Hari Aum.
Om Sri Ramaya Namah. Let us continue our study of the Ramayana of sage Valmiki.
In the previous post, we saw Sri Rama and Lakshmana arrive at a dense and dark forest with sage Vishvamitra. The sage told the Princes about a highly malevovent being known as Tataka who lived there. She had been terrorising the inhabitants of the forest including the sages for a long time. He told Sri Rama that the forest needed to be freed of her so that the beings within it could live in peace.
Now, a key duty of kshatriyas (warriors including kings and princes) in those times was to uphold dharma or righteousness by protecting the good, destroying evil and ensuring justice in society. This duty included protection of those sections of society who were perceived as being more vulnerable, such as children, women and the elderly. It was generally regarded as being completely against kshatriya dharma (the warrior code) to harm women in any way (sometimes this included in battle too; for example, in the Mahabharata, we see Bhishma laying down arms before Shikhandi, a woman who had been reborn as a man due to strange twist of fate!).
Sage Vishvamitra therefore knew that Rama would be uneasy at the thought of harming Tataka who had been born as a yaksha woman (or yakshini). He therefore warned Rama that she was no ordinary woman and that there was nothing feminine at all about her. Her character was entirely demonic-- cruel, sadistic, perpetually angry and ever ready to kill. He warned Rama that she had demonic powers, including those of illusion (Maya). Far from being a frail woman who required protection, she was a very dangerous opponent who would not be at all easy to defeat.
Sri Rama had been feeling uncomfortable at the thought of battling a woman. However, He now recalled His father's parting words that He was to obey the sage's every command. He therefore bowed before Vishvamitra and agreed to follow his instruction.
Preparing for battle, He then lifted His bow, and pulled its string causing a great twanging sound that powerfully reverberated in all directions. The mighty sound, an invitation to battle, penetrated the dense forest and struck fear into the hearts of the evil beings within. Tataka heard the sound and was filled with intense anger.
She rapidly made her way towards where the sound had originated. Upon seeing Rama with His brother and the sage, she rushed at them with an intent to kill. She towered well above them and had powerful arms and a fearful roar; yet Rama was loath to kill her due to her being a woman. Instead, He decided to attempt to remove her capacity to physically harm others by causing her some limited injury.
He tried this tactic but it only served to enrage her further. She then used her demonic powers to attack Rama and Lakshmana. Flying into the air, she made herself invisible and then threw a large number of rocks and boulders at them. They defended themselves and she then began to use sorcery and powers of illusion to try to kill them (while they responded by continuing to attempt to injure rather than kill her outright).
This went on for about an hour and dusk began to fall. Sage Vishvamitra then told Rama to end the battle, warning Him that asuras (demons) gained great power with nightfall. He declared that Tataka's strength would soon increase severalfold, making her even more difficult to defeat.
"Have done with Your mercy Rama, and put an end to this wicked being now!", he exclaimed.
Rama, hearing this admonishment from the sage, bowed and accepted his wish. He then fitted a final arrow to His bow and released it. The arrow met its mark, hitting Tataka in the centre of the chest and she was slain.
Seeing that the demoness was no more, the watching demi-gods felt greatly relieved and joyful. After praising Rama and Vishvamitra, they asked the sage teach the Prince knowledge of divine weapons.
Vishvamitra happily agreed but as it was now night, he told the Princes that they should rest. They all slept well and upon rising the next morning, Rama's teaching related to the use of divine weapons began.
The sage told Rama that he was very pleased and satisfied with His service in ridding the forest of the menace of Tataka. He declared that he would now give Him knowledge of the weapons of the celestials and of the Supreme Being Himself.
He then went on to teach Rama the mantras required to invoke the weapons of Brahma, Vishnu (Narayana) and Shiva, the demi-gods (including Indra, Agni, Varuna, Yama and others), and the other celestials (such as the Gandharvas and Vidyadharas).
Some of these weapons were designed to take the life of their target, while others were able to stupefy, pacify or alter their mental or physical state in some way. They had a variety of different forms including chakras (wheel or disc), spears, tridents, swords, maces, javelins, nooses and thunderbolts.
As Vishvamitra recited the mantras (which were complex and difficult to remember for even the demi-gods), these great divine weapons appeared in shining, ethereal forms before him and Rama. Some were brilliant like the sun and moon, while others seemed to shine with a smoky light or appeared like burning coal.
The weapons, in embodied form, now all folded their hands as a mark of respect and, after bowing to Rama, declared that they would be delighted to serve Him in whatever way He wished. Rama was very pleased by their appearance and addressed them affectionately saying that He regarded them all as His own.
Turning to sage Vishvamitra, He said that He now wished to learn the art of calling back these weapons after they had been released and fulfilled their purpose (this was an important part of warfare-- knowing how to both release and call back a divine weapon). The sage then taught Rama another set of elaborate mantras designed to call back the divine weapons that had been released in battle.
The weapons in living form now spoke in sweet tones to Sri Rama and asked how they could be of service to Him. Rama replied saying that for the present He wished them to return back to their homes. When in need, He said that He would summon them, and they should then appear and fulfil their duties.
The divine weapons replied saying that it would be as He wished. They bowed again and went around Him as a mark of respect and then departed for their respective homes.
Vishvamitra, Rama and Lakshmana now continued walking and, after a while, came across a very beautiful region (it was quite different from the dark and foreboding forest of Tataka). It contained clusters of pretty trees filled with birds that sang sweetly. There were also various delightful species of deer living in the area.
Turning to the sage, Rama asked him to tell Him about this region. He also wanted to know where the sage's ashram (hermitage) was located (as this was where Vishvamitra had said he would require protection from the attack by asuras).
Vishvamitra told Rama that this forest, filled with a divine atmosphere, had been the dwelling place of none other than the famous avatar of Lord Narayana known as Vamana (meaning the 'little one' as this avatar was a young boy-- not a 'dwarf' as some incorrectly say). He went on to tell Rama the legend of the Vamana avatar who had cleverly succeeded in winning back the lands of the demi-gods that had been unrighteously stolen from them by the demons (I will aim to write another post on this remarkable avatar as it is a very interesting story with useful spiritual lessons).
The place where Vamana had lived and meditated in the forest was called 'Siddha ashrama' ('Siddha' means a sage or one who is spiritually advanced). After the Vamana avatar had departed the Earth, the ashrama had been given to the sages living in the forest and it was here that Vishvamitra now resided.
The sage affectionately told Sri Rama that the ashram belonged to Him as much as to the sages who currently lived there (as Rama and Vamana were both avatars of the same Lord Narayana)! Vishvamitra then led Rama and Lakshmana into the ashram where they were received with great reverence and delight by the sages who resided there.
After a restful night, the Princes awoke at dawn the next day and performed their usual morning worship (including recitation of the Gayatri mantra). They then greeted sage Vishvamitra, who had completed his own worship, and asked him to tell them how they could now serve him.
The sage replied that two asuras known as Marichi and Subahu had been regularly disrupting his sacred fire ritual (one purpose of this type of ritual was to nourish the demi-gods, and so the demons were often eager to prevent this from taking place). He said that the demons would usually arrive suddenly at the ashram using their illusory powers, and they would then pour various impure materials onto the sacred fire thus rendering it unfit for use. He wanted Rama to slay the asuras and thus ensure that he and the other sages could perform their worship peacefully without any fear or disruption.
Vishvamitra told Rama and Lakshmana that he was about to commence a fire ritual that would last for six days and nights. He asked the Princes to remain by his side and keep a look out for the demons as he performed the ritual and they agreed. He then began to conduct the ritual that involved pouring clarified butter and herbs into the sacred fire while chanting mantras in praise of the Divine.
On the sixth day of the ritual, there was a disturbance in the sky a short distance from them, and the two asuras suddenly manifested along with their accomplices. They all then rushed with tremendous speed towards the sacred fire and poured various impure and forbidden substances into it (including flesh, blood and pus), thus desecrating the place of worship completely.
Seeing a rain of blood suddenly falling onto the sacred fire, Sri Rama and Lakshmana ran towards the source of the disturbance and saw the asuras in the sky. Declaring to Lakshmana that He would soon dispense with them, Sri Rama began to invoke some of the divine missiles previously given to Him by sage Vishvamitra.
Invoking the powerful weapon of Manu (the progenitor of mankind), He aimed this at Maricha and released it. The tremendous force of the weapon carried the demon a few thousand miles away and he was tossed unconscious into an ocean (he was not killed as Rama had stated that it was not yet time for him to die).
Rama then invoked the weapon of the demi-god of fire, Agni, and released this at the demon Subahu thus slaying him. He then released the weapon of the demi-god of the air, Vayu, upon the remaining asuras which caused them all to be flung very far away.
Vishvamitra and the other sages rejoiced greatly at seeing the demons being removed far away from their ashram. They praised Rama greatly even as the King of demi-gods, Indra, was congratulated in the past when he had won battles over the asuras. The sages then completed their worship for the day and they all retired to sleep feeling extremely peaceful and contented.
Upon waking the next morning and completing their morning routine of worship, Sri Rama and Lakshmana approached the sages. Saying that they felt deeply honoured to have served them by defeating the asuras, they asked if they could now be of any further help.
The sages replied saying that they were highly pleased with the help rendered by the Princes. They then explained that they were about to embark upon a very special journey to see the marvellous bow of Lord Shiva Himself. This mighty divine bow had been gifted to the great King Janaka after he had performed a most wonderful fire ritual in worship of the Divine. The King was himself a self-realised sage (a kingly sage or 'raja-rishi'/ 'rajarshi' in Sanskrit) and ruled over a neighbouring kingdom known as Mithila.
They declared that the bow of Lord Shiva was so extraordinary and powerful that not even the demi-gods, celestials and demons could dream of lifting it (much less mere human beings). A great worship was about to be conducted in Mithila in honour of this magnificent divine weapon. The sages said that they would be delighted if the Princes would accompany them to witness this unique ceremony.
Sri Rama and Lakshmana were greatly intrigued and fascinated at the thought of seeing the divine bow of Lord Shiva Himself and therefore happily agreed to travel to Mithila with the sages.
The sages then made preparations for their journey which included setting up a number of carts laden with various sacred materials required for worship. Accompanied by Sri Rama and Lakshmana, they set off joyfully for the kingdom of Mithila to participate in the wonderful ceremony of the divine bow.
To be continued.....
Om Sri Vamanaya Namah.
Om Sri Ramaya Namah.
Om Namo Narayanaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
P.S. The current lunar month known as Shravana is regarded as particularly auspicious for the worship of Lord Shiva via mantra japa, puja, homam and so on. Om Namah Shivaya. May He bless and protect us all.
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