As Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa journeyed through the forest with the sage Viśvāmitra, they suddenly beheld a terrifying sight. Looming before them stood Tāṭakā, a furious yakṣinī of monstrous size and hideous form, her face twisted and dreadful. Rāma, the scion of the Raghu dynasty, turned to his brother and said, “Look, Lakṣmaṇa, at this fearsome and dreadful being. Her appearance alone would strike terror into the hearts of the timid.” He continued, “See how formidable she is, difficult to subdue, and possessed of illusory power. Today, I will render her powerless and deprive her of her ears and nose. Though I cannot kill her, as she is protected by her womanhood, I will destroy her strength and ability to do harm.” Even as Rāma spoke, Tāṭakā, consumed by rage, raised her massive arms, let out a thunderous roar, and charged straight at him. But Viśvāmitra, the noble sage, rebuked her with a commanding shout and blessed the two sons of Raghu, invoking safety and victory upon them. Tāṭakā, in her fury, stirred up a tremendous cloud of dust, momentarily bewildering Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Then, using her magical powers, she unleashed a great shower of stones upon them. Angered by this assault, Rāma responded with a torrent of arrows, meeting her onslaught and, as she rushed forward, severed her hands with his keen shafts. Armless and exhausted, Tāṭakā stood nearby, still roaring in defiance. Lakṣmaṇa, incensed, swiftly cut off her ears and the tip of her nose. Yet Tāṭakā, capable of changing her form at will, began to assume many shapes and vanished, confusing the brothers with her magic. She moved about in a terrifying manner, continuing to rain stones upon them. Witnessing this, the illustrious sage Viśvāmitra spoke firmly to Rāma: “Enough of your compassion, Rāma. She is wicked and evil-doing. This yakṣinī, once powerful through her magic, is a destroyer of sacrifices. She must be slain before dusk, for at twilight the demons become difficult to withstand.” Heeding the sage’s words, Rāma faced Tāṭakā once more as she showered stones upon them. Demonstrating his skill at striking by sound alone, he blocked her attacks with a barrage of arrows, restraining her despite her magical powers. Still, Tāṭakā, furious, charged at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa like a blazing thunderbolt. At last, the gods themselves rejoiced at Rāma’s valor. “Well done, well done!” they cried, honoring Kākutstha, as Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, expressed his delight. All the gods, with Indra and the Maruts, addressed Viśvāmitra, saying, “Blessings to you, O sage Kauśika! 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 valor. O brāhmaṇa, endowed with the power of austerity, impart this knowledge to Rāghava—he is worthy and devoted to you. A great task for the gods awaits him.” Having spoken thus, the delighted gods departed into the sky. Honoring Viśvāmitra, the twilight hour began. The great sage, overjoyed by the slaying of Tāṭakā, embraced Rāma and said, “O Rāma of auspicious appearance, let us stay here tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, we shall proceed to my hermitage.” Hearing these words, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, rejoiced. He spent the night happily in Tāṭakā’s forest, which, freed from its curse, now shone beautifully, like the celestial Caitraratha grove. That night, praised by hosts of gods and siddhas for his heroic deed, Rāma rested with the sage, and at dawn was awakened for the next chapter of his journey. As the new day broke, the renowned Viśvāmitra smiled warmly at Rāma and addressed him in a gentle voice. “I am pleased with you, illustrious prince,” he said. “Out of great affection, I shall bestow upon you all the divine weapons. With these, you will be able to conquer any enemy—whether gods, asuras, gandharvas, or serpents—subduing them in battle.” He continued, “I give you the great and divine Daṇḍa-cakra, the Wheel of Righteousness, the Wheel of Time, the fierce Discus of Viṣṇu, and Indra’s discus as well. Accept the thunderbolt missile, the excellent trident of Śiva, the Brahmaśiras weapon, and the missile of Īśa. I bestow upon you the supreme Brahma missile, and two auspicious maces, Modakī and Śikharī.” “O tiger among men, I grant you the blazing noose of Dharma and the noose of Time. Accept the Varuṇa noose and the supreme Varuṇa missile, and the two thunderbolts, both dry and wet. I give you the Pināka missile, the Nārāyaṇa missile, and the beloved Agneya missile, called Śikhara. I bestow upon you the Vāyavya missile, the Hayashira missile, and the Krauncha missile. Take also two spears, the dreadful Kankāla, the mace, the skull, and the Kiṅkiṇī.” Thus, with great affection and reverence, Viśvāmitra imparted to Rāma the knowledge and power of these celestial weapons, preparing him for the great tasks yet to come.