TAATAKA'S VATHAM

TAATAKA'end. rama and lakshmana jourineyed along with viswamitra.theycrossed the gangariver and entered the danadaka forest. the whole forest was a wilrerness and there was no sightof humans. only wild animals lived there apartfrom sages who sought seclusion for ''tapas''. ramaasked why this was so?. the danaka forest is inhabited by a rakshasicalled taatak and her son mareescha.it a beautiful forest but now no one enter the forest because of the rakshasi.she is very hideous and has the strenght of a thousandelephants. she and her son have been harassing the sages here. so , i want yoy to kill taataka and restore dandaka to its former beauty!'' ''our father has told us to obey you!''said rama and twanged the string of his great bow lodley.taayaka hear the sound roared angrily and came out shouting ,''who dares to disturb me''? she saw rama and lakshmana and loughed, ''what !have you young lads come to fight with me ?HA! HA!! HA !!!''A FIERCE battle began between rama and lakshmana on one side and taataka on th other.rama was guite surprised to find her was strong for a woman.''rama !remember that rakshasasgrow stronger at night.the sun is about to set . so kill taataka at once without delay and do not hesitate because she is a woman!''warned viswamitra. so, ramashot an arrow which pierced taataka's chest. she fell down lifeless and the whole place shook with the impact.danadaka forest regained its lost beauty .the sages thanked rama and lakshmanafor ridding the of the rakshasi.