Taraka was a beautiful daughter of a demi-god named Suketu. She was married to Sumali, a demon king. She had two sons named Mareech and Subahu and a daughter named Kaeksi. Due to sage Agastya’s curse, she was turned into an ugly man-eater demoness. As a revenge, Taraka along with her sons had started harassing and troubling as many sages as she could, by destroying their yagyas and prayers with a shower of flesh and blood. When Rama, Laxman and sage Vishwamitra had reached Dandaka forest, the sage showed the brothers demoness Taraka. He instructed prince Rama to kill her. Lord Rama was hesitant to kill her as she was a woman. Sage Vishwamitra advised Rama that as a prince, he had to carry out his duties for the welfare and protection of the nation. He also told Rama that evil has no gender, caste or creed. Though a woman yet Taraka was terrorising the residents of the region. Hearing this, Rama was convinced and swiftly pierced her heart with his arrows. This act gained the young princes the blessings of not only just sage Vishwamitra but also the blessings of all the assembled sages in the forest.
TARAKA IS SLAIN
