Rāma, standing beside his brother Lakṣmaṇa, pointed toward the fearsome figure before them. “Look, Lakṣmaṇa,” he said gravely, “behold the terrifying form of this yakṣinī. At the mere sight of her, the hearts of the timid would surely break.” Tāṭakā, dreadful and formidable, stood before them—her power bolstered by potent magic, her presence enough to chill the bravest heart. Rāma continued, “See how difficult she is to subdue, endowed with the power of illusion. But today, I will render her powerless, depriving her of her ears and nose.” He added with resolve, “I cannot kill her outright, for she is protected by her womanhood; yet I will destroy her strength and her ability to torment others.” Even as Rāma spoke, Tāṭakā, inflamed with rage, raised her massive arms and let out a thunderous roar, charging straight at him. In that critical moment, the sage Viśvāmitra intervened. He rebuked Tāṭakā with a stern shout and blessed the sons of Raghu, invoking safety and victory for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Tāṭakā, undeterred, conjured a terrible cloud of dust, enveloping the two princes in darkness and confusion. The dust storm bewildered them for a moment, but she did not relent. Harnessing her magic, she unleashed a great rain of stones upon the brothers. This provocation angered Rāma, who responded with a mighty shower of arrows, countering the hail of stones. As Tāṭakā charged at him, Rāma’s arrows struck true, severing her hands. Now armless, exhausted, and still roaring with fury, Tāṭakā stood nearby. Seizing the moment, Lakṣmaṇa, moved by righteous anger, cut off her ears and the tip of her nose. Yet Tāṭakā was not finished; using her magical powers, she assumed many forms, vanishing and reappearing, confusing the brothers with her illusions. She moved about in a terrifying manner, releasing yet another shower of stones. Witnessing her relentless wickedness, the illustrious sage Viśvāmitra addressed Rāma, “Enough of your compassion, Rāma. She is evil and bent on destruction. This yakṣinī, who has grown powerful through her magic, is a destroyer of sacred sacrifices. Let her be slain before dusk falls, for at twilight, the demons become most difficult to withstand.” Thus instructed, Rāma faced Tāṭakā as she continued her assault. Demonstrating his mastery of striking by sound, he blocked her attacks with a barrage of arrows, restraining her despite her magical prowess. In a final, furious rush, Tāṭakā charged at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa like a blazing thunderbolt. But Rāma stood firm, and with his divine skill, he brought her down. At that moment, the heavens rejoiced. The gods honored Rāma, exclaiming, “Well done! Well done!” Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, spoke with great delight, and all the gods, gathered with the Maruts, addressed Viśvāmitra, “O sage Kauśika, blessings to you! We are pleased by this deed. Show affection to Rāghava and reveal to him the sons of Kṛśāśva, who are true in their valor. O brāhmaṇa, who bears the power of austerity, impart this knowledge to Rāghava. He is worthy and devoted to you, for a great task for the gods is to be accomplished by this prince.” Having spoken thus, the gods, filled with joy, departed into the sky. As twilight began, Viśvāmitra, honored by the gods and pleased by the slaying of Tāṭakā, was filled with joy. He embraced Rāma, blessing him tenderly. “O Rāma of auspicious appearance, let us stay here tonight. Tomorrow at dawn, we shall go to my hermitage.” Rāma, son of Daśaratha, rejoiced at the sage’s words. That night, Rāma spent his time happily in Tāṭakā’s forest, now freed from its curse. The once-terrifying place shone beautifully, like the celestial Caitraratha grove. Praised by hosts of gods and siddhas for his valor, Rāma remained there with Viśvāmitra, awaiting the new day. With the dawn, the twenty-seventh sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa begins. After spending the night, the renowned Viśvāmitra smiled warmly at Rāma and spoke in a sweet voice. “I am pleased with you, O illustrious prince. Out of great affection, I shall give you all the divine weapons.” He continued, “With these, you will conquer all enemies on earth—whether gods, asuras, gandharvas, or serpents—you will subdue them in battle. I bestow upon you all these celestial weapons, O fortunate one. I give you the great and divine Daṇḍa-cakra, the Wheel of Righteousness, the Wheel of Time, the fierce Discus of Vishnu, and Indra’s own discus. “Receive also the thunderbolt missile, the excellent trident of Shiva, the Brahmaśiras weapon, and the missile of Īśa. I grant you the supreme Brahma missile, and two auspicious maces, Modakī and Śikharī. O tiger among men, I bestow upon you the blazing noose of Dharma and the noose of Time. I give you the Varuna noose and the supreme Varuna missile, as well as two thunderbolts, dry and wet. “Accept now the Pinaka missile, the Narayana missile, and the beloved Agneya missile, called Śikhara. Receive the Vāyavya missile, the Hayashira missile, and the Krauncha missile. I give you two spears, the dreadful Kankāla, the mace, the skull, and the Kiṅkiṇī. All these I grant for the destruction of the Rākṣasas—the great Vidyādhara missile and the one called Nandana. Thus, with Viśvāmitra’s blessings and the bestowal of divine weapons, Rāma was further prepared for the great tasks that lay ahead, his heart filled with gratitude and readiness for the path of dharma.