of her ears and nose. Indeed, I am unable to kill her outright, for she is protected by her womanhood; but I intend to destroy her strength and her movement.” Even as Rāma spoke, Tāṭakā, overwhelmed by rage, raised her arms and charged at him with a terrible roar. Viśvāmitra, the sage, rebuked her with a stern shout and uttered blessings of safety and victory upon the sons of Raghu. Tāṭakā stirred up a thick cloud of dust, momentarily bewildering Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Resorting to her magic, she unleashed a great rain of stones upon them, provoking Rāma’s anger. Rāma met her stone barrage with a rain of arrows, and as she charged, he severed her hands with his shafts. Armless, exhausted, and still roaring, Tāṭakā stood nearby. Then Lakṣmaṇa, in anger, cut off her ears and the tip of her nose. The yakṣinī, skilled in illusion, changed forms at will and vanished, confusing them with her magic as she moved about in a terrifying manner, releasing yet another shower of stones. Witnessing this, the illustrious Viśvāmitra said, “Enough of your compassion, Rāma; she is wicked and evil-doing. This yakṣinī, once empowered by magic, is a destroyer of sacrifices. Let her be slain before dusk, for at twilight the demons become difficult to withstand.” Thus instructed, Rāma faced the yakṣinī, who continued her assault. Demonstrating his mastery of striking by sound alone, Rāma blocked her with arrows, restraining her despite her magical powers. She charged at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with the force of a blazing thunderbolt. At last, Rāma brought her down. The gods themselves rejoiced at this deed. “Well done, well done!” they exclaimed, honoring Rāma, and Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, spoke with delight. All the gods, filled with joy, addressed Viśvāmitra: “O sage Kauśika, blessings to you! All the Maruts, together with Indra, are present. We are pleased by this act. Show affection to Rāghava and reveal to him the sons of Kṛśāśva, the son of Prajāpati, who are true in valor. O brāhmaṇa, endowed with the power of austerity, impart this knowledge to Rāghava, who is worthy and devoted to you. A great task for the gods is to be accomplished by this prince.” Having spoken thus, the delighted gods departed into the sky. As twilight began, Viśvāmitra, honored by the gods, was filled with joy at Tāṭakā’s defeat. He embraced Rāma and said, “O Rāma of auspicious appearance, let us remain here tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, we shall proceed to my hermitage.” Hearing these words, Rāma rejoiced, and he spent the night happily in Tāṭakā’s forest. That very day, the forest, freed from its curse, shone beautifully, like the famed Caitraratha grove. Rāma, praised by hosts of gods and siddhas for his deed, stayed there with the sage, and at dawn, he was awakened. With the coming of a new day, the twenty-seventh sarga of the Rāmāyaṇa begins. After spending the night, the renowned Viśvāmitra smiled and addressed Rāma in a sweet voice: “I am pleased with you, O illustrious prince. Out of great affection, I shall bestow upon you all the weapons. With these, you will conquer enemies on earth—whether gods, asuras, gandharvas, or serpents—subduing them in battle.